Oakland-based duo Brijean just released their latest single, “Crushing on You” and it’s another sexy warm jam. Bongos? Check. Sweet lady voice? Done. And it’s got those spacey warm disco vibes and all the things Brijean’s budding fan base craves. Just when we were thinkin’ summer was over, “Crushing” heats it up a little longer. Check it out and if you’ve not yet dived into Walkie Talkie, the duo’s 8-song EP, well. Dive, friend. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor
Loud and groovy is an understatement when it comes to describing the NYC based band, Warpark. Comprised of Simon Arcenio, Roger Walsh, and Nick Ciccantelli, the band brings a vibe to their alternative rock tracks that’s reminiscent of ’90s artists with very little in common like Cake, Pavement and Jeff Buckley, creating a complex and multifaceted sound. Their three singles, released in early 2019, showcase a band constantly searching for new sonic sounscapes. “While They Slept” is purely instrumental, featuring an energetic melody with blaring backing instruments, while “Take Your Place” highlights a slacker rock approach to vocals that complements the pure insanity of the melody. The longest track released is “Like A Void,” one of a calmer nature, is not without welcome twists and turns. Warpark will be playing Rough Trade NYC on 10.10 with Plague Vendor and No Parents. – Karigan Wright
Blonde Redhead fans will delight in seeing Kazu Makino step out on her own and perform her solo material at Rough Trade on October 11th. Makino has released her first solo album called Adult Baby, which contains much of the same entrancing psych artistry that her band’s fans have come to expect. Adult Baby takes that to the next level, as Makino plans to release a visual aspect to the record as well. The artist has already released the video to "Come Behind Me, So Good!" as part of that visual album; as if the faux-Satanic tint to the backwards-masked-sounding lyrics wasn’t enough, in the video, Makino gyrates in a sheer outfit before the altar and the image of Jesus as other revelers sway in time with her. Take a look at the video for yourself, and go see her at Rough Trade on October 11th. – Will Sisskind
Who do we have here? Funky soul fellow Otis McDonald (moniker of Joe Bagale) is kind of rockin’ our world. He’s got a new album coming out, People Music, that we’ve got our hands on and we are dazzled. The strength in his vocals is enough to make you shed a happy tear. McDoland’s moniker is an homage to both Shuggie Otis and Michael McDonald. He says, “Even though I am a modern artist, I always pay reverence to all of the greatest artists that have come before me. Call it tangibly rooted in nostalgia while pushing forward. I want to make popular music something that is meaningful again." We’re sharing this cover of “A Day in the Life” because it’s not what we were expecting at all, and that basically sums up our entire listening experience to this fellow. We’d like to think that he’s making our dear Prince proud; there’s D’Angelo vibes, and modern-meets-old school funky jazzy moments with fascinating, solid compositions. McDonald is having a record listening party at Bar Shiru tomorrow night for the release of his vinyl (which goes out nationally this November) and we’ve gotta say that there is no better place to listen to anything vinyl than at Shiru. Production nerds know what I’m talking about. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor
Based out of Charlottesville, Kate Bollinger‘s jazz-infused blend of indie pop marks the end of summer with the release of her EP I Don’t Wanna Lose. The EP’s five tracks provide a relaxing and introspective soundtrack for the cooling temperatures and the dying of days on the beach as the leaves start to fall. The EP’s final track "Talk About It" is an upbeat song for taking a walk in the autumn breeze. Take a listen to it below, and check out the B-side version on Kate’s Soundcloud for an even more chilled out groove. – Will Sisskind
NYC’s Dirt Buyer offers nothing short of a unique take on folk. The trio, consisting of Ruben Radlauer, Joe Sutkowski, and Emma Stacher, released their debut album in 2019. Murky and dark, their sparse ballads are often sung in a melancholic falsetto, and betray influences as disparate as Radiohead and the Beach Boys. Opening track “Dirt Buyer Theme Song” is only a little over one minute in length, but does an exemplary job at introducing the listener to the band; according to it, Dirt Buyer is here to comfort the listener, letting them know they did nothing wrong. Lead singer Sutkowski’s unique and ghosty voice has a knack for exploring spacious melodies rich in minor thirds yet not-at-all bluesy, like in brand new single IKIF, probably their best track to date, streaming below. You can catch the band at Rough Trade NYC on 10.04. – Karigan Wright
Oh yes, a little sweet bossa-vibbed beach pop tune is just what we were looking to find. What a delight! Single “Estrangers” (Topshelf Records) is a perfect little taste off No Vacation‘s forthcoming EP, Phasing. We know No Vacation as their former San Francisco selves, who released Amo Xo and Summer Break mixtapes back in 2015. And we know they’ve since relocated to Brooklyn, rebranded as No Vacation, and certain songs have busted out millions of listens (“Yam Yam” is a jam worth checking), but hey we’re still holding onto a tad of our Bay Area claim to these purities. Stay tuned for upcoming shows and that sweet new EP. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor
Oakland-based Al Harper is what we can only describe as delightful. Songs like “Paradise” and “Sunny Somewhere” have just the right amount of surfy guitars and sweet lyrics to put you in a fine little mood. Even finer is their video for “Sunny,” (directed by John Snapp) which features Harper encountering a sweet little dog a huggable friends. There’s kind of a modern day No Doubt feel and we’re digging it. They’re playing at The Rite Spot Cafe on September 21, and El Rio on the 25th. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor
Expanding on a noir electro-pop sound already steeped in eastern influences, VANDANA‘s latest release Contra re-imagines Indian and Pakistani music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90s. Lead track “Ahsa” intrigues with a heartbeat synth-bass pulse and foreboding keyboard textures. The artist’s deep and resonant vocals soon become the focus, singing in a native language that adds an extra element of mystery. Careful percussive and electronic keyboard elements make their way into the mix completing an overall mystical experience. Follow-up track “Ahsila” makes use of slow-building atmospherics, deep bass synths and light bubbling textures in between seductively enigmatic vocals. Five tracks in all, the record can be heard and acquired at the artists bandcamp. VANDANA will be playing a daytime event Benefit for Kashmir at Baby’s All Right on 9/22. – Dave Cromwell
The performance series The Revolution will hold their Vol. 42 show on Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 pm. This show will highlight three artists from Brooklyn and Harlem, including Niya Levon, Liberation Era, and Ryan Egan. The Revolution has a new volume every month, with three artists from three different genres performing at each one. These shows not only connect the music community in Brooklyn and Harlem, but they also present the opportunity to share their own stories while also spreading awareness and positivity.
Niya Levon
A product of a musical family, Niya Levon is influenced by several old school soul artists, including Prince, Luther Vandross, and Lisa Fisher, but also contemporaries like Lady Gaga, Brandy, Justin Timberlake, and Alex Lacamoire. Levon stands out from the crowd with her elegant and fragile voice in single “Sweet Victories,” complementing the light and dainty melody. Levon has worked with several renowned artists, including Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, John Legend, Smokey Robinson, Patti LaBelle, Mark Ronson, and Lauren Hill. In 2015 she introduced Real Entertainment Industries (REI), her own nonprofit talent agency, where she works to find new and unique artists.
Ryan Egan
Singer, producer, and multinstrumentalist Ryan Egan‘s songs are delicate and smooth, his velvety voice accompanying his rather soft melodies. Egan has released several singles and two EPs, “Postures” and “Fever & Bloom.” Having over 1 million total plays on Spotify, Egan is quickly and seamlessly making a name for himself in the music business.
Liberation Era
Kyle Shedrick and Jean Mahoney are Liberation Era. Inspired by societal injustice, the duo of home grown musicians takes inspiration from R&B, folk and jazz. Their song, “Quiet the Monster,” is an acoustic tune highlighting Shedrick and Mahoney’s smooth and tender vocals effortlessly harmonizing over the single’s mellow and quiet melody. They are currently working on their first EP, the “Liberation Era EP.”
NYC garage rock outfit Desert Sharks make a good case for the new subgenre—tentatively titled “armageddon punk”— on new song / video “I Don’t Know How to Dress for the Apocalypse.” Bolstered by anthemic guitar tones and breakbeat major-minor chord changes, the track (and their latest offering from forthcoming full-length debut Baby’s Gold Death Stadium) details the myriad of seemingly unlimited challenges humanity faces that we seem in no hurry to fix: the wage gap, global warming, that sort of thing. Against this macabre-yet-unavoidable subject matter, Desert Sharks hunker down to have themselves an apocalypse party; as lead singer Stephanie Gunther truthfully points out, “it’s ok, no one knows what we’re doing anyway,” raucous celebration in the face of the end of everything seems like a pretty good plan. Watch it below, and catch Desert Sharks on September 20th at Mercury Lounge. -Connor Beckett McInerney
Caleb Giles believes in free rhythm, as he’s explored on his two previous records Tower and There Will Be Rain. His third album, Under The Shade, continues to push the boundaries of poetry in hip-hop; Giles combines soulful lyrics in both spoken word and song with basic beats, and then layers on transporting sounds and voices to expand the atmosphere of the track. The production results in an abstract and almost dreamlike hip-hop testament which feels loose but tight, comfortable but unsettling, and all-around reflective of Giles’ take on what it means to be an artist and a human. Take a listen to the track Quicksand (ft. Pink Siifu)" below and don’t miss him live tomorrow (09.17) at Elsewhere. – Will Sisskind
