Week in Pop
Toronto’s Dear Pressure is comprised of Matt Kahane & Quin Kiu who offered the world their introspective & winter wind breeze debut track “Never”. From earnest spirit penned sentiments to ambient electronic motifs that move like the ice-chilled air; Dear Pressure tackles the inner roiling tensions & pressures that that pull us in myriad directions from where we would like to be, or think we should be. In Matt & Quin’s own words on the new single:
This song is our way of balancing the tension between wanting to go elsewhere and realizing that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. It’s important to own the fact that your sense of self is attached to your sense of place.
We tried to develop a succinct sound for a year, mulling over a variety of sonic palettes, struggling to find something that encapsulated our musical interests while remaining honest. One day we ended up with this interplay between the guitar riff and a synth line which felt like it was trying to break through everything above it. We realized that’s how we wanted to sound and the feeling inspired our debut track. It’s representative of us owning where we are.
Phem, the artist formerly known as Liphemra, just released the future forward & wild-flying electrified single “Amazing” ft. Fat Tony, courtesy of SF imprint on the rise Text Me Records. Having collaborated recently with Robokid, G-Eazy & more; Phem asserts a pop art exhibition that finds the LA artist asserting them self as one of the industry’s most important power players working alongside one of hip-hop’s most creative & underrated talents—Fat Tony.
Keeping that “Rubbin’ Off the Paint” buzz pumping ahead—YBN Nahmir popped by this week to share the single “Popped Up” that features Lul G from rising Vallejo clique SOB x RBE, linked up with production by Hoodzone. YBN shares turf warrior tales as SOB x RBE’s fresh G entertains the more melodic side of their delivery that employs autotuned fashion to it’s utmost utilitarian art as the ‘zone keeps the beat bold.
Rock Abruham dropped the track “Yes” featuring Kook Keith that finds the two sharing a brew & some reflective tales like old friends exchanging tales in the after-hours at their favorite pub. Thank You Very Much, that also features appearances from Blu & Crooked I available January 26. Featuring vintage throwback beats supplied by DJ RBI, Abruham & Keith exchanging intimate items of introspection that are recounted like counting bottles of beer enjoyed over that span of time.
House of Feelings delivered the massive moods of formidable fashions in the b/w video for “It’ll Cost You”, directed & starring Kristen Yoonsoo Kim. The dance inflected track is an exercise in the values of everything that you could ever want as the narrative is illustrated in aesthetics of noir styled endeavors of derring do & inventive kinetic audio that will shake the entirety of your system.
Wilmington, Delaware’s Grace Vonderkuhn announced the upcoming album Reveries available February 23 via EggHunt Records & delivered the fear chasing single “Worry”. For all of those that are often consumed with anxiety & all sorts of nagging items of apprehension; Vonderkuhn follows up their 2015 self-titled with a mind & spirit awakening payload of pure chord ripping power that will lift you up out of the clutches & throes of whatever you may be going through at this point in time.
Whispers presents the Director GT for GT Visionz visuals for “Nobody” ft. Jean Dash found off the artist’s album Whismonoxide. With a salute to Keith Sweat & the future of lover’s rock that sports production from Luxury Music’s Superb; Whispers & Jean exchange a conversation relayed like discreet phone calls centered around affection, egos & the intricacies of human desire.
Moviestar are readying their release Stupid People / Happy Days soon and we have a listen to the single “Chosen Ones” that basks in the things that make us special & unique as humans. The concept that everyone is a star is put on prominent display through electric expressions that reaches outward to low laying hearts with encouragement to reach upward to greater realizations & elevated degrees of self-esteem.
Jackie Highway presented the Gilbert Trejo (Danny Trejo’s son) & Frankie Latina visuals for “Armchair Dreaming” featuring choreography by Thomas Taugher. Armed with a dazzling array & display of air-traffic controller wands; the dreams that arise from the easy-chair are transformed into visions that spring from one’s abode to the infinite atmospheres of the sky.
Anne Douris, oka Bossie, dropped the lush & lunar pop of “Strawberry Moon” available now via Culvert Music. The Toronto rising star’s sound matches the title of the track that alludes to one of the sweetest & most storied of fruits in all the world.
Montreal’s Ora Cogan offered a look at the stop-action video of created installation artist from Gwiazda Miroslaw for “Sea People”. Found off the album Crickets available now from Hand Drawn Dracula, Cogan’s own sublime & spirit haunting sounds are evolved to a physical & motion visual piece where Ora connects, shapes, molds & disconnects ropes both together & apart in a survey of the myriad artistic applications for strings.
Leyya delivered a look at the flashy video from All Most Famous for “Drumsolo” featured off the upcoming Drumsolo release available soon. Percussion films are met with maximalist electronic items and Leyya’s earnest delivery that is punctuated with a palette of bright colors that collect in the highest array of definitions.
The duo Gold Fir shared the illustrious allure of their new single “Sirens” that sings & shines with a barrage of catchy & shining electric rhythms. The British based duo basks in the audio ore of their sound that moves from a botanical assemblage of beats to upper echelons of atmospheric expressions.
