Treefort Music Fest is making its long-awaited return to Boise from September 22-26. All month long, we'll be featuring our favorite tracks by artists from the 400+ lineup, which includes Wild Honey Pie favorites like Japanese Breakfast, Tennis and The Marías.

The festival, originally scheduled for March 2020, was postponed due to COVID-19. To ensure the safety of attendees, Treefort will be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result, as well as encouraging festivalgoers to have masks on hand, as various forts will be mask-only. According to Festival Director Eric Gilbert, “This unique September version of Treefort is shaping up to be one of our best yet and we are looking forward to bringing the Treefort family back together to share and discover great music.”

With each record, Wild Pink has elaborated on their sound through the addition of layered synths and slide-guitar. The introduction to 2021’s A Billion Little Lights, “The Shining but Tropical” is the amalgamation of the band’s move to maximalism with Springsteen flare. With the band’s masterful use of expressive dynamics, the track opens with a high but still leaves room for John Ross’s tender vocals. Dan Keegan and K.C. Brownell’s rhythm section propels the song with a hypnotic groove that allows the tranquil vocal melody to shine (no pun intended). Three albums in, Ross’s abstract but confessional songwriting continues to be a hallmark of Wild Pink’s allure. Reminiscing about watching a loved one’s emotional wonder at the connection between all things through a drug-induced trip, the chorus soars with the loving lyrics “You wanted peace / You wanted love / You deserve that much.” Paired with a music video starring Annie Murphy, “The Shining but Tropical” is an anthem of humanism. Photo by Hayden Sitomer. 

Indie psych-rock act HalfNoise, the solo project of Paramore drummer Zac Farro, just released his third album, Natural Disguise, via Congrats Records. Filled with bright, disco-inspired melodies and clear, vibrant arrangements, the album features some of Farro’s boldest, most genre-bending work to date. A standout track is “Guess,” a mid-tempo, synth-pop dance anthem with a contagiously groovy beat. A pumping bassline with colorful, reverberating guitars evokes the carefree vibes of 70s psychedelia, while bright, tight drums and a clear, affected vocal emphasize Farro’s crisp, modern production style. Spacey synths and electronic keys round out the dynamic instrumentation, adding some fun, quirky details that highlight the track’s playful undertones. Overall, “Guess” is an exciting party song with a catchy melody and an arrangement full of surprising intricacies.

Nevil oozes bass-filled 90s nostalgia in their new single “5 Year Warranty.” The all-girl rock trio from Austin creeps their way through the breakup track with a steady bassline, shoegaze guitar, a heavy dose of high hat and languid vocals. The song stays in the pocket for over four minutes—showing immense restraint as the lead singer and guitarist Emily Rose sings, “there you go making another god damn scene / as you shout ‘why is everybody being so mean’.” They chronicle a break-up in which one party feels they’ve been unjustly made into a bad guy and is constantly reappearing in search of some answers. The track is droney, buzzy and dripping in reverb. “5 Year Warranty” is a cool-girl breakup anthem. It’s the perfect example of how we all would like to hold our composure when someone is blaming us for something falling apart. "5 Year Warranty" is quiet and restrained in its angst as it leans into the annoying reality of post-breakup communication.

Liza Anne’s newest single “Devotion” is a hard-hitting break-up anthem that isn’t afraid of going full-throttle. It’s loud—glittering with synths, compelling guitar solos, and Liza Anne’s dynamic vocals all within the short span of two and a half minutes. The song nears glam-rock status at the conclusion of the first chorus as she proclaims devotion to herself, “I’ll do anything for her now, she’s my longest love / hey!” Instead of being angry or sad, “Devotion” is celebratory of the freedom that can come with the end of a relationship. It’s not just a time for mourning the loss of a connection. It can also be a time to embrace the beauty of solitude and independence, especially in the wake of a toxic relationship. The Nashville pop-rocker finds a Blondie-esque power as she sets forth on a journey of self-love and realization—singing, “find the bits of me I shook off / to appease you, oh just come on / I like the things I like / and that’s alright.” Inspired by Patti Smith's short-story of the same name, the track is perfect for blasting as you dance in celebration of your newfound independence.

Australian producer Kito enlists Lorely Rodriguez—better known as Empress Of—for the adventurous new single "Wild Girl." "It's not a secret, my heart's weakness / Is a half-smile touch, casually call you love / When your hand is enough, casually say it's love," Rodriguez trills into the airy lead-up to a club drop, but the muted bass has Kito exercising restraint in an otherwise pulsing beat. Though the track is easily danceable, being a "Wild Girl" isn't about kissing strangers on a crazy night out—rather, it illustrates being so consumed by a love that you rage like a wildfire, desperate for someone to "Gather me from one place or another." The genre-bending and subversive team of Kito and Empress Of is a match made in heaven, artfully exposing intense vulnerability through the most club-ready of songs, adding a fresh new touch to dance music tropes. The single is only a taste of the exciting collaborations and eccentric sounds of Kito's soon-to-come solo LP.

Imagine you’re in a cabin in the woods, cozy by the fire while a snowstorm rages on outside. The light is low, the atmosphere is intimate, and you’re overcome by a sense of longing you can’t quite place. This is the vibe conjured up by Loving’s new single “Only She Knows,” a lo-fi, psychedelic dream that’s as pleasing as the crackle of an old but reliable record player. The track is reminiscent of a slightly darker Whitney, with soft, wispy vocals and heavy reverb that gives the classical piano an almost ghostly presence. Dreamy synths and strangely seductive guitar lines make for a lush, hypnotic soundscape you can get lost in, while the crisp production makes apparent Loving’s appreciation for analog equipment. Nostalgic and lovely, “Only She Knows” is the perfect song for cold weather or a rainy day.

Hana Vu wanders further into her bedroom-pop world both sonically and physically with her newest single, “Outside.” The track opens with dreamy synths before the guitar and Vu’s vocals chime in simultaneously as she sings, “And I really wanna wake up / but there’s nothing to wake up to.” The plucked guitar riff perfectly balances out Vu’s droning and smooth voice with her unique throaty tone. She breaks from the calmness and almost reaches anger as she belts the second chorus for emphasis. The structure of the song is simple; she repeats the chorus and pre-chorus twice with a single-lined bridge thrown in the middle for good measure. This repetition further cements the monotony of loneliness the 19-year-old indie-pop artist is demonstrating. That being said, the track itself is never monotonous—finding interests in small swells and layered synths. It’s cyclical like depression and loneliness. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed. Sometimes it’s easier just to look at your phone all day. “Outside” is the latest single from Vu’s upcoming double EP Nicole Kidman / Anne Hathaway out on October 25.