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Chicago’s Sleeps While Walking made their kinetically affecting shoegaze debut with ‘One Trick Pony’

Posted on 14 July 2024

Sleeps While Walking, one of the most promising DIY alt/indie rock outfits to crawl from the underbelly of the Chicago scene has unleashed their kinetically affecting, obsession-worthy debut single, One Trick Pony.

Quite honestly, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Paul Banks has forged a new supergroup to sit alongside Muzz and Interpol for the way the achingly emotional vocal lines cut through the discordant atmosphere of shoegaze synthesised with the sludge of grunge.

As the rough rings of choppy acoustic guitar strings from the intro evolve into windingly hypnotic distorted guitars and start laying the foundation to build an insurmountable wall of sound that is constructed in the middle ground of Deftones and My Bloody Valentine, prepare for heart-in-throat immersion from the soundscape which is underpinned by forlorn grit and gyrating gravitas.

The deeply emotional inflections in the piano-decorated melodies are enough to render your heartstrings raw; with the vocals centrally placed in the chaos of the production pulsating further heartbreak into the debut, Sleeps While Walking became one of the strongest and the most original shoegaze outfits of 2024.

They cut straight through the static of indie landfill with intense precision and challenged my jaded-by-endless-assimilation view of the alt-indie scene. It may be cliché to declare they’re the real deal, but they’re unmistakenly authentic conduits of resonant revolution. Join them at the vanguard.

One Trick Pony was officially released on July 1; stream the single on Spotify and await the debut album which will drop on July 19.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Marc Ambrosia aurally embodied queer pride with his alt-pop anthem, You Can Tell Me

Posted on 12 July 2024

Pride month may be over, but the perpetual appeal in Marc Ambrosia’s queer pop anthem, You Can Tell Me, is infinite.

The luminously iridescent outpouring of euphoric emotion, inspired by a coming-out story which tore down a barrier in a friendship, explodes as a riotous affirmation that there are few things sweeter than tearing off a façade and tuning into the liberating freedom of living openly and proudly.

The tinged-country pop-rock hit is enveloped by the exhilarating joy that comes as a consequence of acceptance and self-expression while LGBTQ+ allies are celebrated for their profound ability to change worlds simply through understanding and accepting.

Whether the single acts as an inspiration to take that candid leap or you adopt Ambrosia as a confidant while you prepare to write your own coming-out story, there’s no denying that Ambrosia is well on his way to being crowned as a queer pop icon who will be impossible to usurp if the ecstasy in You Can Tell Me is a sign of what is to come.

With his fourth studio LP, Gay & Proud, due for release on August 30th, he’s a visionary you want on your sonic radar.

You Can Tell Me was officially released on July 5th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Salon is an icon of raw authenticity in his alt-rap hit, About Me, I’m Real

Posted on 10 July 2024

Salon’s latest single, About Me, I’m Real, is an unflinching testament to the power of raw, unfiltered self-expression in a world that often demands the opposite.

The heart-piercingly poignant single doesn’t just hit close to the bone, it’s enough to tear your soul in two through the choked-with-emotion vibrato in the vocals, the strident reflections of a frenetic soul through hyper-pop hooks, and the intimately intricate guitar layers which conjure elements of Midwest emo into this alt-rap hit, which serves as a visceral statement of intent from an artist determined true to himself, regardless of whether facades would serve him better.

Each lyric hammers intense emotion into your psyche, guiding you through a bittersweet lament of how authenticity can be your downfall. This track leaves no listener unscathed; its confessional nature, while pensive, invites you to embrace your own idiosyncrasies and reject incessant pressure to conform.

Since 2018, Salon has used music as therapy, transposing feelings into something tangible in the same vein as the late Chester Bennington, who left a sonic void of catharsis behind. Bennington is a big artist to live up to, but Salon, with his ability to turn vulnerability into salvation is succeeding on a profound level.

About Me, I’m Real was officially released on July 5th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Every Glazer echoed the agony of retrospective reflection in his alt-rock shot through the heart,  Betty Johnson’s House

Posted on 10 July 2024

The Every Glazer carved a melodic indie rock edge into his emotionally guttural arsenal of grungy evocations with the release of his latest single, Betty Johnson’s House.

The solo artist’s ability to convey aching emotion through his passionate cadences and affecting delivery projects intense resonance into his vignettes of a mind tormented by the trappings of material reality and Betty Johnson’s House may be his most visceral release to date.

By infusing layers of 90s and 00s nostalgia in this heart-wrenching sepia-tinged reflection of formative memories forged in the confines of a small town, Betty Johnson’s House will walk you down the memories of your own youth; whether you like it or not. As no one gets out of childhood or adolescence unscathed, the instrumentally consoling, vocally piercing single is set to pierce hearts by the smorgasbord.

