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Blvck Hippie - Bunkbed
Blvck Hippie - Bunkbed

Blvck Hippie - Bunkbed


“Bunkbed," the recent track by self-described, “sad boy indie rock band from Memphis, Tennessee,” Blvck Hippie showcases the powerful combination of bold lead guitar and impassioned vocals. Front person Josh Shaw opens the song by ripping a guitar lick, which weaves together seamlessly with the bass. Shaw’s lead line is an ever-present force throughout the song, matching the emotive energy of the vocal and adding depth. Shaw’s mastery of expression through his instrument is on full display at the end of the bridge, where he repeats the phrase, “god I hate being alone.” The solo that he plays underneath those lines perfectly matches the sentiment and magnifies the emotional potency for that cathartic section of the song.

In addition to his guitar chops, Shaw shows off his impressive lyrically skill, machinating on dualities and dichotomies for much of the song. In the second verse, Shaw poignantly juxtaposes vodka and perfume—indicators of adulthood—with a twin-sized bed and a teddy bear—representations of the innocence of childhood. During the coda he shines a spotlight on the two-sided nature of any relationship or breakup, asking, “are you better off than I was?” Even the title refers to an object with an inherent paradox; a bunkbed provides connection and isolation simultaneously.    

“Bunkbed” is the first release of several singles recorded in one 10 hour session at Sun Studio in Memphis.

Emerson Obus on August 17, 2020
Asi Kemera - Oh, Honey

Asi Kemera - Oh, Honey


I find that, ultimately, I am happiest when I yank myself out of my thoughts long enough to peer out of my apartment's living room window. This time, it's like playing the childhood guessing game I spy as Asi Kemera's "Oh, Honey" crackles and pops over the sound of the embers burning the logs inside of the rustic fireplace. I spy happy people holding hands. She spies the sunset. I spy a snowstorm. Mid-sway, my green tea starts to sing to me. Suddenly, I am no longer in my apartment. I shuffle off my mortal coil. I'm in the song's stems. It feels better here. Asi's song is a truth that waits for me like a patient angel. It tans under the light of my youth, fans off with the chill of my days. When I open my eyes again, I reclaim my person. I don't remember living in the stems. I sway to the song until I grow tired. I sit. The fire dwindles. The snowstorm's eye winks down at me from the atmosphere. I don't touch the dial, so why the song sounds louder now escapes me.

Mustafa Abubaker on June 18, 2020
Post-Modern Connection - Drowning

Post-Modern Connection - Drowning


Genre-defying indie quintet Post-Modern Connection truly has their own thing going. On “Drowning,” the Kelowna, BC-based band covers as much ground as their diverse international origins, which include Nigeria, Lebanon, Taiwan, and Canada. One thing that jumps out is that the band works exquisitely well together; like any effective coalition, everyone brings their own superpowers to the table, but crucially, no one member is the star. Lead singer Tega Ovie and bassist Steven Lin provide the doo-wop core of the track; meanwhile, Georges Nasrallah bounces between dream-pop and psychedelia in his guitar parts, Cam Wilks has a jazzy lilt to his drumming, and violinist Mitch Howanyk adds a hint of folk-rock. Perhaps the real accomplishment is that you don’t notice on first listen how many genres the group is pulling from. “Drowning” comes across as a strikingly cohesive, easy, and relaxing listen from a band with a clear, unique vision.

Karl Snyder on June 18, 2020
M A N E - || Catamaran ||

M A N E - || Catamaran ||


Portland-based band M A N E's first single “|| Catamaran ||" is a dazzling, easy-listen. Its bedroom pop and soft sound is soothing to the ears, making you instantly feel at ease—mentally transporting you to the sea where you sail calming waters on a catamaran. The lyrics create a lovely juxtaposition, where expression of anxiety and inner battle exists. At a time when many are experiencing pain and unease, this track is there to make us feel a little less alone with our feelings. “When there’s a war in your chest, anxious and vexed, it’s all such a mess.” M A N E, who perfectly embodies HOMESHAKE and King Krule, successfully builds a sound of honesty when the world needs it most.

Bailee Penski on June 18, 2020
Tipling Rock - Karma

Tipling Rock - Karma


Usher in summer with Tipling Rock’s newest single “Karma.” The Boston trio makes music meant for beach trips and carefree summer days. It’s upbeat and hazily optimistic with a sound that exists somewhere between the grit of The Growlers and the softness of No Vacation. They mourn the loss of love while celebrating the possibilities that come with it—singing, “yeah I’m stepping out / but I wish I had your shoulder / yeah I’m lonely now / but I’m wiser and I’m older.” They comment on the cyclical nature of karma and loss over breezy melodies and subtle rhythms. It’s the perfect addition to any summer playlist meant for dreaming of a time when we can romp around in the sun with our friends. The self-proclaimed beach pop band knows where their strengths lie and continue to put out songs that perfectly match their moniker. “Karma” is bittersweet in its undertone of sadness masked by hazy guitars and bright vocals.

Corey Bates on June 18, 2020
SOPHIETHEHOMIE - fall

SOPHIETHEHOMIE - fall


Cabin Fever, the aptly titled 2020 EP from SOPHIETHEHOMIE, condenses a narrative arc into just three songs: “fall,” “rise,” and “end.” “fall” is the first of these glimmering R&B gems, featuring vocals that float on a sparse arrangement, buoyed by a funky and addictive bassline. Butter-smooth keys hold down the easygoing track and seem to melt in the heat, marking it as the perfect addition to any summer playlist. In the chorus, SOPHIETHEHOMIE explores feelings of uncertainty in a relationship, singing, “Why you always have to put a weight on me? Always feel like you just put the blame on me.” Her voice contains an undeniable sweetness, but it has a biting clarity as well; she speaks her mind with the unabashed self-assuredness of someone who knows that she deserves better. She also knows that your own advice is sometimes the hardest to follow, so in a brilliant move, she calls in a friend (or possibly her pitch-shifted subconscious?) to offer some words of encouragement and remind her that “You don’t need nobody.” It doesn’t matter who she’s trying to convince—you can’t help but believe her. On her debut EP, SOPHIETHEHOMIE arrives with a clear and impressive vision, and I can’t wait to see what’s still to come.

