The music of Chicago’s noise-rock band Melkbelly incorporates elements of industrial sludge, shoegaze and math-rock to create a burst of deftly controlled chaos. Their 2017 LP “Nothing Valley” features delicious references to the unforgettable Bostonian bands signed by 4AD in the late 80’s/early ‘90s (read Pixies, Throwing Muses, and The Breeders). Our sister blog Delicious Audio asked them a few questions about their creative process and pedals in this interview. 

Streaming below, their video for "Kid Creative," from 2017’s LP "Nothing Valley." 

Dirty Bird is back at it again – the folk-rock band has released a new song called "Fever Dreams" with a bubbly lyric video to match, curated by Stella Rosen. Complete with haunting three-part harmonies, gorgeous violin and horn arrangements, and thoughtful, evocative lyrics, Dirty Bird’s new song captures the chaos of everyday life, though with intermittent sunshine. Dissonant chords build into a sweet section that puts the whole song (and life) into perspective, singing: "Don’t worry for me / I’m alright." – Geena Kloeppel 

Michael Rocketship’s debut LP is an adventure in tension. The Meaning of Love juggles playful synths and vocals with an intimate exploration of alienation, a theme grounded in the artist’s return to Brooklyn from the West Coast. The album’s premiere video for “Smith, St. John and Pierre” is a great example of Michael Rocketship’s aesthetic given its jaunty synth-driven melody alongside a cardboard puppet that travels through a collage of history. Enjoy this taste of The Meaning of Love now and catch the release show on 04.06 at The Nest. – Amanda Ogea

SXSW gains another up-and-coming singer-songwriter — as well as another filmmaker — in Courtney Farren. The Bay Area-based artist, who now lives in Brooklyn, will play CU29 on March 14th at midnight. That performance will add another to the string of incredible experiences Farren has chalked up over the past year, including a European mini-tour, a six-track album called "Nothing Like It", a write-up and interview by Kodak about her love of Super 8mm film, and a handful of new films, some of which act as music videos for her songs.

To sum up Farren’s sound: The subtle indie-romance flicks shown at short film festivals — perhaps at SXSW — could gain from a soundtrack of her soothing vocals and swirling arrangements. You can stream her music film for one of her latest tracks, called "Go Easy", below. – Will Sisskind

Even, fluid rhymes over a chill beat give Xavier Ingram’s song “Crash Freestyle” a sense of stature. While hitting on tropes about smoking trees to cope and police violence, Ingram steers clear of the tasteless, gaudy production values that doom other projects to total obscurity. The music is not an assault on the ears but rather a pleasing recitation of the litany of issues faced by the lyricist.

Decent/10

-Mike Dranove

In 2015, the girlfriend of Lovechild‘s frontman Leo Liebeskind was living in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in New York- Ocean Hill, Brooklyn. Now, the neighborhood is the namesake of Lovechild’s latest single and music video, "Ocean Hill." Complete with twangy guitars and a breezily-paced rhythm section, the song reminds listeners that we are on the upswing headed out of winter. The music video, however, depicts an icy Coney Island boardwalk, and fellow band members Wyatt Mones, Daryl Cozzi, and Karl Markgraf VIII attempting to teach Liebeskind how to ride a bike. There’s still a bit of waiting to be done until beach season, but until then you can listen to "Ocean Hill" and dream of lazy summer afternoons.

Lovechild will be playing live at The Knit on March 8. – Geena Kloeppel

In her own words, Oakland shoegaze solo act highandfragile is “a project founded out of desperation for emotional relief by Breannyn DeLongis.” A refreshing departure from the conventions of the genre (typically dominated by men), highandfragile’s debut EP i was not well operates within the space where angst and actualization coalesce, exploring the modern pitfalls of being a young adult—it’s angry, artful, and honest all at once. The chorus of opening track “happy birthday” (streaming below) is almost anthemic (as much as is possible for shoegaze.) In this project, DeLongis has established herself as an artist and is definitely one to watch in the future. She will be joining There’s Talk at their record release show at Rickshaw Stop on March 8th. – Lilly Milman