Chemtrails delivered the new single “Watch Evil Grow” featured off their debut album Calf of the Sacred Cow available February 9 from PNKSLM Recordings. Mia Lust & Laura Orlova elevate the DIY art form in all of it’s primitive essence to expressions that breaks bars & molds where electric chords & harmonic vocals make anthems for the current weird & unruly state of our shared world.
Detroit artist Anna Burch announces the upcoming debut album Quit The Curse available February 2 via Polyvinyl Record Co. & presented a look at the Ambar Navarro video for “Tea Soaked Letter”. Burch has made possibly the most perfect morning welcoming single to enjoy while brewing up a cup of reflection in between breakfast & the rituals that welcome the heart-felt thoughts of a new day.
Presenting the Margaux Dory video for Praa’s “Modeling Clay” that follows the artist through leaves & branches as minimalist & evocative deliveries permeate the atmosphere. The motif of folks being malleable like putty mixes a humanist simile with mixed-media dabbling as truths & perception from the eyes & heart are sung in earnest tones.
Amsterdam’s Nina June’s upcoming debut album Bon Voyage will be available in March & we present a listen to the morning light chasing single titled “Till Dawn”. The feeling of claiming the night as your own can be heard & felt throughout the track by way of Nina’s delivery that is coupled with the percussive electronic production that makes for a sound that basks in the moment of living in the present.
Thelma Marín Jónsdóttir & Herdís Stefánsdóttir are the Icelandic duo East of My Youth who bring us their abode seeking single “Go Home”. The feeling of stepping toward the sanctuary of one’s domicile is heard in the harmonies & percussive claps & plods that point toward directions of the familiar & warm.
Damon Eliza Palermo, oka Magic Touch presented a look at the cross-country skiing video for the meditative electro of “Zoa Peak” directed by Paola Raiman off the new EP Beacon Of Maracaibo available January 12 via the French imprint Johnkôôl Records. As the synths are measured with the pulse of the beats, the audience becomes enraptured in a winter wonderland of snow covered trees & chilly paths that open up icy worlds that will mesmerize the senses.
Available today from Arrowhawk Records, Blush released the self-titled album and shared the single “Baby Don’t Blush” that basks in the spirit of free-flying, free-wheeling exhilaration. Maura M. Lynch & company expands upon Lynch’s beginnings as Darlings that pen songs that will bring happiness & comfort during the hibernation season of what feels like an endless winter.
Featured off POLIÇA & s t a r g a z e’s upcoming collaborative album Music For The Long Emergency available February 16; we bring you the single of exchanges & personal negotiations with “Agree”. The back & forth choreography of discourse is explored in the stops, starts & stutters that lead like-minded, or non-like-minded spirits, to arrive upon the same (or at least similar) page together in some shape, form, or fashion.
Boston’s Birthing Hips delivered the video for all of our online obsessions with “Internet” featured off their recently released album Urge to Merge available now via NNA Tapes. Carrie Furniss, Wendy Eisenberg, Andres Abenante & Owen Liza Winter tackle the binary bit-game of constant digital connections for a visceral exchange that involves monster hands, a wild palette splash of colors & a wealth of avant-garde absurdest endeavors that turns the obsessive wonders of the web inside-out.
Seazoo busted out the buzz blaring & fun faring single “Dig” featured off their forthcoming debut album January 26. Those infectious feeling stream of what an endless holiday could, would & might feel like in string strumming song that descends straight to the center of structure.
Manchester’s own Ambiere offered up a listen to the single “I See Faces” of observant perceptions that emerge from the electronic arranged ether. From subtle & hallowed effects, Ambiere breaks the atmospheric vapors with bursts of rhythmic percussion & chords that ride like horse-drawn hopes toward the light from another’s visage.
Yoke Lore unveils the Kenny Polyak video for “Beige” that spills out passions of purpose amid a backdrop of foliage & taxidermied beasts. From the band’s own holistic style that entertains both the organic & the electronic at the same time; Yoke Lore’s earnest ode to beauty & affections are on full display with visuals that move all about the video’s production set.
Behold the Beau Ethridge video for Jessie Frye’s electric evening pop single “Honey”. From late night club lit light accents to intimate encounters; Frye combines sinewy & cinematic elements of viscous volition inviting avenues of adventure, danger & various manners of lovers’ sports.
The Go Ahead are readying their EP In Harms Way available December 15 & we present the Frank Door video for “On My Side”. Lead by Kyna Wise (daughter of actor Ray Wise, aka Leland Palmer); Go Ahead shines with creative song structures that arrange pop tropes in creative ways in a song that rounds up a posse of Kyna’s own choosing.
Nashville’s Airpark delivered a look at the Ry Cox visual for “Le Tigre” off the EP Early Works Vol. 2 from Eugenia Hall Records. From theatrical fencing, speeding motorbikes & art film fare; Michael Ford Jr. & Ben Ford’s sounds of excitement & exhilaration are coupled with sports, pomp & circumstances of style mixed with an analog film glow.
