tallsaint, “hard love”

tallsaint, “hard love”

Electro-pop artist Tallsaint has released the magnificent, upbeat new piece of the puzzle in the lead up to her upcoming EP due out in June. “Hard Love” hits you with all it’s got pretty much from the beginning, Tallsaint’s gorgeous vocals taking center stage, ushering in a relaxed feeling perfect for dancing, while her vocal range stops listeners in their tracks.

Tallsaint admits this song was built on “those wavering moments you go through when you’re over thinking about how to behave around this person that’s keeping you at arm’s length,” And if that isn’t highly relatable, we aren’t sure what is.

Keep up with Tallsaint here.

meernaa, “better part”

meernaa, “better part”

Oakland-based R&B newcomers Meernaa – comprised of Carly Bond, Rob Shelton, Andrew Maguire, and Doug Stuart – might be revving up for the release of their debut album Heart Hunger, but we’ve got their latest music video on deck for you.

Kaleidoscope effects and gorgeously layered art in colors of striking contrast make up the bulk of the visual, and the moment the moon phases hit is paired so beautifully with Carly’s vocals that it is hard not to get goosebumps. You’ll see what we mean below.

Keep up with Meernaa here.

april tomfoolery | a soundtrack

april tomfoolery | a soundtrack

To many, April is truly what the first weeks of Spring are made of. New beginnings, fresh flowers, allergies abound. But for myself – and a good amount of our contributors – it symbolizes new beginnings because it is also birth month. (Shout out to all of my Aries comrades!) Though the fire of nw beginnings burns bright in other aspects of my life, never before have I witnessed such a jam packed month of new music releases.So, here are a host of our favorites released over the month of April. With new tracks from Uppermost, Ramonda Hammer, Calexico, daste, MARBL, Simon XO, Don Cherel, and more, this is a soundtrack you won’t want to miss out on.  Check back for more over the course of the month, and be your friend group’s most influential music suggester!

nix, “playing with fire”

nix, “playing with fire”

Electro-pop artist Nix is coming at all of our emotions with new track “Playing With Fire”, which premieres right here with iF. From the first stream of lyrics, her incredible and vibrant vocals draw you in, the instrumentals only holding up her vocal range as she croons about a toxic relationship. Incredibly relatable and full of soul, this is the type of song you’re going to want to belt when you’re ready to establish your own boundaries. Now is the time.

Keep up with Nix here.

mrs. greenbird, dark waters

mrs. greenbird, dark waters

The musical duo Mrs. Greenbird have created a deeply soulful sound with lyrics to match in their latest album Dark Waters. The folksy harmonies of Steffen Brückner paired with Sarah Nücken’s unique voice are what makes this a truly beautiful record. It’s reminiscent of another duo’s sound — Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season and Once fame. While Mrs. Greenbird has a similar aesthetic, they manage to create something that is entirely their own. Their voices, along with the gentle guitar and melancholic lyrics, result in the kind of music that is brutally honest as well as poetic.

The album is quite well-rounded in terms of theme. The darker, more cynical sides of life and love are highlighted in songs such as “Careless Heart,” “1965,” and title track “Dark Waters,” while others like “One Day in June” and “Learn How To Love You” are more idealistic and romantic. One of the stand out songs is called “The Simple Things.” While every song is hauntingly beautiful, something about this particular one struck a chord in me. It’s about experiencing loss and trying to find yourself afterwards, how we tend to forget the pleasure of simple things in life.

Dark Waters is a feat of folk indie pop with a hint of country and a splash of blues, yet it works to form a great record. It’s perfect for almost any mood — a scenic walk, a long drive, a rainy day, a time to let out a much-needed cry.  

Be sure to check out their latest album on April 12th, and keep up with the latest on Mrs. Greenbird here.

gold light + snakemusk, “one thing after another”

gold light + snakemusk, “one thing after another”

In anticipation of the May 10th release of Shadows in The Shallows, Gold Light + Snakemusk have just released an easygoing new track titled “One Thing After Another”. Beautiful twangy vocals agains the backdrop of slow, practiced instrumentals paired with immense amounts of reverb, this song is just the southern gem we’ve been craving. Check it out below!

