Shoegazer’s light fm are ready to dazzle our ears once again with the release of their fifth studio album, ‘Voices in My Head.’ Filled to the brim with crisp sound design, it has the feel of 80s experimentation met with the bite of a true modern rock record. Josiah Mazzaschi, the brain child behind the band, is at the top of his songwriting game. We are streaming the title track below in advance of their record release show next Friday, Oct. 18. The relentless, driving bass bellowing beneath the ominously dissonant synthscape create the sense of madness surrounding the song’s hook. This psychizophrenic feeling becomes further cemented during the instrumentation after the bridge, where a beautiful cacophony of swirling, buzzing, arpeggiating synths and an impeccably mixed rhythm section nod to their 80s predecessors as you are driven deeper into the recesses of the mind of a lover forlorn. light fm’s technical prowess plays a big part in their appeal, but their true success is in their ability to craft a proper pop song without you noticing. Hear the new songs live October 18 at Complex. – Jacqueline Caruso

My family and I have a running joke about starting a traveling band. The only reason we never did it was to avoid the inevitable tragic end; One of us rises to fame while the others stand in the background, embittered and ignored, shaking tambourines and oohing – that and no one can play drums. Disco-tinged Indie pop quartet, Echosmith, have managed to break the mold. As their spotlight shines brighter, their siblingship remains in tact. Signing to Warner Brothers in 2012, they have officially released their debut album, ‘Talking Dreams.’ The album opens with two bombastic, high energy tunes, “Come Together” and “Let’s Love” that blast you like a fireworks show. These kids are having a really good time, and they won’t allow you to be a wallflower in the process. But they aren’t all positive lyrics and dance beats. They follow up with album stand-out, “Cool Kids,” opening with a reverb-drenched space-bound synth intro that leads you down a path towards one of the most clever, unforgettable hooks you’ll hear this year. Title track, “Talking Dreams,” picks up where the few fillers on the album leave off. It’s a song fit for a Nashville star whose shoes they are bursting out of, reminding you why they are poised for a big breakout. ‘Talking Dreams’ has the feel of a classic pop record with true intentionality. It hits its highs and lows right when you want them, grabs you by the throat with its hooks, and has real heart. The layered arrangements, intricate guitar solos, and arena ready anthems sprinkled throughout the record belie the quartet’s youth. It’s a truly impressive effort that seasoned veteran’s would be hard-pressed to surpass. In no effort to choose obvious favorites, it’s impossible to ignore lead singer, and sole sister of the bunch, Sydney’s crystal clear belt that could give Hayley Williams a run for her money. That said, it’s obvious the group is greater than the sum of its parts. (It doesn’t hurt that they could each be the star of their own CW series). Check out Echosmith’s first single, “Cool Kids,” streaming below and catch them at The Roxy November 19 during their nationwide tour that kicks off this month. – Jacqueline Caruso

Former Vivian Girls/Best Coast drummer Ali Koehler had been hinting at the possibility of forming her own project ever since she released a couple of tracks on her personal bandcamp account back in 2011. After a relatively quiet period, she’s steadily grown into her own just like her former bandmates with her own band Upset, a slyly crafted brand of cherubic pop punk fueled with insatiable hooks and nimble, fuzzed-out guitars reminiscent of beloved nineties local trio The Muffs with echoes of K Records cult favorites Tiger Trap. Though Koehler may be endowed by nature with an ear for melody, the songs do have an extra kick to them thanks to the support of the bandmates she’s enlisted, which include former hole drummer Patty Schemel and former La Sera guitarist Jenn Prince. Produced by Kyle Gilbride (who plays with emo revivalists Swearin’ and produced Waxahatchee’s breakthrough Cerulean Salt), She’s Gone (out on October 29th via Don Giovanni) is supercharged with the kind of crunchy noise pop that’s hard to escape once you’re engulfed in it. See them play live at Echoplex on October 24th at the Echoplex. – Juan Rodríguez

Following the day in the life of a motel maid, played by Mary Timony, “Peace of Mind,” is the latest video off of Mikal Cronin’s MCII. Cronin’s ability to expertly craft pop melodies while subtly tugging at your heartstrings pulls you into the cinematic experience. Feeling more like an indie short film, the video leaves you with a complexity of unsettled enigmatic emotions. Paired with the song’s folk influenced underpinnings, you’re left wanting to follow the maid on her decisive journey through the parking lot as the strings strum on. Mikal Cronin plays the El Rey Dec. 3 with Redd Kross. – Jacqueline Caruso

The spacious, guitar-driven songs of Clues and Codes unfold with a delicate pace, pronounced with a tone that sounds detached from its surroundings. The duo of Alex Aleco and Natalie White conjure a primal response with each terse chord strum, providing somewhat fractured rhythms that fluctuate between plucked guitars and primal percussive beats. But even if they’re penned with a minimalist mindset, they’re never kept within bounds – Aleco’s striking vocals are full of emotional heft, made all the more ghostly as they’re set forth against their sparse arrangements. The mood is especially affecting when they implement mandolin to the proceedings, which actually provides some of their bounciest, sweetest moments. Their debut EP K I N is simple yet full of complexity, brushed with a dark hue that allows for silent reflection. You’ll be able to see the duo live at El Cid this next Saturday, October 5th, followed by an appearance at The Smell in November. – Juan Rodríguez

Unabashedly flaunting the striking synths of the eighties, Tic Tic Boom!, are bringing some life to the party with "These Motions". The duo of real-life couple Mike DeLay and Leilani Francisco illuminate the dance floor with sprightly, pulsing beats and jovial choruses, and they’re intent on making sure that no one leaves the night with a frown. They’re just about to release Their 4th EP It’s the Heart That’s a Fool on October 8, which should make any house gathering playlist all the more colorful.

