Mike Baretz is a vibe on his new single Take It That Way. The soulful crooner has an affinity for alternative R&B, with a mellow production palette that brings a heavy dose of sexy chill pop. With mainstream appeal it shares some similarities to hits by ZAYN and Frank Ocean, while also embracing an underground appeal known to recent breakout JOJI.
Get lost in the vibe, you’ll be rocking this on on repeat.
The Lovelines continue to impress with infectious grooves that harken back to the golden era of trip hop. Ripe with swagger and urban attitude, their vocalist draws you in with her sultry delivery.
They cast a wide stylistic net that could appeal to fans of both indie pop and collateral electronic brands like downtempo. Fans of Massive Attack and Smoke City would relish in these vibes. Dig in to their new single Steadily.
Mathew Liam Nicholoson is serene on the picturesque Red Hook. A beautiful blend of classic and new, the writing has the laurel canyon spirit of classic Neil Young, with a brooding sonic design that recalls Pink Floyd, and an indie sensibility known to artists like Bon Iver and Midlake. Nicholson’s voice is a revelation. Haunting and entrancing, he’s sings with incredible feeling and vulnerability.
Sterile Cuckoo conjure a production masterclass on the cinematic The Ghost of Saint Claire. The intense illusion of the buried vocals and how the meld into the music might be its most striking feature. It’s also highlighted by grimy crisp textures that tickle your air. It’s a graceful combination of noise music injected into pop.
The single is an auditory trip with intoxicating affect. There’s a semblance of shoegaze pioneers like Beach House, indie electronic artists like Polica, and remnants of Bon Iver’s controversial 22 A Million. Lose yourself to The Ghost of Saint Claire
Lunavela tickles our chill psych pop love bone on their catchy new single Next of kin. Modern psych with a 90s sensibility, the disconnected vocal draws similarities to 90s slacker rockers like Nada Surf. They bring this affect into the modern era with production that feels like Tennis but hits like TV On The Radio.
To get you all the way they they provide this haunting music video that embraces the visual ethos of classics like American Beauty. You can just groove to this vibe or get lost in its haunting appeal, no matter how you shake it Next to kin will get under your skin.
Transverse to the cosmic psych pop of Astral Orange and their new single Monsoon. These psychedelic vibes would have fit well on classic label Astrelwerks. It shares clear similarities to recent breakouts Tame Impala with the additional pop appeal of MGMT.
Make no mistake, this is not cookie cutter copy. It’s inspired, but Astral Orange bring their own tasty leads and flashy bass runs that set Monsson apart. With fresh analog textures and groovy drums, we’re excited to experience the sonic surprise that a live performance might offer. Until then, absorb yourself in the beautiful design of Monsoon.
The Wild Is Calling 