“Flew Away” is the third of five stunning lo-fi tracks on the debut EP from fanclubwallet, Hurt is Boring. Ottawa-based musician and illustrator Hannah Judge looks back from a place of acceptance on the demise of a relationship, exploring themes of misunderstanding and miscommunication, what-ifs and so-whats, and how our own emotions can take us by surprise. She sings, “I didn’t know that it would make me feel this way seein’ your face online every day,” which is a testament both to the virtual spaces we have largely existed in for the past year and to the challenge of creating distance from our hurt when it always seems to be one tap or scroll away.  

Judge’s description of her style as “writing emo shit that doesn’t sound emo” is spot-on. Her vocal style is relatively understated, but her words pack a punch, and both complement the lo-fi instrumentals to give her music an undeniably nostalgic yet poignant bedroom pop sound. The mood is relaxed, but the sound is tight, guitar and bass riffs keeping time with a drumbeat during verses that punch between choruses and bridges backed by the youthful and energetic plinking of a toy piano—a favorite instrument of Judge’s that can be heard peeking out from behind layers of sound throughout the EP. A joyfully chattering crowd can also be heard at times in the background of “Flew Away,” adding a house-party vibe to the track—a nod, perhaps, to social lives past, and a sound we’ll hopefully all be hearing more of sooner rather than later.   

Written from her childhood bedroom during the pandemic, which coincided with a Crohn’s disease flareup for Judge (the line “I went to bed and didn’t get out for 10 months” is meant literally in her latest single, “C’mon Be Cool”), the EP is “about taking the good with the bad,” Judge has said. “You can’t really appreciate one without the other.” Not only was the EP written in Judge’s childhood bedroom, but it was also produced by her childhood best friend, producer Michael Watson. The pandemic has allowed many of us to reach back and connect (and/or reckon) with our past selves and past lives and take the good with the bad in what we find there. Judge likes to leave her lyrics up for interpretation, specific enough to allude to a situation, but vague enough to leave room for the listener to find their own meaning within the words. In keeping with this practice, “Flew Away” is sure to offer a little something for everyone. Photo by Ian Filipovic.

Okey Dokey is back at it with their newest release “Winnebago.” Once again they’ve put together a vintage vibe using funky instrumentals reminiscent of folk mixed in with refreshing drops of psychedelia. A collaboration with Liz Cooper & The Stampede, a band that was also featured on their previous album, “Winnebago” is the pure embodiment of a summer love jam. Liz’s dreamy folk vocals coupled with Okey Dokey's shimmering guitar and heart-racing production is a match made in heaven that could go on forever and never get old. The song itself goes through phases of intimacy, building in tempo, going through lulls, and picking back up again. “Love like this is like a lazy river right unto the other side,” vocalist Aaron Martin sings as the song itself dazes its way over to pass off to Liz. This modernized folk duet is a quintessential taste of a sweet love grown old.

"Birmingham" is an explosion of artistic creativity by Blood Orange from his latest project, Angel's Pulse. Like so many masterfully produced tracks on this album, "Birmingham" is assisted by Ian Isaiah and the vocals and writing power of Kelsey Lu. Olympic-level vocals take this solemn gospel-inspired interlude to the next level as each artist lends their own unique take on a beautiful, short, and poetic tale of tragic loss.

Julia Jacklin’s cover of “Someday” by The Strokes is a stripped-down, sultry take on the garage rock-revival energy of the original. A dreamy rock ballad for lonely, wandering nights, the arrangement is slowed down but kept in its traditional 6/8 tempo, so it moves at a gentle, swaying pace that maintains its momentum. Jacklin’s emotional sound, which exists at the intersection of indie-pop and alt-country, lends itself nicely to the moody, angst-ridden pulse at the heart of the original arrangement. Her performance is mellow but just as raw and sonically immersive—not to mention it was recorded live, which pays homage to garage rock in its own right. Most captivating of all is Jacklin’s control over the vocal melody, which feels and sounds like it was written for her. Silky, crooning, and evocative, her voice commands the arrangement and your attention. Jacklin’s cover of “Someday” is a quiet and captivating force that holds its own against the original.

