Irish indie favorites Soda Blonde are back with some new music. On “Bad Machine”, the first single from Soda Blonde‘s upcoming Dream Big album (scheduled for release on September 8th), warm vocals mix with fuzzy indietronica synths. Since their debut as Soda Blonde (the group was previously together as Little Green Cars) two years ago, the band (frontwoman Faye O’Rourke, guitarist Adam O’Regan, drummer Dylan Lynch, and bassist Donagh Seaver-O’Leary) have grown tremendously.
The band released their debut album, Small Talk, in 2021 after releasing two successful introductory EPs. After receiving rave reviews from Paste Magazine, Atwood Magazine, and The Irish Times, the LP was nominated for RTÉ‘s Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year.
A mature awakening to the world at large, Dream Big is deeper and harder than Small Talk‘s anxiety-fueled coming-of-age album.
Chonna is a remarkable artist with a passion for storytelling and a voice that is bound to captivate many. Sifting through indie pop, soul, and contemporary in what seems to be an effortless motion, Chonna’s storytelling penetrates deep. Growing up in Texas and since relocating to California, Chonna found relief in the written word and first channeled her angst by writing poetry. Her debut EP “inkBLOT” served as an anthem for those who have experienced trauma and sought to break the stigma surrounding it. With each song, Chonna invites listeners to embark on a journey of healing and self-discovery.
As she prepares for her highly anticipated new music release in 2023, Chonna’s signature blend of vulnerability and strength promises to take audiences on an emotional journey of hope and renewal. As she continues to blaze a trail in the world of music and poetry, Chonna’s new project is sure to be a beacon of light and desire for all who experience it.
Önnu Jónu Son is the stage name of Haraldur Thorleifsson. Haraldur was active in the Icelandic music scene in the late 90s but took an extended hiatus from music to focus on his alcoholism, followed by a career as a designer, ultimately selling his design agency Ueno to Twitter in 2021.
The name Önnu Jónu Son is a reference to his mother, who he lost when he was eleven years old. Haraldur has struggled with finding a path forward and finding confidence in himself as an artist and a performer. By wearing his mothers name he was able to user her memory, love, support and nurture as protection from any self doubt or fear of external criticism.
Haraldur was born and raised in Iceland. He founded creative agency Ueno in 2014 and sold it to Twitter in 2021. In 2021 he founded Ramp up Iceland, an initiative to build 1500 wheelchair ramps in Iceland. In 2022 he founded Hafnarhaus, the largest co-working space for creative people in Iceland. He started a restaurant, bar and cinema called Anna Jóna in 2023. He has won multiple awards as a designer and creative, he was given the Order of the Falcon, the Icelandic medal of chivalry from the , he was named Business Man of the Year in Iceland in 2019, and he was Person of the Year in Iceland in 2022.
XXIM Records is proud to announce the signing of Italian artist, producer, pianist and composer Federico Albanese, the latest addition to the label’s striking, international roster of exceptionally talented and creative musicians. Blessed with a rare musical versatility and a keen sense for alternative, eclectic forms of expression, Albanesehas always sought to explore music in all its facets; as well as being influenced by alt pop, psychedelia, and more left-field forms of composition, his genre-fusing piano soundscapes typically also incorporate elements of guitar, bass, violin, and electronica.
The announcement is accompanied by the release of Albanese’s debut single for the label, the uplifting piano ballad “The Diary”. This new track is the first to be taken from his forthcoming 7-track EP, Days Of Passage, due for release in September. Check it out here on YouTube.
Written and recorded in Berlin, the EP processes thoughts and emotions in view of a major turning point in life. “It’s essentially a journey into the imagination, almost like a dream”, Albanese explains. “The music describes all the hopes, thoughts, challenges, and fears that can overcome us when we start questioning what our future might hold.”
Restlessly creative, Albanese’sever-evolving quest for new sounds and experimentation has been more extensive than most. After an early childhood playing piano, he became interested in jazz, picking up the clarinet, before a teenage fascination with punk rock bands led to him learning bass guitar. Later still, he devoured the new-age music of the late 90s, immersing himself in the works of artists such as Brian Eno and William Basinski.
