Portland

New Body Electric’s Newest Single

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This past Monday, New Body Electric released a single, “Cash Cache.” As indicated by the title, the song is about the relationship artists form with the money needed to support themselves and their art. It’s a fairly serious topic, one the band handles with delicate sensibility. It’s actually a cheerful song, with a pleasantly immersive melody and vocals that are just the right amount of breathy. What makes it strong is the quiet but persistent sense of melancholy underlying each note. It’s the perfect song for when you’re tired of feeling sad, and you need to ease yourself into a better mood.

On Friday, New Body Electric will be playing a release show at The Cruzroom Annex. Motorcoat will also be playing a set. You can find out more information on the event’s Facebook page. 

-By Avril Carrillo

NYC

Pynkie brings her bed-dream pop to New Colossus Fest on March 9

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Pynkie, the stage name of New Jersey’s Lindsey Radice, is one of the musicians from the NYC area most often photographed while smiling – and we certainly like that. She will bring her charming bed-dream pop to Pianos on March 9 within the New Colossus Festival, a LES/East Village based city festival debuting this year that looks to fill void left by the death of the CMJ Music Marathon. Pynkie’s 2018 debut album Neoteny is filled with delicately performed songs that are at once inventive and intimate. 

Philadelphia

New Kingsley Ibeneche EP Available for Streaming & Purchase

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Kingsley Ibeneche was raised in Camden, NJ, and studied dance at University of the Arts in Philly. He has toured as a dancer with artists like James Blake and Travis Scott, which is stylistically reflected in Realms, his new EP, which was released on New York independent label Astro Nautico. Sultry, smooth vocals permeate through a tapestry of live instrumentation and sampling, enveloping the listener in a dreamlike state. The tracks are dynamic and rich, scintillating between unease and tranquility. The world  that he builds is full of life and sound, but leaves plenty of room for Ibeneche’s vocals to thrive in the center. A release full of surprises and genuine twists, there’s a uniqueness to the music that betrays an instinctual familiarity. Realms packs so much quality into so little time, an achievement that really tags him as an emerging artist to keep an eye on. He’ll be hosting his record release show on February 28 at World Cafe Live, supported by Great Time and Madison McFerrin – Josh Kelly

Nashville

Shannon Sanders releases “Fight On” to commemorate Black History Month

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This Black History Month has felt grating, if you’ve read the news as of late. It feels like there’s not much to celebrate. And yet, Shannon Sanders‘ new single "Fight On" carries the spirit of the month high above the storm clouds raining down on this past February. With his soulful voice, the award-winning producer and Nashville native enlists the help of his Nashville Urban Choir to deliver a neo-gospel battle cry of a song. The punch it delivers might just help you — in this second month of the year — to dust off the New Year’s resolutions that you’ve already put aside and start reaching for those goals again. At the very least, it might just inspire you to rise above the shadows. Take a listen to "Fight On" below. – Will Sisskind

NYC

Brooklyn experimental ensemble Vaura streams new single, announces LP

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The ever-evolving quartet VAURA follows up their 2013 album The Missing almost six years later with Sables, their most refined and contemplative release yet. Introspective and somber, Sables finds the band shedding most of its post-metal heaviness in favor of experiments with brooding kosmische musik and the more avant-garde elements of new wave.

Featuring Josh Strawn (Azar Swan) on vocals, guitar and synthesizers, Kevin Hufnagel (Gorguts, Dysrhythmia) on guitar, Toby Driver (Kayo Dot) on bass, and Charlie Schmid (Tombs) on drums and electronics, VAURA engages ever more with their UK and German prog/art rock influences to grandiose and eerie effect. While still retaining the distinctive and specific style carved out on the band’s first two releases — Selenelion in 2010 and The Missing the following year — Sables is the third LP, a concise collection of meditative compositions on endings and extinctions, complemented by the mixing and production work of legendary UK producer Peter Walsh (Scott Walker, Peter Gabriel).

Chicago

Vick Lavender

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Vick Lavender has released pulsing new EP called “Time Traveler” via his own label Sophisticado Records. This is the Soulful House music veteran’s first release since 2016’s and continue his work of blending Jazz, Funk, Deep House music into a fundamentally danceable sound.

Vick also just dropped a new single called “Cosmic Love” featuring Angel A via Wrong Notes.

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “Soft Shape” – Empath

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Active Listening: Night on Earth, the forthcoming album from Empath, is slated to arrive on April 2 via Get Better Records. The sounds of nature are quickly traded for the more immediate thump of bass as the album’s lead single, “Soft Shape,” comes into focus. Encircled by creepy dolls as synth eerily rings, there’s a creepy mesmerizing quality to the band’s accompanying video. As though in a neon fog, a magnetizing, mysterious aesthetic unfolds, and as the instrumental ending suggests, it’s part candy, part chaos. (Photo by Alysse Gafkjen)

Toronto

The Beach Bats – Indie-Surfers Dark New Single “How Long”

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Hamilton’s indie-surf rockers The Beach Bats have dropped a new single “How Long”. This laid back tune has the singer Tony Doni singing real low throughout the verse similar to Jim Morrison. The chorus is big and features some great backing vocals from Stephanie Pearl and Lauren Mikeala.  The surfy guitar licks of Chelsea White give the tune the classic Beach Bats character and keeps the surf vibes alive in this dark rocker tune. The Beach Bats play “The Bout” at the Hideout on March 1st. – Kris Gies

Portland

Bug Seance EP

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Bug Seance is releasing their first album March 1st, and for now has 3 songs available to stream on their Bandcamp. Each song speaks volumes of the work and detail the band puts into their music. Their genre-blending style combines shoegaze inspired bridges with more high energy riffs and vocals. At times they sound faintly reminiscent of No Doubt’s earliest work. The jazzy ambient notes function as a smooth, enticing outer layer. It’s an impressive first release.

Bug Seance’s next show is this Thursday, February 21st at No Fun alongside The Strid and Better Humans. You can also catch them at their release show at the Waypost, on March 1st. Spiller and Jazz Boyfriends will also be playing sets.

 -By Avril Carrillo

NYC

Pale Ramon, Phase One and Yuli play Revolution Vol. #36 on 02.23

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The monthly appointment with The Revolution, the series organized by National Sawdust and featuring emerging local talent, is back this coming Saturday (February 23) with Volume #36. 

Three artists coming from varied musical backgrounds will grace the venue’s stage: Pale Ramon is a brand new duo featuring Emanuel Ayvas of Emanuel and the Fear and Kevin Plessner of Oceanographer / Monuments, artists we covered extensively in this very blog. Their music walks the line between the intense songwriting of Jeff Buckley and the edgy arrangements of post-rock luminaires Tortoise.

Blending Hip Hop with melodic elements, a variety vocal samples and even jazzy bass lines, the latest single by rapper Phase One (entitled Citii Boy) shows a musician interested in taking the genre in new places, with results that sounds effortless and well produced. 

Yuli might only have one track available online (Her, streaming below), but it’s a song that may cast a spell on you. Soulful and experimental, this single strikes a perfect balance between intensity, melody and sonic exploration, taking us back to the day trip-hop ruled the world.

Listen to these three artists in the files streaming (the YouTube video has two tracks) and don’t miss their live performance at Revolution #36 – tickets are here.