“Theoretically You” is clearly the work of friends. Dan Schechter and Philip “Drum” Thompson have known each other for 20 years, and haven’t been alive much longer than that. Thanks to the delightful weirdness of their musical relationship, “Theoretically You” is, above all, unabashedly playful. Dan and Drum give themselves space to experiment and trust that the outcome will be worth hearing. The song is cleverly cobbled together from tiny pieces like dozens of mismatched Lego bricks. Individual drums sputter off to one side while numerous vocal tracks layered on top of each other arrive from all directions. Schechter, who takes on the duties of lead vocals, plays the parts of Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, with a soaring harmony in one ear, and a Top 40 auto-tuned pop star just seconds later. Like mad scientists — specifically the kind who use Ayatollah Khomeini as the basis of their rhyme scheme — it’s hard to tell if Dan and Drum meticulously planned out each element or if the fruits of their whimsy were pure dumb luck. It sure sounds like fun.

When Ciaran Lavery is accompanied by a string section and gentle harmonies, as he is in the original version of “Wicked Teeth,” the horrors he depicts are hidden beneath a layer of gorgeous production. But here, in a solo session backed by only the sparsest piano chords, it’s impossible to miss lines like, “I see you sharpening your claws / I can feel them in my sleep.” There is no less beauty in such a simple arrangement, rather the beauty is in his ability to confront his deepest fears alone, utterly exposed. “I could never stray from you,” he nearly whispers, addressing the powerlessness one might feel in an unhealthy relationship or at the hands of personal demons. As the song progresses, he finds his footing and becomes bolder in his piano playing. The questions of the first chorus — “Would you sink your wicked teeth? Would you lock your jaws down tight?” — sound almost like a challenge in the second. Sink your teeth in, lock your jaws down, even that can’t stop him.

John Isaac Watters, the vocalist of Rainstorm Brother, used to work as an architect. When listening to the careful arrangement of “Fire You Light,” the second track on the folk-rock duo’s new EP, Part One, it’s easy to understand why. His vocals are a little bit The National, a little bit Modest Mouse and a lot of vibrato, acting as the foundation around which all the other instrumental sounds are built. Classic elements of crooning folk merge seamlessly with experimental synths and percussion that evolves into something almost orchestral, leaving the listener with a song entirely in its own genre. The opening synth, which can best be described as a violin being played backwards, sets the tone for the unconventional mash-up of sounds, but with a traditional structure and a time signature fans of indie pop will be familiar with, “Fire You Light” will appeal to a wide-variety of listeners.

Brooklyn indie-pop artist Sedona aka Rachel Stewart releases her new single "Same Sky" today. Its sultry and jazzy elements compliment Sedona's standout voice that recalls 90s pop star greats. The song is Sedona's second released track following up last single "Call Me Up" which too showcases an eclectic artist that's bringing back everything we loved about the 90s. As a rising star in Brooklyn, it only makes sense that Sedona has a style of her own that matches the uniqueness of her sound. In "Same Sky" hear a twist on a romantic and lovelorn pop song that's tied together with spacey synths and enveloping background vocals. Sedona's debut EP Home Before Dawn arrives next summer and we're looking forward to more of her well-crafted jams. (Photo by Leona Johnson)

Brooklyn's Cape Francis is out with a new single titled "Nobody" off of his upcoming record. The song lives in a realm that is light yet pensive giving it a special kind of power. Kevin Henthorn talks about the background of the song telling us that "living in New York City can be incredibly overwhelming, especially coming from my home state of Maine. Living here, it feels like there's always someone else in a 30 foot radius of me at all times. Even if they're in a different apartment, through the walls, someone is always there. More and more I've been feeling the need to get out, which is why  "Nobody" is a song centered around escapism." The need to feel alone whether in your thoughts or physically is universal and speaks to who we are as human beings, needing both social interactions and solitude. In a genre that Henthorn labels as post-folk, Cape Francis finds themselves giving us the reflective nature of a folk song, with the modern and intricate sounds of the indie world. Be sure to check out our Buzzsession with Cape Francis that be on the look out for more music to come! 