"Away from you" is a dance-pop deviation from slenderbodies' usual psychedelic jazz style without losing their trademark sound. This track reminisces upon unresolved feelings from an ended relationship with lyrics that make it evident that slenderbodies have broken into a fresh space as songwriters. "It's a lonely world, yeah, I'm on my own / The memories they sell you / You told me that you felt it, it's over here / I don't let it go now"—words drawn from personal relationships of all kinds have become the focus of the band's latest work enhanced by their already stellar musicality.

Smooth R&B meets plucky indie-soul on “Too Much to Ask,” a laid-back new groove from LA-based trio Moonchild. With its thoughtful lyricism and delicate, sharp production, the track marks the beginning of a new era for the group, as it’s the first single from their upcoming album, Little Ghost. Crisp and clear, the arrangement, reminiscent of Noname, exemplifies a fun and seamless blending of sounds. Clicking and snapping work together with a drum pad to create a tight percussive beat that feels close-knit, like you’re right there in the room while it’s being recorded. Nice, 90s-inspired electro keys, bursting synths and a faint guitar round out the instrumentation, invoking a sound that’s part soul, part jazz, and entirely immersive. Similarly, lead singer Amber Navran’s vocals are like smokey honey; sung barely above a whisper, her lyrics about unreciprocated love seep into you like a love spell. “Is it too much to ask for you to love me like that? / Is it too much to ask?” Hopeful and mature, “Too Much to Ask” is easy listening for the digital age that sways to a perfect summer beat. Little Ghost, which Moonchild calls their “most thoughtfully crafted and complete work to date,” is set to release on September 6.

“Dance Through It” is a lyrically cinematic story of a woman with unfaltering intrigue carried by a palpably fresh sound. This track breaks the typical style boundaries of Twin Peaks’ music with a full take on funk. The Chicago-based indie-rock five-piece gains even more flavor for their repertoire of tastefully crafted, age-old music for the modern world. With lyrics reminiscent of a dancing Uma Thurman, this masterpiece is riddled with soulful keys, sprinklings of brass, and naturally, looming trouble.

With her upcoming album Anak Ko ("my child” in Tagalog), LA-based Melina Duterte, better known by the moniker Jay Som, has reinforced her title of queen of bedroom pop. "Tenderness," one of two singles currently released from Anak Ko, is a lo-fi dream. Like her first album, Everybody Works, the song maintains a shoegaze sound with hushed vocals, breezy keyboard parts, and light jazzy guitar riffs. "Tenderness" ruminates on meeting someone and wondering if something more will become of it—“Tell me / Did you fall in at first glance? / Do you think you’ll take a chance?” The chorus perfectly encapsulates that rush of hope, fear, and vulnerability you feel when you meet someone new. Duterte croons, “I’m feeling like we’ve just begun / Nothing’s ever good enough / Tenderness is all I’ve got.” Just like the repetitive thoughts of someone overthinking a new relationship, the chorus repeats several times until the end of the track. Get your fill of “Tenderness” to hold you over until the full album is released on August 23.

(Sandy) Alex G reflects on lives lost to the opioid crisis in his newest single "Hope." The sped-up acoustic track covers a lot of ground in just two and a half minutes. His straightforward lyrics already highlight the message by the end of the first verse as he sings, “He was a good friend of mine / He died, why write about it now?” Though the song tells the story of just one life lost, it finds universality through specificity as he discusses waiting by the bedside and hoping for the best while preparing for the worst. There is an undercurrent of anger and sadness displayed through the lyrics, but the instrumentation and production add a sense of optimism. Recognizably a (Sandy) Alex G track from the start, it's wobbly and idiosyncratic—leaning heavily into his signature sound while still allowing for growth. It is the second single from his upcoming album House of Sugar.