With one of the most pensively ornate guitar solos that you’ll ever hear, Betty Johnson’s House is a tender triumph which visualises the inescapably bitter-sweet nature of retrospective reflection.

Betty Johnson’s House was officially released on July 1st; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rampage Wood scorched the airwaves with luxe hip-hop hit, All Summer

Posted on 9 July 2024

Rampage Wood didn’t come to play in his latest single, All Summer, he came to conquer. Since his 2018 debut, the Arkansas underground has failed to conceal his luminary sound which has amassed a loyal international audience.

All Summer glows with the aesthetics of 00s East Coast hip-hop to belie his Southern roots which pulled through stronger in his earlier material, influenced by the likes of Lil Wayne. With gospel-esque cinematic transcendence enveloping the beats, the hit is sublime on the senses and pushes a unique dynamic behind Wood’s provoking lyricism.

As one of the most cerebral rappers in the game, his flows are finessed with witty intellect; his ability to catch you off-guard with the lyrical gold in every bar is unmatched. With flawless metric precision and swathes of charisma to energise his delivery, you can’t help but get hyped by All Summer, which carries the luxe appeal of Jay-Z’s hits while blazing through the heat in Rampage Wood’s authenticity.

All Summer was officially released on June 3rd, it is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Isiah & The New People led a rhythmic indie-folk-rock revolution with their debut EP, Boxes

Posted on 8 July 2024

Rooted in roots rock tradition and daring in execution, the debut EP from Isiah & The New People proves that no sonic flavour can rival pure, raw creativity. With an unadulterated emotion as the kindling which ignites through the friction of rhythmic volition, the fourpiece tore down the barricades of the soul, one visceral lick at a time with their four-track EP, Boxes.

The Little Chute, Wisconsin collective of veteran artists amalgamated a genre-fluid compendium of songs that dig deep into the trenches of the human psyche while awakening the senses of anyone who stumbles on this encapsulation of sonic liberation, which was released on the symbolic day of July 4.

The opening track, 1000 Tears, smokes out rich organic indie folk-rock textures with the sax lines while bridging the poetic expressiveness of Bob Dylan and the visceral intensity of Eddie Vedder. Isiah Driessen’s vocal versatility resounds as he navigates effortlessly between the deep, soulful timbres of Johnny Cash and the piercing clarity of James Taylor’s emotive howls.

Cherry Tree, shifts gears towards a more intimate setting, weaving Paolo Nutini-esque vulnerability into the fabric of its melody with tender acoustic guitar plucks and heartfelt vocals.  The third offering, The Girl Downstairs, introduces a grittier, blues-infused sound that showcases the band’s ability to morph stylistically. The overdriven guitars and raw energy inject a robust dynamism into the EP, demonstrating their chameleonic adaptability and broad musical palette.

The EP concludes with Where’s Lake Waldo? a track that ventures into psychedelic territory with ennui-pained lyrics and expansively kaleidoscopic sonics. The tinged-with-existential-pondering is a fitting end to the EP’s narrative—questioning, exploring, and seeking.

With Boxes, Isiah & The New People articulated a philosophy of musical and personal exploration. It is the ultimate statement of artistic liberation which lays down a promising trajectory for the band which is sure to resonate with any music fans searching for an aural mode of genuine connectivity.

Isiah & The New People said:

“We put things in boxes; whether it’s people, ideas, or ourselves. However, every day we have the chance to be reborn, let things go, and take on new perspectives. I felt myself being put into a box. My pursuits in music have been about breaking out of it.”

Stream Boxes on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vice Club is a red-hot new flame in the alt-rock fire with their seminal single, Call It What You Want

Posted on 7 July 2024

From the underbelly of New York’s gritty music scene, the NYC icons of innovative immorality, Vice Club have unleashed ‘Call It What You Want’; a track that’s drenched in the raw, visceral energy of grunge, infused with the kinetic seduction of Deftones’ breakdowns, and tinged with the raw emotionality of Silverchair and Thrice.

Rather than play it safe with the vocal performance, Vice Club transgressed expectation with the chameleonic execution by experimenting with pseudo-trap cadences and pop hooks around the gruff deliverances of ennui, creating an alchemically dynamic track with swathes of cross-over appeal. The soaring, intuitively technical guitar solo assures that even rock traditionalists can take something from the evocatively heightened anthem.