The members of Vern Matz are self-proclaimed Radiohead fanatics, and the influence of Thom Yorke’s softer side is evident. “Systematically Gone” lets the listener revisit the sweet dreamlike state evoked in Radiohead’s “High and Dry,” but singer Danny Belgrad himself evokes the art rock heroes of a decade prior. R.E.M. sang, “Sometimes everything is wrong / Now it’s time to sing along,” and Belgrad channels Michael Stipe (quite convincingly) to describe a character singing away the toughest moments of their life, their “factory hours.” The subject’s stubbornness has left them “stuck on shore,” and vague questions like “Is it too much? / Will you ever stop?” convey an utter bewilderment with the decisions that they have made to take them so completely off course. With “systematic” echoes and jarring drum fills, the choruses, though still sweet, are frantic in a way that suggests the whole system itself is breaking down.

Loyal Lobos' debut EP releases today with soft-rock song "Burn" as its stand-out. It’s a song you can’t help to sway to and her youthful vocals drive the somber lyrics home. The LA native’s voice carries a relatable longing felt by her words and heard in her voice. The lines "You hold me just like my mother does, it hurts like hell / You broke, so watch me burn again" evoke a particular and familiar sadness. The simple percussion and guitar push her echo-y vocals to the forefront of the track with a slightly haunting aura as they intensify into the chorus — a feeling almost like finding something you thought you’d lost. Loyal Lobos' “Burn” is a sad song well-done. 

Miya Folick’s “Premonitions” is just the song for your next self-reflective midnight drive home. Folick strikes a delicate balance between contentment and yearning on this title track off her debut LP. Posing her deepest of existential questions to her listeners, the LA artist challenges herself and the audience to be more open with each other and themselves. Over an understated bass line and some lush synths, she sings, “If you ignore the darkness/then you miss the point of life.” “Premonitions” is a call for honest introspection and self-acceptance. Folick’s raw vocal delivery could be compared to a Strange Mercy-era Annie Clark, which is reason enough to dig into this track and others on her new record. The production is careful, intricate but accessible, just like indie pop records from Mitski and Japanese Breakfast. Folick’s record is fresh, fearless and ready to soundtrack your end of fall self-reflection. Give it a try!

Dutch-Ghanaian singer-songwriter Nana Adjoa recently released new EP A Tale so Familiar, a gorgeous collection of songs, with "Simmer Down" being the closing track. As an electric guitar and a piano usher in a calming and almost lullaby-like tone the themes of stories and nostalgia flood the song. The first verse gives us the setting of a comfortable house where records are spinning while the inhabitants eat "sweet bread" and drink "ageless wine." Adjoa refers to it all as "A tale so familiar," giving us the notion that something that once good and comfortable has now ceased to exist. There is a sadness to the song that is undeniable but it's coupled with a feeling of idllyic peace, as if living in past memories somehow makes them alive again. With her enwrapping voice and well-crafted lyrics, Nana Adjoa is the exactly kind of artist that we love to shine light on. Take a listen to "Simmer Down" to see for yourself.

"Out On A Trip" is the latest single by Chicago rock & roll band, The Evening Attraction. This tune was recorded straight to analog and produced by Twin Peaks', Colin Croom. As a listener you feel the pulse and the progression of the well-crafted lyrics. "Awake in a dream / But the night's not ending / You think you're asleep / But your eyes wide open / You know who you are / But now you're forgetting." Each verse paints an abstract picture, an out of body experience. But the chorus is repetitious and clever in a way that brings you back realizing it was just a trip, and it's all in your head. The Evening Attraction is creating music lyrically that is contemporary enough to stand amongst its peers but melodically respectful of the classics. The Farfisa Organ is reminiscent of the late 60s with vocal harmonies to match. These boys are the ones to watch. Stay tuned for more new music coming in early 2019.

With every corner of its soundscape filled to the brim with dreampop’s characteristic delay effects, it’s tough to make out every word of every line of Tallies’ new single, “Beat the Heart.” But that’s not really the point. Singer Sarah Cogan’s voice proudly shows the influence of The Smiths on the whole band, echoing Morrissey’s emotive depth and long syllables. The band describes this song as a rallying cry against “the lack of empathy that exists so strongly today” and hides that message in an airy earworm, hoping that it will carry listeners through difficult elections cycles and long nights post-Daylight Savings Time. Tallies announced their arrival into the world with their first single “Mother,” another entry from their new album due in January, more surf-pop than shoegaze in both sound and imagery, Tallies show that they are able to blend and contort their many influences into modern sounds.