Satellite Mode return with a brand new single, "Terrified", the follow-up to their previous release "Gave It All". Where the year’s earlier release hollowed out hearts with its thundering sound, "Terrified" — although about the love of fear — turns more major-key pop and highlights Jessica Carvo’s melodic talent and Alex Marko’s ear for catchy chord progressions. This marks the fourth single released this year alone, which gives fans hope that a new release following 2017’s Wild Excuses is on the way. The band hasn’t made any big announcements yet, however, they’ve spent the year bouncing from coast to coast, releasing videos and singles, and getting their music on Sirius AltNation – among other radio stations. But 2018 isn’t over yet, so there may be more from Satellite Mode still to come. Listen to "Terrified" below. – Will Sisskind

If you’re a big Chance the Rapper fan, then it’s time to take a step back and thank Garren Sean — the Bay Area producer who worked on “Smoke Break” as well as Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama: Re-Wrapped. Where Sean really flourishes, though, is on his newest EP SUNDRIP. The eclectic project blends psychedelic (and occasionally grungey) sensibilities with catchy and modern electronica, creating something entirely fresh. Sean is at his best on tracks like “Psychedelic Soul” (streaming below), which give him the space to experiment with genre. The track is not only dance-friendly, but it’s a modern take on a groovy classic sound and shows a producer who is ready to take on the challenge of creating something completely new. Garren Sean is currently on tour with Clairo and will be back in San Francisco on August 16 for a hometown show at Brick & Mortar. – Lilly Milman

You may recognize the name Sean Rubin from his old project Ladyhips, a Deli New England Artist of the Month dating back to 2012, but if you haven’t heard of his solo project then it’s time to catch up. Rubin recently released his debut album everybody shares a name, an avant-folk project that finds a surprising comfort in the dissonance, asking difficult questions and accepting the fact that there isn’t always an answer. It’s striking for its lack of conventionality; this project takes risks, but it’s still easy to listen to for those willing to enter Sean Rubin’s weird and intricate world. Take the leap with us, and stream our favorite track “old birds” below. – Lilly Milman

When Boston-based singer-songwriter Maxwell Bailey decided to record his EP, he kept it simple. Featuring only his own solo vocals and guitar playing, the In Between live EP is a bare bones tribute to storytelling. It combines a raw performance with relatable lyrics, resulting in a record that’s easy to listen to and even better to dive into. Primarily a live performer, Bailey thrives in the spontaneity of this project, having recorded the entire record in one day at an Airbnb. He will be playing at the Noise Floor Sessions at Aeronaut Allston on July 18. – Lilly Milman

Stream the title track “In Between” below.

On the surface, Psymon Spine may not seem like the kind of band that plays spiritual music, but they are a spiritual group. According to the bio on their website, the PSY part of their name stands for psychedelic parts of their music, while the MON stands for the harmonious nature in which they traverse genres of the past, present and future. The SPINE stands for the interconnected nature of the music: the connecting tissue between the band and the listener. The bio reads like scripture and the music embodies faith. A faith that a combination of folk, classical, electronic, drone, and plain old rock music will actually meld into a cohesive vision. And for the most part, this faith pays off. The songs that consist of their 2017 album You Are Coming To My Birthday find the familiar elements of each genre and amplifies them so the constant genre shifts and blurred hypnosis they conjure up always feels natural, if not engaging. It’s music that plays off the expectation of the listener in the best way; it lulls them into a dream state before inverting that dream into a wholly new creation to illustrate the beauty in everything. You can stream their album below and see Psymon Spine play at Elsewhere on July 25. -Tucker Pennington

There’s a new dynasty of artists that have emerged in the 2010’s that seem determined to carry the torch of “old school”, but various cities and artists have different interpretations about what constitutes “old school”. Mick Jenkins and Chance the Rapper have reinvented the soulful creations of Chicago, and YG fuses together a g-funk persona with modern day west-coast swagger. With YL & Roper Williams’ album friendofafriend, the same boom-bap approach that made Joey BadA$$ so popular is once again reinvented. This is not just another hip-hop album that derives its personality from New York’s history as rap’s epicenter; instead the thread of classic drum samples and RZA-styled beats has been pulled until it’s almost unrecognizable. Nocturnal and abstract, yet completely familiar, friendofafriend deals with common anxieties in a straightforward and intimate fashion. The machinations of the day-to-day are refracted through YL’s subtle wordplay that give the world of this album a personal feel. The ending “birdsfly” sounds especially poignant as uplifting choirs carry the verses with triumph. Together Roper Williams and YL have successfully carried the torch and altered east-coast tropes with a thoroughly enjoyable album. You can listen to friendofafriend in its entirety below.  -Tucker Pennington

