#psychedelic rock / bedroom pop / indie

[haveyouheardthisband]

[balleralbumcovers]

EPIC ALBUM COVER #132

Lowertown - The Gaping Mouth

Released: 2021 (Dirty Hit)

Indie folk

[gomzdrawfr]

the best and also the most nerve wrecking part of posting on insta is that

I can show wips and share funny reels on my story

I can also post my drawing process over there (there's only like 3 atm)

I can post with music attached (the nerve wrecking part)

[soundsandstuff]

new sh*t that dropped last week

new music friday recap - jul 12

here are my highlights of some of last week's (7/7-7/11) new drops — or at least the ones i listened to:

the tops ★

aaa - hyukoh & sunset rollercoaster (💿)

after that incredible lead single (young man), this collaboration between hyuko (🇰🇷) and sunset rollercoaster (🇹🇼) was probably one of my most anticipated july releases; and let me just say this: it blew my mind.

melodically, this album is a delight. from your feel-good sunny-summer-day indie rock moments to more atmospherical and immersive psychedelic tracks - the album navigates so smoothly through very different sounds in such a captivating way. you just can't stop listening.

the production in this is also incredible. there are so many details to discover within each track which make for the overall listening experience a very entertaining one.

it's a solid 9/10 for me. this is easily one of my favorite indie rock releases of 2024.

top 3 tracks: kite war, young man, aaaannnnteeeeennnaaaaaa

2. charm - clairo (💿)

for someone who has been a clairo listener since her early days, it's always exciting to listen to her new records. it feels like catching up with that one friend you see every couple of years. you see, over the course of her career, she has partnered up with different incredible producers for each project to give us a peek into her life and her journey of self-discovery.

we have witnessed her growth happen before our eyes through her work, both sonically and thematically. this is most evident in this record. her lo-fi bedroom pop days from the start of her career are far behind her as she steps into a territory where she feels most confident.

there's a certain warmth to this record. this record has a very 70s inspired sound. it's jazzy, it's folk-y, psychedelic at times. it's very cohesive as a whole, and has some captivating melodies all throughout. her voice, as always, is mellow and whisper-y at times. however, this fits perfectly in the theme and context of this album making giving a sense of intimacy

i think this is a 8.7/10 for me.

top 3 tracks: slow dance, terrapin, echo

the saved ⟡

still what i'm looking for - mac demarco & ryan paris (🎵)

this is the second mac demarco and ryan paris collab, and it's just as incredible as the first one. though this only features ryan paris' vocals, it feels like the perfect choice for this nostalgic adult contemporary melody injected with mac demarco's signature style. fingers crossed we get more collabs in the future.

2. floating parade - michael kiwanuka (🎵)

welcome back, michael kiwanuka. this is his first single in three years, and by the looks of it we're in for a very promising new era. it's soulful, it's dreamy, definitely a must-listend.

3. mary jane - orion sun (🎵)

the strings in this song are sick, complementing very well her very signature ethereal soul/rnb sound. her pen game also remains top tier. it did resonate thematically a lot with me. there's a certain honesty and vulnerability behind her work, which i quite enjoy.

4. drugs n' lullabies - isaiah falls (💿)

though his soulful vocals are a delight to listen to, the production behind this record is the star of the show. the production here is incredible, giving this rnb/soul record a very fresh sound. its funky with a little psychedelic groove to it, it's soulful, and there's some hip-hop influence all throughout the record.

not dull moment listening to this record, for sure. i was so eager to listen to the next song, waiting to be surprised — and i was every time. the downside: some of the songs are a little short, sometimes a little too short. with a production like that you can't help but want more.

there's a few tracks i would've removed, if i'm being honest, as they feel a bit like fillers in comparison to some other stronger songs on the record. however, there's still a little charm in some of these lighter tracks.

overall an 8.5/10 for me. i'm a big production guy and this record gave me everything i needed.

top 3 tracks: city birds, love me or love me not, meet me by the moon.

5. posse ep volume 2 - metronomy (EP)

this is a very interesting project. posse vol 1 left very big shoes to fill, and i'm not sure metronomy quite achieved it in this one. however, it was a very enjoyable project to listen to. he's showcasing once again his range as a producer with very interesting sounds and an interesting lineup of collaborators. saved 3/5 tracks which i will definitely be revisiting.

top 3 tracks: nice town, my love, with balance

6. yustyna - artemas (💿)

though i often feel hesitant when it comes to acts that blow up on tiktok, artemas is one i am very intrigued by. i love this sort of post-punk/pop noir vibe he brings to the table. he kind of reminds me of the sound blackbear or the neighborhood used to have around 2014. maybe it is that nostalgia that draws me towards his projects.

my only downside with this projects is that it feels a bit shallow at times, which makes me question the authenticity behind it. with a sound like this you would expect maybe a little more lyrical complexity or depth of some sort. at times it feels as he's pushing this hedonistic persona on us a little too hard.

nonetheless, this is a very interesting project with a very cohesive production all throughout. saved some tracks from here, and will be keeping him on my radar for upcoming releases. who knows, maybe his persona will be a little more convincing on his next project.

overall 6.5/10. i wasn't really blown away overall because how one-note it felt lyrically/thematically, but i see the potential.

top 3 tracks: i always kew you'd be the death of me, dirty little secret, you're simply wonderful.