Swirling all that together, and having moved to Berlin from his native Italy, Albanesebegan writing and recording his own material. His debut album, 2014’s The Houseboat and the Moon, and its follow-up, The Blue Hour were concept albums focused on specific themes and adored by critics and fans alike. He followed them up with 2018’s similarly revered By The Deep Sea and last year’s Before And Now Seem Infinite, all supported by extensive touring throughout Europe.
Of signing to XXIM, Albanesesays: “This was meant to be for a very long time. The work done by XXIM over the past few years did not go unnoticed. The label’s diversity and genre-defying character, and its creator’s proactive vision, is the right home for my future works. I’m more than happy to join this beautiful family of great artists and creatives, and kick off a new chapter of my career with them.”
Christopher Tignor‘s upcoming album The Art of Surrender, set for a September 29th release via Western Vinyl, marks a return to life, sown from primal impulses and hard-won emotional truths. Unrestrained melodic rapture soars above a propulsive kick drum, speaking a need to move, to dance, to love.
The music is as ambitious as its origins are personal. Tignor plays with scale, crafting multi-movement epics alongside one-minute miniatures. The smallest, most fragile violin gestures, where the finger barely touches the string to extract natural harmonics exist side by side with angular, exotic melodies, asymmetric rhythms, and rapid-fire string crossings. On this album, Tignor digs even more deeply into the violin and its technicolor re-imaginings under his electroacoustic treatments.
Today he shares the first look from the album in “Ritual of a Thousand Limbs,” which is a reference to the extended solo electro-acoustic instrument Tignor has created himself where he processes his violin through software using pedals (which then, in turn, perform synths). It’s an instrument played with both feet and hands including a kick drum with custom triggering software.
Likewise, the title alludes to the 1000 arms and hands of the Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva associated with compassion. The song weaves back and forth between this impulse and its more somatic, lustful urges, a study in the duality of desire and acceptance. The striking new video for the work is a collaboration with girlfriend Rachelle Somma, who’s unique, award-winning approach to dance blends pole-dancing with modern forms to create a spellbinding interpretation completely unique to both mediums.
“Our frames of mind might be different. We can get along with the harsh noise people. We can get along with the ambient world. We can get along with the punk world and metal and all that. But we never fit in with any little sub-scene.” – Requiem
Inspired by the epic, stirring sensibilities of post-rock groups like Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Bowery Electric, DC group Requiem has a sound is characterized by heavy soundscapes, deep synthetic bass, and musical percussion. Following a series of EPs and mini-albums, Requiem’s first proper album, POPulist Agendas, is due out August 11th via Mutineer Records. You can pre-order the album via the label or Bandcamp.
The core members—veteran musician and multimedia artist Doug Kallmeyer, visual artist Monica Stroik, and guitarist/soundscape designer/conceptualist Tristan Welch—came together during that heady pandemic summer of 2020, motivated by a desire for a new creative outlet during destabilizing times. On it, the band places their experimental sonic instincts in communion with a deep sense of emotional release.
“We’ve had massive responses from those who have PTSD, people who have problems with insomnia or anxiety, or ADHD,” Douglas says. “After shows, these people approach us and exclaim, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t been able to be that calm in years.’.’”
“Suddenly I Have A Dreadful Urge To Be Happy” is a song that reaches towards a longing to be wanted, felt and loved, tapping into the post-rock sound and ethos of emotions that criss-cross between sadness and hopefulness. With this song, Requiem bleeds passion, evidenced by the payoff of a crescendo at the conclusion. Check out the new video on YouTube.
Performing, recording, or collaborating with dozens of local artists and bands as a keyboardist, Phil Aiken is a fixture in the Boston music scene. Phil Aiken has established himself as a thoughtful, clever singer/songwriter with a legion of influences, and his solo performances have established him among artists such as Todd Rundgren, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, John Hiatt, and Warren Zevon as a solo artist.
“Lesser Lights” is the first single from Aiken’s upcoming Here Goes Nothing album. The album itself is due out in August. “Lesser Lights” is the epitome of classic, singer-songwriter rock, the fun and playful sound of “Lesser Lights” has a vibrant pop rock energy.