Every motif and progression is a testament to Vice Club’s determination to become the architects of a brand-new alt-rock wave and ensure their sound goes untainted by anyone else’s touch. Their DIY philosophy extended from the writing into the recording and production; swathing every aspect in their unique soundprint that will undoubtedly leave an army of alt music fans kneeling at their hedonic altar.

Call It What You Want was officially released on May 31; stream the single on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Batka – Ałive: An Electronic Odyssey Between Serenity and Storm

Posted on 7 July 2024

BaŁka went down a cinematic storm in their latest release, Ałive, featuring PRESPHNE. The seductively progressive hit opens on a note of ethereal transcendence with the intricate instrumental layers efficaciously complementing the quiescent harmonic whispers, but it isn’t long before the intensity builds within the momentum of the tour de force of seamlessly chameleonic shifts in tone and tempo.

The head-spinning hits of Drum ‘n’ bass contort Ałive into a pulsative juggernaut of an anthem; the industrial rock aesthetics which follow act as further attestations to BaŁka’s ability to move sonic mountains with virtuosic melodic manipulations.

From the exponentially expansive crescendos to the transient installations of nature-infused cathartic tranquillity which follows like serenity after a storm purges the atmosphere, Ałive is definitive proof that few artists are as capable as BaŁka in depicting the duality between the brutality and ferocity of the human experience.

The inspiration for his powerful sound design is so much more than just an abstract concept. The thematic essence of his work hits you as hard as the beats, which goes a fair way in explaining how in six months within the industry, he’s already had an official release on MONTA Records, been signed by the LA-based music group, Cage Riot, and garnered over 30k streams.

Stream Ałive on all major platforms, including Spotify, now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shegogg & Mariah Jae blossomed in their serene odyssey of lush RnB, ‘Garden II’

Posted on 3 July 2024

Shegogg’s latest lush with serene soul single, ‘Flower II’, created in collaboration with Mariah Jae, is a revisitation of the 00s RnB era via an unchartered path paved with striking authenticity.

The track’s unique ability to rekindle the genre’s former glory is amplified through the vibrant infusion of contemporary RnB elements while Mariah Jae adds a profound dimension with her ethereal and diaphanously sweet vocals, creating hypnotic harmonies that drift above the solid, trap-infused beats.

At 33, Shegogg, originally from Little Rock, Arkansas and now based in Atlanta, Georgia, stands as a cultivated originator. His style—a skilful meld of RnB and Pop-Funk—brings to mind the smoothness of artists like Justin Timberlake and Usher, yet, rather than letting influence overshadow his sense-awakening sonic signature, he plays to his strengths by blending soulful rhythms and melodies with a warmth that resonates deeply, evoking feelings of comfort and connection.

Unlike his deadest on mimicking RnB icons contemporaries, Shegogg innovative spirit turns everything he touches to sonic gold, and Flower II was far from the exception. The release harnesses the power of metaphoric parables to encourage listeners to nurture their relationships as his and Mariah Jae’s synergy becomes undeniable. Their vocal interplay weaves through the hazy Latin guitar-flavoured backdrop and the intermittently dominant trap beats, efficaciously capturing the bliss of being locked in love.

Garden II was officially released on June 19th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Electro-House Goes Pop in Secret Wish’s EP Melody of the Music Man

Posted on 1 July 2024
Secret Wish

Secret Wish’s hotly anticipated EP, Melody of the Music Man, kicks off with the unfetteredly feel-good 7th Heaven Radio Edit before blasting into the 7th Heaven Club Mix, then progresses into the DJ Combo & Rayman Rave, Duumix, DIM3NSION, and Stelios remixes; offering nine different ways to experience the euphoric waves of electro house as they progressively crash on the shores of airwaves and dancefloors worldwide.

The opening iteration of Melody of the Music Man starts with a simple AVICII-esque piano melody before erupting into a disco-grooved EDM anthem for the ages, not just the summer; the appeal of an EDM anthem in this evocatively and melodically liberating vein could never come close to temporal.

The track reaches the epitome of sun-drenched rhapsodic bliss through layers of transcendentally augmented instrumental layers; the beats bring just as much enraptured ecstasy as the synths as they endlessly ascend throughout the progressive house mix that stands as a testament to the Belgian duo’s ability to craft infectious dance-pop anthems with global appeal.

Their music consistently tops charts across Europe and Asia, demonstrating their ability to transcend borders with crowd-pleasing anthems while injecting high-octane energy into productions hooked with a timelessly finessed pop sensibility. It’s safe to assume that Melody of the Music Man will be sitting scintillatingly pretty at the top of the charts before long.

Stream the Melody of the Music Man EP in full on all major platforms via this link from July 1st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast