Erik Rabasca has a guitar and a few things he would like to get off his chest. Quite a few, actually. “Oh Domination!” starts with money and manufactured hatred, works through war and displacement, and finishes by wishing a thoroughly unpleasant afterlife on the people responsible. Nobody is getting a thank-you in the liner notes. The song itself is simple: acoustic guitar, voice and a chorus that keeps coming back to the same unhappy conclusion. Rabasca recorded the lead voc

A new single release from Streetcar Conductors recently dropped, and this is a song that definitely embodies this sort of cinematic pop-rock style, but with elements of progressive rock in its undertone and an overall massive amount of pop sensibility, giving us heavy-handed hooks, especially at that chorus. The chorus of this track bounces around in your brain for hours or even days after it has ended. This is an example of a track that has a message to send; it has a great

Recent release from Neil Rolnick represents a bit of a collection of works that the producer has put together, many of which revolve around sampling different songs and spoken word, and layering, tweaking, and sculpting the shape of them as they come through, giving the pieces a completely different atmosphere and life altogether. This was such a surprising and cool approach to creating something that is unbelievably inventive and engaging, and in such a way that you wouldn't

I'll admit I'm not always a big fan of live albums. I do like some of them, but usually it's a group I already know and admire. Having said that, when I came across the live record from Schanzer/Speach Duo, I was overtaken with a flood of mood and ambiance that gave me goosebumps. The duo dropped a collection of live performances, many of which include special guests, that capture something incredibly special. The album title is called Live in Brooklyn 1992-2002, and that alo

Somewhere in rock history, between the millionth breakup song and another bloke complaining about Hollywood, somebody needed to write one about the pissed-off dog downstairs. Aaron Dilorenzo obliged. “Down The Steps” comes from his connection with Lacey, an old bandmate’s Rottweiler who stayed kenneled below their practice space when visitors came around. He found something familiar in her isolation. There’s your song: a guy talking to a dog because they’ve apparently got som

A brand-new EP release from Steve's 9th Incarnation has a tendency to hit with some theatrical undertone and orchestrated backbone, as the whole thing has a sort of natural flow to it all, combining elements of Baroque pop, contemporary music, hints of jazz, and singer-songwriter, all rolled into this three-track record that feels like it's bursting with character. The EP is called PERSPLEXTIVES, and the songs serve as a wild testament to songwriter and multi-instrumentalist

For Nashville-based singer-songwriter and producer Arily Michele, the natural world provides more than a source of inspiration. Originally from Colorado, Michele frequently incorporates the state's geography, history, and folklore into her music, combining dream-pop and neo-psychedelia with an interest in gothic storytelling. A classically trained coloratura soprano who also works as a poet, she has developed an approach that connects personal experiences with broader social

If you are looking for something a little different but really sort of immersive and colorful, with hints of theatrics and a blending of genre approaches and styles, then I have just the thing for you. A release from renowned cellist Tina Guo and The String Revolution, an outstanding guitar trio, brings together some familiar phrases and melodies some of us might know. Especially fans of a little game called Plants vs. Zombies, which is most certainly popular and hit its heig

There is something powerful about looking back at who you were ten years ago and comparing that person to who you are today. Life takes us in unexpected directions, introducing new experiences, different surroundings, and perspectives that change the way we see ourselves. On his new single, “10 Years Ago,” Joshua McCooey explores that journey through reflective songwriting and a warm, melodic sound that feels both personal and relatable. The song looks at the passage of time,

If you are looking for something that blends cinematic vastness with an edgy overtone, bending genres from hip-hop to dubstep, electronic to experimental, then I have just the EP for you. Spain-based producer deadclou just dropped a killer record that wraps you in textural soundscapes that take you on quite a unique musical journey, meshing together elements of light and dark, alternative and dream, and taking some of the best elements from a multitude of electronic genres an

There is something refreshing about discovering an artist who approaches songwriting as a way to work through life's complicated moments, taking feelings that can sometimes be difficult to explain and turning them into something melodic, thoughtful, and relatable. Tyler Allred brings that kind of personal approach to his music, combining an indie sensibility with an appreciation for honest songwriting and the emotional details that make everyday experiences worth writing abou

A beautiful new single from Anna May delivers a very heavy-handed honesty, portrayed with incredibly descriptive lyrics that paint a picture of a situation, and I feel like it's something that feels like it's out of a scene from a movie. The way she gets into detail about feeling lost after being rejected by someone is really amazing, simply because she makes it so straightforward. Her lyrics are semi-lighthearted, simply because she can be so blunt. This is something I reall

The Rat Utopia Experiment are a Washington-based, female-fronted five-piece rock band known for their theatrical performances, striking visual presentation, intense guitar riffs, and emotionally charged lyrics. Their sound incorporates influences from 1960s music, riot grrrl, noise rock, and trip-hop. The band features Phia Lane on vocals, Francis Green on bass, Maddox Mullins on lead guitar, Drix Drixolle on rhythm guitar, and Christian Montemayor on drums. The group signed

