Conventional wisdom dictating the world will end not with a bang, but with a whimper, seems to be playing out famously, but at the very least we’ll get some good music out of it. New video “Shells” by New York “pre-apocalyptic electro indie rock” project Thurlowood is the latest to cover Armageddon in a quiet, dignified, and incredibly catchy manner. With the cool keys of a Nord Electro 6 and a rudimentary drum machine backing, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Thurlow Wood sings Cold War-era instructions to schoolchildren on what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. Against a music video incorporating archive footage of a 1951 educational film, Wood’s haunting vocal delivery simultaneously emphasizes the futility of such directions were an actual tactical strike ordered on the United States, in addition to the fragility of our continued existence as a human species. Reminiscent of the Postal Service’s similarly depressive earworms and Ra Ra Riot circa 2013’s Beta Love, it’s a beautiful, harrowing single that’s a perfect soundtrack for our increasingly precarious times — give it a watch below, and stream new LP Discontinue Normal Program, out now. Photo by David Yang

Synthpop outfit Bottler describe their sound as music “full of electronic vitamin C,” an apt description of their uplifting new track “Nobody Likes Me.” Bolstered by a chilled downtempo beat and a healthy mix of piano keys and speaker-shaking bass, the Brooklyn-based duo employ a repeating sample of a children’s choir as the song’s centerpiece, creating a joyful, bright atmosphere over its succinct three minute run time. Moreover, Bottler’s approach to production, which incorporates maximalist, shimmering synth arpeggios alongside analogue components, evokes the late 00s / early 10s indietronic sound of groups like Passion Pit and Discovery sans vocals. Stream this sunny listen below, and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP Clementine, out May 8th.

Self-isolation-bred productivity can come in many forms, and whether it’s reading a good book or posting on Instagram about your sourdough starter, there’s really no wrong way to do it. Erring on the side of the creative is Brooklyn indie outfit Onesie’s new video for “Unsolved Mysteries,” which, through iMovie magic and a photo scanner, lovingly displays the mid-80s childhood drawings of bandleader Ben Haberland. Scoring these high resolution scans of Mortal Kombat (or G.I. Joe?) inspired illustrations is Onesie’s power pop inclined sound, albeit on the scuzzier side; Haberland’s winding vocal delivery modulates between the bright melodic quality heard on the band’s 2019 effort Umpteenth, breaking on the chorus to deliver some frothy sing-speak disharmony. Bolstered by driving, interlocking guitar work and lyricism drawing parallels between mental subjugation and sheltering-in-place, it’s a progressive bop for fans of 90s / early 00s alternative, or those seeking to enliven the feeling of being trapped — either way, watch and listen below.

It’s been an engaging (and exciting) experience to see the through-line developing on Capsules, the forthcoming debut record by New York-based folk soothsayer Hayfitz, something one could liken to reading sections from a diary non-linearly. New track “Kitchen” maintains a similar environment to previous single “Daylight,” as Brandon Hafetz’s quiet, impressionistic recollections of the past drift over evenhanded guitar chords and lush analogue synths, but while Hafetz’s last single detailed the harsh truth of being honest and having “sober conversations,” “Kitchen” feels like a fresh start. A repeating chorus of questions (“What’s your name? What’s your story?”) emphasizes the different kind of intimacy the single details, the terrifying prospect of knowing someone else and being known yourself. Once more, Hafetz’s focus on the vulnerable nature of the human condition, the pain inherent to our interconnecting lives, is rendered brightly, beautifully, and softly, through trembling falsetto and an intrepid blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. Give it a listen below ahead of his LP’s release on May 29th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

The aptly titled “Social Distancing” by Brooklyn-based outfit Monster Furniture captures the feelings inherent to our new lives indoors — a lofi metronome beat, anxiety-adjacent walking bass lines, and lyrics detailing our new “curious days” convey well the inertia of sheltering-in-place, outlining both the few joys of staying home (like feeding baby carrots to the dog [as a treat]) amidst the various long sighs that fill our impossibly long days. Moreover, Monster Furniture’s inclination towards occasional melodic resolves and sweet falsetto reprieves from a predominantly downtempo, minor offering embeds the track with a sense of yearning, which paired with a lyrical grocery list of indoor-friendly activities that occupy time as we wait for the pandemic to end, seems to cautiously look on the bright side, while accepting the less-than-ideal nature of our current, sickness-stricken reality. It’s a kind, deeply human tune, and recommended listening for days spent doing the same tasks, over and over again — stream it below, alongside the other thematically similar tracks on Shred City Presents’s Quarantine Compilation.

Synthpop multi-instrumentalist Christian Carpenter (a.k.a Trivial Shields) excels in the field of sad bops — tracks where the vibe feels lighthearted and dance-forward, yet marked by subtle, lachrymose undertones. Case in point, new single “For The Best” provides a groove-focused atmospheric jam, with a sensitive vocal performance from vocalist and producer Angelica Bess that adds a recollective, sometimes wistful energy. Such a pairing of melancholic lyricism with indie pop instrumentation isn’t new, but Carpenter and Bess’s collaboration enables to take in both sweet and sad in equal turn, laying down a bop well-suited for hopeless romantics and club kids alike, the type of jam that makes you cognizant of the friends (and possibly lovers) who are no longer in your life, but whose impact is still felt and appreciated in the present. Give it a stream below as you dream of your eventual return to the dance floor.

