Off-kilter indie connoisseurs Drug Couple lay down a homegrown bop on new single “Be In 2.” A track off the Brooklyn duo’s forthcoming debut EP Little Hits, “Be In 2” finds its pace in the disconcerting give-and-take of modulating, granular synths and an acoustic percussive backbone, occasionally finding space for shimmering guitar riffs and cheerful vocal accents, endowing the final output with a sound somewhere between Animal Collective and Yo La Tengo. This call and response dynamic radiates through the track’s lyrical components as well, with band members Miles and Becca sharing the song’s central melody. Given that Drug Couple’s mythos comes from its two members “falling in love, micro-dosing LSD [together], and considering getting a dog,” it’s clear that the chemistry between its two members isn’t just limited to their joint desire to “find someone special to share the end times with.” Jam it below, and catch them at the Broadway on November 18th for their record release show. -Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Ed-Rocha Goncalves

New York-based songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum (of Wilder Maker) describes his debut solo LP Not Alone as “classic American music, suitable for everyday use,” and he’s not wrong. There’s something quotidian about his tunes in the way that he recounts daily adventures and the minutia of the minutes passing between the hours, offset by the easygoing nature of his backing band laying down classic folk rock soundscapes. This isn’t to say there’s anything boring about Not Alone; rather, Gabriel Birnbaum’s ability to craft plainspoken-yet-engaging narratives of everyday life resonates as good, honest work—his view of the world is well-used when accompanied by stuttering roots rock electric guitars and rhythmic, acoustic strumming, providing a contemporary example of the hardworking American musician archetype. Stream the first three tracks of the record below, and catch Birnbaum at Turk’s Inn on December 4th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

How to describe Healing Potpourri? Sweet bossa beats with a real gentle vibe. Healing, indeed. It’s like what you wish elevator music was. The boys are coming to The Knockout tonight and we wanted to send out this late but proper invitation. So forth, be soothed. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Much like its namesake, “Kaleidoscope Garden” explodes in color over the course of its dramatic, three-minute build, endowing the listener with a colorfully accessible soundscape. The latest offering by Jersey alt rock outfit WYLAND, the track finds its bearings in the blue of cinematic piano and the sauntering drawl of vocalist Ryan Sloan before a bright explosion of guitars and an exciting percussive drive. WYLAND’s penchant for melody and rock showmanship is in full force on “Kaleidoscope;” listen below and be sure to see the Garden State four piece at Baby’s All Right on November 16th. -Connor Beckett McInerney, Photo by Kelsey Ayres 

New York band of brothers Caravela lay down sunny dream-pop on their most recent record Ski, splitting the difference between emo-inspired lyricism and bright, guitar-driven jangle rock in their dynamic sound. From the infectious riffing on “Carrier,” wherein distant trips to Tokyo are hazily described against stadium-filling percussive fills, to the ghostly, love sick falsetto of album standout “Make Believe,” Frank and Stephen Graniero maintain momentum throughout the album’s ten tracks, delivering a final output perfect for fans of emo, post-punk, and the like. Stream it below, and catch them at Baby’s All Right on November 10th. —Connor Beckett McInerney

Oakland-based Hello Yello released two tracks as a duo called My Life As A Teenage Robot. Songs "Lifeguard" and "I Really Loved You," which as the band says are two tracks that lend "…a softer hand to their innovative mash-up of punk and grunge sounds." The project continues a busy year for the group, following the release of their debut EP Love Wins earlier this year, and they just started their North American tour. Catch them and listen in. It’s alternative, grunge and something we can’t put our finger on. –Lucille Faulkner

Lexica, an experimental group formed in the burgeoning arts scene in mid-Nineties Harlem, have released Lost & Left To Be Imagined, an album which up until now never saw the light of day. The 2002 recording, which featured the trippy proto-EDM stylings of Lorraine Lelis, Stephen Krieger, and Erik Laroi, was well-hyped before its release, but ended up in the dustbin of history. However, the band was finally able to unearth it, and with it, the single "Faint Hue", a shimmering song which features Lelis’s layered vocals, the relaxing and haunting beats of Kreiger, and the subtle but powerful guitar work of Laroi. Give this long-lost track a listen for yourself down below. – Will Sisskind

Earlier this month Jakob Battick, the Berkeley-based musician (originally hailing from the great state of Maine) released Tour Tape 2019, digitally and as a limited edition cassette. For fans of quiet psych folk who appreciate a touch of drone and drifting off into spacey realms. A personal favorite off the collection, “Lilac Bloom” showcases more melodic moments and a lovely female vocal accompaniment. Props to Liam Herb for the crystal wine glass work on these tunes and just the right amount of mystical synth. Feels like just the right kind of tunes to stargaze to. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Creating their own quirky blend of noisy dual-guitar dreampop, Russian Baths share their latest single “Wrong” (streaming below) in advance of their debut full-length album Deepfake. A crisp, odd-tempo drum pattern and bassline set up momentary jolting guitars, introducing soft-spoken lyrics “what’s that effect you hear? Keep it in control.” Elongated vocals emphasize the song’s title with the refrain “I – was – wrong,” as atmospheric textures rise in the background, at times exploding, at times chiming like town square bells. A sonic ascention begins midway through this nearly 5 minute track, creating a wall of hammered guitar chords against the single word songtitle “wrong.” One more quite plateau is reached, as clean dual guitar interplay engages over a simple, basic drum beat. Deepfake is out on 11/8 and the band play their release show that night with like-minded noise rockers Bambara at St. Vitus. – Dave Cromwell

San Francisco punky alternative group Pardoner is set to play El Rio on November the 6 with New York’s Bethlehem Steel and World Smasher. Pardoner’s most recent album, Playin’ on a Cloud, was a self-released collection of songs with Weezer and Green Day influences and some Fiery Furnaces thrown in for kicks. They’re fun and loud and happy and ready to roll. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Back with their indie folk style and infectious tunes, The Morning Sea have a new record called Half Keys set for release on November 1st. The past year included big accomplishments for the band; their song "Listen Love" won two 2019 Independent Music Awards, and countless publications continued to praise their work on their past albums. Half Keys took shape entirely in band member Sonny Ratcliff’s Brooklyn apartment, using all acoustic instruments and it mostly consists of first or second takes. The result is an honest and passion-filled compilation of songwriter and frontman Adam Cohen’s tracks, which deals with lost love and all of the heartbreak and healing that comes with it. The Morning Sea will celebrate the release of Half Keys with a show at Rockwood Music Hall’s Stage 3 on November 2nd. Take a look at the music video for the single "Mad In Berlin", and the entire LP Half Keys, below. – Will Sisskind

At the core of Brooklyn-based experimental pop outfit Green and Glass is a mellifluous, dulcet harp—a texture that informs the group’s output with an ethereal and sometimes mysterious quality. Played by bandleader and singer Lucia Stavros (and flanked by a myriad of collaborators from bands like Cuddle Magic and Secret Sibling), her soft, almost whispering vocals, alongside Green and Glass’s various synths, horns, and drums craft a baroque-like march on the band’s debut single “14 Hours.” The synthesis of the group’s various parts manifests an orchestral quality, one that places the group squarely between chamber and synth pop; Green and Glass are tactile in the sounds they choose to incorporate, but do so in an off-kilter manner that embeds the entire track with a hazy, dream-like quality. Stream it below, and catch them at The Footlight on November 6th. -Connor Beckett McInerney