June is only a little over halfway done, which means it’s still pride month! And with pride comes a lot of dance music, though why wouldn’t it? The amount of queer history embedded in the development of disco, house, and techno has made countless members of the LGBT community into dance music legends. This includes gay performers like the Pet Shop Boys and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, influential producers like Larry Levan and Arthur Russell, and straight but strong allies like Madonna and Donna Summer. All of them, in one form or another, have songs on this playlist.
In a sense, this is a soundtrack that takes you through a chronologically ordered musical history lesson of 70s dancefloor diva disco, cult classic 80s Hi-NRG, and early 90s house tunes. It ranges from songs your middle-aged mother will belt out while doing the dishes or obscure euro-disco that no one else but me knows but I want to force in somewhere. (It’s all great, trust me.) With nu-disco such a prominent sound in 2020s pop music, it’s important to honor the marginalized community and queer icons that created the genre. All 35 of the songs in this decade-spanning playlist are still endlessly joyful and worth checking out.
Get ready to be swept away by Winterlark‘s newest EP, You Send Me A Photograph. This indie folk sensation is back with a collection of tunes that will tug at your heartstrings. From soulful melodies to lyrics that hit you right in the feels, Winterlark takes you on a musical adventure exploring love, memories, and those unforgettable snapshots of life.
Winterlark’s EP You Send Me A Photograph is a mesmerizing journey that transports listeners to a world of ethereal beauty. With their intricate compositions and hauntingly delicate vocals, Winterlark creates an immersive sonic landscape that lingers long after the last note fades.
The EP’s six tracks weave together elements of indie folk and dream pop, resulting in a sublime blend of introspection and enchantment. Each song is a captivating vignette, filled with evocative imagery and introspective lyrics that delve into the depths of love, loss, and the bittersweet moments of life.
From the haunting opening track to the poignant finale, Winterlark’s musicianship shines brightly. The intricate layers of strums and pizzicatos intertwine flawlessly, creating a rich tapestry of sound that envelops the senses. The duo’s harmonies are nothing short of spellbinding, evoking a sense of gentleness and emotional resonance that resonates deeply with the listener.
You Send Me A Photograph is an EP that demands to be experienced in its entirety, as each song seamlessly flows into the next, guiding the listener on a cathartic and introspective journey. Winterlark’s ability to capture raw emotions and distill them into captivating melodies is a testament to their artistry and musicianship. This EP is a true gem, destined to captivate both devoted fans and newcomers alike with its vintage beauty and heartfelt expression.
Dallas, Texas-based musician Garrett “Sleepy” Zuhoski released his debut album Better Haze this month, and if you haven’t yet gotten a taste of it, you’re missing out. That’s not just a simple statement in our eyes – as we’re sure you know, of course – but a testament to how truly enamored we are by his genre-bending style. With each line comes an array of influences, leaving the listener constantly questioning what’s to come. What’s more? The album in its entirety is perfect for a lazy summer day, the recent video for “On a Cloud” all-too-entertaining to miss.
Good news? We’ve got the video and Better Haze in its entirety to share with you, so you don’t have to go searching far and wide for this goodness. We also got a hot second with Garrett himself, so read on for more fun!
What was your first musical memory, or the first album or song you heard? Do you think that has any bearing on who you are as an artist now?
I remember listening to Bob Dylan a lot as a kid. The first time I ever thought a song was beautiful was These Are Days by 10,000 maniacs. Those both probably influenced me quite a bit. I still just want to make beautiful music, but love a gruff matter-of-fact delivery.
After all these years sitting on some of your work and working with other bands, what made you so keen to work with Salim Nourallah when the opportunity arose?
He offered to put me in a real studio and press vinyl haha. I mean, his reputation preceeds him in Dallas. I have been aware of his various projects for about 10 years and know several bands who he’s produced. I knew I was in good hands.
Better Haze is jam packed with a variety of sounds and nuances. How do you want fans to feel after listening to it in its entirety?
