numün, the NYC psychedelic instrumental trio pitchfork dubbed as ‘savvy navigators of paths less traveled’, is releasing its second album Book of Beyond on the legendary Shimmy-Disc label. With this record, the band, which includes Joel Mellin and Christopher Romero of Gamelan Dharma Swara and ambient country pioneer Bob Holmes of SUSS, continues to stretch their exploration of the inner and outer astral worlds of their first release Voyage au Soleil – voted one of the Best Ambient Releases of 2020.
Dave Segal of Pitchfork called that album a “blending of the opiated psychedelia of the music territory staked Brightback Morning Light with a loose-limbed minimalism that privileges subtle effects and incremental chord changes” and Chris Ingalis from PopMatters called it “a trippy, ambient ride and ambitious debut that pulls off the neat trick of creating music that evokes space travel while also sounding refreshingly grounded to Earth’s atmosphere.”
The new album, mastered by Kramer (Galaxie 500, Butthole Surfers, Bongwater, Low, Bill Frisell, etc.) features a unique mixture of Eastern and Western musical stylings and instrumentation including balinese gamelan, gender wayang, and cumbuz (a 12-string fretless banjo) alongside the classic Americana instrumentation of slide guitar, baritone, mandolin and violin. The instrumental music charts new territories as it explores themes that are sometimes deeply personal, spiritual and otherworldly, including new fatherhood, sleep deprivation, loss and rebirth with titles that include Steps, Vespers, Eyes Open & Lullaby. Guests on the album include Trina Basu (Brooklyn Raga Massive), Tori Lo Mellin (Dharma Swara), and Willa Roberts (Black Sea Hotel). With their new album, Book of Beyond, numün creates music that provides a star map to help us all navigate the inner constellations of our daily lives.
Acclaimed composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter, Rob Kovacs, has joined forces with Dr. Bloc on the revolutionary virtual reality game, STRAYLIGHT. After initially writing the title track, a slow-developing and ungrounded synthwave track that is reflective of the unique experience of the game, Kovacs was tapped to score the entire game and all sound effects.
It was a natural progression for Kovacs, who also releases music under the moniker 88bit, reimagining classic video game themes for piano, and performing at events like PAX West, GDC Online, The Game Audio Network Guild Awards and MAGFest. He credits his study and knowledge of early video game music for inspiring his approach to composing new soundtracks for video games today.
“Studying these early video game soundtracks really influenced my writing for STRAYLIGHT,” he explains. “I got the sense that these early composers were breaking new ground, working with new technology, and creating music for a brand-new medium. They took a lot of risks. I’ve taken that same approach with this soundtrack. VR is like the Wild West of video games right now. It’s brand new territory.”
The STRAYLIGHT soundtrack consists of 10 progressive synthwave tracks, featuring long-developing melodies that require multiple listens, ideal for songs that may be looping multiple times. Harmonically, Kovacs makes heavy use of mode mixture and progressions that never quite feel settled – a feeling that is mirrored by gameplay where there is no ground.
Krooked Kings come from humble beginnings. In 2019, a group of five college friends from the University of Utah came together to write music and play shows in backyards and basements. Over the course of the last few years, the band has proven time and again their ability to write heartfelt indie rock gems. After signing with Los Angeles based indie label Nobody Gets It Records in 2020, the band released their breakout single, “‘96 Subaru”, which has amassed over three million streams. By September 23, 2021, Krooked Kings released their debut project, The Comedown. After the the release, Krooked Kings hit the road on two support tours with Goth Babe and Rare Americans, as well as three headline dates in Denver, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles. Keep an eye out for new music from Krooked Kings in the coming months, as they wrap up recording their sophomore album with artist/producer, Day Wave.
Singer-Songwriter Faith Marie, has released her single “Alleyways,” today. Released in collaboration with the label UUin, “Alleyways” is the second single off her upcoming 3 song debut EP, More than I am. Written by Faith, “Alleyways” is about a pivotal point in one’s transition into adulthood. She elaborates “I realized in order to grow, I had to let go of other people’s ideas of me and explore the parts of myself I was afraid to address and take responsibility for my trauma and healing.” The moody, yet ethereal track serves as the perfect introduction to her attentive songwriting and delicate vocals. The synth and guitar heavy sounds, paired with ominous echoes of different musical elements and vocals, is meant to represent the drive needed to walk into the unknown while still facing the unease of what you’ll find in the process. Hailing from Provo, Utah, Faith’s foray into songwriting began at the age of 13, launching a successful YouTube channel that attracted over 121,000 subscribers over
the next five years, in addition to over 80 million Spotify and Youtube streams combined. Inspired by the likes of My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Brockhampton, Faith pushes herself creatively when it comes to genre-bending. In 2015, her love for artists that seamlessly cross genres led her to posting a cover of Bring Me The Horizon’s “Drown,” which immediately went viral and is currently sitting at 5M views. “Bring Me The Horizon has always been the most inspiring to me because they don’t care about upholding a genre or appeasing specific types of fans that listen to them, they do what inspires them” Faith states.
