The Faves Playlist - May 2023
New music from GLAAS, Poppy Jean Crawford, Beauregard and more. Check out our faves below:
Puppy Angst - TKO
On their new single “TKO,” Philly fuzz punk band Puppy Angst doesn’t hold back. The track’s lyrical theme explores vocalist Alyssa Milman’s desire to keep the peace, setting aside their own needs. As Milman explains, “For TKO, I wasn’t writing about any specific experience in particular. It’s more so just about how I’m generally not the best at speaking up for myself or putting my own feelings first when it comes to conflict or confrontation, but it’s something I’m working on. I wrote it a little tongue-in-cheek and poking fun at myself for being a people pleaser and trying to move away from that.” The song “TKO” is the band’s first single on Fire Talk’s digital imprint Open Tab.
psykhi - Dyed In Wool
On “Dyed In Wool,” Ghanaian artist psykhi conveys a reflective and questioning set of lyrics on a stubborn and uncompromising friend. The track, off psykhi’s new EP Forest People, takes sounds from new wave, post-punk, and pop to create something that sounds evocative of 1980s pop. On the EP, psykhi comments “Forest people for me felt like the harnessing of spirit. To find love for oneself and to be able to stand up for what you believe in.” The release is out now on Globe Town Records.
Blue Cinema - Cerebro
Using shoegaze guitar textures, a driving bass line, and dreamy vocals, Cambridge band Blue Cinema successfully recreates the feeling of reverie on their new song “Cerebro.” As vocalist Malka Kovalenko explains, "Though the lyrics are deliberately obscure the song has themes of both escapism and entrapment. You get the feeling of falling down a rabbit hole of infinite galaxies that no one can help you out of. What's more important is what the song means to the listener and whether or not you fall down that same rabbit hole."
Who Is She? - Thursday
Influenced by songs named after days of the week, PNW indie punk pop supergroup Who Is She? is out with their new single “Thursday.” The band comments, “We are big fans of day of the week songs like 'Manic Monday' and 'Friday I’m in Love,' and we realized there weren’t enough songs about Thursday. So we decided to write one!” Who Is She?, which features members Robin Edwards (Lisa Prank), Bree Mckenna (Tacocat), Julia Shapiro (Chastity Belt), and now Emily Nokes (Tacocat), is releasing their next album Goddess Energy on 8/25.
Cucamaras - Greener Lands
The Nottingham post-punk/art rock/ band Cucamaras has released their new EP Buck Rogers Time. In the song “Greener Lands,” vocalist Olly Bowley explores the circumstances which impact our choices to leave the places we grew up in search of something better. Buck Rogers Time is out now on EXAG Records.
Say She She - Don’t You Dare Stop
“Don’t You Dare Stop,” from Brooklyn soul trio Say She She, is four and a half minutes of pure bliss. It is noted that the track is “about a former flame who once whispered the words…Don't You Dare Stop.” The song is a b-side to Reeling, which is out on 7” green vinyl via Colemine Records.
Tensnake feat. Jessy Lanza - Keep It Secret
With summer just around the corner, German producer/DJ Tensnake and producer/vocalist Jessy Lanza bring the heat. On their new collaborative single “Keep It Secret,” Lanza takes a hidden love affair public. The track’s electro-pop/minimal house beats and Lanza’s vocals will make this the song of the summer. Both artists are scheduled to release an album this year.
Mimi Pretend - I Still Wear Your RIng
LA-based Mimi Pretend has released the new EP Sick Eros. Though heavily influenced by the textures of shoegaze and country, the EP sees Mimi Pretend leaning toward pop music. On the indie rock track, “I Still Wear Your RIng,” Pretend wonders whether feelings for a partner from the past are still reciprocated. The self-released EP was written and recorded in Mimi Pretend’s bedroom.
Hannah Robinson - When I Was High
“When I Was High,” the new single by British singer-songwriter Hannah Robinson, is a sonic exploration of alt-rock, psychedelic, and shoegaze. Lyrically, the song tackles the uncertainty of a rocky relationship. As Robinson explains, the track is “for those who have felt led on, who didn’t know where they stood or what they stood for.”