7. big ideas - remi wolf (💿)

this is a project i haven't finished listening yet. however, i was super into it during the first half. i must say my favorite song so far have been the more rnb oriented tracks; however, my favorite think in this record is how many different sounds and genres she is exploring with. theres fun pop songs, some more on the rock pop side. i do love a variety. remi wold is definitely on my radar.

top tracks so far: motorcycle, kangaroo

the okays & the skips ⏭

x's - cigarettes after sex (💿)

if you're a fan fof cigs after sex's hazy psychedelic dream pop sound, it is always pleasant to listen to one of their records. i will be honest tho: there's no much novelty going on here. it seems they have grown comfortable on that one specific sound and the recurring themes of longing and heartbreak, which over time seems to have also diluted the depth their lyrics once had.

this one's an okay. giving it a 6/10. it's not a bad record, but there's certainly not a standout track. it seems as if there hasn't been one since their self-titled record. gun to my head and i still couldn't tell these songs apart from each other.

however, it does feel like a record you would find yourself listening to one day. though one-note , there's a certain comfort to their sound. sometimes you just need to float away on the hazy reverb-heavy guitars as greg gonzalez whispers moody melodies of heartbreak into your ear.

top 3 tracks: hideaway, baby blue movie, x's

2. no questions - tyga & sabrina claudio (🎵)

this one is just okay. sabrina claudio brings her silky vocal performance into the track, which is always a treat. however, there's just something about tyga i'm not really a fan of. there's just nothing unique (?) about him or his delivery. feels like any other rapper that goes viral on tiktok everyone will forget about in a couple of days.

3. dreams i see - kid kudi (🎵)

nothing special about this song tbh, and the production feels lazy and generic even. i miss the experimental kid cudi. this was a skip for me, sorry.

4. corazón - nelly furtado & bomba estéreo (🎵)

her lead comeback single was incredible. the sound was exactly what we expected from the one who gave us some of the most iconic bangers of the 2000s. it had a certain familiarity to her signature sound, but with a more current feel.

however, this sound feels very foreign to her, and bomba estéreo feels like an odd collaborator given the lineup of collaborators she has already teased for this era. she is outside her element, and i understand her choice to experiment with different sounds (as that is sort of an unwritten requirement the general public is demanding from pop artists in the 2020s); but it feels a bit... off. a skip.

5. heaven - toro y moi, kevin abstract & lev (🎵)

a little more hip-hop/pop than your usual toro y moi, which is kind of a bummer considering there's a certain uniqueness to the production of his previous work that i kind of enjoy. wasn't necesarily bad, but just okay i guess?

6. open this wall - berlioz (💿)

ever since their debut ep (jazz is for ordinary people), berlioz has been on my radar. its something that i only could describe as feel good jazz infused with house. this project is a little more house-y than their debut ep, which sometimes does give it a bit of an elevator music kind of vibe. i would've loved if they kept exploring a bit more the jazzy sound of their previous record. nonetheless, there are some very enjoyable moments in this record, which you just can't help to vibe to. i guess this one is a good okay.

top 3 tracks: ascencion, peace, something will happen

the flops ⬇

woman's world - katy perry (🎵)

bit disappointing that the long-awaited return of the once pop legend that gave us some of the biggest pop anthems is a vague attempt at a feminist anthem. the biggest irony is that she partnered with known abuser dr. luke in what seems like a desperate attempt for a new no. 1 single. by the looks of it, this upcoming era promises to be another miss.