Chicago-based psych-pop multi-instrumentalist Elijah Montez, the frontman and sole songwriter of Daydream Review announces his kaleidoscopic debut LP Leisure due out April 7 and available to pre-order now via Side Hustle Records. Alongside the announcement comes the release of the project’s first single, “Have You Found What You’re Looking For?” out everywhere now.
Daydream Review will be taking the new music around his home city of Chicago, IL this spring in celebration of the release. Venues include Empty Bottle this Saturday, January 27, G-Man Tavern, Cole’s Bar and will conclude on May 26 at Schubas Tavern with tickets to select shows on sale now via linktr.ee/daydreamreview.
Leisure, out this spring, is Daydream Review’s debut full-length studio album featuring his most realized work to date. Over thirteen chromatic, experimental tracks, the artist’s airy production and thoughtful, existential lyricism transports listeners to a fresh sonic universe that pushes the boundaries of modern psychedelic pop. Diving deeper into the album’s meaning, Daydream Review explains, “‘Leisure’ is about the ever-present tension between the desire for free time, for personal enjoyment and leisure, and the demands that capitalistic society places on those desires, and how it restricts the ability to enjoy that free time. Your job and work, to me, seem to be consistent specters that haunt your ability to enjoy your free time, knowing that those demands are always awaiting you when your free time comes to an end.”
It is this balancing act that informed much of the album creation and its themes. The artist continues, “Leisure, as a concept, became something almost otherworldly and that much more desirable, something you dream about when you have so much time funneled into work, and the repetitive act of balancing those two ends up being something almost hypnotic, and I tried to channel all of that into the sonic qualities of the album.”
Seattle band Western Haunts have released “The Bottle”, their first new music since 2017’s full length album Problem Pop and the lead single off the forthcoming album of the same name. Partnering on this album with LA based producer Erik Blood (Shabazz Palaces, Tacocat, The Moondoggies),“The Bottle” “The Bottle” draws its sound from the same fusion of 70s folk, 80s post punk and 90s shoegaze heard in the band’s previous catalog, newly injected with lead vocalist Jake Witt’s fluttering falsetto and epic drumming akin to more modern experimental pop artists like Perfume Genius… You can listen to “The Bottle” below before the album is released in full on March 3rd:
the Norwegian band MARBLES have released “Cold Water”, the final pre-release single and closing track from their forthcoming sophomore album Humour, which will be released on February 10th, 2023. Leading with a jangly strummed acoustic guitar and sparkling synth lines, this breezy tune shows some range compared to previous Humour singles while still fitting neatly into the sound of the record overall. Hailing from Kolbotn, the black metal capital of Norway, the music of MARBLES sounds about as dramatically different from the stereotypical idea you might have of the music this nordic country tends to produce, with this new song being yet another example of the immaculate sonic soundscapes and good vibes they specialize in. You can listen to “Cold Water” below:
Genre-bending Irish musician and producer DAVID KITT has unveiled his new single “Wishing Well” and announced his ninth studio album ‘Idiot Check’, set for release on 31 March 2023 via RE:WARM.
STREAM “WISHING WELL” ON:
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A fuzzy, lo-fi cut that flutters with a gentle sense of magnetism, “Wishing Well” is the first single to be taken from ‘Idiot Check’, an ambient and atmospheric new LP that sees David Kitt put an eclectic spin on traditional folk music.
Of the new track Kitt explains:
“Wishing Well” relates to the void left by the decline of religious institutions and what we turn to in the absence of faith and superstition. These are the themes that recur throughout the record on both micro, personal levels and macro, societal levels.”
Fusing gentle acoustic sensibilities with flickering electronics and earnest storytelling, he adds:
“The song is about being on the run from your memories and your past, and those memories fading, morphing and appearing in dreams. Are you running from yourself or something other than yourself? Some ghostly spectre that you can’t really pinpoint?”
Fast-rising R&B duo BLVCK VIØLET deliver their highly-anticipated debut EP hold my hand, i’m too scared of falling – alongside a stunning official music video for their vibrant love ballad “can we speak in the morning?”.