Upon the release of his self-made video for “Wring the Rag,” I caught up with Lo-Fi, Ambient solo artist Lee Noble to discuss his process. Along with crafting his own recordings, he also creates the cover art for the cassettes released on his label, No Kings. There isn’t much he can’t do – including making zines. Let the layered textures of his music and the esoteric images of the video posted below wash over you like a warm bath as he explains how it all comes together. – Jacqueline Caruso

The Deli: When did you first start performing your own music?

Lee Noble: I made some recordings in high school, but didn’t really play music solo much until later. I was in a band with my best friends throughout high school and college, and most of my musical effort was put into that. In 2008, I moved to Los Angeles and played a few shows alone with tape loops and a drum machine. I was later given a broken harmonium, and I patched it up with some sticky tack. That was sort of the impetus for making ambient music. It played very slowly because it had air leaks.

The Deli: Do you find more satisfaction/artistic fulfillment in the writing/recording process or performing live?

LN: The recordings are my statements, performing live is more like an experiment. Trying set-ups, being present. Not so much like a resume of songs. Each live performance is different, usually. Sometimes that means they don’t work. But it’s almost like 2 separate projects that meet somewhere in the middle. Recording is the priority.

The Deli: Tell us a bit about your recording process. Is it completely solitary? 

LN: I record alone in my room using a digital 8-track deck with one hour of recording memory. I use small tape recorders as something like a notebook for ideas, taking down melodies or riffs. Then I build up from those pieces. My deck is on it’s last legs though, so I’m trying to work out a new way to record. 

The Deli: You created the video for "Wring the Rag" yourself, and are also an accomplished visual artist – as you create the artwork for your releases and those you put out on your label, No Kings Records. How do these different art forms inform each other? 

LN: Trying to translate ideas into different mediums is always a fruitful effort I think. Video ideas into graphic ideas, different types of design language used as cassette j-cards or record sleeves. I just like to try my hand at anything visual, even if I have very little technical skill. 

The Deli: Any upcoming events, releases or news to share?

LN: I’m playing in Denver at the Gold Rush festival this weekend, and next month on the 18th I’m very excited to be playing at Issue Project Room in Brooklyn with Tony Conrad and Amen Dunes. 

"Wring the Rag" by Lee Noble from Bathetic on Vimeo.

Talent usually goes unnoticed, and that’s certainly the case for alt-rock trio The Moth & the Flame, whose electronic-tinged pop songs caught the attention of Ultraista drummer Joey Waronker [credits include Beck, R.E.M, & Atoms of Peace]  to produce their six song EP &. Structured around a rhyhtmic backbeat, the lead single off their latest EP "Sorry" confidently hovers with limber guitars alongside a prominent keyboard arrangement that gives the song a palpable sense of atmosphere. But the shuffling electronic textures never get in the way of maintaining a song-oriented approach, and its in their willingness to emphasize a keening melody where they demonstrate an ability to retain creative control while aspiring to take things to a grander scale. & comes out on October 29th via Hidden Records, and to support the release they’re making a stop at Bootleg Bar on October 25th.

Brothers Giovan and Mario Polanco, aka Moons of Mars, are bringing their guitar-driven, indie electro-pop to The Echo tonight in celebration of the release of their debut EP, ‘Loser.’ Stream the title track below with its slick pop production and R&B influenced swagger. The unquestionably catchy tune gives you the impression the brotherly duo are embracing the donning of the suit and tie. They still maintain that rebellious JMSN attitude towards pop music that infuses just the right amount of grit into the arrangement. While the hook will be running through my head all day, it’s those sultry guitar licks that I’ll be dreaming about. Catch them with a full band live tonight at The Echo with Pop Noir and Beat Club. – Jacqueline Caruso

Robert Fleming has brought the ocean view, the breeze and everything beautiful about a beach day right to your ears. The Beach Boys would be proud with this twist on Fleming’s guitar melodies and the psychedelic sparks that were the 1960’s. This catchy tune could make its way to the top of Billboards charts, with everyone singing and rockin’ out in their cars to this West Coast vibe sensation. The newly premiered video, "This, That or This", has a variety of brunette women dancing and singing in rhythm to the song. His skillful lyrics seem to brighten up the negatives of a partner in a relationship; all the girls are cheerful while singing about their significant other never being right and how they’re ‘jammin me out.’ That is one thing the song – and album for that matter – does not do; Victory is a new age style of seaside music that will gather a lot of buzz around the water cooler. – Kayla Hay

There’s nothing more entrancing than a buoyant, harmony-drenched sound that lights up a room with a welcome warm glow. LA-based guitarists and singers Trevon Bahnson, Ethan Glazer and Daniel Wright, who make up folk-pop trio Song Preservation Society, did just that with last year’s excellent EP “Ready Room”, which displayed three musicians with a deft touch for vibrant melodies and ever-changing rhythmic chord changes. Though they’re currently touring all across America supporting He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister, they’re setting an anchor on their hometown with what should be a wholesome set at El Rey on October 26th. 

Rife with nostalgia, and decked out with a horn section and backing harmonies that would make The Supremes swoon, The Rebel Light create surf pop that’s been baked in the desert sun. “Jukebox Dream,” will shamelessly make you want to don your poodle skirt and hurry down to the beach. Having recorded the track live themselves, the trio captured the true spirit of this bygone era by managing to make it seem like a lost tape hidden away in someone’s attic for too long, finally unearthed at a garage sale and spread throughout the interweb to our modern ears’ delight. The Rebel Light join Free Energy at the closing night of their Echo Residency Sept. 30. – Jacqueline Caruso