"I don’t care what you think about it / because everything is perfect," the lyrics of "Lost in the Moment" say. The line is appropriately groveled and sung by Ultra Major, bringing listeners into four or so minutes of existential self-reflection, within an in-your-face sonic environment. In keeping with the best rock’n’roll tradition, both their singles released to date ("Lost in the Moment" and "Drag") promote of letting go of control, revealing influences by ’90s heavyweights like Foo Fighters and Smashing Punpkins with an added emo element to the mix.  

The band’s sonic identity consists of muddy, distorted guitars, fast-paced drums, and filtered vocals. Their lyrics, which channel apathy and existentialism in ways alternatively soft and dramatic, bring up big questions regarding personal search and the quest for peace of mind – without providing answers. While "Lost in the Moment" makes the case for isolation and solace, "Drag" assures the listener that moving forward is the only answer. You’ll be able to see the group live at Baby’s All Right on July 11th. – Susan Moon

 

NYC band Cindy Cane is going to have a busy summer of 2019, with six live shows scheduled in NYC between July and August. That is either a sign of naiveté or of buzzworthy status, since getting enough fans to a gig twice a year is already a struggle for most emerging NYC bands  – we’ll see how that pans out! The "post-everything" band seems intent on rejecting genre constraints in favor of imposing a peculiarly lo-fi and post-punk inspired character on genres as disparate as cold wave and folk music. The mangled ‘country’ of east river take me under (streaming below) feels like the only possible kind of folk a city like New York can produce. Don’t miss their upcoming show at the Knitting Factory within the Brooklyn Psych Fest on July 6th.

China the Band is geared up for some local shows this summer, starting with their June 27th show at the Minnesota Street Project. Band members have been involved numerous musical collaborations throughout the Bay Area and beyond, including San Francisco favorite Sonny & the Sunsets, Sugar Candy Mountain, Odawas and Papercuts. China takes influences from Neil Young, The Band, and The Byrds with a little more twang here and there and some modern twists. If you can’t see them at Minnesota, they’ll be playing at The Makeout Room on July 14. –Lucille Faulkner

Much like the ebb and flow of the ocean informing its seemingly René Margritte-inspired album artwork, single “After You” gently washes over the listener, soaking them in the vintage atmospheric sound of New York synth pop outfit Plastic Picnic. The first single from their forthcoming sophomore EP Vistalite, “After You” makes no effort to deny its ’80s inspiration, but channels the timeless theme of fearing change into its delicate vocal line. Simultaneously, it never barrages you with a nostalgic sound, applying a modern perspective by scaling back instrumentation carefully over the course of four minutes, presenting a sonic output that is well-tempered and rich, but never overwhelming. It promises a dreamy performance at Market Hotel on July 18th for the band’s record release show, supported by Toldeo, Hypoluxo, and Pecas. Stream it below. -Connor Beckett McInerney

In Volume #40 of the Revolution, a performance series involving emerging NYC artists curated by The National Sawdust, Harlem-based TANSU, NYC’s saxophone quartet The Side Project, and Brooklyn singer and songwriter Miranda Joan will be joining together to share Williamsburg venue’s stage on June 29th.

TANSU’s story includes studies at The Berklee College of Music, one of the few music schools able to develop well-roundied musical artists. Her voice has an impressive strength and vocal range, propelling her modern and sophisticated soul-pop style. Singer songwriter Miranda Joan, who has collaborated already with The Side Project, offers a more mellow and lush take on soul-pop, with electronic flourishes that don’t affect the genre’s signature relatability. The Side Project, a sax and voice ensemble dedicated to covers of pop hits and led by the saxophonist and producer Éyal Hai, boasts a roster of past shows at The Brooklyn Bowl and The Art Institute of NYC. They recently released their first album, ‘#ThisPartySax’ under the label Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Records. Tickets for the June 29th show are on sale now here.

