GUIDES returns with their explosive new single “FAILURE/DEFINES,” available everywhere on June 17. Following the momentum of their recent release “DRAIN,” the track pushes the band even deeper into the emotionally charged territory that has quickly defined their emerging identity. Combining the textured aggression of nu metal with the urgency and atmosphere of post hardcore, “FAILURE/DEFINES” captures the tension between destruction and self realization through crushing riffs

Forgotten Roads build Scenes From A Revolution with the scale of a historical drama and the intimacy of a family archive. The Madison, New Jersey progressive rock collective turns real family experiences connected to the Russian Revolution and World War II into a sixteen song concept album about survival, exile, political violence, faith, silence, and the long shadow those forces cast across generations. The album began with Gene Bohensky, who conceived the narrative and wrot

"Spacesuit, Rocket Fuel, and a Cigarette" blends classic psychedelic rock, garage rock, and space rock into a hazy but energetic listening experience. The title alone suggests a collision between futuristic imagery and self-destructive human impulses, and the music follows that theme by feeling both expansive and grounded. Rather than relying on modern production trends, the track leans into a vintage rock aesthetic with organic instrumentation and a warm analog feel. The mix

Luma Valen is the kind of artist who isn't really afraid to let a lot out through her music, and in doing so, she expresses a lot of feeling and emotion in her singing, which hits with a heavy hand but with a graceful beauty at the same time. The emotional element of the song is performed by her vocals pretty outstandingly. The song ventures into being uncomfortable, and some of the struggle in choosing life's paths. Choosing your path in life can be difficult, especially dep

Growing up in the '80s and '90s, I was exposed to some outstanding movies. During that time, movies had a very specific soundtrack. Whether it was sci-fi, action, drama, or anything else, there were always soundtracks that served as a sign of the times. I rarely hear a record that's able to harness that kind of semi-nostalgic and rich, full-bodied synthwave vibe the way that the new record from Valley Lights does. The album is called Devil May Care, and it absolutely captures

A new album release from The Runaway Strings hits with such a warm set of acoustic tones that beckon everything from bluegrass to classic folk, country, and more, all rolled into this sort of character-ridden and rustic-laced record that absolutely wraps itself around you in all the best ways possible. The record is called Blackwood, and right off the bat, you start getting a great feel for that vintage bluegrass aesthetic with its first track, "Living The Dream". This song f

Vitamin XP is known for showcasing several different styles of rock throughout their entirety and catalog. Still, one of my favorite records to date has to be one called Not Of This World. The reason is that this album, in particular, showcases such a range and rambunctious, almost classic punk rock energy and aesthetic that it's impossible to turn away from. Now, the band has several albums and plenty of singles released under their belt, but this one really comes through wi

A very outside-the-box and experimental electronic project from Andreja Andric and The Networked Ensemble delivers an almost invasive and semi-aggressive but very melodic piece of work that does indeed serve almost like a computer network trying to actually connect. Square Zero - Concert for Computer Network is one huge piece spanning over an hour in length, and based on a synthesized sound that goes through all these different patterns of synchronization and augmentation, al

A set of beautifully cinematic pieces from Geoffrey Gordon are compiled onto a new release that absolutely exemplifies how mood and tension are built through instrumental music. Fumee is a contemporary classical release, done with a full orchestra that delivers such lush soundscapes and approaches that it's very easy to get engulfed by everything. "Gotham News" opens up the record, and this is a piece that's almost 14 minutes long and definitely gives you depth in those inten

A new release from D.J. Sparr gives off such a wondrous musical approach and journey with pieces and songs that flow together and connect as each one of them displays the musical story and spirit of Muhammad Ali. The Tao of Muhammad Ali is an incredibly woven record that gives you diversity in approach and songwriting, along with elements of subtlety, delicate vulnerability, understanding, and light. The record is built upon elements of contemporary cinematic songwriting, and

Some records are built around reinvention. New Scrolls succeeds by trusting a much older formula: strong songs, memorable melodies, and a songwriter who understands that details matter more than grand statements. Erik Rabasca draws from country folk, Americana, swing, and roots music without treating those traditions as museum pieces. Instead, he uses them as a framework for stories about ordinary experiences, personal reflection, and the kinds of observations that accumulate

There is something refreshing about an album that commits fully to its own world without worrying whether listeners will immediately understand the rules. Videopticons, the latest release from The Zaxons, operates according to a peculiar internal logic where post-punk basslines, lo-fi production, wiry guitar work, and off-kilter synth textures coexist in a space that often sounds as if it were transmitted from a forgotten college radio station somewhere between 1982 and the p

Frances Ancheta is a Filipina-American singer-songwriter and acoustic musician based in San Francisco. Known for her thoughtful indie pop, folk, and "tropical new wave" sound, she draws upon her background as a creative arts therapist and her journey as a cancer survivor to write deeply inspiring and resilient music. Themes of healing, resilience, and personal storytelling are central to her songwriting, which she attributes to her work in mental health and her personal battl

A new single release from TheJazzHhopCooker just dropped, and this is a track that sort of calls out AI music by way of bringing out some classic old-school vibes and doing it right. The single delves into vintage beats with a smooth R&B backbone but heavy-handed and slightly edgy percussion, giving you a bout of nostalgia as you listen, and the entire thing feels freestyle, which is another element of classic hip hop I've missed for quite some time. You can hear the level of

Florida hardcore newcomers BRAINLOCK are wasting no time making their presence felt. The band recently unveiled the lyric video for "Welcome To The Gutter," an explosive introduction that blends hardcore energy, crossover influences, and a raw DIY spirit. Formed after relocating to Florida, BRAINLOCK emerged from a desire to break away from previous projects and build something fresh. Drawing influence from hardcore, crossover, and thrash while embracing the energy of today's

Omaha alternative rock band MegaDestroyer has never shied away from emotional honesty. With their latest single and music video, “Parachutes,” the band channels a deeply personal story into a soaring anthem about resilience, friendship, and hope. The inspiration behind “Parachutes” is as real as it gets: the aftermath of a close friend surviving a near-fatal shooting in 2013. Rather than sink into darkness, MegaDestroyer transformed the experience into a song built for connec

Fake Mannequin is a project mostly known for its trip-hop style of sound, mostly drawing from classic, filmic-feeling artists most popular in the very early 2000s, but the cool thing about records like this is that it doesn't just sit in one area. It doesn't stick to one specific genre. I wouldn't consider this album to be just a trip-hop release. The record takes its time to bend and shape certain elements of sound, helping it construct evocative aesthetics, and in doing so,

A massive new single release from Eckotrigger comes through with a damn near perfect blend of what I would consider to be post-punk, with classic new wave, taking elements of electronic music and creating vast undertones to build luxurious atmospheres that you end up falling right into. "Pleasure & Pain" has a massive sonic drive to it. It is definitely spacious and ambient, cinematic and robust, but they come through in these wonderful layers of textures that you end up swim

A recent release from Nordly puts together natural instrumentation with '90s pop tones to really build something that feels familiar but also pulls you into its dreamlike vibe at the same time. The track certainly is not without its top sensibilities, as it does feel like something that would be on the radio, anywhere from the 90s up until now. You can hear some of those acoustic rock Inspirations shining through, and there's a lot of rich flavor presented, and this is due to

A new release from David Laborier recently dropped, and this is a single that breaks down some boundaries in terms of creating inventive and genre-bending pieces of music by incorporating rock and jazz to build something that feels refreshing, colorful, and very vibrant, especially in terms of its energy. Although the guitar is a main point of focus throughout "Owl Skewl", a flurry of instrumentation comes through, bringing together beautiful tones to create something that's