“Threw You” is quite the unique track with a team effort featuring three acts from Bronze Whale’s record label Magic Magic. “Threw You,” produced by Poles, is joined by Jet Horns and Soft Jaw. The track is unlike another with a Kyogo-kissed feel, focused vocals, with notes of the piano and a variety of electronic sounds. While “Threw You” starts off slow, Poles surprised me throwing down beats when unexpected, especially while the vocals were so calming. “Threw You” shows the versatility in all three artist’s and their ability to create an experimental piece of art. The way I can most accurately describe “Threw You” is ‘EDM infused Indie hit.’ The song is tantalizing and I could not stop listening once I heard it. You’ll replay it over and over again, I guarantee it.
Skyler Stonestreet, noted songwriter of hits such as Dua Lipa’s “IDGAF” and the Chainsmoker’s “Kanye” has released her own anthem “Bankrupt.” Inspired by her battle and overcome of cancer, “Bankrupt” really touches on leaving the negative emotions in the past. The track hits with as electronic with sounds funky and synth beats. The chorus really touches on the meaning of the song singing “I’m bankrupt emotionally I can’t spend the another moment thinking about you.”
While the song has a somber meaning behind it, you would never know as it plays like a track you can dance to. Skyler brings us the best of both worlds on her well composed “Bankrupt.”
The alternative indie DYAN is back after their latest single “What Fiction Is For,” with a cover of the Jose Gonzalez song “Cycling Trivialities.” The cover anticipates their latest EP Absence. DYAN is simply perfect for the cover which was featured on ABC’s Deception. The band brings an ethereal experience to the cover. The electronic sounds are reminiscent of an unknown journey. Even more, band founder Alexis Marsh does an excellent job on vocals, articulating each word perfect and sweetly especially with emphasis on “When it all come down, cycling trivialities.” The cover does a great job of keeping the listener alert while at the same time keeping the pace of a dreamy lullaby. Listen to Jose Gonzalez’s first and then compare the cover. You’ll see the wonderful spin that DYAN puts in “Cycling Trivialities.”
LA based duo Freedom Fry is excited about their latest song “Cold Blooded Heart.” “Cold Blooded Heart” is the newest single off is their album Classic which will be out on 6/1. Freedom Fry brings a new sound on “Cold Blooded Heart” teetering between the sound of indie, pop, and alternative. The track tells the tale of a heartless uninvolved lover. “Cold blooded heart, yeah that’s how I pegged you from the start,” sings the duo as their voices are blend seamlessly.
My favorite line is, “Seasons change but winter stays, yeah you can make it go away and all you have to do is not give up.” With the sounds of piano, drums and banjo the track makes for a catchy tune with great writing.
Look out for Classic which will release June 1st. Keep up with Freedom Fry here.
Oakland based Wax Idols, are happy to release their fourth and latest album on May 16th, Happy Ending. Members if the band include Hether Fortune (vocals, guitar, bass, organ) with Peter Lightning (guitar, bass, organ, piano), Rachel Travers (drums), and Marisa Prietto (bass, backing vocals). Greer McGettrick has recently joined as a bassist. The post-punk band is versatile with Happy Ending, which explores a variety of topics such as philosophy, politics, and relationships.
Streaming on NPR, their song “Scream” is a punk hit. “Scream” touches in the internal conflict we all struggle with. “So I’ll scream…the only love I’ll have,” the band proclaims with its struggle to find love. “Crashing,” an anthem to the struggles life “This life and I never got along…so now I’m crashing hard,” the track testifies. The song keeps a slow and steady beat before rocking out at the chorus “Now I’m crashing hard.” “Mausoleum” remains a unique track. Wax Idols display their punk roots here with whiny female vocals, sounds of a tambourine, and a classic rock sound. “Mausoleum” is a great display is the versatility that Wax Idols brings to the scene.