[dyingpharaohs]

youtube.com/watch?v=0Ke4BA1HXTo

[evilthotiana]

I hate Abstract Hip Hop African Music Afrobeats Alt-Country Alté Alternative Dance Alternative R&B Alternative Rock Alt-Pop Ambient Ambient Dub Ambient Pop Ambient Techno Americana Art Pop Art Punk Art Rock Avant-Garde Jazz Ballroom Baltimore Club Bedroom Pop Blues Boom Bap Brazilian Music Breakbeat Breakbeat Hardcore Bubblegum Bass Caribbean Music Central African Music Chamber Folk Chamber Pop Chicago Drill Chillout Chillwave Classical Music Cloud Rap Conscious Hip Hop Contemporary Folk Contemporary R&B Country Country Soul Dance Dancehall Dance-Pop Deconstructed Club Deep House Detroit Techno Disco Downtempo Dream Pop Drill Drill and Bass Drone Drum and Bass Drumless Dubstep Dub Techno East Coast Club East Coast Hip Hop Electro Electroacoustic Electronic Electronic Dance Music Electropop Emo Emo Rap Experimental Experimental Hip Hop Experimental Rock Film Soundtrack Folk Folk Rock Footwork French Hip Hop Funk Funk brasileiro Funk Rock Future Garage Gangsta Rap Garage Punk Garage Rock Ghetto House Ghettotech Glitch Glitch Hop Glitch Pop Grime Hard Bop Hardcore [EDM] Hardcore Hip Hop Hardcore [Punk] Hardcore Punk Hip Hop Hip Hop Soul Hip House Hispanic American Music Hispanic Music Horrorcore House Hyperpop Hypnagogic Pop IDM Indie Folk Indie Pop Indie Rock Indietronica Industrial Industrial & Noise Industrial Hip Hop Industrial Techno Instrumental Hip Hop Jamaican Music Jangle Pop Jazz Jazz-Funk Jazz Fusion Jazz Rap Juke Jungle Krautrock Math Pop Math Rock Memphis Rap Microhouse Midwest Emo Minimal Synth Minimal Techno Minimal Wave Modern Classical MPB Neo-Psychedelia Neo-Soul New Wave Noise Pop Noise Rock Northern American Music Nu Jazz Outsider House Plugg PluggnB Plunderphonics Political Hip Hop Pop Pop Rap Pop Rock Pop Soul Post-Bop Post-Hardcore Post-Industrial Post-Punk Post-Punk Revival Post-Rock Power Pop Progressive Breaks Progressive Electronic Progressive Pop Psychedelia Psychedelic Folk Psychedelic Pop Psychedelic Rock Psychedelic Soul Punk Punk Rock R&B Reggae Regional Music Rock Shoegaze Singer-Songwriter Slacker Rock Slowcore Smooth Soul Sophisti-Pop Soul Soul Jazz Sound Collage Soundtrack South American Music Southern African Music Southern Hip Hop Southern Soul Spiritual Jazz Spoken Word Synth Funk Synthpop Tech House Techno Traditional Folk Music Trap Trap Soul Trip Hop UK Bass UK Funky UK Garage UK Hip Hop West African Music West Coast Hip Hop Western Classical Music Wonky

[wayward-sherlock]

wayli what is your favorite genre of music and favorite song and why. and also what decade do you think produced the best music. what is your favorite song to sing if you like singing along to songs. also who is your favorite music artist or artists.

-fellow Music Person though you have much better taste than me

bee im in love with you. as promised: 😘😘😘😘

i don’t reallyyyy have a favorite genre of music. i love every single genre bc i think each one is super unique and special in it’s own way. SOME OF MY FAVORITES, however, are bedroom pop/indie, rock (classic and also indie) and country…also the same things applies to songs…i don’t have a single favorite song for a lot of the same reasons !!

as for my favorite musical decade, i think it’s hard to decide between the 60s and 70s, since they were so tumultuous historically, and this was reflected in the music. the 60s brought around psychedelic rock, a new wave of country music, folk music, and hippie music (which overlaps greatly with most of these). all of these were responses to the terrible unrest happening throughout the country (and the world, though im not as well versed in the global perspective - yet!) and i think it’s amazing that music can reflect stuff that’s going on historically!! especially w things like protest music, which came to a head at woodstock in august 1969!

this also happens during the 70s - with the emergence of hard rock, metal, and another wave of country music - but this mostly reflected distrust w the government and also a longing for individualism…also a response to the economic hardships of the decade and the vietnam war…which is SO COOL but also so sad.

some of my favorite karaoke songs are lately by jodeci, if i ever fall in love by shai and bill appleberry, white rabbit by jefferson airplane, turn the page by bob seger, careless whisper by george michael, total eclipse of the heart by bonnie tyler, whiskey river by willie nelson, good hearted woman by waylon jennings, lose yourself and/or without me by eminem, next episode by snoop dogg and dr dre, it’s all futile! it’s all pointless! and warsaw by lovejoy, it gets better and doing this again! by bears in trees, and- [gunshots]

my favorite music artists are phoebe bridgers, lovejoy, bears in trees, lizzy mcalpine, boygenius, wilbur soot, clairo, noah kahan, troye sivan, searows…i could go on. i’ll stop.

