“Blue Haze” is the latest “end-of-summer glassy groove” from New York synth outsider Tatum Gale, and while billed as a seasonally-apt slow jam when it came out in September, it’s spooky, dark drops resonate just as closely during these sub-30 November nights. Between its hazy chords and spacey percussive backbone, the track endows the listeners with a sense of distance, making it perfect listening for a small kickback among close friends or a dissociative episode in the club. Gale’s additional ability to inject indietronica into a future-funk bop gives “Blue Haze” a sound that’s accessible as it is groovy; stream it below to get your weekend started right. —Connor Beckett McInerney

United as a band for nearly two decades, New Jersey’s The Early November has released seven albums over their prolific career, with their most recent effort Lilac dropping in September. The album begins with “Perfect Sphere (Bubble),” a driving earworm of a tune with clear vocals that recount the experience of always being there for someone who is perpetually unavailable, described as remaining “up in the air.” This bittersweet piece creates a sense of comfort  as the vocals endow the listener with feelings of being kept close and safe—at an emotional distance. Generally, The Early November’s gentle vocals and easygoing instrumentation, combined with a harmonized vox creates a sense of forlorn melancholy, the outfit seemingly able to recall elements equal parts sad and sweet. Each of their records creates a different emotional environment, but every one is able to incorporate immaculate songwriting and fierce, driving instrumentals. Stream it below, and them at Anchor Rock Club (in Atlantic City) for their New Year’s Eve bash. —Karigan Wright

Few events embody the spirit of independent music in New York City than The Revolution, a performance series that highlights artists continuously pushing thefrontiers of innovative alternative pop.

This week, the series returns to Brooklyn’s National Sawdust on Thursday, November 14th for its 44th volume, featuring sets by local artists RINI, Jill Peacock, and Wayne Tucker. RINI’s strength comes from the outfit’s synergy of Carnatic music (a product of bandleader Harini Raghavan’s formal training at the Berklee College of Music and her own roots in the city of Chennai, India) with electronica, crafting a final output that balances and synthesizes two seemingly disparate genre influences.

Likewise, Canadian keyboardist and singer Jill Peacock crafts nu soul bops that echo trip hop and classic United Kingdom soul, creating grooves that transcend decades and continents; jazz trumpeter, composer, and vocalist Wayne Tucker similarly finds his footing in bridging the genre’s long history, incorporating soundscapes equal parts bebop and contemporary R&B.

Tickets are still available for The Revolution Vol 44—stream each of the artists here before you catch them this Thursday.

Alternative pop artist Halima is currently residing in New York City, after previously living in Lagos and London. Her most popular and recent single is “Ford Cardinal,” a smooth and catchy tune, one that touches on a complicated relationship wherein she wants nothing but to be with someone who appears to have left her behind. Halima repeats that she found loose change in the backseat of her Ford Cardinal, reminding her of a distant memory with a lover. On top of the lyrics, the melody is also catchy, a minimalist groove carrying Halima’s polished vocals. The highlight of the song comes at 2 minutes and 16 seconds, as she begins to lightly rap her feelings and thoughts aimed at the unrepentant lover who doesn’t think they fit together. This powerful bridge is refreshing against the repetitive-yet-heartfelt lyrics. Jam it below. —Karigan Wright

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