Feminist punk powerhouse Cheap Perfume’s highly anticipated new single “Woke Mind Virus” is out now via Snappy Little Numbers. Listen to the fiery – and highly relevant – song now, here: https://open.spotify.com/track/0FPwukYvUDCTWdBODUkGND?si=ca02e2c8290d486e.
“This song to me is kind of like the manifesto for the album. There have been a lot of radical changes in the world since our last release, so I thought it was important for us to come out with something bold,” shares guitarist/co-vocalist Jane No. “We wrote it in response to the inane ‘war on woke’ and people like Elon Musk demonizing empathy and saying that having compassion is weak. This song is a great gut check for the rest of the album … if you relate to what is being said here, I think you’re going to love the record. If it’s pissing you off, don’t care. Didn’t ask.”
“Woke Mind Virus” marks the band’s first release since their 2021 singles “TKO” and “No Men”. Fans can look forward to more new music in the coming months, including a full-length record. Stay tuned for more from Cheap Perfume at https://linktr.ee/cheapperfume.
LA-based “involuntary twee” artist Julia Jade has released her reflective and uplifting new single, “actually, I have time,” a cinematic reminder to trust your own timeline in a world that constantly tells you you’re behind. Known for her quirky, conversational writing and heartfelt theatricality, Julia Jade pairs dreamlike instrumentation with tender repetition in a track that sounds like a late-night pep talk from your kindest friend. Both soothing and empowering, “actually, I have time” is now available to stream and download on all platforms.
Julia Jade wrote the single in a moment of anxiety, grappling with the pressure to “make it” before it’s too late, and shaped it into a gentle anthem for those overwhelmed by ambition. “I wrote this song about pursuing a dream and feeling like you’re constantly running out of time… like, if you haven’t achieved it fully by now, you’ll never do it,” she shares. “I wanted it to be an affirmation you could sing anytime that feeling snuck up on you. Something simple and easy to remember—so you really could use it as a tool.” Inspired by the tone of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Julia Jade imagined the song as something soft, sincere, and kind enough to be sung to a child, or to your inner child. Featuring ethereal strings, dreamy guitar textures, and layered vocals from close friends, the track is less about fixing everything, and more about remembering you’re not alone: “If you’re singing it wrong or you sing out of tune / You won’t sing it alone ‘cause I’ll sing it with you.” The warm and inviting atmosphere of the track is shaped by Wassim Rahmani (guitar), Ivan Krnic (bass), and Anastasiia (strings), with mixing by Confluence Audio and mastering by Xavier Hill. The song was written and produced entirely by Julia Jade, who says having friends sing on it “felt symbolic of the way your friends lift you up, affirm you, and believe in you in the moments that you don’t believe in yourself.” Though she attempted to write this song years ago and didn’t quite have the words, she now shares, “I’m really glad it exists now and hope anyone who feels in a rush to have it all figured out stumbles upon this at the exact moment they need it.”
California-based duo MOVIESTARZ return with two high-octane singles “Chaos in the Magic” and “Tear This Apart.” These tracks dive headfirst into the chaotic, glitch-filled world of hyperpop blending sugary vocals and a reckless sense of fun. It pays homage to genre-pushing acts in the space like 100 gecs while still holding onto the duo’s signature blend of unfiltered chaos and pop sensibility.
Inspired by Elliott Smith and Belle and Sebastian as a teenager, Matthew Azrieli taught himself the guitar by listening to them, Nick Drake, and early Bob Dylan albums. Afterward, at the McGill Conservatory in Montréal, as well as at Berklee College in Boston, Matthew studied Peruvian composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré and subsequently the classical-indie-folk fusionism of Sun Kil Moon. As a result, Azrieli honed in on creating his very own intimate folk music that showcases his vulnerability as an up and coming musician. Expectations, an ornate baroque-pop EP . featuring the new single “I thought I saw you the other day”, is due later this summer via Baste Records.
Long Beach, CA Punk/Metal band CARSEX have released their ferocious new LP “Human Interest”, which is a deep dive into timely themes about the current state of our chaotic world. They channel their anger and angst into 7 pummeling tracks. The EP was produced by Steve Evetts (Sepultura, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Butcher Babies) at Maple Studios in Santa Ana, CA, and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music in New Windsor, NY.
