Bands, like people, can change a lot in two years. And if one song may be enough be enough evidence to make final statements about the sound of Brooklyn indie band Dances, it’s fair to say that their new single "R U With It?" (streaming below), is quite a bit mellower than their previous material, in partcular in the electric guitar department. What we all tend to forget, though, is that people always change for a reason: ‘R U With It?’ was written by songwriter Trevor Vaz after being diagnosed with purely obsessional OCD, and tackles the contradictory feelings triggered by such discovery. Bushwick venue Alphaville gave the band a three date live residency this fall; the first one will be on September 27 with local Ghost King and Mons Vi and Los Angeles’ Boyo.

Since releasing the angular “Fortune” single this past spring, Brooklyn trio Big Bliss have been spreading their post-punk influenced indie rock around with a steady stream of gigs in the city and a run of shows down the coast and into the Midwest over the summer. The band’s knack for power pop style hooks and shimmering guitar tones sets Big Bliss apart from contemporaries in the genre. Check out their recent video for single "High Ideal" and catch them live at The Footlight on October 5th. – Cameron Carr

New single “Divina,” released in August by bedroom pop project Mons Vi, sounds like a(nother) sonic departure for Matthew Hershoff’s brainchild, but one that sounds very promising. The Columbia grad got us hooked early on this year with his tasteful lo-fi track “Away”, and following album Relic 1, a record that blended the songwriter’s melancholic and atmospheric pop with occasional edgier tunes reminiscent of the early Strokes. "Divina," on the other hand, seems to represent a successful transition towards crisper and livelier electro-pop instrumentation, with an added multi-cultural flavor represented by Adrianne Gonzalez’s voice, sharing lead vocals duties with Hershoff – in Spanish. While waiting for new material, you can catch Mons Vi live at Mercury Lounge on September 28th, alongside other NYC bands Late Guest at the Party and Glass Gang. – Pearse Devlin

With the release of two new singles while embarked on an extensive U.S. tour, Brooklyn’s High Waisted look to expand their reach.  Moving beyond the garage and surf rock beginnings, this newer material appears to take on a broader scope.  “Free Throw” is an anxious chugger that expresses internal self-doubt.  “Wish I couldn’t remember – the mistake I made.  I’ll be better on my own.”  Although recorded in NY, the Nashville touch on mixing and mastering adds a subtle level of country-pop sheen.  “Firebomb” stomps harder with more prominent drums, crunchy rock guitars and Jessica’s sassy snarl lead vocals matched against dreamier background voices.  Both tracks come paired with two others from current tour mates The Coax, available now on vinyl and digital from Little Dickman Records.  Their current US tour has them playing nearly every night until early November before the band returns home on November 4th at Rough Trade. – Dave Cromwell

Eric Copeland (also a member of Black Dice) just dropped his latest record, “Goofballs,” today. Copeland’s exploration of the dance genre is dazzling on “Goofballs.” “Neckbone” is a standout deconstruction and homage to the techno genre. “Close Encounters” cycles through tones, moods, genres, and rhythms but never falters. The names may be silly but the tracks bang. The same rebellious, curious spirit that characterizes Black Dice’s noise-influenced take on experimental rock shines through on “Goofballs.” And even more remarkable is how the record remains imminently melodic and danceable. –juan leon

What immediately comes through in a cursory survey of No Regular Play’s catalogue is a love for the jazz and hip-hop influences the DJ/production duo proudly claim. A Tribe Called Quest and Miles Davis can clearly be heard as influences, in deconstructed form, throughout the group’s single “Hear You Sing.” In fact, Rudists’ remix of “Hear You Sing” brings the connection to the forefront of the track. The results are undeniable. No Regular Play’s melding of nu-disco, house, R&B, and jazz creates something soulful and fresh. No Regular Play will be performing a live set at Baby’s All Right on September 30. -juan leon

Mallgoth revival group Love Nothing recently featured their single "Waiting for Godot" in Common Ground Records’ second massive compilation "Good Vibes." September proceeds to the 91-song comp go to fund the Keep A Breast Foundation.