[musicblogwales]

Track By Track: Tom Emlyn 'Rehersal For The Rain: Scardycat, Vol 2

Swansea Singer-Songwriter and Storyteller 'Tom Emlyn' has released his latest album 'Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol 2 and will be released digitally, on Cassette alongside a short story called 'Phosphoresence'. The album is available now from Bandcamp.

We've been honoured for an exclusive Track by Track of the album.

Following the release of his recent single 'Double-Crossed', Welsh singer-songwriter Tom Emlyn releases his new album 'Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2'. The self-produced record is his fourth solo effort in the space of two years, continuing an impressive streak of creativity and inspiration.

Tom Emlyn's fourth album in two years,Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat Vol. 2is a self-produced, powerful, fully realised creative statement.

In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of “undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy”. It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom’s second album ‘I’ve Seen You In Town’ followed quickly– a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scounger EP’on Bandcamp last February.

His latest record follows hot on the heels of Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1, which was released in May 2023. In the same vein as the first volume, Rehearsal For The Rain gathers up lost fragments from years of songwriting and making music.

Featuring recent single 'Double-Crossed' with its tender vocals, introspective lyrics caressing a daydreaming guitar motif, and lo-fi percussion it explores the darker side of self-reflection to a stripped back Velvet Underground-inspired groove. The album is a dreamlike, lo-fi psychedelic bedroom pop journey, with elements of prog, blues, indie and alternative folk."Peripatetic musical genius" - Adam Walton

Track By Track: Tom Emlyn | Rehersal For The Rain: Scardycat Vol 2

Fire On Fairwood Common

If you travel from Swansea along Gower Road, through Uplands, Sketty and Killay, Fairwood Common is the first part of the Gower Peninsula you'll encounter - a rugged, wind-swept heath dotted with gorse and abandoned airstrips. This is the oldest song on this album. Originally I wrote it when I went away to university. It was meant to be a song about leaving home and the way that things shift and change while you're away. A coming-of-age kind of song. I came back home for a visit and the Swansea Evening Post  were reporting a huge fire on the common, although I don't think they knew whether it was an accident or intentional. Probably some bored teenagers messing around. It seemed a destructive and uncanny image that was fitting for the changes I was going through.

The recording originally dates from 2016, a time when I was playing in a more prog rock style, which is explains the mellotron and the bouncy Jethro Tull-esque middle section. I added heavier, darker fuzzed and flange guitars and the chaotic Korg Monotron synth much more recently. When I originally wrote the song, there were many more lyrics painting the picture of domestic change, but it served the song to strip them away and just have the direct simplicity of 'there's a fire on fairwood common / gorse bushes burning in the dark / there's a fire on fairwood common / and I'm not home.' 

The original lyrics were just too on the nose, I think. Here's a sample; 'I've been home for a day, and things are changing / petrol shortages and mortgages / my pets are all dead, buried at midnight / childhood pets, adult silhouettes.' It works better as a more abstract, open song, allowing the sweeping warble of the synth to take the lead. This stripping-away of weaker lyrics is something I did a few times on this album.

2. Hall of Mirrors

Another song with a long history. The recording dates back to 2017, but I added some heavier guitars doubling what I played on the bass when I tried to record it originally, which gave it the grounding it was missing for a while. I envisioned the song originally as "sci-fi skiffle", whatever that is, although it's got a heavier feel to it now. I wanted to write something carnivalesque, a song that deals with the ways we can be reflected in the internet and social media, like a grotesque funhouse attraction. We're all reflected in the screens of our black mirrors, but they reflect and distort back onto us as well.

There are some interesting sounds in the recording, including saxophone on the outro and flute by Swansea musician Felix Subway. The Korg Monotron synth makes another appearance, and there are some bleeps and swooshing noises which were made by a smartphone app that created glitchy electronic sounds. The percussion was added recently. We recorded it all in our flat in Riverside, Cardiff. Instead of using a drumkit, we just added every percussion instrument we had to hand - djembe, triangle, bongo, kick drum, cajon, snare, cabasa, vibraslap, claps. It added a lot of weight to the track.

There's a mention in the lyrics of a certain Swansea music venue which was just an incidental throwaway at the time. However the venue has more recently gone down the misinformation/ antivax/ right wing rabbit hole. An interesting incidence of a lyric becoming more apposite with the passing of time, and more appropriate to the theme of the song, funnily enough.

