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Lauren Ruth Ward - Water Sign
Lauren Ruth Ward - Water Sign

Lauren Ruth Ward - Water Sign


"Who the fuck is Lauren Ruth Ward?” reads the descriptive text teasing the 31-year-old American singer and guitarist’s website. Ward is a firecracker, a Scorpio, a water sign. What do Maggie Rogers, Father John Misty, and Lauren Ruth Ward have in common? Their voices read like anachronisms, under-processed, floral, not limited to modernity or copying what came before. They make music that’s difficult to place but electric to absorb. What’s more, all three artists hail from Maryland, a state that isn’t classically associated with rock music, and one that also happens to be where I grew up. On the Mason-Dixon line, this is a place where country music is charred with a rock sensibility, or in the case of Ward, rock is infused with a smokey folk flavor. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Ward, who rocks Angel Olsen bangs and tie-dye hair, worked as a hairdresser in her native town of Baltimore. “Water Sign” is a song that you feel throughout your whole body. “I'm living in my personal hell / I don't need your ammunition / Everybody say ‘Oh, I can tell’ / Can only see my own vision,” drawing out the last syllables into a growl. Ward sings of emotional volatility: being vulnerable to the moods and actions of people trying to swerve into her left lane. Single lines speak volumes, with punctuated pauses and Ward’s sharp tongue (“I did it my sentence it was cruel but I finished it”). If you’re in New York, don’t miss Ward’s upcoming show at Rough Trade in April.

Corinne Osnos on March 12, 2020
Runnner - Heliotrope

Runnner - Heliotrope


Lose yourself in the upbeat emotional ballad that is “Heliotrope,” the new single from LA-based indie rockers Runnner. With a full, gorgeous arrangement that feels all-encompassing, the track is atmospheric and evocative as it explores the highs and lows of love through one pressing question: “Is this the conversation you want to have?” A catchy acoustic guitar strum feels hopeful and raw over a thrashing drum beat that sways like a pendulum, giving the song an easygoing sort of flow despite the constant build-up of momentum and intensity in the instrumentation. Best of all are the strings, which swell with complexity and elevate the arrangement by adding a layer of tenderness and starry-eyed whimsy, tying everything together in one big, beautiful bow. Nostalgic and endearing, “Heliotrope” feels like a grand romantic gesture you’ll want to experience again and again.

Britnee Meiser on February 13, 2020
​Kevin Krauter - Opportunity

​Kevin Krauter - Opportunity


Kevin Krauter ruminates on the past against an ethereal dream-pop soundscape on his latest single, “Opportunity.” Written at a time when Krauter first attempted to make music his full-time job, a point of transition marked by what he describes as “making mistakes and finding opportunity wasted regardless of my effort,” the deeply reflective track is self-critical, yet forgiving. The song see-saws from bleak to buoyant as Krauter reflects on his past with a combination of regret and empathy, while setting a cautiously hopeful course for the future with the final refrain, “shaking it off.” The sonic feel of the track certainly evokes vibes of Beach House at their finest and sets a misty twilight mood with a hybrid of warm tones, calming synths, and an illuminating backbeat. “Opportunity” is the second single from Krauter’s new album, Full Hand, which is out on February 28 via Bayonet Records.  He’ll be touring in support of the record beginning in March.

Tom Gallo on February 13, 2020
Sorry - More

Sorry - More


As music has pushed itself to a place where genre labels are more of a suggestion than a guarantee, bands like Sorry have found success through their chameleon-esque ability to not just adopt a different style from track to track but to make that style uniquely theirs in the process. “More," the third single released by Sorry in the lead-up to their debut album, sees the indie rockers trying their hand at grunge. Singer Asha Lorenz attacks this track with a gruff, discontent growl in her voice—a fitting approach to adopt given the tone of the lyrics. The rebellious opening line finds Lorenz declaring “I want more, and more, and more, and more," and it sounds convincingly demanding over the genre-standard distorted guitars and punchy drums. The track breaks away from the intensity a bit during the chorus, opening up into a real earworm of a vocal melody that drives home the purposefully repetitive nature of the song—taken as a whole, it’s chant-like and alarmingly effective at planting the lyrics into the listener’s subconscious. Sorry’s debut album, 925, is out March 27; if the singles are reflective of the whole record, listeners can expect a masterclass in genre-agnosticism.

Alec Bollard on February 13, 2020
Harmony Byrne - Good Idea

Harmony Byrne - Good Idea


Australian singer-songwriter Harmony Byrne has kicked off her 2020 in a big way. This year brings a new single release and the announcement of her first Australian headlining tour, which opens February 20th. After releasing four singles in 2019, the 2020 release of "Good Idea" is surely just that—a good idea. The crooning of the slide guitar and the echoing of Byrne’s image-evoking voice create a sound reminiscent of Eagles and Joni Mitchell mixed with Faye Webster. While the sound of this song is cohesive to the rest of her discography, it tells a story that is entirely new. "Good Idea" reflects upon the longing to escape and describes feelings associated with loss. The chorus leaves the listener haunted as it discusses the impact our own recklessness can have upon others, “Running a red with your headlights down / Seemed like a good idea at the time / But others are following along your road / And some aren’t as lucky as your first line.” An album release is surely right around the corner.