Following on from their euphonious singles “Mi Amor” and “Hate Me”, Dorset-born talents BLVCK VIØLET deliver their heartfelt debut EP hold my hand, i’m too scared of falling. Brimming with vibrant individuality, the dynamic duo – comprised of Harrison Walker and Sam Hurst – flow back and forth across the stylish, self-produced record as they express the nuance of a doomed romance and the unhealthy connotations that blur the lines between reconciliation and clarity.
Seamlessly gliding across five delicate singles, the EP opens with the lead track “can we speak in the morning?” – a silky track laced with melodic guitar licks and layered vocal harmonies that lay a smooth foundation for the pair to express the unguarded emotions faced at the crossroads of a withered love interest. An emotive record paired
with a notably cinematic music video tailing a conflicting relationship and the complex feelings surrounding intimacy in the exploration of true love.
Continuing the dulcet tones with a stream of elegant soundscapes including “Mi Amor”, “Treasure” and recent release “Hate Me”, BLVCK VIØLET trade tender melodies with an unwavering flair, floating across lucid instrumentals as they explore vulnerability and the endless journey toward self-reflection, reconciliation and, at last clarity. Closing with the heartfelt track “With You”, the EP comes to a triumphant end as the pair articulate their heartbreak and vulnerability with a directness that manoeuvre’s the pain caused into enlightenment – elevating the carefully crafted body of work to produce music that is as beautiful as it is meaningful.
Natalie Shay is a critically acclaimed, multi-award winning musician known for her explosive live performances and vibrant, infectious anthems. The North London artist writes relatable lyrics touching on love, self-discovery and the everyday experiences of a twenty-something. At her core, she’s a remarkable storyteller, one that continues to break boundaries and trailblaze into her own realm of indie pop from the soul.
Her latest single “The Edge” is about the painful breakdown and complete blow up of Shay’s friendship with her best friend. The songwriter confides, “This is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever released, and as the feelings are still very raw, I’m hoping to find closure in this.”
Accompanied by its B-side “everything’s been happening,” the two tracks tell the story of how once you finally come out of something that had grown bad for you, you reflect and realise so many cracks showed long before you accepted that as the case. Shay reveals, “Despite missing her and the good parts of the friendship so much, I know in order to still respect myself, I have to honour the power of an apology, and in this case, the lack there of one.”
Both tracks voice the understanding of the power that someone’s dream can hold over their well-being and happiness. Shay admits, “I am guilty of this myself, a lot of my mental health, personality and entire identity are completely wrapped up in my work. This is the same for a lot of creatives and people with a dream or goal from a young age in general. On realisation that these goals may not happen the way you’d always planned, or realising things are going to be much harder than you ever expected, this can cause trouble for some people who lack the courage. I think me and my friend are guilty of this, and subsequently this triggered the downfall.”
Staying true to her irresistible indie pop sound, “The Edge” shines with kaleidoscopic synths, a contagious beat and energetic melodies. Despite the song’s melancholy theme, sonically it’s the ultimate get up and dance track, allowing you to lose yourself in the music. Having received praise from notable publications such as Billboard, Clash, NOTION, Wonderland Magazine and The Line of Best Fit to name a few, Shay is on everyone’s radar. She has landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist in 12 countries and has also worked on EDM tracks with the likes of Grum and Kryder, racking up over seven million streams to date. Selling out prestigious venues across London, Shay is one of the UK’s hottest emerging talents. Tickets are now on sale for Natalie Shay’s upcoming headline show at The Omeara in London on 3rd March 2023.
Rising R’n’B songstress Alysha kicks off the new year with her latest offering “Lord, Help Me”.
Syncopated percussion and Neo Soul undertones lay the perfect foundation for Alysha’s signature soothing R’n’B vocals as she opens the track with “Lord, help me I’m, falling out of line. With you I’m kind, can’t I just be what you want me to be” as she makes an honest and moving plea. Produced by Ivor Novello Award nominee Cassell The Beatmaker (Plan B, Akala), the gospel masterpiece is the first of Alysha’s new singles since a recent pause from releasing music whilst at university.
Talking on the track Alysha says: “Following in the footsteps of some of my favourite gospel and soul artists… the lyrics discuss my exploration into spirituality – and the realisation that I had to fill the void I found within myself – that it wouldn’t come from anywhere else.”
Guitarist, singer and songwriter, Raymond Castronovo aka Streetwise, rolls out his new single today, entitled “Pittsburgh,” his latest release from his upcoming six-track EP, The Road Ahead, set to release on March 3, 2023. The third of a trilogy of Streetwise releases over the past two years, the The Road Ahead EP, includes four original songs by Castronovo along with his renditions of the Carol King classic, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and “The Twist” by the legendary Chubby Checker.