3. Kafka  

The recording of this was all done last year, but the song has been around for much longer. A fairly standard blues affair, I've come back to the lyric many times but always given it a new arrangement, appropriate for the circular nature of the words. This final version is a satisfying garage-rock vamp; I'm really happy with the super-distorted lo-fi harmonica, recorded with a Bullet mic, and the overall gritty, angular production. It's got a poppy structure that just feels right. I layered two drum takes over each other to make it extra chaotic, and Evan played a funky bassline. I also used the Bullet harmonica mic on vocals all over the album. At the end of Kafka, you can just about hear a radio broadcast coming through my guitar pickups as the song fades out.

4. Rehearsal For The Rain

Another song which originally had more lyrics. Here's a sample; 'time is a waitress / and my table is served last / but after all it's just a reminder / the guitar is still in the garden / swollen and warped, the keys won't turn'. I think it works a lot better with a very spare and sparse approach. It's almost an instrumental now, with only four words - 'rehearsal for the rain'. I think it was called 'rehearsing for the rain' at some point, but it didn't really sing as well. I don't know what it means. Performing for nobody, or your audience only being the natural world, or something. Maybe the rain itself is just a rehearsal for some future cataclysmic flood.

I put a bit of phaser on the cymbals for a nice washy effect. The track overall has a really cinematic feel. I think it takes you on a dreamlike journey, moving through 4 different sections that feel melancholy and celebratory at the same time. The warbly Casio synth in the middle is really nice. We overlaid cymbals in the middle and used timpani sticks. The electric guitar tones were done with a tiny solid state Vox amp.

5. Chemical Road

This tune is from the same 2017 sessions as Hall of Mirrors. I originally wrote this when I was sitting on a bus going through Morriston in Swansea. I saw a street sign that said 'Chemical Road' and it made me contemplate how strange and toxic-sounding a name that was for a place for human beings to live. I started thinking about post-industrialism and decay, and it turned into this kind of dreamlike, fragmentary kitchen-sink drama about two romantically-entangled characters separated by the mundanity of their surroundings. I like the image of 'an orange river flowed', which is really something from my childhood memories.

All the chords in the verse are 9th chords, which gives it a lovely open jazzy feel. At one point there was a sax solo in the middle, which has been deleted.

While I was recording the song in the YMCA in Swansea, some children were playing outside. We stuck a microphone next to the window and recorded the sound of their laughter. At some point, though, the file was lost.

There's no proper drumkit on the song, only toms.

6. Llangennith (intermission)

An ambient instrumental based around guitar harmonics with different delays applied. I did think it was quite long, but cutting it down would take away from the meditative repetition of it all. There's some interesting sounds including some keyboard chords placed in a random order. My ex-girlfriend built me a diddly-bow, which is like a primitive one-string slide guitar. It created some interesting textural effects with a bit of processing, sounding almost like a windchime at some points. Llangennith is a beach in North Gower where I used to work in a beach cafe for several summers - the same subject as my short story Phosphorescence which I'm releasing along with the album. I thought it would be nice to have an intermission on the record, a bit like the intermission in Monty Python and the Holy Grail or 2001: A Space Odyssey. Another cinematic touch. A chance for listeners to go and grab a coffee or beer in-between the more fleshed-out tracks. It's fitting that the track is named after a period that was an intermission in my life, in a way.

7. I Don't Want To Be A Rockstar

This lyric was based on my memory of my school leaving assembly. The teachers made a cheesy leaving video in which they all mimed to the song 'Rockstar' by Nickleback. It's an exploration of that - rejecting the general prescribed idea of success and more specifically of musical ambition. This song was originally called Rockstar as well, but I thought it was a bit bland. The new title 'I Don't Want To Be A Rockstar' might sound a bit negative, but if you listen to the lyrics, the other half of the title is 'I Just Want To Play My Guitar', so really it's a rejection of the rockstar image and mythos in favour of just being a musician and a craftsman, playing music rather than pursuing a self-destructive myth. Although I probably still do want to be a rockstar, admittedly. It's a self-deprecating and ironic title. 

Recorded in lockdown, we added drums more recently. My drummer Jack said the song sounds like a band being forced to play a song. We ended up deleting all the drums except the ridiculous Nirvana-esque heavy middle section, which comes out of nowhere. I think he played it like that originally as a joke, but it made the song much better.

8. It Came Back To Me

Inspired by the Kinks, this was another lockdown project. Musically a bit complex - every section is in a different key, following on from the section before, which took a while to figure out structurally. It's an abstract Southwalian drama, inspired by looking out across derelict rooftops and tenement buildings, imagining the dreams and interior lives of the people that live in them. Lyrically, it deals with maintaining the fragility of your innocence in a decaying world.