Rising Country Artist Hannah Ellis is pouring out fun with her new Curb Records single “Wine Country”, available now — listen HERE. Joyfully bringing boujee to the backroads, Ellis is making an impact with the song as it was most added at Radio and is quickly becoming the Country song of the summer. Fans have been showing their appreciation at her live shows – as evidenced by a flash mob in the audience at her recent CMA Festival performance dancing along as she sang on the Chevy Vibes Stage. (Watch here.)
The up-and-coming singer/songwriter first debuted the judgment-free anthem this spring at Live In The Vineyard Goes Country. Bringing a little Napa to Ellis’ home state of Kentucky, the pop-country twang of “Wine Country” raises a glass to the 2023 “CMT LISTEN UP” artist, proving the old adage true: You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. Admittedly a little Rosé and a lot playful energy, Ellis sips her Cabernet from a Solo Cup, while wearing her black Luccheses on the cleverly penned track she wrote with Clint Lagerberg and her husband, Nick Wayne. Lagerberg produced the recording alongside Jason Massey.
Hannah says the song is “based on the idea that life is not all about this OR that. It’s more about this AND that. I’m boujee AND I’m backroads. You don’t have to choose one lane. Drive ‘em all!”
Following her signing to One Little Independent Records, London-based multidisciplinary artist and producer Laura Misch has announced the release of her long-awaited debut album ‘Sample The Sky’, out on October 13th.
An enchanting journey through London’s wild edgelands, the LP is an ode care, connection and listening to the natural world. ‘Sample The Sky’ responds to nature’s patterns through organic electronic productions, embodied lyrics, wind inspired saxophone, singing and synthesis all woven into intricately crafted left-field pop songs.
“Sample the Sky is an album that can be distilled as the feeling you have when you see the sky and you are in such awe that you feel compelled to photograph it and send it to someone – the moments that feel so intimate and personal yet universal, un-ownable and ephemeral.”
Atmospheric new single“Hide To Seek” utilizes the album’s only external sample, by sound designer and composer James Bulley who used geophones to record the inside of trees, capturing the internal conversation of the forest. Check out the new single here.
In diving into “Hide To Seek” further, Laura tells us that “the kind of elemental scope of the album really does expand between the earth and the sky. The track is about desire and wanting someone to draw out parts of yourself that you’re hiding and how we’re all shaped by this interplay. The forest undergrowth feels like a perfect metaphor for the subconscious mind, and it’s a charged song. I imagined these mycelial threads leading the listener into the album world”.
FRANK is a modern pop artist from Indianapolis, USA. The moniker of 25 -year-old Sydney Elliott, FRANK’s work has been shaped by a deep well of pristine soul and rock artists. Now we share FRANK’s anticipated new single “Strawberry Vanilla Sky”.
the brother duo Modern Tales, comprised of veteran producer Jonas Rathsman and singer Franz Novotny, deliver their debut album together, Stars Align, via RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Rose Avenue imprint.
Stars Align marks a milestone for Rathsman and Novotny both for their artistry and for their relationship as brothers. The two were established artists in their own respective fields, but their individual sounds made it difficult for them to find a middle ground. Motivated to find hope in the darkness of a global pandemic, they were able to shed their egos and write whatever music came to mind. Stars Align was then crafted in the span of just two weeks. According to them, it’s some of the best music they’ve ever written.
“This album holds a special place in our hearts as it encompasses cherished moments that have shaped our journey as Modern Tales. It all began when we, as brothers, made the decision to create music together, and that moment sparked the birth of our musical collaboration.
These moments, all interconnected, serve as irrefutable evidence of the wonders that can unfold when cosmic forces align. Through this album, we pay homage to the profound bond of brotherhood, celebrating the synergy and creativity that arise when like-minded souls come together.” — Modern Tales
London-based duo JADED returns to Diplo’s tastemaking house/techno hub Higher Ground to deliver a beaming, brass-laden new single, “Mirror,” featuring singer Indira May. The new track is JADED’s sixth appearance on Higher Ground, solidifying them as go-to mainstays for the label.
The production on “Mirror” features immense energy but is harnessed in a smooth manner from the start, with its uptempo groove, rolling bassline, and subtle melodic percussion. The soulful trumpet section from frequent collaborator King Crowney (of Rudimental) takes center stage during the breakdown and elevates the track to a new echelon. Paired with the hazy vocals from Indira May, the track has perfect peak-time dancefloor capabilities, as demonstrated during JADED’s EDC performance in 2023.