I love whole albums; albums as journeys. While I wasn’t really ready to do a proper “concept album” or really have a premeditated flow to it, I want people to feel like they were taken on a pleasant musical tour. I really enjoy making mixes and thinking hard about the flow of a collection of songs. I guess it has less to do with having a specific feeling in mind, I just want a satisfying collection of songs.
“On a Cloud” is such a fun and mysterious music video. What was the production process like on that music video?
Well, that was really all Weird Life Films. The label contacted them about making a video, and they pitched us the idea. We kinda just let them do whatever they wanted. They submitted the idea and we basically just said “go for it” without making any changes. I feel like it’s important to have trust in collaborators. I am not a film maker, and haven’t put much thought into that type of creative outlet, so I pretty much tried to leave it up to the experts. We were so pleased with the outcome that we worked with them on a second video (out soon) where we gave them free reign again to great results.
On a broader spectrum, what drives your passion to create music?
Honestly, I usually write songs to soothe anxiety. Thats probably why my songs have a darker depressed feel, even though people generally refer to my actual personality as goofy and cheery. I feel like theres a natural high that comes from performing music you love. I make music to feel good about myself.
If you could be any superhero – “existing” or made up – who would you be and why?
Oh dang, I’m really not a superhero kinda guy. Maybe be a Doctor Who companion, or Finn The Human.
From the heart of Nashville, Grammy-nominated bluegrass band Sister Sadie returns with their fourth studio album, All Will Be Well. A sweeping, genre-blurring body of work that reaffirms their place not only as instrumental powerhouses but as storytellers rooted deeply in resilience, community, and emotional truth.
Out now via Mountain Home Music Company, All Will Be Well arrives on the heels of a triumphant award season for the group. With co-founder Deanie Richardson earning Fiddle Player of the Year and guitarist Jaelee Roberts taking home Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2024 International Bluegrass Music Association awards. The band itself, which formed in 2012 after a one-off performance at Nashville’s Station Inn, has long defied the limits of genre and gender in bluegrass, having been crowned IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year in 2020 and Vocal Group of the Year for three consecutive years prior.
What makes All Will Be Well especially poignant is its emotional and stylistic breadth. From the first notes of “Winnebago” to the soulful closer “Can’t Let Go of Your Love”, Sister Sadie pulls from a palette that fuses 90s country nostalgia with classic bluegrass instrumentation. Guitarist and vocalist Dani Flowers, who co-wrote over half the album, describes it best: “From the studio to the stage, the songs from this record have brought us back to life and connected us to each other in brand new ways.”
One of the most arresting tracks, “Let the Circle Be Broken”, tackles generational trauma and domestic abuse with raw honesty. It’s an exorcism wrapped in harmony, somber and unrelenting, yet ultimately redemptive. This willingness to marry vulnerability with musical precision is Sister Sadie’s signature, and it’s on full display throughout the album.
The band also invited a stellar lineup of collaborators to join the journey. Steve Earle lends harmony on “I Wish It Would Rain”, while legends like Russ Pahl (pedal steel), Catherine Marx (keys), and Dave Racine (drums) elevate the record’s sonic landscape. With these contributions and performances from musicians like Seth Taylor and Mary Meyer, each track is layered with texture, intention, and deep musical kinship.
Standouts like “Make Me Stay or Make Me Go” and “The Devil Don’t Care” offer blistering instrumentation and bold vocal performances. “Orphan Train” and “Prodigal Daughter” lean into narrative balladry, while “This Is Me (You’re Not Talking To)” feels like a line in the sand. Through it all, the band’s vocal chemistry remains unshakable, each harmony feeling earned and essential.
It is a damn good record. But more than that, it’s a generous one. The kind that opens its arms to long-time fans and newcomers alike. Whether you come for the bluegrass chops, the country soul, or the stories that settle in your bones, All Will Be Well is a celebration of Sister Sadie’s evolution. Because in their world, harmony isn’t just a sound. It’s a promise.
