Those seeking a soft, late-late night jam will find danceable solace in “Tornado,” the latest offering by Brooklyn-based synth pop project Rio Tigre. The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Raphaël Pazoumian, Rio Tigre prides themselves of seeking to emulate the experience of “driving across the Williamsburg Bridge at 4am, the twinkle of Manhattan fading away in the rearview mirror.” Such aesthetic influences metabolize in “Tornado,” its tactile 808 accents and minimalistic, often single note keys providing an upbeat yet ultimately hushed effort, the type of soundscape you’d expect from a DJ at a Bushwick loft hang that’s run its course (or, better yet, is quickly turning into an afterparty). Atop such dreamy synthetic flourishes, Pazoumian’s lazy vox drifts through the scene, equally muted and lounge-like, further endowing this offering with the energy of a night you’d prefer not end, despite full knowledge of the sun’s coming approach. Recommended for fans of The xx seeking something that leans more on the side of hyphy, check out our premiere of the track below. Photo by Sarah Moussa
Piece of Cake @ Cole’s Bar (3/20)
Piece of Cake is the upbeat, catchy pop band fronted by the dynamic Brynn Bixby. They released their self-titled debut album back in 2016 and have been perfecting their live show ever since.
This is the work of Brynn Bixby (Vocals / Keyboards), Joel Ream (Guitar), Jason Perez (Drums / Percussion), and Kevin McMahon (Bass).
Piece of Cake is performing a sold out Sofar Chicago show on March 5th, but you can catch them on March 20th at Cole’s Bar with Monica Rose.
The Devonns “Tell Me”
The Devonns are releasing a new single called "Tell Me" this week. This is the first single from their forthcoming self-titled debut album which is due out April 3rd via Record Kicks.
This is the soulful funk throwback group founded and fronted by Mathew Ajjarapu.
j a b o b o “A Piece of You”
j a b o b o is jazzy dream pop of Manuel Miller and Jack McKee. Over the last three months they have released three single with the most recent being called "A Piece of You".
We are not sure what this is building to or if we can expect another single this month, but we are really enjoying the journey thus far.
FACS “Void Moments”
FACS recently released the latest single, "Casual Indifference", from their forthcoming album, Void Moments, which is set to be released on March 27th via Trouble In Mind Records. This is follows the album’s lead single, "Teenage Hive" which was released back in January.
This is the work of Noah Leger (Drums), Alianna Kalaba (Bass), and Brian Case (Guitar, Vocals).
You can catch FACS at Sleeping Village on April 4th with Melkbelly and CB Radio Gorgeous.
PREMIERE: Emmrose’s forlorn alt-pop shines on new single “Take Me With You”
“Forever means nothing, it’s empty most of the time,” may seem like a fatalistic outlook in the matters of the heart, but when crooned by 16 year old songwriter Emmrose, it resonates as prescient statement by a young artist wise beyond her years. One of the passing observations from her new single “Take Me With You,” it’s an encapsulation of the evenhanded philosophy this alternative pop performer brings to the table, an acceptance of the various dramatic decisions we make to preserve love, especially as we fall under the “intoxicating draw of a new relationship,” while recognizing that preserving such partnerships are often an uphill battle. Such an outlook distinguishes Emmrose from her peers as an individual who wears her heart on her sleeve, but does so as a hopeful romantic — such lyricism when paired with the track’s mellow keys and slow, oftentimes dramatic build make for a captivating listen, one that splits the difference between such contemporaries as Lana Del Ray and Clairo. Stream our premiere of the track below, and see Emmrose at The Bitter End on March 15th. Photo by Shervin Lainez
Bobby Conn “Disaster”
Bobby Conn has released the first single, "Disaster", from his forthcoming album, Recovery, which is set to be released on March 20th via the German label Tapete Records. This is the first new music from Conn since his 2012 album, Macaroni.
You can catch Bobby Conn on May 15th at Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Mint Mile
Mint Mile is preparing to release their debut full-length album, Ambertron, via Comedy Minus One on March 24th. The album’s lead single single is called "Likelihood", and was released last month.
This is the project lead by Tim Midyett of Silkworm, Bottomless Pit, SUNN O))), and more. He has enlist the talents of Jeff Panall (drums), Justin Brown (guitar), Matthew Barnhart (bass), Howard Draper, and Greg Norman.
You can catch Mint Mile at The Hideout on April 24th with Advance Base and OUT!
The Palmer Squares “With or Without It”
The Palmer Square’s have released the latest single, "Bottom Line", from their forthcoming album, With or Without It, which is due out March 10th. In addition to the talented Chrissy Renick on this single, the album includes features from Jarv, Joey Cool, and Black Buddha Bear.
Back in January they released the album’s second single, "Lucky Quarter", which was accompanied by the Paul Araki Elliot directed video below.
You can catch The Palmer Square’s on March 26 as part of Bourbon on Division.
Luke Rathborne’s “Ordinary Woes” is a cinematic trip through the city
A healthy dose of wide-eyed Kubrick stares, scattered hand-drawn animatics, and sunburnt, borderline cacophonous guitars characterize “Ordinary Woes,” the new video by NYC indie performer Luke Rathborne, evoking both the unpleasantry of a psilocybin mushroom trip and the quotidian struggles of being a working artist in the city. While the former of these two experiences was a direct inspiration for Rathbrone’s forthcoming LP Again, the latter is best communicated through the song itself — freeform word associations with combined with a wailing chorus against a breakbeat fuzz-laden instrumental backing places his workmanship somewhere between the scuzzy lofi surf punk of outfits like Wavves, with a distinctive drawling vocal performance that’s reminiscent of 90s slacker rock. Give it a watch and listen below, and keep an eye out for his new LP dropping this June.
03.04: Moses Sumney plays final show of Bootleg Theater residency
Moses Sumney has become bigger than ever in the past several months, and with his new double album græ on the horizon, more fans are flocking to his style of R&B mixing with folk and soul. On March 4th, Sumney will play a free all-ages show at the Bootleg Theater, the final one of his residency at the venue which began back in February. He’ll play songs from græ, many of which deal with the concepts of color and space as spectra and liminal entities. As fans enter the theater to the show, they’ll hear music from græ playing around them in immersive 3D audio to create atmosphere, as well as stir up conversation and build community. Because it’s free, attendance to the show is not guaranteed, so fans should head to the Bootleg Theater early to see Sumney perform. Take a listen to "Virile" from græ below. – Will Sisskind
Axons “I Object To Everything” Out 3/12
Axons are preparing to release their latest album I Object To Everything on March 12th. This is the first new music from the trio since 2015, and they are returning with a compelling concept album. The album is "inspired by the true story of how two federal prisoners, Joseph Banks and Ken Conley, escaped from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago by rappelling 17 stories down the side of the building on ropes fashioned from braided bedsheets sewn together with dental floss on an icy December night in 2012".
Last Fall the trio performed two of the new songs on Live at DZ Records. You can watch them perform "Past Present Future" below. Axons is the work of Adele Nicholas, Princess Ojiaku and Sarah Sterling.
You can catch Axons on March 25th at The Whistler with CHNNL as part of CHIRP Night.