Gentle Speed is an exciting new collaboration between Matt Engers and visual artist Jessie Winslow. The duo recently released their first single, "All of the Below", which blends haunting melodies and an array of mysterious sounds. It is lush and beautiful on its own, but it does make want to witness the performance art aspect in person as well.

Glittermouse is back with a new album, It’s Always The End of the World. The is full of energy and catchy rhythms and lyrics throughout. It also features guest contributions from members of Mutts, The Welcome, Swimsuit Additions, and more.

You can catch Glittermouse on August 7th at SubT with Last Nighters, The Earth Program, Maid Myriad, and Divino Nino.

Otto Rollo (aka David Seeber) is a local producer that you need to know. Back in April Seeber released a wonderful split cassette tape via the Moscow label Singapore Sling Tapes with Fé Mora. Seeber’s contribution is an education on sampling in 2013 grabbing bits and pieces from an array of sources including Aphex Twin to Miles Davis.

Seeber released a new track this week called "And Tomorrow" which features a contribution from Nathan Rich (aka Lately Kind of Yeah) and samples of tracks by Pregnant.

Wedding Dress (Erin Elders from Maps and Atlases, Mike Russel & Matt Lemke from Suns and Bobby Burg from Love of Everything) will be performing at SubT on July 25 with The Ragtones and Maren Celest.

The band has released a series of single over the last year and of them "The Mange" seems the most fitting for this current summer heat. You can download "The Mange" and two other tracks over at Epitonic.

You can also catch Wedding Dress at The Whistler on August 12th.

Jennifer Hall and her band recently took to the Logan Square ‘L’ stop to record a video for a new song, "Would You Walk Away", and ask for the help of fans in recording her new EP.

"Ruins" is the first single from the upcoming LP from Pink Frost. The new album will be released by Notes & Bolts/BLVD.

You can catch Pink Frost on August 1st at Empty Bottle with Wild Nothing and Circles.

Nathan Xander was a fixture in the Chicago for many years, but left in 2011 for New York. Last fall he released a new self-titled full-length album and is touring this summer in support.

You can catch Nathan with Old Fashioned War and Ty Maxon on July 28th at Schubas and at Tonic Room on August 3rd.

Shiloh creates a manic form of basement folk music that, at least on their latest album Mrs. from earlier this Spring, is raw and honest and real. Mrs. is the follow-up to their mostly acoustic 2011 debut All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers.

You can catch Shiloh at Cole’s on July 19th with The Peekaboos, Post-Child, and The Joy Kill and at Township on July 27th.

Pelican has announced their first full-length album in four years, Forever Becoming. The album will be released on October 15th via Southern Lord. This is the band’s first album with enw second guitarist Dallas Thomas (also of The Swan King) and without founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec.

1. Terminal
2. Deny the Absolute
3. The Tundra
4. Immutable Dusk
5. Threnody
6. The Cliff
7. Vestiges
8. Perpetual Dawn

You can catch Pelican at Bottom Lounge on Nov. 13th.

Sean McConnell (aka Cold Country) has been prolific as of late, releasing 3 albums in that last three months. The June release, Missing The Muse, was the first with a full band. The flushed out lo-fi folk sound of the ep is compelling, and McConnell is currently working on the follow-up as an artist-in-residence at Hill House in East Jordan, Michigan.

Cold Country will be hitting the road next month and are planning a Daytrotter debut in September. Big things to come from McConnell and Cold Country.

The soulful singer/songwriter Sarah Marie Young is celebrating the release of her debut album Too Many Februaries on July 31st at Schubas.

Young is the winner of the 2011 Shure Montreux Voice Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival. She clearly has jazz influences, but brings both soul and pop elements into her new record. The album was recorded at Balik Farm Studios in Toggenberg, Switzerland.

The tagline for the trio Cmn ineed yr hlp is "epic instrumental music inspired by giant monsters", but it still doesn’t capture the magnitude of their sound. The band’s new album It Came Without Warning… As Most Disasters Do combines monstrous guitar rock and interesting and well-placed samples, and through both elements the band tells a tale of a sea monster trapped and on display. The samples the trio use come from King Kong, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Free Willy.

You can stream and purchase the ep below or pledge to purchase a vinyl edition here.

You can catch Cmn ineed yr hlp @ The Burlington Bar on July 11th with Sunny Shadows and Spooky Moon.