There’s a certain kind of quiet bravery in getting back up when the world is watching. After two years of silence, Lewis Capaldi does just that, standing not in defiance of his struggle, but beside it. His new single, “Survive”, is out now via Capitol Records.
Capaldi, the Scottish singer-songwriter best known for his vocal gut-punches and brutally honest ballads, first captured the world with “Someone You Loved”, a track that’s now certified Diamond in the U.S. and the most-streamed song of all time in the UK. But Survive isn’t about charts. It’s about persistence.
“Most nights I fear that I’m not enough,” Capaldi admits at the start of the track, and that vulnerability doesn’t let up. The song aches. It’s raw. But it’s also hopeful. Lifting itself from the wreckage of self-doubt with a chorus that feels like a breathless, desperate promise: “I swear to God I’ll survive, if it kills me to.”
Co-written with longtime collaborator RØMANS (yes, the same duo behind “Someone You Loved”), “Survive” pairs Capaldi’s scorched cannon of a voice with the kind of swelling, cinematic instrumentation that practically begs for a stadium singalong or a solo cry-drive through your hometown.
It’s no accident this release comes after his powerful but emotionally difficult set at Glastonbury 2023. “Survive” marks a turning point. Not a comeback. A continuation. A choice.
And if the track itself weren’t enough, the accompanying music video, directed by Hector Dockrill, elevates the experience even further. It’s not just a song. It’s a testimony.
Capaldi’s journey has been real. Jagged, aching, and ironically deeply inspired. With over 30 billion global streams, 8 UK Top 10 singles, and a Netflix documentary (How I’m Feeling Now) that laid bare the emotional cost of fame, Capaldi has always sung like survival was the only option. Now, he’s finally saying it out loud.
“Survive” is streaming now on all major platforms. Listen to it with your whole chest.
Alecander Seiler (he/they) is a Creative Writing major with a double minor in Theatre & Studio Arts at the University of Redlands. Passionate about pushing boundaries and amplifying marginalized voices, Alec seeks to create stories that resonate, challenge, and inspire.
Susannah Joffe’s newest EP, Cult Leader, is full of Americana inspired pop ballads and represents the lengths that love and heartbreak brings us to. Susannah Joffe is a singer-songwriter originally from Austin, Texas. She has had recent success on social media, particularly with the song, “Die Your Daughter”, which was on her last EP, Your Mother’s Name. But, Joffe has taken a new look on life on Cult Leader, and it’s full of spite, lovelust, heartbreak, and reflection.
The EP’s title track, “Cult Leader”, sets up the theme as Joffe plays spacey pop with a dark country twang. Joffe’s airy vocals sing about americana ideals and tropes while she professes her love-hatred for an ex-lover and his new flame.
As she sings about her confidence in her superiority, a deep jealousy underlies within her words and sets up a complex narrative of love and the inability to move on. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star of this track as her voice ebbs and flows throughout the verses and chorus (reminiscent of Lana Del Rey), and the instrumentals take the backseat to fully allow Joffe to have her moment.
“Antler Queen” keeps up the spaciness that is a mainstay throughout the EP, moving further away from country influence. It’s a bittersweet romance ballad that explores unrequited love and yet again the struggle to move on. The chorus is infectious with a driving drum beat and Joffe’s love proclamations such as, “I’ll shoot you up, Get high on reluctant love.”
The instrumentals on “Antler Queen” are extremely chill with sweet guitars and a stable percussion section to pick up the chorus. As she concludes the song, she reinforces her love’s bittersweetness as she says, “I pledge my heart to you my antler queen.”
“You’d Kill Me If You Could” is a stripped back ballad that sonically serves as a break in the EP’s sound and leans into a 90’s sound. Joffe has given up the loud emotions present in the previous two tracks, and has become sorrowful and reflective. The heartbreaking lyrics portray a harmful relationship and her dealing with the emotional aftermath.
