With their latest single, “Heaven,” Austin-based trio Culture Wars plunges listeners into the dizzying rapture of all-consuming love. Blending raw energy with heartfelt intimacy, the track’s smooth guitars, propulsive basslines, and pulsing rhythms mirror love’s intoxicating rush.
“All I have is your love,” frontman Alex Dugan chants over a hypnotic bassline, his voice—reminiscent of Julian Casablancas and Matt Berninger—carrying both desperation and reverence. This refrain becomes the song’s heartbeat, a mantra born from Dugan’s real-life period of isolation while living abroad, where these words took on literal significance.
Lyrically, “Heaven” reads like fevered journal entries, snapshots of a heart so full it might burst. “Fill my head up / Cold and broken down (I need it now) / Heat my heart and / Heat my heartache out,” Dugan pleads, framing love not just as desire, but as a salve for deep wounds. It’s a sentiment that hits even harder when contrasted with the band’s earlier, more detached writing. Here, vulnerability isn’t just on display—it’s a force of nature.
The beauty of “Heaven” lies in its ability to immerse you in the feeling of being utterly consumed by love. The outside world fades away, replaced by a swirling vortex of you and your person. Verses simmer with restrained longing before exploding into choruses that swell with tidal waves of affection. Dynamic shifts aren’t just heard; they’re felt, carrying the listener through love’s peaks and valleys. A bridge near the song’s end strips things back to little more than voice and heartbeat-like percussion—a musical inhale before the final, cathartic release.
While “Heaven” explores well-worn thematic territory, Culture Wars avoids cliché by grounding universal feelings in vivid specificity. The result is at once highly personal and widely resonant. It’s a track that feels vitally current in an era of digital disconnection as the band reminds us how earth-shattering human connection can be.
Don’t just listen to “Heaven.” Let it envelop you. Let Alex Dugan’s lovesick pleas unlock your own memories of consuming passion. Let the pulsing instrumentals sweep you off your feet until you, too, are standing in that transcendent place where love is all that exists. Then, once you’ve caught your breath, join the growing chorus of voices eager to see where Culture Wars heads next. Because if “Heaven” is any indication, this ascent is just beginning!
Today, Boston-bred singer/songwriter Arto Vaun releases the third single from his upcoming July debut release Stuck Inside a Map. If the singles so far are any indication, Vaun’s solo project is bound to take flight, on the wings of self-awareness and a proclivity for word magic.
“Build My Own Fever” is a mid-tempo track, incorporating Vaun’s dreamy vocals over shimmery guitar. Explains Vaun, “I wrote ‘Build My Own Fever’ partly as a response to feeling overwhelmed by all the uncertainty in the world lately, and the sensory overload we’re all dealing with. It’s about trying to stay grounded even when things feel untethered and chaotic, and finding perspective to see the universality and connectedness between and around us all”.
If you can relate, you’ll want to get a listen to this relatable – and, honestly, beautiful – track below.
Xadi‘s “Black Rock” EP is a captivating musical journey that delves into dark ambiance, effortlessly blending catchy and chill elements. With its personal anecdotes and explorations of drug usage, Xadi weaves a tapestry of experiences that transcends racial boundaries, touching the hearts of listeners from all walks of life.
The EP’s main track, aptly titled “Black Rock,” stands out as a powerful statement that challenges preconceived notions about the relationship between music and race. The quote, “I didn’t know that music had a [sic] colour,” encapsulates the essence of this song and its overarching message. Xadi’s ability to create a sonic landscape that resonates with anyone and everyone, irrespective of their racial background, is truly remarkable.
The EP opens with a dark and haunting aura that immediately sets the tone for the introspective journey ahead. The production values are top-notch, showcasing Xadi’s skill in creating atmospheric soundscapes that immerse the listener. The combination of electronic elements, ethereal vocals, and carefully crafted beats creates a hypnotic experience that draws you in from the very first note.