Additionally, Cindy Sukrattanawong (Littlest Sister, Batwings Catwings, ex-Dustin and the Explosions) joins as Love Nothing’s new bassist following the amicable departure of Cesar Alas (The Unending Thread); see her debut performance with them tonight at a Los Angeles DIY house show.

Ian Chang redefines what it means to be a drummer. Embarking on a solo-project aside from his work with Son Lux and Landlady, Chang focuses on bridging the gap between man and machine. He uses his drum-kit to manipulate music samples in order to weave music more dense and sensuous than perhaps otherwise possible, relying on crystalline polyrhythms to build and release tension. Experience Ian Chang at work when he releases his debut album “Spiritual Leader” at Baby’s All Right on 09.27. –Amanda Ogea

Looking to get your dreamy, alt fix? Brooklyn’s Yucca King produces heavy 90’s indie vibes, where laid back instrumentals meet wretching, bare-all vocals and angst-ridden lyricism. They just dropped their latest single, "Know It All," a track that would almost qualify for a ballad, if not for it’s bursting hook. Check out the band’s latest single streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

"Tino Drima is a cauldron of then, now, and what will be" boasts the band’s profile. Though that may be a lofty statement for an artist to make, there’s no denying that Tino Drima has the uncanny ability to effortlessly wade through multiple styles, feels, and time periods with their music. Frontman Gregory DiMartino’s crooning vocals are as enchanting as they are distant, and the band’s instrumentals manage to pull off both a laid-back effortlessness, and driving, visceral rock ‘n’ roll. The band’s new album dropping 9/22, Her Kind of Man, is a hearty mix of lax, cool-kid ballads and borderline-experimental doo-wop anthems that leave us scrambling trying to choose a favorite. Listen to Tino Drima streaming below and catch the band live at the Verdi Club 9/22.-Olivia Sisinni

Benjamin Lanz has played in several bands you might know, including the National and Beirut, but the solo debut of his new project LANZ is just as compelling as his other acts. "Karla’s Retreat," from his upcoming album Hoferlanz I, is a driving and forceful track, laden with melodic hooks from piano, guitar and an unexpected brass section, and the song is helped along by a powerful, yet tasteful rhythm section. The instrumental breaks are some of the most confident we’ve heard this year, but their impact is deepened by Lanz’s self-assured vocals, which also keep "Karla’s Retreat" structurally sound. All this is supported by a charming video depicting Lanz in a slightly ominous, cabin-y studio, and outdoor scenes of potentially creepy houses. It’s shot on film, which you might’ve guessed. "Karla’s Retreat" is defiantly indie, but perhaps the most captivating thing about this song in a sometimes uncertain genre is that LANZ’s feet are planted firmly on the ground. Hoferlanz I was released on August 25th on Brasslands Records, and will also be released as a cassette for Cassette Store Day. –Geena Kloeppel

Seven months after the single release "The 16th Descent to Verdant Victory," experimental artist Olin Caprison unveils Human Dust to Fertilize the Impotent Garden—a collection of seven songs blending power dynamics, industrial sonics, and rap composition—as VIOLENCE on New York-based label Purple Tape Pedigree. Blatantly irreverent toward genre conventions, the album ebbs and flows with blast beats, power electronic bursts, and permutations of metal riffplay.

"This music is a struggle," describes the Baltimore-raised Caprison.

"It is a struggle from within this anti-history vacuum, a struggle against the all-embracing, multicultural, ahistorical ecosystem of contemporary music that renders all hierarchies impotent and null."

VIOLENCE performs live on October 5th in support of experimental composer Aïsha Devi’s debut Los Angeles appearance, along with a live ambient set by Los Angeles by-way-of-New-York producer Kelman Duran. Cop tickets here, and stream "Human Dust" off the album below.