The echoey vocals, acoustic guitars and stripped back percussion, make the song feel like it could’ve been written 30 years ago. Bright synths work with Joffe in the bridge, as she repeats, “Like mother, like daughter.” The phrase is almost a mantra, increasing in intensity the more Joffe says it, and deepens the song’s meaning when you consider the cycle of abuse and what people pass down with them.
“Shit Out Of Luck” is a hazy heartbroken ballad that speaks to unfulfillment and unresolved promises. It is threatening, vengeful and passionate, as she sings, “I’ve got passion and I’ve got a gun.” Electric guitars squeal in the background and Joffe employs a strong percussion section yet again. Joffe’s vocals are the shining star on this track as she uses layered harmonizations to sing words of spite and biblical musings.
“Sofia Coppola” went mildly viral on social media and is a bright lesbian pop power ballad. The song is flirty and full of lust and unabashed attraction. The prechorus is infectious and feels almost like a nursery rhyme, which leads into the double infectious chorus in which she professes, “Idolize you, My Sofia Coppola.”
The bridge is wonderfully layered and Joffe’s vocal capability is put right on display in this track. “Sofia Coppola” is a gorgeous listening experience and uses a blend of strings, synths and percussion, which culminates into a twinkly and magical song about bright eyed love and attraction.
Joffe leans into another consistent trope present on the EP as she writes about a love-hate relationship in “Call Me Pretty.” It’s a complicated dynamic of wanting to both be devalued but cherished as she sings, “I’m your dog and nothing more.” It’s a casual relationship gone wrong, as she invests more than her lover. Her breathy vocals in contrast to the heavy electric guitars build power and tension in the song. The guitars aid Joffe in relaying the final rendition of the chorus and concludes the heartbreakingly honest and self deprecating track.
The EP finishes off strong with the final two tracks, “Stillborns and Six Lane Highways” and “Horses Can’t Outrun Me.” “Stillborns” discusses biblical conflict and terror, as she speaks directly to the people that peddle hate singing, “Heaven hates you” repeatedly. The melodic guitars backing instrumentals are stunning as the beat uplifts the depressive nature of the song. Her echoey and hazy vocals blend amazingly and the rich instrumentals coupled with the lyrics behind create a complex and enjoyable listening experience.
“Horses Can’t Outrun Me” is an excellent end to the EP and is a highlight of the tracklist. Joffe’s bright vocals begin the song as she sings the chorus. A deep electronic bass beat is introduced as she sings of feeling freed of a suffocating relationship and environment. She strips it down and speaks in the pre chorus and then dives into her airy vocals once again.
There is a deep, radical sense of freedom as the lightness of her vocals and the bright guitars, keys and drum beats feed into the energy of the song. As Joffe sings, “Heaven’s where you can’t reach” she ties all of the themes on the EP into one reflecting upon freedom, religious ideation, relationship issues, love, and heartbreak. We are allowed the opportunity to watch Joffe grieve, grow, and change, as we watch her learn and reflect upon her experiences and heartbreak.
It’s an exciting high to leave off on and leaves us wondering what will Joffe take on next in her musical journey? Cult Leader asks a lot and leaves behind very little, as Joffe proves her vocal and musical capabilities and has created a piece of work that is sonically and narratively consistent and clean.
Buick Audra, Nashville singer/songwriter and guitarist, released her fourth album Adult Child on June 13th. She writes for both herself and other artists, and is half of the musical duo Friendship Commanders with Jerry Roe. Her music has a unique style that emphasizes her written lyrics in a way that is reminiscent of something like spoken word poetry. For example, her third album Conversations with My Other Voice was released with a matching memoir of essays. But the production doesn’t suffer for this, instead changing intensity and even genre to match each song.