One of the EP’s greatest strengths lies in its catchiness. Despite exploring deep and personal themes, Xadi manages to infuse the tracks with memorable hooks and melodies that stick with you long after the music ends. This balance between introspection and accessibility is a testament to Xadi’s artistry and ability to create music that can be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners.
“Black Rock” is also an EP filled with personal anecdotes and adventures. Xadi’s storytelling ability shines through as he shares his experiences with drug addiction, painting vivid pictures of struggle, redemption, and personal growth. The lyrics are thought-provoking and introspective, inviting listeners to reflect on their own lives and experiences.
As a black British music artist, Xadi brings a unique perspective to his music. While the EP addresses themes that are deeply rooted in his personal journey, the emotions and messages conveyed have a universal appeal. Xadi’s artistry transcends racial boundaries, touching upon shared human experiences that resonate with anyone willing to listen and empathize.
The arrival of summer comes with the need for captivating folk-pop, and Jonah Kagen is here to deliver. In two short years, singer-songwriter Jonah Kagen has skyrocketed from TikTok fame to wider acclaim, lending his characteristic jazz-inspired guitar playing and personal storytelling to his music. His new single, “The Roads”, premieres today, and is a worthy addition to any summer road trip playlist.
A hallmark of Kagen’s music is his personal hue of melancholy and nostalgia, which “The Roads” wholly leans into. The universally-relatable lyrics detail the pain of an ended relationship, accompanied by the push and pull of dynamic musical contrast. Solo acoustic guitar verses are juxtaposed by the sweeping chorus, expanded with strummed guitar, cello, and violin. Kagan declares that “These roads are changin’ me, but they all lead back to you”, in a memorable and timeless melody.
The expansive rural landscape in the accompanying music video perfectly matches the song’s folk aspects. With truly stunning cinematography, we have a bird’s-eye view of the landscape as well as close-ups with Jonah Kagen on guitar. The sky is cloudy and gray, while the lush greens of the forest burst into view. The contrasts, both visually and musically, emphasize the undercurrent of doubt and regret on the speaker’s part, mourning the loss of love.
Represented by Arista Records, Jonah Kagen has amassed nearly 2 million Spotify listeners and more than 140 million global streams since the release of his debut EP, ‘georgia got colder’. “The Roads” builds upon this journey, as he crafts music full of heart and earnest. Stream the song today on all platforms, and check out the music video on Youtube.
Introducing Valley, the Canadian indie-pop sensation that has captured hearts worldwide with its infectious melodies and heartfelt lyrics. Now, they are back with their highly anticipated album Lost in Translation, a sonic journey that explores the complexities of love, self-discovery, and the universal quest for meaning. With their signature blend of shimmering synth-pop, lush harmonies, and introspective songwriting, Valley delivers an enchanting and relatable experience that transcends borders and speaks to the soul.
One of the songs in Lost in Translation — “Natrual” — comes with its own music video that delves into themes of healing and natural bonds between different souls.
The music video opens with an individual walking into some sort of a rustic, classically American bar, wearing what looks to be clean and sunflower-y but otherwise dull clothing. He doesn’t seem to belong, compared to the several groups of conversationalists and dart-throwers. Quick to change, he leaves from a changing area, donning a metallic top and unquestionably less stiff pants. And he comes back sporting top-tier energy.
It’s not so much the outfit as rocking dance moves, this man has had a real confidence boost and he’s not afraid to light up the atmosphere. Most noticeably, the lighting is sunset-ethereal-like, but the majority of the space is enveloped in shadows. Somehow, I believe that the lighting represents the divide between the beautiful light, the facade we put on for the world, versus the shadows, our own dark inner worlds.
There is a mirror, and the man is standing in front of it. He is alone when he wears his original attire, but when he wears his party outfit, others surround him, highlighting that his change comes in tandem with company. And of course, he is much happier. The cameras pan to him taking over the dance floor without a hint of his previous self. The transformation is remarkable as he moves with newfound confidence and uninhibited joy.