To make it into the crowd for Bodega’s set when they play Jonathan Toubin’s Soul Clap at Elsewhere requires a fair bit of effort, strategic movement, and patience. But it’s worth it. On stage the New York quintet is a fluid sea of movement darting along to pointed rhythms and shouted post-modernism. That was two weeks ago, when searching for the band’s music revealed only outdated links to its predecessor Bodega Bay. On Wednesday, the band premiered its first single under the shortened name, a staccato post-punk piece called “How Did This Happen !?,” produced by Parquet Courts’ Austin Brown. The art punk influence is apparent, with vocalist/guitarist Ben Hozie half-speaking half-shouting monotone lines like “this machine you know it don’t kill fascists, this machine just softens its heart. This machine it killed the dream of the ‘60s, this machine you know it’s just a guitar.”

What’s Yr Rupture? is set to release the group’s debut album this summer. To accompany “How Did This Happen !?” Bodega has released a 360-degree interactive video, describing it as “a simulacrum of a typical night at our favorite Brooklyn venue, ALPHAVILLE. Some audience members scroll on their phones, others half listen (waiting to play), [sic] and those with light to spread join the show.” You can watch the video below and catch Bodega at Union Pool on March 10th, before they head to SXSW to play Pianos’ SXSW party on 03.17. – Cameron Carr

With its first full-length album, Things I’ll Tell You When You’re Older, Brooklyn quintet Bodies Be Rivers shows itself as an entrancing force in the world of alternative rock. There’s a folk sensibility to Bodies Be Rivers’ songwriting but on the ten-track debut that’s been amplified with echoing guitars, tumbling tom drums, and lush vocal production. The slowly harmonizing voices of Lauren Smith and Summer Stephanos lead the way into slight ambience, giving an almost dreamy hue to the band’s sound, particularly on tracks like opener "None The Wiser" and the gently floating "Golden Child." To celebrate the debut, Bodies Be Rivers will play C’mon Everybody this Saturday with support from Lauren Balthrop and Caitlin Pasko. ­– Cameron Carr

When the San Francisco-based indie electronic trio There’s Talk first caught the attention of the Bay Area music scene in 2013, their EP Tiny Strands was lauded for its lyrical and melodic complexity. Now, five years later, the group has returned on the EP bathed water moon with the same perchance for intricacy, except with a heavier focus on the dreamy electronic sound that set them apart in the first place. The opening track “Give it Up” (streaming below) is an ode to dreamgaze, drenched in mesmerizing synths and suspenseful builds that leave the listener wanting more—a promise that the rest of the EP expertly delivers on. Despite a recording hiatus, this EP has proven that There’s Talk belongs on the forefront of the DIY electronic scene. Make sure to drop by their next live show at the Rickshaw Stop on March 8th. – Lilly Milman 

Late in 2017, NYC based singer-songwriter (and vocalist for Wilder Maker) Katie Von Schleicher came out with a poignant and plaintive album with the not-so-poetic title Shitty Hits. From the very beginning, opener The Image treats the listener to Von Schleicher’s unusual, yet elegant melodies, supported by an unexpectedly noisy production based on a new, intriguing approach to loud/quiet/loud. The results are spectacular. The perfectly controlled, vaguely industrial clangor keeps coming in the following tracks, together with Katie’s incredibly beautiful vocal lines, forging a record that’s as unique as it is enjoyable and moving. Perhaps it’s true, these songs aren’t hits, but, on the other hand, they are definitely art.

Katie is touring the US and Europe this spring, don’t miss the 4.06 show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg and her performances at SXSW.

On new single “Think of the Children,” Kodacrome make a dreamy home out of minimalist electronica. Building over a house beat, Elissa LeCoque slowly emotes with a determined bassline and waves of ambient synth flourishes providing support. LeCoque and musical partner Ryan Casey clearly have a careful ear for sound, choosing only vital elements that accentuate the beat established at the song’s beginning. “Think of the Children” is the title track from the synth duo’s new album, due April 1st, and their first release since 2016. Stream “Think of the Children” below. – Cameron Carr