Beck on February 12, 2020
Half Waif - Ordinary Talk

Half Waif - Ordinary Talk


As Half Waif, Nandi Rose-Plunkett crafts jolting, whirring, emotionally adept sonic sketches of day to day life. Her latest offering is “Ordinary Talk,” a finely crafted window into the creative process. Over a distinctly Half Waif-ian wave of synth pads so lush they feel colored with a dark shade of purple, Plunkett delivers a deeply intuitive assertion, “I’ve got places in my mind that I’ll never find / if you’re holding my hand like you always do,” a sentiment that shape-shifts into another striking phrase just a few moments later—“I know myself well / when I’m in this hell / it’s part of the process / it doesn’t scare me.” Once you’ve caught your breath, Plunkett draws a narrative of small moments that cumulatively become watershed over a sparkling wash of static and warmth—“walking to the lake / getting in my car / folding up the laundry / taking it too hard,” then noting how loud and exhilarating small joys can be “singing at the stars / fumbling for my light / laughing at the TV / doing alright.” It’s hard to measure progress as one navigates the complexities of one’s inner world, but on “Ordinary Talk,” Plunkett has asserted herself as a quietly confident, empathic, and intuitive creative with an extraordinary capacity to take it all in stride and turn both the shadow and dappled sunlight into something breathtakingly cathartic. Her new record, The Caretaker, is out March 27.

Emma Bowers on February 11, 2020
Okay Kaya - Asexual Wellbeing

Okay Kaya - Asexual Wellbeing


Okay Kaya's fresh release, Watch This Liquid Pour Itself, is a breath of cold air. "Asexual Wellbeing," the second to last single off the project, feels like every tear you've dropped on the dance floor. Kaya Wilkins' lyrics tell a story of a push and pull relationship while narrating all the non-sexual ways that relationship becomes intimate. The visuals for the song were directed by Wilkins herself and recorded in Denmark. They strengthen the meaning of the song by representing growth and transformation, deepened by routine, rituals and the magic of connection. Watch This Liquid Pour Itself is Wilkin's second full-length album under the name Okay Kaya, following her 2018 debut, Both. The Norwegian-born, BK-based singer is set to play several shows in the US and Europe for the next few months.

Giulia Santana on February 11, 2020
​Diet Cig - Night Terrors

​Diet Cig - Night Terrors


Diet Cig turns nightmares into a sonic dream with their newest single, “Night Terrors.” Born out of lead singer and guitarist Alex Luciano’s real struggle with night terrors, the track harnesses the driving beat of Noah Bowman’s drums to reclaim some power lost to sleepless nights. “I’m doing my best to keep it in check but it’s out of my control,” could very easily apply to many situations in life. The powerlessness of nightmares is akin to being a bystander in one’s own life—hoping and praying that our decisions won’t hurt us or the ones we love the most. The song perfectly displays the cohesion Diet Cig is known for while amplifying the punk duo’s ability to have fun with just about any subject matter. “Night Terrors” is the band’s first new release since 2017 and came alongside an announcement of a North American and European Spring tour.

Corey Bates on February 10, 2020
Wolfjay - In Memory Of

Wolfjay - In Memory Of


Melbourne’s Wolfjay lets go of the past in their newest single “In Memory Of.” The new track blends synth-pop and alt-rock to create something that feels familiar yet new at the same time. Wolfjay is the project of non-binary musician and producer Jack Alexander. They create music caught in the middle of gender, genre, and time. Alexander wrote the song before coming out as queer. It commemorates the almost physical sense of loss you can feel as you grow up and out of your past self. While the loss can be painful, it is often for the best, "I left a long long time ago / I was sick of the neglect / cause now I’ve learned to think of myself.” Wolfjay harnesses a pop-punk rebellious spirit to push forward through a heavy distorted guitar and into their future—fully becoming the person and the artist they were always meant to be. Wolfjay will make their first visit to America this March at New Colossus in NYC.

Corey Bates on February 10, 2020
Havelock - LIBERTY

Havelock - LIBERTY


From the moment he appeared on streaming services seemingly out of thin air early last year, Kent-based singer-songwriter Havelock has been releasing a slow drip of genre-defying singles. His most recent, “LIBERTY," is his attempt at addressing his difficulties kicking an unwanted cigarette habit. While the topic is anything but lighthearted, you wouldn’t get that impression just listening to the instrumental. Hip-hop inspired 808s and a driving, funk-inflected bassline combine to make this the kind of track that you find yourself involuntarily bobbing your head to after a few listens. The groove drops out entirely during the chorus, and this is where Havelock’s clever lyricism and satiny voice really get the space to shine. His self-deprecating outro refrain—“Patched up lookin’ stupid, am I sure I wanna do this, girl?”—paints a vivid picture of a smoker on Nicorette, desperately conjuring a reason to pick up another pack instead of starting to kick the habit. With his debut EP, TRY B4U BUY, due in the coming months, Havelock is looking to close his first year as an artist in triumphant fashion.

Alec Bollard on February 10, 2020
Birthh - Parakeet

Birthh - Parakeet


Many musicians have plied their trade within the well-worn realm of sparsely-accompanied, heartfelt balladry. “Parakeet”, the recently released track by the Italian-born Birthh, is the latest proof that even the most frequently trodden paths can seem like an overgrown trail full of unseen delights in the right hands. Birthh sings forlornly about childhood memories over somewhat lo-fi guitar chords and fluttering, angelic piano notes, her melody perfectly exhibiting her vocal range and yearning delivery. Just when the song seems like it has settled into its soundscape, the final chorus is imbued with plucky strings, subdued horns and some surprisingly upbeat clapping, adding an almost exultant sheen to her words. When it all suddenly drops out at the track’s conclusion, it becomes difficult to coalesce the song’s bright ending with its slow, nostalgia-tinged first couple of minutes. It’s a little confusing when taken in its totality. The only way to ascertain your feelings on "Parakeet," really, is to spin it again—and therein lies its genius.

Alec Bollard on February 7, 2020

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