“We wanted to play around with the concept of reflection in humans,” JADED remark on the new track. “Usually, what you don’t like in somebody else is a reflection of what you don’t like within yourself. As humans, we are constantly mirroring others all the time without realizing it, and subconsciously becoming the people we surround ourselves with.” Indira May, who collaborated with JADED on their 2021 single “Lights Out,” portrays this idea in the lyrics:
I am your mirror
I am you, you are me
I am your mirror
Do you like what you see
Ontario’s Billianne has released her highly anticipated debut EP The Things We Talk About. This transformative collection of songs showcases Billianne’s exceptional skill as a singer-songwriter and offers listeners an intimate glimpse into her world of emotive storytelling.
Listen to The Things We Talk About HERE
Since bursting onto the music scene, Billianne has captivated audiences with her exceptional talent. With an impressive 45 million worldwide streams across her four singles, she has garnered a dedicated following and achieved notable success. Her single, ‘No Wonder’, peaked at #7 on CBC’s Top 20 chart, solidifying her position as an emerging artist to watch. Billianne’s undeniable voice has earned her a devoted fan base, with 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a strong social media presence. She has amassed over 260,000 followers on Instagram and 600,000 followers on TikTok, where her authentic and relatable content resonates with fans around the world.
Independent Creative Agency Mother Berlin partners with award-winning director Jovan Todorović and production company BWGTBLD to bring techno icon Paul Kalkbrenner’s new single to life with a groundbreaking music video. The track, “Schwer,” Kalkbrenner’s first release since 2021, takes inspiration from the German word “Fremdkörper“ or foreign body, which is used as the film concept.
“Schwer” builds as an ongoing loop of scenes we all know from our daily lives. Each appears completely normal at first, but every time we revisit a scene the content slightly alters, building an arc from normal life to complete absurdity. The camera moves through these scenes, making the viewers wonder if what they see is real or not. All empty backgrounds of the video are shot throughout Berlin to which the characters are added.
Rather than using actors, digital technology was deployed to render 4D-volumetric people in place. This used 42 camera capture to lock the motion of each person, making it possible to be used as a 3D element within the final film. The technology allowed each scene to be a canvas, where we could paint carefully created compositions that match the part of the songs and the overall arc of the video. Anima, the AI-powered design-to-code software, was behind the work, which is usually deployed for architectural visualizations but was repurposed for this project.
For the cover art, the concept of the video was expanded with a shot of Paul Kalkbrenner being recorded in the 4D-volumetric-scanner, holding his hands over his face and covering his eyes. A moment that can be interpreted in many ways – from disbelief to hilarious laughter. Shutting himself off from the reality around him.
Listen to the powerful new single “Last Train To Nowhere” out today, from GHOST HOUNDS. The rock and blues-fueled song comes ahead of the group’s fourth studio album, FIRST LAST TIME, out July 28 on Gibson Records; pre-save the album HERE. The explosive song will make its global TV debut during the premiere episode of Taylor Sheridan’s (creator of “Yellowstone”) new TV series “Special Ops: Lioness”–featuring Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, and Zoe Saldana–airing on Sunday, July 23 on Paramount+. “Last Train To Nowhere” sets the tone for a pivotal moment during the show, fueling the scene’s intensity throughout.
A master of playful sonic whimsy, electronic pioneer Mort Garson spent a lifetime quietly pushing the boundaries of synthesis. His new, posthumous, archival release Journey to the Moon and Beyond is out worldwide, this Friday, July 21 via Sacred Bones. Nearly in tandem with the release date, July 20th will mark Garson’s 99th birthday, and the anniversary of the moon landing. Highlighted singles include “Moon Journey,”the soundtrack to the live broadcast of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, as first heard on CBS News, and “Zoos of The World,” aspringy, unpredictable cut taken from a 1970 National Geographic special. 