“Pittsburgh” is an upbeat blues song that describes a man inviting a “classy lady” to have a drink with him. Castronovo wrote the song based on a trip to Pittsburgh where he encountered a woman that was “the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe.” He says, “there was eye contact and I was waved over. With that in mind, I went on my way and immediately wrote the story for the lyrics.”
WESSON is a British alt/rock band led by singer/songwriter Chris Wesson. Based in Milton Keynes, the four-piece band was formed under the mutual decision to find like-minded souls who needed music as part of their everyday life and essence to their being. Along with bassist Callum, guitarist Jimmy, and drummer Dale, WESSON creates music which is relatable, conversational and meaningful.
With each band member coming from a different musical background, WESSON soaks up an amalgam of influences, resulting in a collective mix of pop, punk rock and indie with soaring vocal parts and an overall sound which is entirely its own.
Emitting a gritty rock undertone, bold melodic bass riffs and driving drum beats, WESSON delivers a soundtrack to everyday life events, touching on reflections and memories that pass them by. Their organic approach to songwriting allows their music to be honest and identifiable. Spreading messages of living unapologetically, the band shares, “We hope to inspire others to be honest with their life and not be frightened to be themselves.”
Following the release of their 2022 hit “Voices”, the band returns with “Made Me Happy” a track stemming from personal life experiences. With a raw and honest touch, you can feel the intimacy of the lyrics and emotions behind them. Chris shares, “I believe that everyone has a unique perspective to every situation and we try to tap into that, to create a distinctive experience for every listener.” Showcasing their unique character, “Made Me Happy” is an infectious indie/rock anthem, bursting with energetic instrumentation, soaring harmonies and a catchy as hell chorus. Taking the listener on a musical journey, “Made Me Happy” keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Having gigged across the UK, supporting artists such as The Bluetones, Callum Beattie and Lucy Spraggan, WESSON are set for an exciting 2023, with more releases and gigs to be announced soon.
New York City dream-pop duo – LAVEDA – have unveiled sleek new single “Clean”, taken from their awaited second album ‘A Place You Grew Up In’.
STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
Sulky and scintillating, “Clean” sees the two-piece traversing the darker side of dream-pop as moody melodies linger in the air like clouds blocking out the sun on a dismal day.
Fusing gentle strumming guitars with balmy vocals and overcast stretches of instrumentals, Laveda are further perfecting their knack for shoegaze-flecked introspections that feel both achingly intimate and widely relatable.
A wistful reflection on the home truths and growing pains that come with getting older, vocalist Ali Genevich confides of the new track:
“I think for the first time I truly realised that growing up was an inevitable fate. It’s such a strange thing, knowing you’re only to grow further and further from innocence as life goes on. I never wanted to think about getting older as a kid, I wanted to stay eight years old forever. I think there’s a part of that feeling that will always stay with me.”
Pinning together the intimate observations of Soccer Mommy, Phoebe Bridgers or Snail Mail with the grunge-laden dream-pop of beabadoobee and NewDad, “Clean” is plucked from Laveda’s much anticipated second LP ‘A Place You Grew Up In’ — due 14 April 2023 via VT/NY-based label PaperCup Music.
Featuring earlier singles including the sun-drenched “Surprise” and antsy and ethereal “F***”, the record was completed in the summer of 2021 while the band were staying on a ranch just outside of Los Angeles.
Genevich explains:
“We were able to find new meaning in a lot of the songs while out in California. It ended up being this very therapeutic process and I’m extremely grateful for it.”
Produced by Dylan Herman (Beck, Pynkie), the album also features Laveda’s full live band, including Dan Carr (bass) and Joe Taruone (drums).
JACK KANE REVEALS STELLAR NEW SINGLE ‘WE’D BE GOOD’// LISTEN HERE
Kicking off his 2023 after an exciting 2022, rising newcomer Jack Kane looks set to continue his upward trajectory with the reveal of infectious new single, ‘We’d Be Good’. Having gained support from areas such as CLASH, Wonderland, House Of Solo and Atwood Magazine on the back of gorgeous debut EP Under Your Spell, We’d Be Good sees Kane laying earthy vocals over an indie pop arrangement as he laments a relationship that can’t quite get over the final hurdle. Speaking on the release, Jack Kane states:
“This song is about acknowledging everything that is wrong with your relationship, your faults and how incompatible you are, but choosing to ignore the red flags because there’s something drawing you to that person anyway.”
