Album: sam hirst – Defenseless, good 
Album: The Summerlands – Bonfante Gardens Forever 
Single: Charlie Gearon – Need You More 
Album: sam hirst – Defenseless, good
Made entirely by himself, the San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalists 8th album is a fine mixture of musical ambition and impressive singular vision.
Album: The Summerlands – Bonfante Gardens Forever
In the new indie punk symphony, songwriter Grant Simmons ruminates on how to grapple with an increasingly inhospitable hometown and more unwelcoming world.
Single: Charlie Gearon – Need You More
Charlie delivers a low-key masterpiece; a love song shrouded in self-doubt, hesitation, and heartbreaking longing that takes us into a spiritualized other dimension.
EP: Eyes and Legs – Gravel
Eyes and Legs’ hits with the weight of a band twice its size, and for a sophomore EP, ‘Gravel’ feels incredibly mature.
Single: Absolutely Yours – Margaret
Collins voice is soft and deliberate, and the way she articulates her words sounds great on the brain.
Single: Doc Turbo – Criminal
Crisp horns and fun narrative storytelling with the vocals. This is a song about falling in love in a spin on the storytelling of The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love” where the story tells of a series of dates and every night the protagonist feels a little more in love”.
Single: Beach Vacation – In Control
I still remember the first time I discovered BV on our blog. I wrote, “I
Singles: Khamsin – Thousand Yard Stare / Abacus
The Nashville emo quartet add a new wrinkle to their arsenal as they unleash this dynamic, energetic tour de force double single.
Single: Shredded Sun – Cruel Streak
Invoking the spirit of punk, Chicago trio Shredded Sun tackle grudging emotions with ‘Cruel Streak’.
Single: ELIKSA – Only a Matter of Time
In their new single, the artist Eliksa channels a new wave sensibility that feels like it was shot straight out of a previous decade.
Album: Welcome Strawberry – desperate flowers / desperate flowers remixes
This rad groove is audaciously implanted into a mix of opposite aesthetics
Single: Count The Clock – Ballerina Song
. For a project that draws from shoegaze, baroque pop, and outsider music, there is a lot of interesting sonic territory to explore, and “Ballerina Song” hints at the potential without fully stepping into it.
Single: Mutiny – Anthem
Mutiny remains one of the most creative and hardcore of all bands in the ska
Album: Annalies Tang – Annalies Tang
In January of 2024, Annalies Tang sprang out of nowhere to drop a 4-song ska
Single: The Horses – It’s Alright (It’s Summertime)
Driving and forceful, but in a tender and considered way, this is sunny, summery, spritely, and spirited and will be the soundtrack to your summer.
Single: The Mooches – Rude Boy
The Mooches are putting out phenomenal new ska that has a unique sound with diverse influences that help expand the scope of the genre.
Single: Foster Pettit – Best Part
Dusty, warm, beautiful, and earnest, the new tune from the Texan singer/songwriter is perfectly measured and expertly realised.
Single: Cane Rouge – Lost and Found
“Lost and Found” is a song about learning to let go. Built around dynamic quiet-loud arrangements and an explosive rhythm section, it explores nostalgia, growing older, and, above all, finding peace with the past while continuing to move forward.
Single: Purple Cassette – Waiting on Nothing
Indian quartet Purple Cassette has developed a distinctive fusion of sounds. Raw and ragged, poppy and exciting, they have been garnering fans across their country.
Single: Esther Kohl – Godziller
Another day, another incredible Brooklyn-based musical discovery. Godziller is a potent combination of monster riffs, industrial drums, punk spirit, and exciting energy.
