Week in Pop
Text Me Records just released the new single “Underweight” from Bay Area’s own Will Butler recording under the moniker of Social Work featuring Dreamqueen, oka Brijean Murphy who currently drums with Toro y Moi & band. Butler & Murphy fuse classic r&b cues together with a skanking percussion axis that propels “Underweight” up toward heavy weight status.
Featured off Human Potential’s forthcoming Hot Gun Western City album available July 21; you are cordially invited to partake of the mesmerizing experience that is “Guilder”. Ambient cinematic textures are scored like the cycles of nature that govern the clocks of night & day that are here understand through what are virtually ineffable sonic, baroque sustains of notes that shake & shudder like fallen dew droplets descended from a leaf that becomes awakened by ultraviolet light beam prisms of beauty.
Human Potential’s own Andrew Becker introduced their new single with the following reflections:
When I started writing, “Guilder”, my aim was to create a swirling, imposing monolith of noise, while trying to retain an element of weightlessness…and a precarious balance between light and dark. I started out by playing one, heavily processed guitar phrase over and over again…and just kept layering and building on top of that original phrase from there…adding a bunch of melodies and harmonies until I felt that the song had reached a satisfying climax….and personified the emotional impact I had intended.
The title of the song, “Guilder”, is kind of a tribute to a house in Granville, New York where I do most of my recording (it’s on a road called, Guilder Hollow). I have some extraordinarily generous friends who allow me to decamp there for extended periods of time to flesh out ideas, record demos, etc. The place itself is an old farmhouse situated on something like 100 acres. It’s serene, quiet and remarkably beautiful. But, when you’re up there by yourself, especially for extended periods of time…it can also be very lonely, isolating and at times, unsettling, depending on how active the ghosts are. I think this song sort of amalgamates those feelings, on a certain level.
Presenting some sophisticated lyric video visuals from Musigana, Jolene, oka Jolene Grunberg, presents a karaoke ready look at the title track from the EP of the same name, “End of Story”. Casting forth an addictive array of electro-addled keys & rhythms, Jolene exhibits the places & parts where the proverbial fairy tale comes to a conclusion in a spirited delivery backed by a host of luminous synth production (courtesy of Mouse, oka Maurice Bom).
From the recently released Anti/Epitaph album New Magic; Son Little provides a little slice of beautiful audio enlightenment with the bright & beautiful “Blue Magic (Waikiki)”. Famed for his work with Mavis Staples & more; Aaron Livingstone curates & arranges a sound that bridges together the new & old cultural audio institutions of genre & studious aesthetics that paints the world in a brighter luster than perhaps what we have previously known.
Taveeta presented the new single “Paradise” ft. 80 Empire featured off the forthcoming Resurrection EP available today from Gladiator Records. Aspects of summer exuberance & an elated & elevated energy of unbound freedom is seen as Taveeta embraces the joys & delights that the season of sun brings.
With word of an upcoming appearance at Hillside Music Festival and Newport Folk Festival & more; Mt. Joy presents a listen to “Sheep”. With visuals from Giulio Sciorio, Mt. Joy provides the perfect anecdote of playful action to counter the negativity that has permeated both our domestic & global politics (filling the headlines with the most depressing news items imaginable that have become our day to day realities). This is an anthem of encouragement that kindly urges us all to keep our collective heads up for greater days & greater leadership.
Neon Tiger brought some pure pop luster of summer with the jam “Neon Rose” ft. Coyle Girelli that is guaranteed to get your seasonal dance mix moving in all kinds of amplified motions.
The Accidentals shared some holiday hype to keep those summer vibes swelling with tranquil sweet strings of “Memorial Day” found off their album ODYSSEY available August 18. The feeling of a three day weekend is expressed with baroque pop sentiments that make these days of summer simmer further with a host of heart felt heat.
Ramonda Hammer offered up a listen to the single “Too Much, Too Recently” featured off the upcoming album Destroyers available August 4 from New Professor that emphasizes the swells of anxiety that occur with being overwhelmed by the world. Devin Davis articulates those intense emotions that arrive with the weights that bonds can bring while all the intensity is attempted to be assuaged with a kind of unrelenting honesty that will leave you in tears.
Fairchild’s debut So Long and Thank You will be available August 4 & we have the single “High As A Kite” that shoots upward toward the highest stratospheres of aspirations & desire. Via atmospheric arrangements & rhythmic combinations of chords; Fairchild aims high upwards as they ascend toward a sky without limitations.
Featured off Accounts of Friend and Foe July 21, LA’s Among Savages offered a listen to “Getting Older Quicker” that deals with the momentum & velocity of aging. Perspectives & reflections on the matter moves in mystic & subtle sensations that deals with a kind of gravity that cannot be stopped, cured & will be familiar to all living beings.
LA artist Chaisley Lussier shared some understated evening expressions of amour in the diamond lane with “Fast Love”. Instances of romances at full speed are sung with the style of finesse that feels like it could occur at an hour long after the sun has turned out the daylights.