Adult Child continues this style, never staying in one place for too long. The album mostly fits into the indie rock genre, but songs such as “It All Belonged to Me” are more folk-inspired. Songs like “Birthdays & Bullshit” are full of rage and dominated by drums, but there are several moments on the album where it’s just Audra and her vocals.
At its core, Adult Child is about family and relationships, and the patterns and cycles that we repeat in our lives from our family. But the takeaway from the album is that our origins don’t define us, and we can choose to form an identity all our own. Buick Audra touches on her own estranged relationship with her family, and the album’s title Adult Child reflects the expectations and responsibilities that were placed on her as a child.
“The Worst People Win” is the first track on Adult Child and “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior” is the lead single off of the album. They serve as the intro into this album for us listeners, and these two songs are instantly relatable to almost anyone. “The Worst People Win”, like it sounds, is about the “fact of life” that the worst people in life are often the most successful. That is insanely relatable to myself, and I’m sure that almost everyone has had a moment in their life where this “fact” comes up. “Questions for the Gods of Human Behavior” looks more inward, questioning why we as humans repeat behaviors that hurt us–also probably a relatable idea for many. These songs also provide an introduction to the indie rock production of the album, which is mostly drums and guitar. Both songs utilize these instruments to provide tension to match the themes of the songs.
“Yellow” takes a turn away from the first two songs to look at Audra herself, and about how she’s internalized what other people have said about her. Again, the production echoes this shift, as the focus is more on Audra’s vocals, and the end totally strips the production down to just a percussion beat and Audra’s vocals. The lyrics repeat three times, with each repetition increasing the layers of her vocals.
“One-Step Close-Up” goes in a different direction again, being a more upbeat song off the album. It uses photography imagery to convey the theme of Audra prioritizing herself rather than others. The fifth song “Birthdays & Bullshit” is the epitome of female rage. The drums are loud, louder than the rest of the album. The song is about the responsibilities that women are expected to have, like being in charge of birthdays. Like the rest of the album, these two songs reflect on Audra’s experience as an adult child and the difficulty that comes with breaking those expectations and relationships.
For me, “It All Belonged to Me” is one of the most devastating songs on this album. The beginning is almost ethereal, all plucky strings and humming, but it isn’t light at all. In this song, Audra writes about where she grew up, and about how she doesn’t go home anymore. “Losing My Courage” is also an emotional song and contains only Audra’s vocals. This song is about just wanting to be listened to–and by design, you as the listener will listen to Audra. It’s truly a beautiful and powerful effect.
As the only acoustic song on the album, “Firstborn” starts to close out the album on a more hopeful note. Like earlier songs, “Firstborn” touches on Audra building a life of her own separate from her past and her family. And like a mantra, the phrase “I got here on my own” is repeated several times. It’s a nice statement for the last “real” song of the album.
“A List” is not a song. Instead, we just hear Audra speaking. This track was recorded on a tape recorder, which does add another layer to her voice here. “A List” is directly about the two pieces that make up this album: Audra’s past and her future. The end also fades into “The Worst People Win,” a nice touch to wrap up this album.
This album serves as a reflection into what being an adult child was like for Buick Audra, and how it still affects her. However, within this reflection, there’s hope that she can and has built her life and identity on her own. The five stages of grief are a cliche idea, but they’re all present in this nine-song album, with acceptance being an essential part of Audra’s journey here. “A list” ends Adult Child with the click of a tape recording. Audra leaves uswith a sense of finality and the hope of moving forward.
On its surface, KRAMON’s latest single “Morning Vapors” is a trance-like ode to early, easy smokes. It opens with an invitation to take a ride, offered via a sweet serenade from Meredith Adelaide over a gentle yet addicting guitar riff. From there, it takes the listener’s on a journey through an atmospheric headspace. The tune feels like a long, slow drive on Highway 70, with very few bumps in the road.
The second single of Josh Kramon’s newest project, simply titled KRAMON, follows in the footsteps of its predecessor “Crush.” It’s a dreamy, joyful rock tune, reminiscent of the psychedelic hippie hymns of the ‘70s.
