Week in Pop
Jimmy Turturici presented us with a listen to his new single with the following introduction of, “every track & sound is improvised and in one take the song begins to take on a life of it’s own to welcome you in.” The result is “You’re In” that welcomes you to synth-wonderland where every keyboard twinkles like a star up in the expansive spatial heavens in the sky, courtesy of Turturici’s imprint Natural Satellite.
Seen recently at Coachella with Tycho (of whom they are currently touring with), NYC’s electro-pop purveyors of new electronic-ambient grounds Beacon dazzled us with the beautiful dalliances heard on the single “Marion”. The duo of Thomas Mullarney III & Jacob Gossett share the follow-up single since the 2016 release of their second album Escapements from Ghostly that operates in mystic & mysterious manners of understated air of harmonies & ethereal textures that will send your mind adrift to newfound atmospheres.
On May 19, White Hills will release the album Stop Mute Defeat through Thrill Jockey & we present a look at the abstract, nightmare aesthetics found in the Ego Sensation (vocalist/bassist of the band) video for “Importance 101”. Childhood visions of make-believe & the anxiety of what weirdness might be found amid the shrouds of darkness acts out the cathartic, rhythmic tones found in the visceral, rumbling & clanging electric under & overtones.
Dan Molad makes music under the moniker of CHIMNEY who is readying his self-titled for release June 23 from Dine Alone Records & we have a look at the Christopher Good video for “Walk Don’t Run”. The visuals showcase a red-riding-hood type of tale involving all sorts of eccentric heroes & villains that add to Molad’s own mystic pop approach.
Seen working with A-Trak, Young Thug & touring with the likes of Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, Flosstradamus, etc; we have Falcons’ new wavy romantic cut “Boo You Know” ft. GoldLink via Fools Gold. The LA producer takes the track to all sorts of hedonistic & experiential atmospheres that makes for an enthralling & enriching listening experience.
Winchester’s Paul Gumma & Jo Carson are Temples of Youth who have been making a splash across the pond with a swarm of buzz happening around their single “Amber”. The track operates on escapist urges that edges toward a sense of flight from whatever situation is at hand with a host of restrained electric strings & keys that make for a moody moment. Paul introduced the single with the following thoughts:
“Amber” is about feeling helpless when things are falling apart around you and looking for a temporary escape. We wanted to create a warm, summery upbeat track—with a driving riff that gave a sense of travelling away from the everyday.
Those looking for that one-moment-stand of potential meaning should check out Grace Savage’s new single “Just For Tonight” that deals with re visitations with liaisons from the past & the host of complications that brings. In Grace’s own words:
“Just for Tonight” is a song about clinging onto something that is no longer there, about spending a night with an ex in an effort to try and revive and resuscitate the relationship. Lying to yourself, looking for the short term fix and living in a moment of dangerous make believe.
Check out the Peter Huang video for Jessie Reyez’s “Gatekeeper” featured off her Kiddo EP about the roughness of coming age & defying the patriarchy that attempt to tell her where/what her place should be. Childhood dreams & Reyez’s current rise are combined together in a passionate purpose to break all the molds & crash every gate. Look for Jessie Reyez on tour June 7-July 7.
South African’s TUELO presented her new single “Saint Margaret” that offers up a beautiful & heart affirming ode to the artist’s mother, Seabi. The song itself takes it’s name from the translation of TUELO’s mom’s name being Margaret, the song sends out an emotional & beautiful tribute in a style she calls revival music. Catch TUELO playing Rockwood Music Hall May 9.
Alex Napping’s forthcoming album Mise En Place will be available May 5 from Father/Daughter Records & in case you missed it we have “You’ve Got Me” that offers the thrill of mutual abandon & enthralled joys. This is the sound of a spring season that could last forever as sunny day sentiments are celebrated with spirited vocals & lovely distortion that descends everywhere.
In more Father/Daughter news, we give you the first singles from Art School Jocks that offer up some of the coolest art-school dropout style pop. Atlanta’s Ali Bragg, Camille Lindsley, Deborah Hudson & Dianna Settles turn the pigeonhole stereotypes & status quo on their head on “Just a Gwen”, turning over the tables & imaginative with animal anthems like “Catdog”.
Danish duo Blondage brought the herbal-botanical beats with “Stoned” that intoxicates with all the big, bright & brash pop tones that work in maximalist ways.
Chicago’s Sidewalk Chalk presented a look at the Jack Blanket animated video for the action-packed “Dig” off the forthcoming album An Orchid Is Born available June 2 from Ropeadope Records. SC provides an outlet to shovel your way out of any sticky or slippery situation with some big over the top production maneuvers.
Single Mothers’ forthcoming second album Our Pleasure will be available June 16 from Dine Alone Records
Ann Arbor duo Fallow Land presents a listen to “Faux” featured off the forthcoming June 30 EP Pinscher. Applications of mathematical & dream-like approaches make for a stirring experience where fallacies & realities get caught in the crossfire.
Kidsmoke delivered a wistful listen to the lovely single “And Mine Alone” that offers up an exchange of Valentine’s here in the onset of the spring season. The feeling of being young in love blossoms all throughout the track that will take you back to those respective & sacred places exclusive to the deep memory banks of a sacred sort of nostalgia.
