Under the moniker Tummyache, producer/artist Soren Bryce blends the spirit of 1980s indie rock with 1990s alternative to forge a DIY rock sound. Fresh off a relocation from the USA to London, Bryce follows up a series of indie projects with her upcoming album Soak. In succession to the project’s first single “D.I.Y”, she dropped the video for the album’s self-titled track on October 22nd.
As a companion to the track’s turbulent nature with its juxtaposition between drowsy vocals and adrenaline-fueled guitars, the music video shows a sense of the artist’s aimlessness morphing into restlessness. The visuals of Bryce wandering against the backdrop of a dreary neighborhood alternates with frantic dancing and strobe lights within the confines of her home, which would reflect the disruption of moving to a new place during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Bryce explains:
“Soak was inspired by newfound neurotic and tedious habits that formed during the isolation of the pandemic, while adjusting to being in a new country. A new kind of forced domesticity caused me to avoid reality and I wasn’t able to fall back on my usual escapism methods. I learned a lot about myself”.
“Soak” is out now on all platforms and check out the music video below! Be on the lookout for Bryce’s eponymous album as Tummyache, releasing imminently.
Love is weird. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a relationship going and continue finding things to love about them. But on the other hand, there are some instances where it’s just easy to fall right into someone’s eyes and instantly start adoring every detail about them, regardless of what others think. Memphis-based multi-instrumentalist Dylan Dunn illustrates his thoughts on the latter with his latest single, “Such A Freak.”
The first minutes off the lead single from Dunn’s upcoming independent debut Blue Like YouEP feels like a charming ballad about a loved one featuring simplistic, acoustic stylings similar to that of Cavetown. However, once that first chorus hits, these sweet symphonies evolve into a stark contrast of everything thus far, that being something much more striking and reminiscent of the dark, angsty pop of Conan Gray.
Overall, the track is a genre-bending bop that makes me look forward to listening to more material from the singer-songwriter later this year. Until then, I bet I’ll be hearing this on alternative radio stations in the weeks and months to come.
As the weather gets crisper and we snuggle up under more layers, there is a specific kind of music we yearn for. Nostalgia, warmth, fun. Luckily for us, polymathic artist Miles Francis gives us a run for our money with a curated playlist that provides a little boost of energy to keep us going through the cold winter months.
“breezy bass lines and smooth rhythms to keep it hot as the temp falls.”
With her Subject to Change album due out any minute (OK, ok. It’s actually slated for November 12th. You have to wait a minute here.), Katelyn Tarver has just released an earworm of a track with her new single “Hurt Like That”. We’re big fans of the release, as its sound is contrasted by a vengeful message.
Soft, expertly controlled vocals dance ethereally over a guitar riff, deceptively sweet. Drums layer in at the 43-second mark, as we experience even more of a mid-90s vibe to the composition. The vengeful attitude of a woman scorned by a narcissistic ex-lover presents itself, and the listener finds themselves gently – but swiftly – moved to empathy. After all, how many times have we, too, survived broken hearts, lowered expectations, and empty promises? How many times have we wanted to make the person who broke our hearts feel the same shitty way we felt around them? In some ways, this track is an anthem for the broken-hearted.
Tarver’s recent, heartache-induced releases do make us wonder: Who would abandon anyone with such an angelic voice? (That last line is of particular interest if you need help understanding how absolutely fantastic Tarver’s vocal control is.)
Aside from revving up for a full-length release, Tarver will be joining JOHNNYSWIM on their spring 2022 tour. Check KatelynTarver.com for dates.
Although reflecting on past relationships can hurt like hell, it’s crucial when it comes to enduring and accepting the past on one’s road of self-discovery. Van Nelson Records artist Gabby Holt speaks of her journey through this process on her latest solo offering The Star & The Devil and has just released a more intimate look into her soul with the video for the track “At This Table.”
The ballad itself is gorgeous, with the Portland-based musician contemplating how she found her partner before ultimately confessing the affection she felt for them over a driving piano-driven arrangement and swells of nostalgia-soaked guitars.
Holt says that the inspiration behind this song and the album as a whole was looking back and admitting that she could not erase her past but instead embrace it. “I look at myself with almost child-like eyes, you know. That was the Gabby that was learning, that wanted to fix this situation. This was the part of me that was trying her best. It’s still giving voice to that part of me that was in it. It’s okay to be human…it’s a really human thing to feel that way.”
However, I cannot articulate enough how alluring the accompanying visuals are and how excellently they represent the abstract emotion behind Holt’s lyrics. They primarily follow the singer (sporting a vibrant pink mohawk) as she performs the song directly to her partner, whom she physically and emotionally connects with throughout, while also intermittently playing at a piano and singing in front of a barren beachside.
While this might sound rather simplistic on paper, it comes off as being remarkably poignant and manages to capture the relatability of the entire situation as a whole. Watch the video directed, shot, and edited by Joshua Rivera below!
Husband and wife Kyle and Marci Pruzina want to channel their shared experiences into the energy of their debut album as Suitcase Souls. With their relationship as the foundation, the duo takes inspiration from singer-songwriters and duos such as The Lumineers and Johnnyswim to create an Americana-pop sound for the upcoming project. Running the gamut from uptempo rock sounds to smoother ballads, Suitcase Soul aims to capture the euphoria of being with a close partner. Their new single “Nashville October” is no exception.
The track illuminates with flourishes of electric guitar as the duo celebrates their occasion to release stress and relish every moment spent with each other. Embodying the single’s liberating attitude in the hook is the lyric “I’ll start a fire, if you come on over/ If loving life’s my drug, Then I’ll never be sober”. “Nashville October” is an anthem for those riding the highs of life and others looking for a boost in theirs.
“Nashville October” is the smoke smell in your jacket from last night’s backyard hang, the photos in your camera roll of a selfie that *barely* fit everyone, the feeling of letting go of a past season to grab hold of right now and living in the moment”.