Like “Crush”, “Morning Vapors” is spurred forward by Meredith Adelaide’s laid-back vocals. The multi-medium artist sounds like an old friend on the track. She overextends herself, rather choosing to float over the crisp instrumental.
It’s the instrumental that holds this piece together. It holds hands with both the lyrics and the vocals, guiding them along the journey the song promises.
The song gains its weight in its final minute and half. A slower, heavier harmonized bridge cues the audience to this shift in musical character. The ending chorus, a steady repetition of the song’s title, fulfills the promise of a new mood with the introduction of a tambourine and an increase in tempo. These last few minutes take the track where it’s been longing to go.
The direction of “Morning Vapors” paints a promising picture for Kramon’s newest project. And that direction is one full of potential for the composer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
In what might be his better known work, Kramon has composed for various Television series, such as Veronica Mars. However, in his personal work, Kramon has explored his struggles with addiction and his complex relationship with his Jewish heritage.
Kramon is holding onto his vow to make music that speaks to him, rather than “chasing the latest musical trend.” So far, this latest project seems to break away from the themes of his previous work. Instead, “Morning Vapors” promises a future with less tears and more relaxation. Kramon is taking a ride, away from the heaviness of the past, in a vehicle that feels most authentic to himself – and he wants us to come along for the journey.
Brooklyn’s hardcore trailblazers Cash Bribe are back, delivering a knockout punch with their latest EP, Demonomics, out today via Futureless. This third offering, their first under the label, solidifies their position as one of the fiercest voices in modern punk and hardcore. If their 2023 release, Escape From New York, was a warning shot, Demonomics is an all-out assault on the systems that keep us subdued.
Recorded and mixed by Zach Miller at the iconic Landmine Studios, where hardcore luminaries like Year of the Knife have made their mark, Demonomics takes Cash Bribe’s chaotic energy to new heights. Guitarist Kirk McGirk aptly describes the EP’s incendiary spirit: “It’s like they’re pissing on your head and telling you it’s raining.” That unflinching rage fuels every riff and lyric, creating a visceral, unrelenting listening experience.
The EP opens with its title track, an ominous and heavy anthem that sets the tone for the journey ahead. “Bay of Pigs,” the lead single, bursts through the speakers with low-tuned swagger, sharp edges, and an unmistakable punk attitude. Rooted in powerviolence and hardcore, the track also nods to the noisy hardcore of Cursed and the raw aggression of mid-era Black Flag.
Tracks like “Faith Aversion” push the boundaries further, diving into metallic riffs that lend an apocalyptic depth to the record’s core. Fans of classic NYHC and those who crave a dose of rock ‘n’ roll spirit will find a balance of chaos and cohesion that speaks directly to the heart of the genre.
Lyrically, Demonomics is a razor-sharp critique of wealth inequality and societal gaslighting. Vocalist Joey Dahlstrom’s delivery pulls no punches, channeling fury and frustration into every line. These themes resonate deeply in today’s climate, adding an intellectual edge to the EP’s unfiltered aggression.
Formed in 2019, Cash Bribe’s lineup—Joey Dahlstrom (vocals), Kirk McGirk (guitar), Brian Jackson (bass), and Larry Koch (drums)—has evolved to match their increasing ambition. From their raw debut, Facemask City (2022), to the polished chaos of Escape From New York, the band has consistently upped the ante, drawing acclaim from major punk and hardcore outlets.
Demonomics isn’t just another EP; it’s a statement. With its heavier riffs, darker tones, and unrelenting fury, it’s Cash Bribe’s most refined and furious release to date. Whether you’re a hardcore aficionado or a punk purist, this EP is bound to leave a mark.
Stream Demonomics on Spotify and other platforms starting today. For those lucky enough to be in Brooklyn, catch the album release show at Lucky 13 Saloon and witness Cash Bribe’s chaos in real time.