Holy Wave - Happier
Austin shoegaze band Holy Wave is back with their new single “Happier.” Featuring Estrella del Sol (Mint Field), the track takes on the act of confronting defeat and sorrow head-on, refusing to be overcome by them. The band’s upcoming album Five Of Cups is out 8/4 on Suicide Squeeze.
Simesky + Fritch - Colour Running Away
International duo Simesky + Fritch are back with “Colour Running Away.” The track draws inspiration from a faded photograph, as the duo ponders whether it’s the moment, the feeling, or the image that lasts. The sound of the track merges classic 80s synthpop sounds with updated production methods, marrying the old with the new.
PWNT - Lonely
LA-based artist PWNT, who takes their name from the Miles Davis quote on musical improvisation, has released the second single off their upcoming album. On the psych/britpop track “Lonely,” PWNT touches on the first feelings of love, those which are free from constraints. PWNT’s new album Play What’s Not There is out on July 21 via Acrophase.
hemlocke springs - sever the blight
On “sever the blight” hemlocke springs finds herself wondering if she’ll stick around waiting for love. The electro-pop, 80’s tinged song is the latest single from the American indie-pop artist. hemlocke springs is scheduled to perform at London’s Colour Hoxton on November 9.
R. Missing - All Alone With Seas
New York synth-wave project R. Missing are back with their new single “All Alone With Seas.” On the track, the duo examines coming to terms with the fact that things are sometimes out of our control. The track features electronic soundscapes and an exhilarating synth solo.
Dead Leaf Echo - Shadowlight
New York shoegaze trio Dead Leaf Echo are back with their new EP Boo. Our pick “Shadowlight,” produced by the band’s frontman LG Galleon reflects the band’s social commentary on police brutality. The five-track release features songs that won’t be on the band’s full-length album, set to come out this fall. Catch the band on tour this spring with The Veldt.
Slightest Clue - Zipper
Written around a raw guitar riff, “Zipper” by Vancouver post-punk band Slightest Clue throws us into a frenzy. Lyrically, the high-energy song takes on the desire for personal growth and change. According to the band, the song was inspired by the “raw and gritty textured guitar tones” of bands like Viagra Boys and Dry Cleaning.
TV Party - Save Your Life
Ventura, California garage rock band TV Party has released their new album Psychic Driving. In “Save Your Life,” vocalist Jesse Brinkenhoof tells the story of someone with one foot in the grave looking for a savior. TV Party will be opening up for legendary punk band Descendents at Ventura Hall on 5/14.
GLAS NOST - Be the Movement
Vin Buchanan Simpson (Hideous Sun Demon, Terrible Signal) has a new solo project under the monicker Glas Nost. On the synth-punk anthem “Be the Movement,” Glas Nost brings up how the system keeps us down, takes everything we have, and strips us of our individuality. The track is off of Glas Nost’s debut EP weltschmerz. The release is out on cassette via Glas Nost’s own micro-label Cruel City Records.
Fiasko Leitmotiv - Judas Cradle
On their new track “Judas Cradle” Fiasko Leimotiv combines elements of coldwave and dance-punk. Named after a medieval torture device, the electronic industrial tones provide the soundtrack to the vocalist's erratic howls. The track is on their upcoming EP A Noiseless Patient Spider, out on 5/5 on the German post-punk/darkwave/synthpop label Unterschall.
On their debut album Ambivert, Houston-based duo Blemishes—comprised of Julienne Ceron and Jessie Huntington—defies easy categorization by blending diverse musical influences and styles. This 50-minute album showcases a spectrum of sounds, from frantic rhythms to gentle instrumentation, reflecting their view of albums as cohesive narratives rather than mere collections of songs. To highlight its various influences, Ceron curated a playlist for us. Read our Q&A with the writer/producer and listen to the playlist.