After the initial warped drum beat, it only takes 8 seconds for Future Generations to kick in to full alt-pop shine on new single “All The Same.” The track is the first from the Brooklyn group’s newly announced sophomore album, Landscape, out September 13 via Frenchkiss Records. “All The Same” moves Future Generation’s sleek alt-pop into more synth and electronics heavy sounds than the band’s 2016 self-titled full-length. The highlight of the song comes in the form of a arpeggiated synth melody that floats the chorus. Listen to “All The Same” below. – Cameron Carr

Read this interview about gear with Future Generations on Delicious Audio.

Nate B., aka Nathan Bajar, isn’t afraid to add honey to your tea. His songs convey a lo-fi funk akin to Bibio but with vocals along the lines of Frank Ocean or Serpentwithfeet. His forthright lyricism envelops your brain like an opium cloud and the dreams that follow are sumptuous indeed. He’s still fluttering just below the radar, but with some of his SoundCloud tracks drawing almost 20k views, it’s only a matter of time. He’s also a photographer of note, so recognize creativity is the man’s oxygen. – BrokeMC

Holy Ride’s guitarist and bassist Caleb Oldham describes their music as “D’Angelo meets Mac DeMarco.” They’ve got the breezy, trailing riffs of beach rock layered with singer Julian Ernest Wright’s soulful vocals that give them a sound all their own. The four musicians that comprise Holy Ride met while attending Columbia University, where they started out by playing dorm parties. Their debut EP Party Tricks, released in June, is a collection of four tracks of love, lust and heartbreak in the city. On “Movies”, Wright sings, “I’m down to waltz around on common ground / So let me know when you’re around.” However, the band isn’t taking a break after just one release; they said they’re planning to release three additional EPs in the near future, and they already have “about a dozen” songs in the making. -Lily Crandall

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

Everything about True Blue requires a double-take. A cursory listen of the debut EP from Porches’ bassist turned solo artist reveals a palette that often overlaps with Aaron Maine’s patented brand of throwback electro-pop. It’s on second glance where Maya Laner’s version of pop morphs into uncanny, yet compelling ballads that dig into the flesh of listeners. Using imagery that invokes the more rustic parts of the United States, Edge Of detail filthy characters and depressing scenarios. “Rocky Bottom” is a quaint tune that gallops at a steady pace, but Laner’s chipmunk vocals give this somewhat kitsch song an unsettling sense of reality that is wonderfully uncomfortable. The rest of the EP could also double as muzak from educational videos from the ’90s, but it’s the warping of this very distinct vibe into something simultaneously blissful and unnerving that makes Edge Of a release that rewards multiple listens. The artwork perfectly sums up the music of True Blue: a somewhat simplistic pose that reveals something disturbing about its immeasurable size and discomforting beauty. Laner will be performing at Elsewhere on August 15, and you can stream her EP below. -Tucker Pennington

There’s a general feeling of creeping unease in Sean Henry’s first single “The Ants,” off his upcoming album Fink. The way his voice worms around your ear as he describes the murder of insects on a mass scale is vivid and unsettling. The rustic production only amplifies this eerie feeling; whereas other lo-fi artists use the aesthetic to communicate intimacy, Henry’s crumpled vocals and the slight effects draped over the single create the feeling of being trapped in the traumatized dreams of a child. The chorus, however, breaks into an assured incantation that repeats the line “Goodbye, all of my problems”, and the guitars pick up to create a quiet catharsis. “The Ants” is self-described as “soft grunge”, and this carries over into the tone and sound in a multitude of ways. The dynamic crescendos are muted without losing their potency. The warbled verses that are anxious and freaky shed their childlike persona for a matured reawakening each time the chorus hits. It makes sense that Henry would take advantage of Friday the 13 to release his debut album; his sound is unnerving and captivating, balancing the lo-fi sounds that border on ugly and vulnerable. You can watch the music video for "The Ants" below and see him live on July 22 at Alphaville. – Tucker Pennington

Just a few weeks ago, King Princess sailed off on her nationwide tour, selling out several dates and getting a torrent of good press before even stepping foot on stage for the first show. Also, she released the music video for the title track from her debut EP, called Make My Bed, which offers viewers an intimate performance from underneath her bed’s sheets. The slow and brief song of heartbreak differs from other tracks on the EP, such as "1950"; as the record goes on, the quiet pain shared in "Make My Bed" blossoms into romance that King Princess is eager to sing about. – Will Sisskind