Mappe Of’s upcoming A Northern Star, A Perfect Stone will be available July 28 via Paper Bag Records & the Canadian band dropped the single “Cavern’s Dark” that works in haunting & resonating acoustics that reverberate with each & every strum. This is a single to be treasured for all those seeking some kind of sound of solace to shelter them from the surrounding darkness.
Builder of the House just released the new album Ornaments & we give you a listen to some of the group’s audio adornments with the lively “Lily”. The feeling of jubilant vibrancy & a progressive trad vibe bursts forth with a host of sun-spurned energy.
HUMANITIES are readying their split with Toronto’s Low Sun available July 13 via Art of the Uncarved Block & you can enter the group’s solar universe via the single “Drone War Data Nil”. HUMANITIES muster up all the humanity they have on hand and make a force of nature made to knock over column pillars and towering castles of imperial design.
LA’s own TWINKIDS brought the decked out & styling new jam “Overdressed” to get you all dolled up for a night on the town. Featured off the Boys Love EP available August 18 from Om Records; the SoCal group brings some super icy chill to make your sunny summer just a little cooler.
Kentucky guitar picker Tyler Childers presented the single “Lady May” that presents some sentimental twang to help sail your cares away. Tyler sums up tales of a misspent youth met with the eras of experience that make the biggest impact.
MALKA presented a listen to the new festive single “Falling” featured off upcoming Ratatatat available October 20 from Tantrum Records. Rises & falls are recounted in an assemblage of harmonies & rhythms that turn into ear-worms that will not leave your mind & spirit for many a minute.
Soft Fangs is Brooklyn’s John Lutkevich who shared the intimate single “Elephant Girl” featured off the upcoming album Fractures available September 1 from Disposable America. Lutkevich presents feelings ripped straight off the sleeve that stirs about in ways with that home-recorded cadence that will have you hanging on to every sung lyric and melodic item that emanates out of your speaker.
Noah Neiman returned to Enhanced Recordings with the Laci Kay collaboration “Hold On To Love” that emphasizes the importance of holding onto meaningful embraces in a world of uncertainty.
Courtesy of La Reserve Records, check out Yellow Shoots “Make It To The Summer” that basks in all the bountiful excitement & intrigue that arrives with that patient wait for the seasons of ice, rain & cold to be turned around & transformed into a world of splendor & vacation power pop.
Portland, OR’s Melville fired off the fancy Astral Visuals with the lyric video for their passionate FM dial power-pop single “Pickup Artist” featured off the The New Zero album debut. A track of redemptions, 180s, second chances, reckoning, acceptances & a whole host of other cryptic conversations that are cleverly (not to mention subversively) conveyed in a super catchy song that is on the surface a pop number about a gigolo’s lament/complaint.
Moscow pop star Kedr Livanskiy entertains the Grecian myth of “Ariadna” (known as granddaughter of Zeus who saved Theseus from the Minotaur) with visuals filmed in the country of Georgia courtesy of Masha Demianova. Amid hallowed synths & charged rhythms; Kedr takes the audience to places lesser known & sung with a mystic aesthetic at play.
Vancouver’s Belle Game shared the sensuous & ethereal single “Spirit” featured off the upcoming second album Fear/Nothing available September 8 from Arts & Crafts. Following on the heels of Ritual Tradition Habit, Andrea Lo further stitches a sound to soar upwards above the earth hopes & heart set upon the celestial heavens of mythic proportions.
Featured off the forthcoming album America available July 28 from Handwritten/Nude Records; Juanita Stein takes us all for an Americana pop road trip cross country on “Someone Else’s Dime”. Stein’s delivery will stun you with everything you have ever known from the great Americana modernist hymn-book where the open roads & dusty trails are seen speeding by in the real time that exemplifies the thrills of rolling out wild in the world while gambling on the stipends provided by an offstage benefactor.
Jazz Morley takes us to her homeland of Bournemouth by the sea with the beautiful single of “Safe Place”. The intimate embraces & personal reflections are met with a host of restrained arrangements that will bring emotions & tears of beauty to your heart & ears. Morley introduced the single with the following reflections:
This is a love song written about where I live and who I have in my life. It marks a shift in my own mental health, happiness and creativity. Being a full-time musician, life can be exciting, spontaneous and hugely rewarding but also chaotic, unpredictable and at times, unstable. For the first time in my life, I am happy with who I am, and where I reside—next to the sea, along the beautiful Dorset coastline.
Those looking for some experimental beat-scapes to indulge in would do best to check out NYC’s own No What who offers up a bevy of kinetic stems & samples & that sort to keep your moving & brain turning. Stratospheres are observed on “OK Sky”, the ambient pools of “Stay”, the subtle digital warmth of “On Halsey”, busting out beat botanicals on “Common Sound” to the sweet brass beauty of the closing “Know What”. Those looking for an escapist sound cycle to indulge in need to look no further.
Following up “The Roman Call” single, Brooklyn’s Beshken graces us with the new coastal storming dance single “Lightning By the Sea” from the forthcoming For Time is the Longest Distance Between Two People EP. “Lightning By the Sea” blends drum & bass arrangement techniques with a host of experimental components that send the entire track spinning about like some sort of abstract & enchanted carousel from some sort of vacation destination spot.