Sometimes you get a record that brings together musicians who are so seasoned and such masters of their craft that the release itself brings together a fusion of energy, technical ability, heart, and melody. This is exactly the case when it comes to the new release from Usein Bekirov, an outstanding pianist and composer who put a new album out recently and, in doing so, brought together some incredible performers and players so that the whole thing just comes through with suc

Photo Credit: Katie Oscar Their new single captures the fragile tautness of falling in love when it’s tested by distance and uncertainty NEW ORLEANS, LA - Mira Lazuli releases “Tuesday,” a playfully tender but cinematic folk song stretched out in the space between missing someone and trusting that they’ll come back. Inspired by new love and the uncertainties of a long-distance relationship, the song explores how it feels to care deeply for someone while still learning how to

Colin Moore gave the first version of “Beneath the Lights” a C+. His own song. That’s a useful detail in a business where every new single apparently has to be someone’s finest hour. The MegaDestroyer guitarist and vocalist believed in the writing. The recording hadn’t caught up. Then producer Adam James heard the Omaha band’s earlier single “Parachutes” on Spotify and reached out. Their collaboration took “Beneath the Lights” into electronic pop territory, with Ted Jensen ma

Alan Garmonsway has a new record out, and this set of songs really manages to deliver a soiree of warm tones backed by elements of rock, folk, contemporary, jazz, and more, all packed into this really sort of expansive and immersive album. I think this is one of those opuses that an artist gives once every decade. I feel like it's a record that gives you pieces of who Alan is as a person, as he tells stories with a wonderful sort of elegance, but also gives you those moments

The New Mourning is an Austrian indie rock band formed around musician Thomas Pronai, who started the project in 2018 after touring Germany with Pete Astor. That experience helped inspire him to put together a band focused on the kind of direct, guitar-driven rock that feels just as natural in a live setting as it does on record. Since then, the group has developed its own identity, balancing rough-edged rock sounds with melodic songwriting and an understated, atmospheric app

Following the breakup of New York City rock trio Upstate Escape, guitarist and vocalist John Norwood started Blanker as a solo project without any particular expectations about where the music would go. What began as a way to continue writing and recording independently has since developed into a more collaborative effort, with former Upstate Escape drummer Bryan Schwenk becoming a regular contributor. Blanker has released eight albums since 2017, the latest being The Picture

An album release from Layla Minoui showcases the composer's ability to really build out emotionally bound atmospheres, pushing gorgeous piano work with dynamic balance to deliver the mood and feeling behind each piece. Layla is really amazing at creating something that you almost automatically connect with. I feel like the Journey to Rebirth album speaks volumes for her, simply because she's able to take all these emotions and put them forward with these songs. The performanc

A fresh release from INDVGO delivers a bit of an edge in terms of its overtone, but it also boasts a lot of character which I think is one of the things you end up really liking the most. The production of this track has an alternative feel to it. It's got a heavy, deep rooted beat that hits pretty hard, but there's also all kinds of synthesizers that are decimated and distorted, giving it that more impactful and grittier feel. This is definitely a track that has spacious und

An addictive and animated new record from Casey Abrams manages to refresh classic jazz approaches with this almost outlandishly fun style that brings together classic composition with a colorful and very vivacious energy. The #Jazz album combines styles both old and new and features some brilliant takes on the genre, but what really reaches out and grabs you about this whole thing is really the character it involves. Casey seems to really let loose, and in doing so, that pers

An immersive new EP release from SUNTRAP brings out a pretty awesome blend of what I would consider to be classic, vintage, '80s-style new wave and pop, with post-punk, electro, and more. One of the things that really drives this record is the synth work. The synthesizers and keys are really robust and deliver all kinds of instrumental hooks and melodies, which is something I really enjoy because I feel like instrumental hooks are something that have been missing from all kin

Split Vision return with their new release, “Out of Nowhere,” a classic-feeling song that brings back the sound of vintage synthesizers while giving those familiar sounds a fresh new spin. The synthesizers give the song a strong retro feel, but the track still feels modern and original. We get a nice sense of nostalgia here without the song feeling stuck in the past. The song has a thick and full sound, with plenty of layers that help build its overall atmosphere. There is a

Packing take a much more personal approach with their 2025 single “Just as Bros,” a five-minute track that feels like a reflection on friendship, growing apart, and the complicated emotions that can come with losing someone who was once a huge part of your life. There is something very honest about the way “Just as Bros” approaches its subject. Rather than simply looking back at a friendship with nostalgia, the song deals with the harder parts of that relationship too. There

A heavy-hitting new EP release from Terry Ennison delivers a super impactful energy that becomes quickly infectious and doesn't let up throughout the entire record. This is a release that is relentless, and from the production to the rap flows, the entire thing has a sort of intense soundscape to it, but that's what lets it stick with you. A lot of these songs are explosive. The production and beats have orchestral and edginess to them, and the vocals can be just as edgy when

If you are on the lookout for something that sort of breaks down boundaries in electronic music and gives you a lot to chew on, then I have just the release for you. The new drop from Typecell is an absolutely rambunctious EP that hits hard in all the right places, gives you elements of vast and spacious underbellies, while hitting you with ferocious synth work that feels as sonically driving as it does melodic. There's something almost invasive about this release. It does ha