We regularly hear about new bands that balance the early days of emo with post-hardcore coming from either the Northeast or the Midwest. There’s always the odd exception of course, like Torrance’s very own Joyce Manor, but there’s still a general lack of representation coming from the West Coast. Consider Chatrooms as that next promising act to bring some meaning into the current emo revival: they’re the type of band that defies categorization, sporting a guitar-driven sound that is spiked with vexed, passionate vocals, sure, but they also experiment with more steady rhythms that are plaited together with lush atmospheric touches. The title track off of their debut EP, "Negative Tension", is an urgent, melodic rocker that places emphasis on yearning chord changes with drifting guitar passages.

Chatrooms are playing at the Echoplex’s monthly emo night, Taking Back Tuesday, on Tuesday, July 5. – Juan Rodríguez

Electro pop artist Beca’s mix of dance and synth pop sounds brings back the term throwback in the best possible way. Her kinetic songs demand your immediate response, with dark, Euro disco-tinged rhythms that could be described as if Cold Cave enlisted Kylie Monigue to collaborate on their latest project. Which exhibits the potency of her focus: Beca surely wants you to join the dancefloor, but she’d appreciate it if you’d pay attention to her propulsive tempos, too.

Beca’s debut full-length album Ecliptic is out now via  All Scene Eye. You can catch her live at the next Sofar Sounds on June 28th. – Juan Rodríguez

LOVEYOU are not the first to blend dainty melodies with discordant sounds. What young songwriter Andrew Stogel does differently, however, is to approach it with a confidence that easily sets a high quality standard on its respective genre. Their debut EP, Sparkle & Crush, isn’t one to easily pigeonhole – while their first single, "Outed the Time", has something of a mid-90’s Creation records sound with its overdriven guitars and lush sonic soundscapes, the rest of the EP fluctuates its silvery snyth textures with crisp, uptempo melodies that are sometimes free-floating, other times rhythmically punchy. And it never shies away from delivering the kind of sumptious hooks that continue to reward with multiple listens.

Sparkle & Crush will be self-released on June 22nd. You can catch them that very same day hosting a free record release show at Harvard & Stone. – Juan Rodríguez

The Wilder Society are an emerging foursome that writes raptorous folk pop. They describe themselves as "wanderers, transplants, and vagabonds", which sounds precious by description, sure, but there’s a palpable genuineness that’s truly earned by way of strummy, wholesome harmonies and bucolic introspection. Their latest single, "The Lion’s Den", is a foot-stomping anthem that opens their debut EP of the same name with a wide-eyed optimism, though a further listen to their still-disclosed material exhibits a band whose writing is far more reflective than they initially come off as.

Even if The Lion’s Den is slated for a July 2016 release, the band is celebrating the release of the EP with a pre-release show tonight at Hotel Café. – Juan Rodríguez

The first thing that truly stands about Bishop Briggs is her striking voice, a goosebump-inducing bellow that sizzles with a soaring gospel feel. Comparisons to Florence and the Machine are inevitable, but Briggs gives her new single “The Way I Do” a different treatment: the neo-soul anthem uses a trap-influenced beat to express her utmost desires in a simple and effective manner, anchored by an impeccable soundscape that agrees with her sanguine delivery. She’ll potentially be filling up stadiums in no time.

“The Way I Do” is currently streaming on your favorite streaming service. Briggs will also make a few live appearences in mid-August, where she’ll be opening for two nights at the Rose Bowl for saccharine stalwarts Coldplay. 

Royal Young are a rock outfit with a slight blues flair, taking from the vestiges of the past and incorporating the present on their own terms. Led by Sierra Neal’s raspy vocal delivery, the quartet exhibits a very assured technicality that’s accented with just a tinge of punk ruggedness, a quality that complements those moments when they really like to let loose. 

The band recently unveiled their first EP, which is currently available through their official soundcloud page. You can also catch them at dba256 Gallery & Wine Bar in Pomona on June 18.

Bringing back the raw alt-rock tunes from the early 2000’s, Higuera’s genuine passion for creating fresh sounds and heart-wrenching lyrics transpires in all 4 tracks of their EP “Always Have a Secret Plan.” The 5-piece band showcase a flair for writing honest and relatable lyrics, the kind we lay in bed listening to late at night because they simply pierce the heart like a double edged sword. Their most notable track, “Pieces”, starts and ends with a steady beat that evokes a feeling of anticipation, while vocalist and founder Valley Taylor melodically unravels the many stages of love and life. Natives to sunny Southern California, Higuera unveil memorable tracks that show their love for creating music for the sake of the art. – Yesenia Carvajal

"Gunslinger" is a pensive meditation that ruminates on taking love with you to a new place. Blanketed with a soft layer of minimal synths, lo-fi bedroom recorder Erik David Hidde, who goes by Prison Escapee, sings with a calm demeanor, with a slightly indistinct delivery that only adds to the song’s shimmering dreamscape. There’s a certain uncertainty lingering through his mind, though he’s more so eager and expectant of what is to come.

This is the second reveal off of Prison Escapee’s forthcoming album Disappearing Mountaintop, which will be self-released on June 16. Take a listen to "Gunslinger" below.

It begins with an almost-inert drone and then…it just goes off! That’s the blistering new track by Pink Mexico, "Buzz Kill", a fiery scorcher that fires all cylinders with uncompromising guitar fuzz. The Robert Preston-led project has found a new home with Burger for their upcoming full-length fool, which promises loads of humorous self-depreciation set against genuinely confident songwriting. 

Paris Radio is the new project of Tony Aguiar, a former member of Voxhaul Broadcast who’s found inspration in eighties synth pop. His new track, "Tangled Shadow", incorporates vigorous dance beats with bulked-up synth sounds that could easily be confused as analogue instruments. The track is immadiate and accesible, the kind that will get audiences to nod their heads with carefree abandon.

Aguiar will be co-headlining a show at The Satellite on June 14 with Adult Bodies.

A beatific atmosphere surrounds the enigmatic “Holy Nights”, a dreamy slow-burner that takes us a little bit closer to understanding lo-fi bedroom recorder Stefan Weich. The blissful aura he creates permeates throughout amid a somber soundscape that’s unobtrusive, yet sublimely grand. The multi-instrumentalist wants to transmit a feeling of weightlessness with the song’s subdued tone, a faint whisper of emotion for those who may be seeking for some solace. It’s a captivating first statement from an artist who writes achingly wistful melodies that are as affecting as they are hard to shake, one who’s sure to follow the footsteps of experimental pop contemporaries like Julian Lynch and Alex G.

“Holy Nights” is the lead-off track off of Weich’s self-released debut EP, Granite Prism, which is due out June 3rd. – Juan Rodríguez

Prism Tats is the solo project of South African-born Garett van der Spek, a multi instrumentalist whose vicious garage rock is fully indebted to the early days of power pop. The compressed drums and tremolo guitars of singles like "Creep Out // Freak Out" are pure rock n’ roll at its most joyful and unforced, the kind that could perfectly soundtrack your favorite early eighties coming-of-age comedy. But behind its wound-up melodies lurks a smart and outspoken look into the intricacies of being an Angeleno, a city that’s greatly informed van der Spek’s now permanent vacation.

Prism Tats is opening for indie rock veterans Nada Surf this coming Saturday, May 21st at Teragram Ballroom. His debut self-titled Prism Tats is out now via Anti- Records. – Juan Rodríguez

Photo Credit: Cara Robbins