The EP’s focus track “Landmine” is a heavy, chugging anthem that’s forges ahead like a sonic M1 Abrams Tank. CARSEX singer Nigel Burk says “Landmine’ is a follow-up to our song “Your Lesson”, which delved into succumbing to various forms of temptation and how we’re taught to fear divine retribution if we fall prey to these desires. “Landmine” takes it a step further – it’s akin to a bad acid trip where everything is distorted… You come to the realization that there is no absolution and you’re going to burn anyway. It’s like walking through a field of landmines – you’re going to blow up, no matter what you do”.
For much of their career, Grandbrothers transformed a limitation into inspiration. Across four acclaimed albums, the duo of German-Turkish pianist Erol Sarp and Swiss engineer/software designer Lukas Vogel created captivating music in which each sound originated from one instrument: the grand piano.
Grandbrothers’ new album Elsewhere is out September 26, 2025 via their brand new imprint _and_others. They have also shared the single and video for“We Collide.”Pre-order the album here.
The video was directed by Austrian filmmaker Rupert Höller, who crafted a strong visual counterpart to the track’s kinetic energy. The result is a striking short film that captures the emotional depth and rhythmic intensity of “We Collide” in a powerful and atmospheric way.
“The hypnotic pull and the powerful use of repetition in ‘We Collide’ fascinated me from the very first listen. My goal was to make that feeling – the chaos of an inner storm – tangible through abstract imagery, creating a visual journey from disorientation to acceptance.”
For the band, Höller’s interpretation hits all the right notes:
“What we really appreciate about Rupert’s take is how naturally he picked up on the energy and movement of the track,” says Erol Sarp. “He really understood what we were going for – the dynamics, the transitions, that inner tension building slowly throughout. And he found a visual language that translates the energy of the music into motion.”
After the release of Songs From A Celestial City, (their highly acclaimed collaborative EP with musician-comedian Reggie Watts) and touring across North America with Rubblebucket, LA-via-Austin queer dance/electronic trio CAPYAC are ready to feed the masses once again with their new single “Sexy in my Bodyyy” out everywhere tomorrow.
Following their deep disco single “U Know Y” in April, “Sexy in my Bodyyy” is sure to be an early candidate for summer soundtracks across the globe. The song sees the newest member of CAPYAC, Obie Puckett (they/them), take center stage, painting a sonic picture of gender euphoria with their confident, cool-headed vocals. The opening lyric “I look in the mirror,” curls over Peana and Campbell’s angular synthy bass and drum groove, capped with an emphatic “Hot dog!”
“A big part of the sentiment of this song is suddenly feeling hot in your own skin,” Puckett explains. “It doesn’t matter where you’ve been with your self-confidence, it can always click on one day, and that’s beautiful. And it’s also acknowledging that sometimes you won’t feel that way, but if you need to, here’s that song.”
Born and raised in India, Syante’s diverse musical background includes both traditional Bollywood influences as well as early-2000s Disney stars like Hannah Montana and Demi Lovato. Though rooted in pop rock, her style encompasses indie, alternative, and electronic elements inspired by the likes of The Script, Bob Dylan, and Zedd. Now based in LA, the self-taught musician with a Master’s from USC is sharing songs from her heart that encourage responsibility and unity.
Austin, TX’s Bee Blackwell, creates 90s-influenced alternative rock with deeply personal themes and soaring, majestic vocals. She documents her self-exploration in a way that speaks to anyone who’s had a coming-of-age experience or is going through one of their own. Having played in rock bands through high school and college, Bee decided to start posting covers of her favorite emo and grunge songs online in 2023. After numerous viral moments on the internet, she began releasing cathartic and heartfelt songs that have captivated her growing audience.
She’s kept busy over the past year, making her SXSW debut in Austin, TX, this past March, along with a handful of energetic shows around Texas. With a few months of free time, Bee couldn’t help but create and self-produce her latest body of work, Nine Lives, serving as a personal diary entry, exposing her struggles, emotional hardships, and life goals. Each track is backed by clear and atmospheric guitar hooks, relaxed and steady rhythmic percussions creating a smooth, calming groove, and a little bit of 2000s emo greatness. The EP sees Bee at her most introspective and daring, taking creative risks while maintaining vulnerability.
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