There’s no shortage of ’80s nostalgia present in indie subgenera these days, but few approach the level of full-camp seen in “The Chase,” the newest video by New York alternative pop purveyors Don’t Believe in Ghosts. Betwixt the haze of fog machines, gaussian LED lights, and sequin miniskirts, “The Chase” is a phantasmagoria of cultural ephemera, one that, against the plucky, guitar friendly groove of the band’s music, reads as a celebration of the Reagan years’ frequently criticized/glorified aesthetic. That, paired with frontman Steven Nathan’s bombastic vocal performance (and roller-skate choreography) defines the track as a ridiculous, but fun, showcase of the Don’t Believe in Ghost’s iconoclastic pop vision. Stream it below, perhaps as a visual amuse-bouche to a John Hughes marathon, and catch them live at the Bowery Electric on August 17th. -Connor Beckett McInerney

Photo credit: Ginger Fierstein

Oakland’s Makeunder (aka Hamilton Ulmer) just released another single off forthcoming album Pale Cicada and it’s a force of soul and funk, Prince-esq vocals and gyrating horns and baselines. There’s so much going on in track "In Between My Dead-End Jobs" that you’ve got to give it a couple listens. The full album comes out June 28 on Good Eye Records and it’s a fun experience of songs that are full of passion and positivity, despite messages full of struggles and loss. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Big Apple bluegrass trio Eugene Tyler Band — made up of Eugene Gardner and Dan Tyler, along with Marc Jaffee — have put work into getting themselves out there in 2019, forming a grassroots fanbase around the country on the heels of their latest release baby dogs. That 2019 EP included driving tracks created from Tyler and Gardner’s vocal harmonies, their interplay on the guitar and mandolin against Jaffee’s bass, and the catchy chord progressions of songs like "Rocky" and "Ain’t Enough". Now, in the midst of a summer full of shows around New York State, ETB have released another new single called "Longest Day", a breakneck-speed bluegrass jam which celebrates the solstice and the days just before and after. Find a shady spot under your favorite tree, crank the volume high in your headphones, and listen to "Longest Day" below. – Will Sisskind

Brooklyn’s Jeanines specialize in ultra-short bursts of energetic but melancholy minor-key pop. With influences that run deep into the most crucial tributaries of DIY pop — Messthethics, the Television Personalities, Marine Girls, early Pastels, Dolly Mixture — they’ve crafted a style that is as individual as it is just plain pleasurable. Alicia Jeanine’s pure, unaffected voice muses wistfully on the illusions of time, while My Teenage Stride/Mick Trouble mastermind Jed Smith’s frantic Motown-esque drumming and inventive bass playing provide a thrilling rhythmic foundation. They have a new album coming out on Slumberland and they will be celebrating its release at Alphaville on 06.22, after a brief East Coast tour. Stream single "Either Way" below.

We’ve been huge fans of Arthur Moon for awhile. Admittedly, releases-wise things haven’t been moving at break-necking pace for the the avant-indie project of queer artist Lora-Faye Åshuvud, as it often happens with music that’s a little more sophisticated than the average. And Arthur Moon’s music is a lot more sophisticated – and complicated – than the average. But finally word is out that the project debut album, following their excellent 2017 debut EP Our Head and a few singles, is about to drop, and preview single Homonormo bodes well for an outstanding release. Subverting anything that can be subverted in the rhythmic, melodic and production realms, this vocoder and plodding drumbeat-driven song finds a perfect balance between experimentation and melody, with Lora-Faye’s vocals guiding us charmingly and confidently through an unexpected path of sonic twists and turns that never sound forced. 

Arthur Moon will be performing live at Elsewhere with Palehound on July 10th, with the debut record scheduled for an August 2nd release.

The Brooklyn-based dreamfolk band a.harlana has released this new video for their song, "Textile Workers" from their latest EP ada belle. The trio started their career making shoegaze-type textured music with a 2018 release of sparse, simple covers, titled adventure dog covers. In 2019, their changes are coming from within: realizing a creative process that nurtured original music, the band locked themselves away for approximately a month, churning out the three songs "Textile Workers," "Faces," and "The Thunderings Are Nearly Through." 

The wistfulness, plus a penchant for fingerpicking makes for a thoughtful take on dream-pop, while the video streaming below adds a welcome element of evocative playfulness. – Susan Moon

Bells Atlas just released their latest music video for song "The Mystic" and it’s full of mystical tones and trippy dance moves. It’s difficult to look away from what feels like a live painting jolting into action and feeling. The song starts out with a kick-kick drum snap like a call and a march, then eventually moves into that psyched out R&B vibe they’re known for. Enjoy this fascinating scene and wait for the shimmering dance plastic. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor