Vancouver, BC-based rock musician Rich Hope – who is joined by Adrian Mack on drums – releases his new track “5 Cents a Dance” today, and we’re streaming it for your eager ears. Whirring guitar and intense percussion lead you into a soundscape that sets its listener into party mode. This song is hard-hitting and raw, sticking with you far after the track stops playing. Hope’s energy-inducing sound is so fast that you might have issues keeping up, though perhaps that’s the biggest thing we need on this gorgeous Tuesday.
Get your exclusive first listen to “5 Cents a Dance” below.
Baltimore-based experimental hip hop collective Soul Cannon – comprised of Eze Jackson (vocals), Matt Frazao (guitars/electronics), Jon Birkholz (keys/electronics), and Charles Wilson (drums) – recently released the lead single from their upcoming album, a track titled “Test Drive”. The song is very similar to its name, as it addresses many important topics and seems to put them each through their own “test drive”. The vocal delivery is absolutely beautiful, the song itself breeding a mid-tempo elegance that will get you right in the gut, delivering a smooth blend of hip hop and jazz. Check it out below!
KIDDO makes her musical debut this week with the stunning single “Drunk And I Miss You.” With the only glimpses into the artist’s identity via her hand-drawn computer images of herself, the Swedish singer and songwriter tells a story with this instantly memorable single.
Sitting alongside a captivating official lyric video that again features her own incredible animation, this guitar-driven single infuses moments of pop and retro grunge – making KIDDO an act we want to hear more from right away.
Are you into quirky, emotional, indie rock music? Because Active Bird Community – and their brand new album Amends, out today – could really do the trick for you. The Brooklyn-based collective has been creating their brand of alternative music together since 2005 when the guys were in middle school, and the evolution has been impeccable, as they hone their sound into something 90’s babies will cherish, perhaps, more than anyone else. Amends is direct evidence of that.
Beginning with the title track, Amends establishes that slacker sound to a T while it meanders through with rough guitars, perfectly sometimes-whiny vocals, and a robust, head-bobbing energy. This carries well into second track “Holier”, though third track “Sweaty Lake” – as memorable as that name is – picks up the pace immensely, and understandably so. (See: the title “Sweaty Lake”.) Things slow again in “Unwind With Me”, which is, again, a direct reflection of the song title.
Once we get to “Baby It’s You”, I don’t think anyone is expecting a horns section. But there it is, an intro that wakes you back up with its differentiation from its predecessors. The pace takes that of a Weezer track, and we’re on board with the energy again. .”Virginia” feels more 90s grunge than others thus far, ragging on people for being “just a cliche” and challenging the object of their attention. “Blame” slows down to a ballad-like crawl, emotional in its disposition, while “Downstairs” adds some more quirk back into the feel of the album with light percussion and a rough, beautiful bass line.
“Metrics” starts with a toe-tapping, pop-like feel, and then delves back into the whirring guitars, hard percussion, and upbeat attitude of the majority of Amends. “Silver Screen” begins slow, simple, and then bursts into this kaleidoscope of sound that we didn’t necessarily see coming. “Lighthouse” rounds it all out quite beautifully, performed on acoustic guitar to really enhance the lovely, soft feeling of the lyrics.
You know, until it gets a little rowdy toward the end. But we really couldn’t have hoped for anything different.
Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan’s Lower East Side was packed to the brim on September 1st. Darryl Rahn took the stage to support the release of his latest album entitled Making Strangers. Darryl’s personality and demeanor lend him a unconscious honesty, and his stage show is saturated in it. From the heartfelt opener “The Grey” it was an almost effortless captivation.
Darryl switched between playing with a full band behind him and going it alone with just an acoustic guitar. The standout from the unaccompanied portion seemed to “Reason To Run”. The crowd hung on the emotion of the lyrics and finger picked melody. It isn’t often that a palpable room-wide reaction to a performer can be spotted, especially on the Lower East Side where everyone is seemingly already over the next big thing. Darryl finds a way to connect through his songwriting its just folk enough to mean something more than a pop song, and its just pop enough to get put on a subconscious loop the following day. You can check out all the songs mentioned and keep up with Darryl’s socials via the links below.
Boston/Los Angeles-based surf pop collective Aüva has been making sweet, sweet tunes for us since they formed in early 2015 while studying at Berklee. Their second full-length album, All Good Things, shows the progression of their music, bathing its listener in beautiful harmonies and intricate guitar work. All Good Things hits the airwaves in its entirety on September 14th, but we’ve got a taste a little early with the exclusive premiere of “One Last Time”
Check out Aüva as they play Rec Center in LA on September 16th, and pre-order All Good Thingshere.
2018 has been a pretty big year for genre-bending collective Juice, made up of Ben Stevens (vocals), Kamau Burton (acoustic guitar/vocals), Christian Rose (violin/vocals), Dan Moss (guitar), Miles Clyatt (drums), and Rami El-Abidin (bass), and Michael Ricciardulli (guitar). In June, they brought us their 4 track EP Workin’ on Lovin‘. As impressed by their talent as we’ve been, we have yet to see them live. But that all changes in September as they head out for several amazing shows. They’ll bring their own brand of magic to Kansas City on September 12th as they perform at Knuckleheads Saloon. Good news is that they released a music video for their track “Sugar” this past spring, and it gives us a glimpse into their live performance tactics… though we’re certain that they’re going to bring it all up a notch for an amazing evening out. Check them out, listen to their EP below, and then grab your tickets and hang with us on the 12th!
Make sure to catch them at Knuckleheads, and keep up with Juice here.
The collaborative efforts of new musical duo JaySom & Justus Proffit is a result of a casual jam session in Som’s home studio, which eventually turned into multiple sessions, thus leading to the creation of their collaborative EP. They both worked together on vocals and guitar; Proffit was in charge of lyrics and drums, and Som handled the editing and mixing, in addition to playing the bass and keyboard. Their first single is the charming “Nothing’s Changed,” which is their upcoming EP’s title track. The overall vibe is a subtle country ballad with gentle vocals and guitar strums. The overall sound is soft and beautiful, but the lyrics are surprisingly somber:
I chew it up, spit it out, and give it up.
Still I climb to reach the top,
I feel the same,
Nothing’s new, nothing’s changed.
Proffit’s vocals seem to take the lead on this one, with Som’s gentle vocals contributing to the harmony throughout the track. Together, they sound like one strong unit. Their compatibility shines throughout he song, and that collaborative work ethic shows. The EP is entirely written, recorded, and produced by the two artists, showing their passion for this project. A lot of work and a lot of love was put into this, and it definitely shows.
Be sure to check out their EP, which will be released on September 28th. Keep up with JaySomhere, and Justus Proffit here.
Electro-pop duo Ekaruz is back with silky new track “Sigh”, the second in their musical journey together. And though it’s only their second single, they’ve pulled it off with precision and maybe a little bit of grace, as smooth as honey vocals lead the words through a captivating soundscape. Explains vocalist Nicolas of the track:
We wrote the song towards the end of our university-career when we discussed real world dreams and goals with our peers. We realized that mostly status and materialistic aspects seemed to be prioritized,” says the duo’s guitarist Marius. “Nico and I played along for a while, however, we couldn’t help but feel torn – just like the person in the song. We’re extremely happy that we went with making music after all.