Listening to “Lay Out in the Sun,” the latest single by New York post-punk band Fair Visions, feels like a daydream had while staring out the window of a cramped three-bedroom apartment. Tightly compressed drums and hazy, analogue keys vibe alongside easygoing acoustic strumming, as singer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Work envisions a sunny afternoon in greener pastures, “away from everyone.” Avoiding getting caught in the claustrophobia of bedroom pop, the song expands outwards, providing a verdant, minimalist synth solo and lush chorus harmonies, pining lyrically for a new start, a contrast to the perpetually overcast nature of quotidian routines. While most of the city remains anxiously stuck indoors, Fair Visions encourages us to dream, if only for a moment, about a better life that’s just over the horizon — give it a listen the next time you find yourself requiring a brief escape. —Connor Beckett McInerney

In light of the current closures the 11th annual Burger Boogaloo festival just announced it will be moving their July dates to Halloween weekend to best accommodate the artists on this year’s phat lineup. Host John Waters shares, “A virus may scare the punk rock world out of Oakland in July but we’ll scare it right back on Halloween weekend! Trick or treat, we can’t be beat! Burger Boogaloo 2020: a Monster Mash to top them all!” That’s the attitude we like to hear! Playing their first show in 25 years, we’re thrilled Bikini Kill is taking the stage, along with Belgian super punk star Plastic Bertrand for their first ever Bay Area show. Oakland favorites like Shannon Shaw (who’s playing a solo set, though we’re wondering if any of the Clams might sneak on stage?) and The Younger Lovers. Secure your Burger Boogaloo tickets now, and if you’re already snagged ‘em, all tickets will still be honored. Let’s all plunk something to look forward to on the calendar for October 31 and November 1st and start thinking of your costumes while you’re at it. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

The saturated image of a fleeing canine adorns the cover of Red Wolf, a recent release by New York experimental rock trio Spacer, a fitting image given the effort’s skittish, sometimes wandering internal monologue and its fight-or-flight inducing guitar work. Through sludgey drop tunings with a slight psych influence, Spacer impress on listeners a sense of indefinable external danger, or at the very least a mild malaise, over the course of six tracks, replete with an impressionistic approach to lyricism and distorted, heavy shredding. Visceral and anxiety-inducing, it’s evocative of Boris’ Akuma No Uta, the type of record for those seeking an experimental, noisy release from the city’s current quietude. Stream it below.

Brooklyn-based post-rock / jazz trio Scree best hone their sound in a live setting — their set opening for Ben Seretan this past February was, in my opinion, one of the more transcendent performances i’ve seen in recent years. Live at The Owl captures much of the unbridled, experimental aspects that make the group such a joy to listen to, brimming with noodling interplay between upbeat bass and live guitar, shuffling freeform percussion, and well-timed discordant segues that introduce a cerebral, melancholic break from melody. Unfortunately not present on the LP are guitarist Ryan Beckley’s inter-track spoken word interludes (which offered a nice reprieve from the band’s swirling, blue-toned sound in concert); until the dust settles on New York’s indefinite concert postponement and you can enjoy Scree IRL, stream this masterful instrumental effort below. —Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Jason Burger

NJ electropop outfit Clown, Baby make easily danceable tunes with an 80s slant, albeit with an ear for the charmingly irreverent. Over the course of new EP In my car, the band details the merits of choosing a proletarian ride over showboating muscle cars (“toyota corolla”), the virtues of love bites (“eightdog”), and the undeniable attraction of apathetic heart-throbs (“baditude”), all presented with plush, playful synth leads and relaxed, almost lounge-like vocal performances. While the release plays into a number of songwriting tropes from an era of big hair and teenage hedonism, the extended play resonates instead as a joyful, groove focused effort, evocative of both the B-52’s campy jams and the off-kilter stylings of early Metronomy — stream it below if you’re looking for a good time. Photo by Bobby Greco.

Lush electronics, memories which have just started to fade, and an abiding, comforting acoustic guitar bolster “Come By,” the latest single by niecesandnephews, but the song finds its greatest strength in the human voice. Composer-producer-songwriter Mario Gutierrez’s baritone register, in collaboration with Sara Sommerer, provides narration of events both past and present, unfurling a tale of lost love among a sea of bright instrumentation, almost as if he’s telling a long, sad story of indeterminate ending. Better yet, his choice pairing of folk textures with synthetic accents presents receding recollections of the past in appropriately hazy fashion — Gutierrez said the track itself details how, in recalling bygone romance, that “the vision is generally unclear, but we wish to just have that moment to show we can bring, but that time doesn’t come.” As such, it’s recommended listening for your next nostalgia trip, or for fans of Bon Iver circa 22, A Million era — stream it below.