SPRING DATES
04.12•New Belgium Brewery (Asheville, NC)
05.10•Harvest Records – 3:00 PM Duo In-Store (Asheville, NC)
05.10•Static Age Records – 10:00 PM Full Band (Asheville, NC)
05.11•8th State Brewery (Greenville, SC)
05.14•Go Bar (Athens, GA)
05.15•El Rocko (Savannah, GA)
05.17•Pablo (Clemson, SC)
05.18•White Mule (Columbia, SC)
05.19•The Royal American (Charleston, SC)
06.13•The Pour House Music Hall (Raleigh, NC)
06.15•Little Amps (Harrisburg, PA)
06.16•O’Brien’s (Boston, MA)

Keep up with Gold Light here.

wilder daze | inspired true nature

wilder daze | inspired true nature

I created this collection of songs because they represent what inspires me in music. They all have an essence of authenticity. It’s that mix of an infectious melody and a rebellious spirit that ultimately drives me as an artist, and influenced my upcoming second album, True Nature.

I included “Electric Chapel” by Lady Gaga because she inspired me tremendously when I was 17 and decided I was going to be a pop star. That song is so specific to her. I love the twisted romance of it all, and the distorted guitar that ties the whole song together.

When I was 18 and moved to New York City, David Bowie, Prince, and Madonna became the soundtrack to my life. I have vivid memories of listening to “Rebel, Rebel” in my headphones while strutting through the East Village, or sitting in my dorm room at night watching Madonna’s early music videos.

I had to include one of my favorites by Chet Baker. Once I was a senior in college, I began writing songs more prolifically than ever, and I would let the smoothness of Chet’s singing and trumpet playing guide me. I also included my favorite song of mine, “Luvline”, off my new record out this Spring. “Luvline” is my favorite track of mine because it sounds like my heart is singing, even when I hear it now, and that’s how I feel about the songs I chose for this playlist. I’m attracted to music that doesn’t hide from the truth, and these songs are a piece of the artist’s soul.

___

Keep up with Wilder Daze here.

little pale x the gardener, “i wanna be adored”

little pale x the gardener, “i wanna be adored”

As an up-and-coming alternative pop musician in South East London, Little Pale has her work cut out for her. But she seems to be taking it all in stride, having just released a re-imagined version The Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored”. In this particular track, she has taken the rock perspective out almost completely, and replaced it with an ambient, gorgeous kaleidoscope of sounds that perfectly cradle her effervescent vocals.

Says Little Pale of choosing this particular song to cover: “I came to this song quite late and found its lyrics to be especially poignant, more so now than ever, in the context of social media and its influence/rs”.

Keep up with Little Pale here.

a conversation with birch

a conversation with birch

Today, we sit down with incredible feminist indie-pop artist Michelle Birsky – the brainchild of BIRCH – to chat about her new album release, touching on points of sexism and the empowerment she stirs up in her music.

Today, we sit down with incredible feminist indie-pop artist Michelle Birsky – the brainchild of BIRCH – to chat about her new album release, touching on points of sexism and the empowerment she stirs up in her music. We also get deep into spiritual practice, and learn a bit more about getting in touch with ourselves.

0:00    Intro
0:11     EZVisibility.com

0:22    Dbl-take.com
0:33    imperfectfifth.com/merch
1:36 Spice Girls
2:31 Spelling Lessons
6:19 Normalizing stigma
9:15 Reiki/energy work
11:48 Spirituality whitewashing
17:10 Guided Meditations
21:43 Rituals
24:12 Aliens
27:25 Gracie & Rachel
29:44 April 11 Album Release Show
30:21 Asking For It

femme.one is out April 5th. Celebrate BIRCH’s CD release show on April 11th at Union Pool in Brooklyn with Rodes Rollins and Gold Child. More information is available here.

Keep up with BIRCH here.