We introduced you to Rick Colado, oka RickoLus with the single “Snowglobes” featured off his album Troubadour & today we present a listen to his just released EP from Bear Machine Records titled Underground that offers up subterranean tells put to vignettes to sprout like shrubs above the surface top. The title track takes you through sonic networks of under-earth tunnels & offers up surprise at every time, sparing some soft keys & reflections with “Sarah”, coasting off with “General Boarding” offering up some acoustic fare on the topics of room & board & other short stories.
Vermont’s Wren Kitz brought us the beautiful “Haunted Hole” that offered up a sense of healing for all weary souls in search of a friendly ghost for comfort. Found off the upcoming new album Dancing on Soda Lake available June 2 from NNA Tapes, the Burlington artist blends his passion for magnetic tape recordings, found field sounds & more together to make for an amazing conscious sweeping experience.
Hackney Colliery Band busted out the big booming brass with on the jam “Gather Your Wits” featured off their forthcoming Live album available May 12 from Veki.
California by ATL’s Tuki Carter of Taylor Gang dropped the Flowers and Planes tape ft. fellow affiliates & friends. “To The Max” gets the party started with Protocal production featuring spots from Rome & Go Dreamer”, blazing paths on the SAP produced jam “Make a Way”, dropping some personal narratives on the title track with Wiz Khalifa & Chevy Woods, embracing that sweet life with Juicy J & Wiz on “Hollwyood” with production from RMB Justize. Check out the tape that features further production grooves from SONIX, TM88, Ducko McFli, Big Jerm & more.
Featured off his recent mixtape The Constellation, check out the ATL’s latest rising star Domani offering up a visual for “Playalistic Music” that brings in life tales, serious lessons & all the complications of coming age quagmires. Street life & all the serious struggles involved with life in under-served communities are dealt with & depicted in no uncertain visual & lyrical terms as the heaviness of life & death paradigms play out over a maudlin, yet beautiful back beat arrangement.
Sacramento siblings Blaq Tuxedo dropped the single “Steeler” in conjunction with the announcement of their forthcoming album ABA (Art By Accident) available May 26. Darius & Dom Logan exhibit their electronic experimentation where the two exhibit the prowess of NFL game fantasies that are spun from dreams & schemes that extend far beyond your typical Fan Duel/Draft King hype.
Kane Strang sent word of the upcoming album Two Hearts and No Brain available June 30 from Dead Oceans lending a listen to “My Smile is Extinct” that offers up an existential & anecdotal earworm for you to enjoy. The track takes all the angst & everything that gets us all anxious & offers up some light-hearted reprieve.
Peep the Dunlap Bros video for their arty & passionate “Revival” from Orlando’s Hoyle’s album Jenny’s Room. Evening expressions break through with choruses & harmonies that collide like a chorus of wonder to uplift any & all items that might be ailing you.
From their forthcoming Crystal Magic release, The Fuzzy Crystals offered a listen to the globe turning terrain of “Spinning”. The feeling of holistic, planet earth-nurturing vibrations can be heard in the harmonies that are expressed in understated & natural utterances & channeled through Guy Seyffert’s 3M M79 16-track reel-to-reel.
Brooklyn, NY’s Hot Curl dropped the single “Warped” that offers up some delightfully twisted pop arrangements that will keep your mind wandering in all sorts of dreamy directions. Prescott Horn’s follow-up to last year’s Beached EP delights in the spirit of musical adventurism where every chord progression & each new bar offers up all sorts of inspired & unexpected fascinating gems.
Touring now with Pile, get heavy, loud, rad & proud with Gnarwhal’s new jam “Light-Up City” found off the forthcoming release Crucial available May 5 from Exploding In Sound Records. Chappy Hull & Tyler Coburn bring all the academics to the equation that keeps everything anarchic and all the arithmetic on pure point.
With news that Australia’s The Babe Rainbow have inked a deal with Danger Mouse’s own 30th Century Records imprint, the brand offers a viewing of their vintage-looking Sam Kristofski video for “Peace Blossom Boogy” to compliment their rocking/raving shindig sound. Catch this on their forthcoming June 2 self-titled debut that offers more peace-loving revivals to make 2017 feel a little closer to some kind of 1967 throwback dream.
We bring you tomorrow’s visions today with the single “Dream Of The Machines” featured off Simon Doom’s anticipated album Babyman available May 19 via Votiv. The supergroup fires forth their pop canons to create a timeless sound created by some of the game’s craftiest players & talents.
Confirming an upcoming show at San Francisco’s Mezzanine June 8 with Rituals of Mine & Yassou; SF’s Cathedrals bring about a pop sound that is fresh from the pews & pulpits that musters up the courage to confront whatever adversary is ailing you.
Joji recently co-signed to the pan-Asian community/power-collective 88Rising & shared the beautiful & intimate single “I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time”. Otherwise known as Pink Guy & Filthy Frank, Joji offers up a listen to the softer sides of his multifaceted styles & expansive aesthetics.
Foreign Air offered up word of a series of upcoming summer dates and the single “Call Off The Dogs” that calls off the wild pack of hell hounds for some sweet, early summer spring vibes for your weekend revelries.
Au.Ra wowed us with their new single “Applause” featured off the forthcoming album Cultivations available June 30 from the prestigious imprint felte. The synths twinkle & welcome what newfound wonders await as the keys fall all around the listener in an array of celebrated beauty.
In more felte news, we bring you the kinetic dream machine cut from Houses Of Heaven with the super fresh single “Almost Hidden” off the forthcoming Remnant EP available May 19. This is a track that runs towards those margins that exist outside the scopes of sight for some kind of clandestine place of solace & safety.