Australia-based composer Lawrence English and American sound artist Lea Bertucci today shared “Amorphic Foothills,” a second preview from their long-distance collaborative debut, Chthonic, releasing August 11 via American Dreams. Of the track, English shared the following with Foxy Digitalis who premiered the track: “There are moments, traveling through new terrains, that the strange familiar resonates with extra clarity. The foothills roll onward, as some kind of undulating score for motion. Their form shifting and melting into one another depending on where, and how, you pass through them. Like that shifting perspective, this piece is a morphing study of sound in space, captured from multiple viewpoints in time.” Chthonic is the result of long-distance collaboration and mutual considerations. New York’s Lea Bertucci and Australia’s Lawrence English met in 2019 at the Novas Frequencia festival in Rio de Janeiroand quickly became friends and collaborators, driven by musings on a geological scale, movements – tectonic or otherwise – of the Earth, and subterranean density and pressure. As the pandemic descended in early 2020, both artists’ studios became laboratories for remote collaborations. Recorded over the course of 2020/21, Chthonic is a document of a multi-hemispheric penpal correspondence, a sort of exquisite corpse wherein each artist would send the other a sketch of sound, gradually adding layers and editing into the final product. 
Minneapolis hip-hop pioneers Atmosphere have shared a new video for their song “Still Life,” taken from their new album So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously (out now via Rhymesayers Entertainment) and featuring UK singer Murkage Dave. Directed by ZooDeVille, Slug & Rhymesayers Entertainment’s Siddiq, which gives the already endlessly hooky track a timeless visual accompaniment. In addition to the new video, Atmosphere recently announced that for the first time ever, they will be making Sad Clown Bad Dub 2 available digitally and on vinyl via Rhymesayers Entertainment out on 4thAugust. The Sad Clown Bad Dub series first started as a string of limited cassette tapes and CD-R’s for Atmosphere to sell exclusively on tour. Since its inception in 1999, the Sad Clown series has seen over a dozen iterations in numerous formats, including rare 4-track demos, live recordings, a DVD of behind-the-scenes tour footage, a mixtape, 7” vinyl singles and more. To this day, one of the earliest volumes – Sad Clown Bad Dub 2 – still remains one of the most celebrated and coveted installments from the series. To preview the release, they’ve shared crowd favorite “Body Pillow,” listen HERE.
global music authority Billboard announced that Billboard Latin Music Week will return to the Faena Forum in Miami, FL October 2 – 6, 2023 and will feature exclusive panels, conversations and performances by Latin music’s Music’s most influential figures. Arcángel, Edgar Barrera, Maria Becerra, Eladio Carrión, Fonseca, GALE, Grupo Frontera, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, Sebastián Yatra, Vico C, Yng Lvcas, and Young Miko are the first group of artists confirmed to participate at this year’s celebration of Latin music, culture and entertainment. Registration is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
“Billboard Latin Music Week prides itself on bringing the best, brightest and most relevant and exciting artists and executives together. This year’s very diverse group represents why Latin music is dominating global charts. This is a groundbreaking year for Latin Music Week with many more announcements to come,” said Leila Cobo, Billboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin/Español.
For more than 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week has been the longest-running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world, spotlighting Latin’s top artists, actors, influencers, and industry leaders. The conference has become a must-attend event for artists, executives and players in the industry, both new and upcoming as well as established.
The 2023 edition of Billboard Latin Music Week will feature an expansive programming lineup with one-of-a-kind performances, exclusive panel conversations, workshops, showcases, networking opportunities, and more. Attendees can expect chart-topping Latin artists Maria Becerra, GALE, Nicki Nicole, Nathy Peluso, and Young Miko who will also participate in the Boys Club No More! panel focused on the women making noise in the Latin Music landscape. Additional panels include The New Mexican Revolution featuring Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, and Yng Lvcas, plus the Making the Hit LIVE panel with Edgar Barrera and Grupo Frontera, where artists and producers collaborate and create a hit onstage from scratch. Last year’s Making the Hit LIVE panel was a success as Ovy On The Drums and Blessd conceived and created the song titled, “Billboard” which is available now on Warner Music. Programming will also feature Billboard’s En Vivo concert series, a series of high-energy concerts with performers announced soon.
“Billboard is committed to fostering and celebrating Latin music and culture. We’re returning to Miami in October, which coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, to continue championing Latin voices through unique curated programming,” said Mike Van, President of Billboard.
Billboard Latin Music Week will coincide with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, October 5 at the Watsco Center in Miami, which will broadcast LIVE on Telemundo. The awards show will also broadcast simultaneously on Spanish entertainment cable network, Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional. For the latest news about the event, visit Telemundo.com/PremiosBillboard.
Billboard Latin Music Week partners include Cheetos, Michelob ULTRA and more. Cheetos makes its second return to Miami to collaborate with Billboard on championing charitable efforts throughout the Latin communities and the artists that give back to them. This year, Cheetos will present the Deja tu Huella panel and will bring the celebration into the community with a block party featuring some special guests. In the Latin community, Solo Vale La Pena Si Lo Disfrutas, resonates for many generations. Translating to, “It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It”, Michelob ULTRA, the first-ever beer partner of Billboard Español, will create a series of unique, music-focused moments – from bespoke concert experiences to immersive activations to video storytelling – highlighting the variety of ways that artists create moments of joy in addition to their music.
For more information on Billboard Latin Music Week and the latest updates, visit BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
| Brooklyn, NY film composer & recording artist Robert Ouyang Rusli announced that their original score for writer and director Julio Torres’ (SNL, Los Espookys) new film Problemista will be released alongside the movie’s public premiere on August 4 via A24 Music. |
| The announcement arrives with two previews from Rusli’s imaginative 53-track score. “Monument to Possibilities” draws from hypnotic minimal music and soars into full orchestral and choral melodies for a pure ode to art and creativity in all its forms. In contrast, “Huele a Fraude” is a pop song produced by OHYUNG (the solo recording project of Rusli), which features vocalist STEFA* and lyrics by the two artists in collaboration with Torres. It’s a sparkling anthem about the continuous struggle of trying to live in New York City. Listen to both tracks here. |
| On the project, Rusli shared: “The score for Problemista was the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on, and lasted a full year. I’m really proud of this score and it feels super personal to me—there are so many ideas that I’ve never been able to get into a film – things like chanting choirs, patterned marimbas, euphoric pop – and many of them fit so naturally into Julio’s strange world. I’ve been scoring films for a while but rarely work on comedies, but Julio’s style of comedy is very in line with mine. I make my own music under the name OHYUNG, and a lot of what I try to do as an artist outside of film scoring is creating music and art that observes beauty and critiques forces of power around me in strange ways, and Julio’s comedy does the same, so it felt like a perfect match.” |
A pungent ooze emanates from the subway. As a sticky drum machine sequence rolls out like thick dark fog, ice cold synth swirls rise from the depths.
Since the debut album Europe By Night, one of the main references associated with Henrik Stelzer and his Metro Riders project has been that of cinema, and particularly the European genre films of the 1980s. With its seedy subject matters manifesting both in visual style and music, the vibe of that era has crystallized over time. Passed down to us from deteriorating video cassettes, it became an invaluable key to decoding our present day reality.
And this is true for his new album Lost in Reality, announced today for a September 29th release via Possible Motive. Stelzer does not hide the fact that he builds heavily on that vibe; referencing it through track titles and utilizing a particular recording setup consisting of a Fostex and a reel to reel in order to achieve and recreate the feeling of those soundtracks — as heard on magnetic tape rather than vinyl.
Hear it yourself on the new single “Spasm,” out today, and pre-order the album here.
A band of many facets with an effortless ability to blend various genres, Nature Loves Courage have been turning heads around the music scene for some time. Driven by an obsession with loops and beats, melodic pianist and lead vocalist McKenna Rowe set out to create her own set of lush beats inspired by industrial trip hop acts such as Massive Attack. With this in mind, Nature Loves Courage adopted bassist Jacob Bergman, drummer Garrett Smith, and guitarist Joe De Sa to further polish their electronic-forward production.
Now all based in LA, the four piece aims to bridge together the sonic worlds of experimental music and mainstream pop. On Nature Loves Courage, airy string orchestration keeps heady dub-inspired beats in check, and themes of nature and pagan magic balance out arena-ready rock chants. Out later this fall, their second EP continues to flex their lush, danceable electronic-rock sound with themes exploring the complexity of human relationships.
Canadian bass music legend and HypnoVizion label head Rezz releases her anticipated goth-themed IT’S NOT A PHASE EP. The 7-track rock-tinged EP arrives following previously released singles ‘Blue In The Face’, ‘Signal’, and ‘Embers’.
