Though The Little Ones released their latest album, “The Dawn Sang Along,” earlier this year, their buzz has been building to a roar. Standout tracks like “Argonaut,” and “AWOL” wrap their infectious tentacles around your brainwaves with enthusiastic tenacity. You won’t be able to resist their sonic rays of sunshine as they wash all your troubles away. It’s good to know that Paul Simon continues to inspire young, surf-bound, indie rockers like this sextet. Each song dances between layered harmonies and percussive polyrhythmic sections like waves rolling in steady synchronicity far out in the deepest blue. Their live set during the Chinatown Moon Festival this Saturday, Sept. 21 is sure to be a sea of dancing grins. – Jacqueline Caruso

If you carefully observe the images in Boardwalk’s video for "I’m To Blame", you see the enchanting quality of Los Angeles – the sun-drenched hills, the balmy weather, and the flora and fauna that surrounds the outer sights of the city. But these images are transposed with a translucent purple hue, obscuring the duo as they lazily frolic and ride on swings. It seems to portray the perfect Sunday afternoon, as the swirling, low-key organ effects and gossamer guitar lines dull your senses in a narcotic state. 

Electro-funk-pop neo-soul singer, Zak Waters, will be celebrating the release of his new album, “Lip Service,” every Monday, starting tonight, during his residency at The Satellite. His first single, “Penelope,” is a radio-ready dance-inducing pop explosion that is sure to set the room on fire. It’s a light-hearted, sugary teen-pop tune with an autotuned breakdown and one of the catchiest choruses of the summer. The charismatic energy transmitted through Waters’ vocal stylings is palpable as he trills out runs like a seasoned pro ready to take on the world of stadium-filling and VMA presenting. Stream the song below as you put on your dancing shoes to head to The Satellite every Monday this month. – Jacqueline Caruso

Fullerton/Chino Hills quartet Max & the Moon have made a steady progression with each single they’ve released, and their newest, "All I Know", just might be their calling card to attract any record label they wish. With its bubbly keyboard pulse and lithe harmonies, the track has a celebratory fervor that cements their place as one of the most tuneful bands in the local scene today. Though there’s still no announcements about a possible full-length, they’ve just booked an upcoming LA residency at the Bootleg Theater that runs from Octber 7^th to the 28^th. 

Local trio – soon to be international sensation – Wildcat! Wildcat! are set to release their debut self-titled EP on Sept. 17 on Downtown. The first single, “Garden Grays,” is filled with their signature sparkling keyboards, lithe falsetto, and groovy bass lines to which anyone within earshot instinctively bobs their head. The EP features old favorites, “The Chief,” and “Mr. Quiche,” and my personal favorite, “Please and Thank You,” one of their more R&B influenced tracks. After being featured in the Sam Jones-directed documentary alongside Passion Pit, chronicling their experience at one show at SXSW, Wildcat! Wildcat! are poised for the rise to fame they deserve. Catch them live as they bring their dreamy, disco-tinged electro pop to The Troubadour Oct 17 supporting MSMR. Their shows are not only a master class in live performance, but as the only band whose Echo Residency I attended every single week last August, create an atmosphere of communal joy like few others I’ve seen. – Jacqueline Caruso

Santa Barbara quartet Dante Elephante combine that youthful middle finger waving skate punk energy, with a firm grounding in surf rock that at times borders on bubblegum. Their recently released EP “German Aquatics” on Lollipop Records, is an exuberant collection of well-crafted pop songs clocking in it at just under 20 minutes. Showcasing their intricate guitar work, radio worthy hooks, and delicate harmonies, it reminds you to take life a little easier. The beach lifestyle that brings such authenticity to their project as a whole is reflected both lyrically and musically – see: the “Wipeout” intro to “Kogi”. Dante Elephante are The Beach Boys with looser fitting trousers, and the longer I listen, the closer I’m getting to jumping in my car and blasting these tunes all the way to the coast. Perk your ears to stand out track “All The Time” below and then stream the whole EP over on Bandcamp. – Jacqueline Caruso

The newly released video for the first single, “Bad Weather,” off the debut full length, ‘Exhibitionists,’ from electro-pop trio Superhumanoids, is not for the faint of heart. The track’s minimialist Electronica gloss feels like you’re gently gliding through a dream, but as the video progresses, that dream turns into a twisted nightmare. As someone who battles that recurring dream where all my teeth fall out, this was a hard video to stomach. Unfortunately, the entrancing beat and silky smooth vocals kept me watching. This video will not be one you will soon forget. Superhumanoids will spend the month of September touring with Mayor Hawthorne, though sadly no stops are planned for LA. – Jacqueline Caruso

Poolside’s hazy glow was the perfect fit for their 5pm set on Sunday. With their sparkling synths and infectious grooves, the band was practically made for summer. It says a lot about their stellar live show that they drew a very respectable crowd despite having to compete with Chelsea Wolfe and Kurt Vile playing on opposite stages. And for those of us watching, their new wave disco did not disappoint. – Chris Karman

Angsty is an overstatement for a band like Joyce Manor, whose brand of relentless guitar pop is less about reacting and relates more with an introspective sentiment. The Torrance foursome teared up a blistering set melodic punk that flew by faster than a gust of wind. Despite the unfortunate technical difficulties they encountered during their set, it didn’t discourage them from playing their gruff, yet melodically sharp tunes. And considering their songs rarely pass the two-minute mark, their fans shouldn’t have been this disappointed since their songs are especially effective in short bursts. – Juan Edgardo Rodríguez

Photography: Juan Octavio

In anticipation of the release of their full-length album, together PANGEA dropped their new single "Snakedog" on August 20th via PitchFork. Local to the L.A. area, Pangea made its name in 2008 playing at house parties in Santa Clarita valley and performing at CalArts. Since then, the garage rock band has taken off, landing concerts and tours with bands like The Wavves, The Black Lips, Ty Segall, Guitar Wolf, and even performing at reputable venues such as The Echo, The Roxy, Troubadour, and SXSW. Snakedog has a multitude of different melodies and legends flowing from it, with symphonic sounds much like that of The Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, and The Pixies. Look for this band at the Burgerama Caravan of Stars tour, which starts on September 19th in Vancouver. Together PANGEA’s harmonious release of "Snakedog" is a beautiful illustration of what is yet to come. – Kayla Hay

Pulling mostly from his power pop heavy 2013 album MCII, Mikal Cronin and his band were a high energy crowd pleaser. Although some of the prettier elements of his music were shirked in favor of providing more grit, his fantastic melodies were still front and center. Occasionally Cronin even busted out a few of his old garage rock anthems, like the exceptional “Apathy”, which were a welcomed contrast to his statelier new material. – Chris Karman

Photography: Juan Octavio

Considering the show-stopping arrangements Cameron Mesirow, aka Glasser, has pulled off at previous festivals in recent years, it came as bit of a surprise that for her Sunday evening set she stripped her electronic pop down to the bare essentials. Comprised of little more than some samplers and a drummer/percussionist, her minimalist set up demanded she make up the difference. Luckily, with her powerful voice and charismatic presence, not mention infectious grooves, she kept the tent dancing almost the entire time. Check out the new single, "Shape," released this week off Glasser’s upcoming album.  – Chris Karman

Photo Courtesy of Leslie Andrew Ridings