Coloradan punks PLASMA CANVAS return to kick off 2023 with ”Election Year Relapse”, a driving melodic punk ripper that delivers a withering indictment of mainstream politics. The track is the third single to be released in anticipation of the group’s sophomore album release, DUSK, due out this February via SideOneDummy. Each track so far has harnessed a visceral emotional energy to rail at the world, but “Election Year Relapse” is about as furious as it is wearily resigned. Singer/guitarist Adrienne Ash explains that the song is “that warm, numb place between boredom, frustration, hopelessness and the coping mechanisms we develop to deal with the loss of our spark. Combine that with the cynicism of being a marginalized person who’s constantly told to vote a certain way, while everything stays the same: the pile of depression dishes, the dirty laundry cluttering the floor, the past-due bills looming overhead, and being hated by legions of people just for existing. What’s the point? I’ve heard it all before.”
The Crowned, the new album fromVancouver musician Ché Aimee Dorval, is out today on all digital streaming platforms. Listen here.
To celebrate its release, Ché is also releasing the title track as a 4th single, along with a live music video filmed at The Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver.
Speaking ahead of its release, Ché said of the title track, “I think sometimes people forget that the fight for equality means just that. Having the same as, rather than more than. That truth always gets lost in the fear and emotions of it all. It doesn’t help that we’re taught that there’s not enough of anything to go around, so you better fight to hold on to your piece. ‘The Crowned’ is about fighting to share the same space. It’s about climbing up to sit next to the person who has occupied the throne for so long, not to dethrone them.”
Last year, Ché released three tracks from The Crowned ahead of its release. The first, ‘Blood Red Son‘, arrived in August, a “fever dream of indecision, regret and resolve.” Then came ‘Falling Under‘, a song “about the pain and heartbreak of watching someone you love lose themselves to addiction.” Most recently, she shared ‘Loveless‘, which is “about giving your love over quickly and readily. Loving without the expectation of having it returned. This song explores the feeling of being compelled to love a person who has nothing to give in return.”
The Crowned shows a side to Ché seldom seen on record before. A more confident and determined thread runs through these songs, signalling the birth of a new era for Ché. Inspired by her love of Trip Hop, Folktronica and Soul, The Crowned has Ché’s signature all over it whilst reaching out into new sonic environments.
Pre-pandemic, Ché was working with Bob Rock, who produced half of the album. When we emerged from lockdown, Ché had self-produced the rest. The Crowned tells a story of an artist’s evolution and growth.
The Crowned is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services worldwide via Icons Creating Evil Art, except for Canada, where it is released independently. For more information, please visit cheaimeedorval.com.
HUNTER DAILY
“Skeleton Key” (Canyon Sessions)
• Hunter Daily released her live performance video for “Skeleton Key.” This is the second of three live performance videos from her Canyon Sessions series.
• “I was really excited to shoot this “Skeleton Key” live performance because I had always imagined the production being more intimate and stripped down, so it was nice getting to put out this live version as well.” – Hunter Daily
• “Skeleton Key” is the latest single from Hunter Daily and has been featured on featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday, Next Gen Singer-Songwriters, sad hour, and Alone Again and Apple Music’s Feeling Blue, New In Pop, and Heartache.
MORGAN REESE
“Vulnerability”
• “Vulnerability” is a song Morgan Reese wrote when the person she was seeing only wanted her when she was going through a hard time. The title is purposefully hypocritical, because in the song she criticizes them for “never show[ing] any vulnerability”. The track includes an uptempo ’80s inspired instrumental.
• “Vulnerability” is the fourth single off of Morgan’s upcoming debut album – a coming-of-age concept album about Morgan’s journey of self discovery, struggles with love, mental health and the challenges she faced that helped shape her into who she is. This song gives a deeper insight to the overall tone of the album; which will take listeners on an emotional rollercoaster, and a journey of sonic nostalgia.
• Morgan co-produced and wrote this track along with shooting/creating the cover art, and directing/creating all of the visuals. It’s an indie synth-pop anthem for fans of artists like Caroline Polacheck, MUNA, Clairo, and Lorde.
Indie-pop, garage, and drum & bass collide stupendously to get 2023 off to a bang it deserves courtesy of newcomer Charlotte Plank’s new cut ‘LSD.’ Going into the new year with just two tracks uploaded was enough to convince leading tastemakers such as the Independent & NME to include the British-Australian for big things via their tips for this year. Despite another popular acronym for the wording ‘LSD,’ this track’s title is shorthand for Love So Damaged and continues Charlotte’s growing trend of creating music that hit the heart just as much as they do on the dance floor.
Listen to ‘LSD’ via Black Butter Records now;
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