An intimate body of work representative of Rezz’s past, present, and future, IT’S NOT A PHASE is a roadmap through Rezz’s sonic influences. A sign that her goth roots are more than just a phase, her latest EP harnesses the alternative rock references of her youth and the modern electronic tendencies that have driven her catalog. Her most vocal-driven project to date, IT’S NOT A PHASE features collaborations with Alice Glass, Silverstein, Johnny Goth, Grabbitz, MKLA, Raven Gray, and fnksyd, along with an appearance from Polyphia guitarist Tim Henson.
The EP opens with ‘Signal’, an edgy alt-rock anthem with Grabbitz that offers a window into the dark and dramatic sounds Rezz experiments with across the project. Spiraling through the moody guitar melodies of the MKLA-assisted ‘Haunted Eyes’ to the distorted basslines and supernatural vocals of ‘Blue In The Face’ with Shadient and fknsyd, IT’S NOT A PHASE is an alluring blend of dynamic builds and midtempo drops, all through a rocktronic lens.
The EP continues to explore the different facets of rock music, leaning into the angsty balladry of ‘Embers’ with Raven Gray and the slow-burning eeriness of ‘Blurry Eyes’ with Johnny Goth. Enlisting Canadian rock band Silverstein and Polyphia guitarist Tim Henson, ‘Dreamstate’ swirls with the gritty tones and tormented lyricism reminiscent of Rezz’s 2000s emo influences. The EP closes with ‘Not Enough’, a daring cut featuring former Crystal Castles frontwoman Alice Glass that pushes the boundaries of Rezz’s genre-bending style.
Miami’s The Hails announce the title and release date of their long-awaited debut album with the new single “When You Were Bored” – Stream. Coming on September 8, What’s Your Motive will be released in its entirety. In celebration of the upcoming album, the band will bring their new music to the road for their first ever headline tour this September – see all dates here.
What’s Your Motive, The Hails’ forthcoming debut album, is a progressively zooming out view of what happens in life when you break cycles of complacency. Moving chronologically through the track list, the focus goes from noticing these changes in yourself, to noticing how these changes need to be made in others, and the permanent misalignment you can feel when you don’t grow alongside people you once knew. An album with a worldview that expands as you listen further, What’s Your Motive is a culmination of every coincidence in life that allowed for the five band members to unite under a refined, experimental sonic identity.
Guided by an air of carefreeness, today’s new single “When You Were Bored” is a perfect display of the versatility within the band’s songwriting trio Robbie, Franco and Dylan. Merging Dylan’s elevated riffs and Robbie’s brazen lyricism, the song takes a turn during a bridge as Franco shows off his Argentinian roots in a vibrant salsa groove. The addition of these Latin rhythms creates an irresistible dynamic, as the track blossoms from a playful tête-à-tête into something purely euphoric.
The band’s lead singer Robbie Kingsley said that “When You Were Bored” is, “a poignant tune about transient passion. The character in the song realizes that the love between them and their partner was only ever trivial, and feelings have fleeted now that the honeymoon phase is over.”
Looks like the “Last Train To Nowhere” has made a stop at the iTunes Top 10 Rock Charts this week. The latest single from blues-rock group GHOST HOUNDS has reached #3 on the U.S. Rock Charts, and #9 in the U.K. “Last Train To Nowhere” is included on the band’s forthcoming album, FIRST LAST TIME, out July 28 via Gibson Records, pre-save the new album HERE.
The track was initially released last week (July 14), along with a stunning performance video, HERE. Of the single and upcoming album, American Songwriter lauded the band for “deftly slipping into Johnny Cash-style country, mid-tempo balladry, even back-porch folk with the same virtuosity they’ve shown in the past when in their bluesy wheelhouse.” Louder Sound also described the song as a “moody, toe-tapping mix of outlaw feeling and Black Stone Cherry-esque grit.”
The explosive track “Last Train To Nowhere” will make its global TV debut on the premiere episode of “Special Ops: Lioness” the new show from “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan–which features Zoe Saldana, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman–airing this Sunday, July 23, on Paramount+. “Last Train To Nowhere” sets the tone for a pivotal moment during the show, fueling the scene’s intensity throughout.
The song is also driving growth online with over 88,000 new followers, and a 132% increase on the band’s social pages with the release of a new reel on Facebook garnering 1.8M views, over 130k likes, and 16k shares so far.