The pulsating beats of Valley’s Lost in Translation provide the perfect soundtrack to this moment, amplifying the euphoria and capturing the essence of the album’s theme – the power of music to transcend barriers and transform lives. As the crowd joins him, their collective energy ignites, and for that fleeting moment, they are all lost in the music, lost in the magic, and united by the universal language that Valley so effortlessly captures.
As moderator Olivia Shalhoup, Founder and Director at Amethyst Collab, set us up for a chat about the Future of Women in Music, she dived right into the nitty gritty with her first question:
“Why do you think women have been so historically underrepresented in music business?”
You would think that in 2021, at a conference in a progressive city that labels itself as diverse and inclusive, is so largely attended by women, and so incredibly funded by the music industry, this question would be beneath us. You would look at the money women make for the industry – hand over foot, year after year – as both superstar talent and innovative project hires and assume that their role in the industry is far too substantial to warrant underrepresentation. Unfortunately, my friend, you would be incorrect.
“There’s this [idea] of [men] being decision-makers. Strong, dominant, powerful. Those are considered to be valuable traits to work in a competitive field,” explained Margaux Grober, Director of A&R at Arista Records. “That’s great, but I think men have a tendency to hire men because of those reasons even though women have shown that they can also be dominant, powerful, authoritative along with also being really intuitive and mindful and empathetic.”
Last fall, 45% of female business leaders admitted that it’s hard to get a word in edgewise in virtual meetings, specifically with their male counterparts. Even women who have broken through the metaphorical glass ceiling into integral roles within the industry often feel like they don’t have the advantage they should. Panelist Sammye-Ruth Scott, Director of A&R at Atlantic Records, elaborated, “It’s almost an uphill battle, even when we’re in the room. You almost get shut out of the conversation because [men] think your statement is invalid. We have to fight that much harder, work that much harder, and get in people’s face a little bit more in an assertive way to prove ourselves.”
Although the #MeToo movement technically originated with a statement in 2006, you would think that conversations around workplace equity would have gotten us farther since it ramped up in 2017. An industry so heavily focused on in the media with so much influence on generations of people could easily lead the way in inclusion. But it’s not. In fact, it continues to perpetuate gender bias in a way that almost encourages it.
This SXSW chat was a clear reminder that change starts from the top. People in positions of power need to be advocating for diversity in the industry, and throughout every career field. Bringing more women into positions of power will allow those key voices to place more women and people of color into careers across the industry. “I feel it will change as time goes on and we make a really concerted effort to bring more women in,” explained Grober. “But I don’t think it should just be on us to do that.” Women will champion the fight, but they need support from people who do not identify as women too.
If you have a creative project coming up, consider working with an array of diverse voices. Music projects often require videographers, editors, photographers, marketing-minded helpers, and other methods of support. Women exist in all of these spaces, and elevating their work is important. As we’ve already seen, a gainful future for women in music will, in turn, provide more opportunity for marginalized voices and people with less resources to find their artistic platform.
Captivating alt duo Phantom Wave released the new music video for their single “Billows” today, and we’ve got the exclusive premiere for your eyes only. Drenched in vivid colors and drastic, psychedelic movement, this visual is a trippy testament to the impact of the audible art that is flooding our consciousness. There is something magical about the way the lyrics dance along the gorgeous, building instrumental composition that – coupled with the abstract visuals – makes this experience feel very personal, and yet somehow universal.
A darling of charts and critics alike, Bette Smith is back with her wonderfully ferocious new album, The Good, The Bad And The Bette. Intrinsic to the wild rock and soul singer’s music is the connection that she made between the gospel she heard in church and the soul music she heard on the corner growing up in the rough Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Throughout her childhood, Smith was steeped in gospel music. She remembers, “My father was a church choir director. I was singing since I was five years old. I take it to church. I just break out, start speaking in tongues.” She also heard gospel around the house every weekend. “My mother listened to nothing but gospel,” she recalls, citing Mahalia Jackson and Reverend James Cleveland. “Every Sunday morning, she would get up and put on these records while dressing and praising the Lord.” In The Good, The Bad And The Bette, Smith and producers Matt Patton and Bronson Tew explore the power of soul and match it with the edge of rock music, going for a Southern rock soul/Aretha Franklin/”I once was lost but now I’m found” vibe. Sure enough, this album feels very much like rock, but with a blues/gospel attitude, with tracks embodying various feelings of comfort, anger, passion, friendship and even vulnerability in the form of rock-centric bangers, powerful gospel anthems, and even a few tracks that have the taste of a ballad.
But before we can delve into the tracks, we must take a moment to praise Smith’s lustrous vocals. She is gospel, through and through, and you can hear it in the way she sings, but more than that you can feel the years of immersion in gospel and soul that she experienced growing up. Her voice is rough, raw, and absolutely delectable.
But it’s amazing to hear the ways she can apply those vocals to so many different emotions. There’s the groovy comfort in lines like “Don’t be afraid, all is well, I’m here” in “Signs and Wonders” that guides you through the classic blues-rock harmonies, which are revitalized by fresh guitar sounds and colours from the brass. But there’s also the touch of anger that emanates from “Fistful of Dollars” that then diffuses into the passion of the sparkling “Whistle Stop.” Smith sprinkles some sweetness in “Song for a Friend”, complemented by the satisfying backing harmonies in the chorus. But even in the vulnerable, stripped back state of “Don’t Skip Out On Me” she maintains the attitude that can be so central to both rock and soul music, which is quite admirable.
Even in the softer songs, The Good, The Bad And The Bette has this incredible energy to it. This is an album of dance songs, and its magnificence desperately calls out to be heard live (please, COVID…) . Smith herself values the redemptive experience that touring has given her. “It’s amazing, like a dream come true,” she says. “It’s very spiritual and I go into a trance when I’m singing. The fans are like family. I feel very loved. They are very present. I went through all of this so I could sing and now that I can sing I’m finding the love that I’ve been looking for all my life.” Some of the anthems like “Pine Belt Blues” and “Everybody Needs Love” also hold some of the greatest lines that one could belt out with Smith as you watch her on stage. The sultry gospel singing in “Everybody Needs Love”, along with its anthemic harmonies and lines like “Everybody needs love, just like they need the sun and moon and stars above” create a beautiful and totally universal sentiment that would be so powerful in a live setting.
To finish things off, Smith offers “Don’t Skip Out On Me.” The track slows things right down, beginning with just Smith and some acoustic guitar. As more instruments are threaded in, touches of effects create this resonance that makes the space she’s singing in feel so much bigger. Midway through the song, there’s an echoing trumpet solo, which takes individual segments, offsets them and then weaves them together to make beautiful patterns of sound that ring out in their own world before joining the rest of the music once again. It’s this gorgeous interlude that comes as a surprise yet fits in perfectly with the album as a whole that makes the final track on this album the standout. At first the choice to end off with a slow song was surprising, but after listening through, the majesty of this track proved to make perfect sense as an ending.
The Good, The Bad And The Bette is a vivid marriage of rock and soul music that displays Smith’s rich background in the genres and envelopes the listener in a variety of emotions by means of colourful bops and sentimental ballads that are united in their unrelenting attitude and firepower. One can’t help but yearn for the day that these tracks can be heard in their full glory, on stage.
It’s a long life, made up of seemingly infinitesimal moments. The Sea The Sea captures those moments when you feel incredibly alive and in the world and reimagines them as flashes of light in their new album, Stumbling Home. When time seems to stretch into prolonged chaos, The Sea The Sea keeps us grounded in the essential with their beautifully intricate brand of indie folk-pop. The New York-based duo is composed of Chuck and Mira Costa, who draw their infectious melodies from pop, but otherwise subverts expectations with their unconventional song arrangements. More than anything else, however, this free-spirited pairing are lauded for their exemplary vocal harmonies. The Costas’ exquisite vocals fit together like puzzle pieces tailor-made for the duo. Their voices are completely authentic, sounding lovely and unblemished in their own right. But while duets are a key part of The Sea The Sea’s sound, they also play with thick choral-textured harmonies and solo lines to add some variance among the tracks while still maintaining their sound.
Stumbling Home is brimming with musical imagery that is at times delicate and at other times deep and rustic. The result is glimpses of life, as seen through nature and a little bit of magic. The opening track, “Nothing Brighter” sounds like light, with the glint of sunlight on a clear day in the understated woodwind flourishes, and the glowing bass and piano as the blurry hues of a sunset. The relaxed, tranquil guitar solo sounds like it’s underwater, painting images of rays of light extending down beneath the surface. “A Thousand Years” is more concrete, sounding like the musical equivalent of camping beneath a starry sky. The rich guitar picking and embellishments are the flickers of the fire as they rise above and become stars overhead. The track embodies the deeply rooted tranquility that comes from being removed from society, as felt in the gentle thump of the drum in the stunning interlude partway through the song. Other images are abstract, such as in “Rainstorm.” While there are no explicit qualities in the track that denote a storm, as a whole, it has this somber beauty to it that echoes that of the fall of rain and thundering clouds.
In literature and art, however, one can always find magic embedded within nature. The Sea The Sea captures this magic in their songs with sparing uses of synth and electric guitar. The chorus of the emotional “Broken” sweeps up in a satisfying multi-part harmony and ends with glimmering drops of guitar plucks. Towards the end, these drops lead the song to the pleasantly haunting outro “oohs,” transforming the sound from sparkling fairy dust to mystic beings deep within the forest. “Fall Before The Climb” starts with a simple voice and guitar, but builds, first with harmony, then with a gently driven beat and dulcet electric tones that return to the shimmering stars of “A Thousand Years”, but from the perspective of outer space rather than earth. The acute line “Can we be in love with it all?” summarizes the album as a whole, mirroring the idea of the moments in life when you feel alive and in tune with the world. Uncomplicated guitar strums and the Costas’ patented vocals showcase guitar and synth sorcery in “Stumbling Home.” Bowed strings make their appearance for the first time in this track. Despite how well they fit, the strings are a bit of a surprise, giving “Stumbling Home” a bit of refinement compared to the other, more rustic tracks. Subtle but welcome changes like this find their way into many songs on Stumbling Home. “Parachute” sounds like you would expect after hearing a few songs on this album, except Chuck’s harmony is missing. Instead, Mira backs herself with echoes and a feathery multi-part harmony that sound like forest nymphs. The track also feels more intimate than the others, beginning with some room noise and ending with an ambiguous woosh sound that keeps the listener tethered to the real world. The standout track “Real Thing” realizes a slightly harder, rock sound with a bit of sharp guitar strums and stronger drum beat. Every guitar, synth melody, and percussion part contributes to the full sound, and the universally appealing chorus line “ahh, give me that real thing” has that cathartic nature to it that makes this track one to sing along to. I only wish it were longer; every time I listen to it I’m disappointed when it reaches its end. “I’ll Be Loving You” and “Foreign Country” share an understated mesmerizing quality. “I’ll Be Loving You” and its 6/8 time creates this swaying nature that’s perfect for a love song. Spirited triplet guitar figures simultaneously embrace the vocals and the listener, coaxing both to sink into serenity. “Foreign Country” has substantial guitar, but the line “Do we ever really know exactly where we are?” floats across the background like falling leaves, and the perpetual beat invites the listener to snap along, almost in a trance.
The Sea The Sea’s 2014 debut release, Love We Are We Love, received praise from NPR, American Songwriter, and No Depression. The video for their song “Waiting” sparked the interest of Buzzfeed and Pitchfork, and was included at the international TED 2015 conference. But for the duo, Stumbling Home reaches a new level of fulfillment. “It’s the work we are most proud of to date,” shares Mira. “We are proud of the way we grew the arrangements in our new creative space. Making music fills us, and we also believe that it matters in the world. Our mission statement as a band is to remind people they aren’t alone — in their pains or their joys, and everything in-between.” This shrewd sense of the world, both what it seems to be and what it is, allows Stumbling Home to be a beacon of light in an otherwise ill-lit world.