Siena Ballotta Garman on June 17, 2020
HAWA - IPHONE

HAWA - IPHONE


HAWA’s dreamy track “IPHONE” opens with a nuanced piano line and simple guitar accompaniment—it sounds soothing, smooth, and calm. But when you pay attention to the lyrics, they tell another story.  “I just wanna love someone / I don’t wanna fight no more / You say you sick of all the lies / I don’t know why I keep lying,” she sings earnestly. At its most emotional points, “IPHONE” is a song about the push and pull of relationships, and both craving and fearing intimacy. The person she longs to be intimate with, however, does not seem to fully reciprocate her feelings. 

“I just wanna know if you’ll be all mine / I can take it slow, I don’t really mind” HAWA pleads to her lover, which sends the message that she would do anything for their approval. As she receives a phone call at the end of the song, it’s not hard to imagine that it is her lover on the other line, ready to fight. “Fuck,” HAWA mutters as her phone starts to ring. Instead of the actual phone call, we hear these lines repeated like a chant: “Leave me alone / Leave me alone, babe / Leave me alone” and “Is it alright? Is it alright? / You know I want peace and safety in my home.” It seems that no matter what she says or does, the person she’s in love with will never be satisfied. Listen to “IPHONE” wherever you stream.

Paige Shannon on June 17, 2020
Carmen Canedo - How Can I Know You

Carmen Canedo - How Can I Know You


When your admiration for someone is strong enough, there are moments when you can’t help but step back in awe that you actually know them. Nashville’s Carmen Canedo explores that feeling with an acoustic guitar and a folksy chorus of angels on “How Can I Know You.” Like the musical setup, the lyrical scenes are powerful in their tender simplicity. With the right company, everyday activities like watching the clouds or sipping hot tea become vessels of tender significance. Your perception of temperature can even shift; suddenly, sitting on the icy ground is a small price to pay to be with this special person. In fact, as Canedo says in the chorus, you may even “welcome the chill.” What strikes me is that this is not exclusively a description of romantic love. Although you could feel this way about a partner, you could also feel it about your mother, or your friend, or your baby nephew. It’s a special strand of love found only in genuine camaraderie, and the feeling of incredulity that comes with it is totally understandable. We are taught from a young age that magic isn’t supposed to exist.

Karl Snyder on June 17, 2020
Finn Andrews - Wide Winged Bird

Finn Andrews - Wide Winged Bird


"Calling all fans of Ben Folds and Nick Cave! Finn Andrews' “Wide Winged Bird” will satisfy all of your soulful, folky, British dreams. The production on this one is just so, so lush; harmonies that somehow sound soft and sparse at the same time, strings that you can feel the bow dragging ever-so-lightly over, bass that thumps faintly, keeping the subtle swing of the song...I wish I’d been in the room when this was recorded. Each lyric feels like a watercolor; “When you kissed my lips, they were cold like mine.” Expertly balancing an aesthetic equally at home in Sons of Anarchy or in a heart-string tugging movie like About Time, “Wide Winged Bird” will make you FEEL. “At the end of the day, across a moonless sky, comes a wide-winged bird, sent to close my eyes.” Oof! Well done, Finn Andrews. While you're at it, check out the whole new EP and his previous album, One Piece at a Time—standout songs include "Love, What Can I Do?", "One by the Venom", and "Al Pacino / Rise and Fall."

Stephanie Lamond on June 17, 2020
Tasha - But There’s Still the Moon

Tasha - But There’s Still the Moon


On “But There’s Still the Moon,” Chicago singer-songwriter Tasha clings to that which is stable and consistent within a world where not much is anymore. As her first single since 2018, the track reveals a Tasha with her guard down, looking forward and looking up. Through warm synths and laid back guitar she confesses “The truth is all these rhymes / Barely hold me together / But I still try / To bare it through the bad weather / Winter’s harsh sting / So unforgiving.” Yet, even throughout the turmoil surrounding her, Tasha finds hope from up above. As almost an exhale full of relief, she reminds herself of that which she can always count on, “But there’s still the moon / And I still really love the color blue.” The artist's sense of hope comes to a culmination within a towering chorus—one so sweet and vulnerable that you can’t help but feel the optimistic glow radiating from each word as she commits to bettering her future self under the watchful eye of the man on the moon.

Jonah Minnihan on June 16, 2020
Kim Tillman - Not Much

Kim Tillman - Not Much


"Not Much" is a compelling, semi-abstract art piece. The track opens with a flirtatious walking bassline followed closely by jazzy chords that hook your interest right away. Next, you are introduced to Kim Tillman’s spellbinding voice. The first (and only) verse provides the closest thing to concrete imagery the song possesses—a hazy half-remembered conversation left unfinished. The lyrics start to swirl around themselves as Tillman's voice dances through your ears in dizzying vocal layers. It’s as though you are tumbling through space yet never quite hit the ground. You end up suspended in a realization; it’s a thought caught somewhere between disturbing and liberating. Willing and able are two entirely different things, aren’t they?

Allison Hill on June 16, 2020

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