9. Double-Crossed

Written in lockdown, this was a Velvet Underground-esque groove. The lyrics were sparked by realising I'd never walked down a cul-de-sac near where I grew up, even though it was just over the road. It made me wonder about the people that lived there, and their internal lives. So close, yet so far away. This, combined with some of my thoughts about the isolation of lockdown, became a brooding, thoughtful, poetic tune. It's a song about betraying yourself - there's a double meaning there. Betraying yourself in the sense of stabbing yourself in the back, but also giving too much of yourself away or exposing yourself. The song is a confessional, epic ballad with some glam rock undertones.

10. Somewhere There's A Dry Shore

This was meant to be a proper song with lyrics, but the only words I ever wrote were 'walking down the M4 / when the sky begins to pour'. I couldn't get any further than that for some reason, so rather than force it, I decided it worked best as an instrumental. It was inspired by the chords of 'Hesitation Blues' by Dave Van Ronk. Originally recorded by Dave Milsom for Death Monkey records, it's a fitting end to the album. Like the closing credits of a film.

Buy 'Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol 2 Here

[haveyouheardthisband]

[eyesoforpheus]

anytime someone into music asks me what specific subgenres of indie I listen to I always feel like that one fantasy high zelda bit. out here like yeah I listen to a lot of 2000s indie, tweecore indie, bedroom indie, indie pop, dream pop, psychedelic pop, singer songwriter, punk-pop, post-punk, a little bit of blues-punk, little bit of oi!, folk-punk, anti-folk, punk-rock, slacker rock, math rock, alt-rock

[catdotjpeg]

here’s some singles and albums i was listening to in february. i was doing this on twitter for a while but i just realized it makes way more sense for me to be keeping it here 

(in no particular order other than color)

j’aime les filles // kate bollinger (french pop cover)

despertar // ratas en zelo (accordion punk)

the edge // atarashii gakko (japanese progressive pop? hyperpop?)

super champon // otoboke beaver (japanese punk)

nadja // unknown mortal orchestra (psychedelic pop)

this is why // paramore (alternative)

marginalia #122 // masakatsu takagi (japanese piano)

crest // bladee and ecco2k (electronic)

pollen // tennis (indie pop)

the greng jai piece // phum viphurit (thai bedroom pop)

miss the world // body type (australian garage rock)

american gurl // kilo kish (alt pop)

filming school // sidney gish (alt pop)

hollywood baby // 100 gecs (power pop)

lose you (ft. soccer mommy) // bully (alternative)

space cadet // beabadoobee (british indie)

pahrump // xiu xiu (experimental)

bless this mess // u.s. girls (alt pop)

multitudes // feist (pop) 

it hurts // bad bad hats (alt pop)

desire, i want to turn into you // caroline polachek (art pop)

hands // little boots (synthpop)

does you inspire you // chairlift (indie pop)

done (let’s get it) // yaeji (electronic)

it’s blitz! // yeah yeah yeahs (indie rock)

[lovejustforaday]

2022 Year End List - #3

Blue Rev - Alvvays

Main Genres: Shoegaze, Indie Pop

A decent sampling of: Noise Pop, Twee Pop, Dream Pop, Jangle Pop, Indietronica, Surf Rock, Neo-Psych

One of my most anticipated records of the year was the long-awaited return of Alvvays, the Canadian indie darlings fronted by Molly Rankin who hails from my own home province of Nova Scotia.

Debuting with their 2014 self-titled Alvvays, the band started off as staunch revivalists of that uber-hip late 1980s U.K. C86 jangly twee sound, with a nice splash of surf rock added in. All in all, a cute record with one very clear winner “Archie, Marry Me” which greatly overshadowed every other song on the record by comparison (Okay, “Next of Kin” was pretty great too).

2017′s Antisocialites expanded on the debut by venturing into more dreamy territory, and upping the songwriting significantly. The record definitely also left a lasting impression on the North American indie scene, as the band’s new record was definitely one of the most talked about upcoming releases in all of the music nerd spaces that I frequented this year.

In those five years of waiting, Alvvays have matured as artists. They also apparently went through development hell based on what I read about in the interviews leading up to this. But what to make of the end result?

Well, after teasing at it for years on their previous LPs, Alvvays has finally delivered with Blue Rev a full-on shoegaze record, a hazy montage of indie pop instant classics with hooks approaching Asobi Seksu levels of melodic gazing, and a cool, aqueous sound that brings it all together. With 14 tracks and a run-time of only 38 minutes, this record is a rapid-fire of a ‘best of indie 2022’ compilation  — except it’s just one band.

I’m struck throughout by the feeling of playing cozy 2D indie games in your bedroom, looking out of your window only to see that you are actually in a submarine as you watch a beautiful 16-bit mermaid swim by. (Note - I just want it on record that I drafted this particular observation before the concernedape music video was released, and holy crap it’s like they read my mind with the cozy 2D indie game aesthetics)

There's also something beautifully East Coast, or at the very least, coastal about Alvvays' sound. The band has always (hehe) reminded me of my local bustling waterfront during the summer season, and this album is certainly no exception. Indeed, this is a record that could just as easily soundtrack the crashing of waves, making big splashes off of lakeside wharfs, cotton candy and Ferris wheels, or even just holding hands by the campfire as much as it would suit your cozy bedroom.

“After The Earthquake” is jangle pop on steroids, with a disruptive adrenaline force and scattering guitar riffs that create an odd mix of upbeat urgency. Like many Alvvays songs, it is about the death of a relationship, only this time in a more literal sense with regards to the lyrics.

“Many Mirrors” is gorgeously drenched feel-good shoegaze, akin to psychedelic deep-sea diving in slow-motion, and designed to soundtrack a mental reel of all the best memories you made over the last year. Everything about this song radiates that feeling of home that a really great close friend brings you. My personal favourite cut off the record.

This bleeds right into “Very Online Guy”, a quirky, hauntological electro-gaze ballad, with a story about the life of a modern internet savant in our hyper-digital age contrasted by retro synths begging to be compared to the Commodore 64. It’s more than a little bit tongue-in-cheek, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the most aesthetically cool and clever songs of the year. The bridge is also godlike; there’s just so much sound going on in so many layers and it gives me euphoric chills.

Following that is “Velveteen”, a piece of delectably bittersweet indie pop displaying Molly Rankin’s unique talents for, as she once put it herself, “the pathetic perspective”, wherein this time she sings some of the loveliest lyrics about a woman who knows her lover has fallen in love with someone else by the signs of him putting more effort into himself. Tragicomedy at its finest.

Together, the aforementioned three songs earn my personal award for best consecutive three-track-run of the year. Gem after gem.

“Pomeranian Spinster” is a punky cuddlecore throwback circa. Heavenly with a delightful deceleration of spinsterhood. It is the most manic the band has ever sounded and I, like many others have already said, would love to hear what a full Alvvays record of this style would be like.

Compositionally speaking, “Belinda Says” is very much a companion piece to Antisocialite’s “In Undertow”. Both songs start of with a fuzzy, humble little synth jingle before erupting into a shower off pedal-heavy guitars and Rankin’s most sweetly and lackadaisically cynical vocals. Last time the lyrics were confronting a relationship that was on its last leg, but this time it is about the much more daunting task of confronting an unplanned pregnancy and choosing your life’s path.

I confess that “In Undertow” still remains my all-time favourite Alvvays cut (a tough act to live up to), but I do appreciate the continuity and sense of evolution from that song’s concerns to this one, and it is certainly up there as another one of the band’s greatest tracks.

Now, there are one or two moments where I experience some record fatigue from the rapid fire pop approach, where not everything ends up sticking. But that is very much the exception to the rule here.

It is evident that Alvvays continues to be on a very clean upward trajectory from their first full length record. They have gone from a solid 2010s jangle pop band, to bar-setting 2020s indie pop veterans.

And Blue Rev does everything the band already did best even better, with more sugary riffs and playfully self-aware, occasionally despondent lyrics for all of you fellow hipsters out there who love some poetic irony. These folks are keeping the flame of amazing 21st century Canadian indie rock alive, and to that I say hell yeah!

9/10

Highlights: “Many Mirrors”, “Very Online Guy”, “Belinda Says”, “After The Earthquake”, “Velveteen”, “Pomeranian Spinster”, “Fourth Figure”, "Pharmacist"

[existentialmagazine]

Review: Wotts share new warm alternative-rock single ‘sinking’, a message to anyone struggling through life

Known for their eccentric blend of psychedelic pop, bedroom, indie and alternative essences, the upcomers wotts are unafraid to be bold. From the warmth of their ‘garden’ EP to the catchiness of singles like ‘Wilson’ and ‘Laundry’, the pair know how to stand out and evolve with a musical sound that sets them apart. Now following on from their EP ‘Good People, Bad People’, the duo have just one more offering to see out the year.

With their newest single ‘sinking’, wotts know how to keep their audience just on the edge, showing a glimmering slice of what the future holds while their newest EP’s era still has fans in a chokehold. After an exercise in stripping it back, this fresh release is unafraid to go all out with its instrumental layers, differing from their usual sound while taking influence from The Killers ‘Sam's Town’ and MGMT's latest album ‘Loss of Life’.

Making vibrant strides right from pressing play, ‘sinking’ feels like the opposite of its title, in many ways making you feel like you’re floating. With such a dazzling bassline, thumping drums, shaken percussion, piano keys, blaring guitar and even more layers that might go amiss, there’s quite the packed concoction of noise wrapped within the softened layers of ‘sinking’ , a sound that’s easy on the ears despite having such an intricate patchwork of sounds. wotts’ vocals are just enticing, a smooth low-toned performance that’s a little raw and emotive while still feeling perfectly charismatic.

Progressively picking up with what sounds like harmonica, orchestral violins and so much more, wotts continue their staple of never quite knowing where they’re going to take you. Going into their recording sessions without a plan, the pair are always going outside the box with their seemingly endless layers of sound, creating something that’s truly genre-less. As the chorus defiantly blares with resounding drums and a plethora of other guitar, synth and orchestral elements that complement one another perfectly, it’s hard not to be drawn right into the soul of this whimsical performance.

The lyricism of ‘sinking’ is, as always, striking to match. As their softer, dreamy words are left a little overshadowed by the epic instrumental performance, something that in many ways that’s what makes wotts’ sound so powerful, ‘sinking’ truly blooms. With wotts hiding their emotions behind such vast walls of noise, you almost miss the aching admissions creeping below: ‘ain’t got nowhere to go, she said it’s nothing, lay back enjoy the show.’ Through lyrics that feel a little lost in the world, it’s hard not to connect with each line, all the while they seemingly find the reassurance from someone to lay back and enjoy it regardless. Continuing ‘that’s the way that we all go’, the pair look outside of their own bubbles and see others struggling to stay afloat too, getting by in a world that’s overwhelming. Through this vast metaphor, lines like ‘one day I hope that I see the shore’ are all the more poignant, a dream to feel stable and safe hidden behind the visuals of an endless ocean. While this is only our interpretation, there’s so much more to unpack and hear for yourself within the incredible experience of ‘sinking’.

Keep listening to ‘sinking’ for yourself here to really understand how unique wotts sound and storytelling can be.

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

// This coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

[chrisryanspeaks]

Explore the Depths of Nick Water's 'Wither' – A Reflection on Love and Hope

Rating: 9/10 - EXCELLENT Album Nick Water’s latest album, Wither, is a deeply introspective journey through the corridors of loss and renewal. Released as Water’s first studio album, "Wither" delves into a soundscape that is both charming and beautifully stark, establishing him as a master of emotional storytelling through music. ‘Wither’ showcases Water's cunning artistry with its rich, layered instrumentations and refined production. The album opens with "Windy Blue," a track that sets the tone with its minimalist arrangement paired with dreamy synths, creating a chilling yet inviting and playful atmosphere. Throughout the album, Water’s leans on a mix of acoustic and electronic sounds, blurring the lines between bedroom pop, rock and psychedelic music. The production, handled by Water‘s himself is meticulous. Each track is polished, allowing the raw emotion of Water's vocals to shine through, particularly on the standout track "Iridescent Gloom," where his voice, accompanied dreamy guitar and synth, delivers a powerful punch of melancholic introspection. ‘Wither’ is a poignant and beautifully crafted album that marks a significant step forward in indie rock with Nick Water's beautiful artistic journey. It’s a reflective work that encourages listeners to embrace the beauty of withering, as it promises the birth of something new. This album not only solidifies Water’s place in indie rock but also as a poet of modern melancholy, capable of turning introspection into an art form. Check out ‘Wither’ below: Read the full article

[haveyouheardthisband]

[audiofuzz]

Explore the Depths of Nick Water's 'Wither' – A Reflection on Love and Hope

Rating: 9/10 - EXCELLENT Album Nick Water’s latest album, Wither, is a deeply introspective journey through the corridors of loss and renewal. Released as Water’s first studio album, "Wither" delves into a soundscape that is both charming and beautifully stark, establishing him as a master of emotional storytelling through music. ‘Wither’ showcases Water's cunning artistry with its rich, layered instrumentations and refined production. The album opens with "Windy Blue," a track that sets the tone with its minimalist arrangement paired with dreamy synths, creating a chilling yet inviting and playful atmosphere. Throughout the album, Water’s leans on a mix of acoustic and electronic sounds, blurring the lines between bedroom pop, rock and psychedelic music. The production, handled by Water‘s himself is meticulous. Each track is polished, allowing the raw emotion of Water's vocals to shine through, particularly on the standout track "Iridescent Gloom," where his voice, accompanied dreamy guitar and synth, delivers a powerful punch of melancholic introspection. ‘Wither’ is a poignant and beautifully crafted album that marks a significant step forward in indie rock with Nick Water's beautiful artistic journey. It’s a reflective work that encourages listeners to embrace the beauty of withering, as it promises the birth of something new. This album not only solidifies Water’s place in indie rock but also as a poet of modern melancholy, capable of turning introspection into an art form. Check out ‘Wither’ below: Read the full article