Wax Idols Tour Dates
6.1 | Red Museum | Sacramento, CA
6.2 | The Holland Project | Reno, NV
6.4 | Neurolux | Boise, ID
6.6 | The Astoria | Vancouver, B.C.
6.7 | Barboza | Seattle, WA
6.8 | Cryptatropa | Olympia, WA
6.9 | Tonic Lounge | Portland, OR
6.15 | Eli’s Mile High Club | Oakland, CA
6.16 | The Hi-Hat | Los Angeles, CA
Keep up with the band hereand look for their album Happy Ending streaming worldwide now.
Vacation Forever just released their latest “Kamikaze Love”. The Sweden-based band is joined by producer Jeff Bhasker, who has worked with names such as Kanye and Kendrick. “Kamikaze Love” isn’t rap though. Instead, Vacation Forever brings a sweet indie sound to “Kamikaze Love”. “Take my heart, take my everything,” the chorus belts. The track has a summer sound to it with a hazy feel and remains adorably cheesy, but not to cheesy. The visuals to “Kamikaze Love” are equally as stunning with a 90’s spin.
Courtship. recently released their debut album, Denial in Paradise. I had the pleasure of being acquainted with Courtship. earlier this month as I interviewed them. It was then that I fell in love with the first single off their album, titled “The Kind of Woman.” I was lucky enough to have a chance to listen to all of Denial in Paradise, an album where the tracks flow effortlessly to create a one-of-a-kind pop sound. “The Kind of Woman” is just the start and enters with a groovy 70’s feel. Courtship. sings “…the kind of woman I want to be with, you know I’m going to put a gold plated watch on her wrist,” on their idea of the ideal woman. The track even incorporates French. Listening to it made me feel like “the kind of woman.”
Following up “That Kind of Woman” is “Nice Guy.” The infectious track has Courtship. and me wondering as they sing “Why is it so hard to be a nice guy?/Could have had a nice life, friendlessness could never stop…I can’t even fake a smile,” Courtship. declares. “Nice Guy” is the perfect anthem not just for guys, but for a world that struggles to be nice from time to time. “Nice Guy” isn’t as somber as it sounds, the song stays upbeat with its synth and funky sounds.
“Perfect People” has a different, misunderstood and creepy feel to it. The vocals are emphasized here and Courtship. makes another great point “We’d do anything just to be perfect people, blonde and beautiful on the beach.” They are not far off, candidly calling out the societal pressures to look, be, and have “perfect things.” “Live! with D+J” remains the quirkiest track. The track is only 34 seconds long, but samples the band as if they were on a radio station with a DJ. It give the pop album a unique twist. Of course Denial in Paradise is more than just Courtship.’s latest album; it is an array of feel good, wind in your hair, summer night, love sick anthems.
Australian native Vilde just released latest track “Flash In The Pan”, which is the first track on the singer’s new album Thud, set to release July 13th. With a Glass Animals vibe, “Flash In The Pan” is hauntingly psychedelic. The track is infused with tribal beat and synth electronic sounds. The jungle-electronic sound is backed by soft vocals which brings the song home. Vilde is equally excited about the album saying:
Thud was a new experience for me. I realised that I felt like the last time I really knuckled down and dug into something was making the Kins album in 2012. I’d lost touch with the concept of work ethic in music. Everything since had been whimsical, I believed inspiration was reliable. My productivity waned. I felt an urge to prove to myself that I could actually commit to something and follow it through.
LIFE just released their latest single “Grown Up” coming off of their latest LP. Following up from their breakthrough album Popular Music, the band is back with progression and “Grown Up.” “Grown Up” discusses the coming of age with adulthood and the struggles of love. On the song Frontman Mez describes the single as: “Grown Up is about getting to grips with adulthood and wanting to fall in love again. Seeing the decay of human life as it ages in a park with the dying swans. Is there hope between the space on your plate as you fork at your tea? Can you be too grown up for love?” The “Grown Up” track is infused with punk and enough angst to vent your frustrations. The band has a bit of a Blur sound with a retro rock vibe to it.
