Eugenia Post Meridiem return with the intense new single Around My Neck. Elite musicianship and art school awareness define their craft. They wade between English and their native tongue as they break the boundaries of formality. They’re embracing their truth and playing to the crowds and fandom growing in their homeland. With widespread appeal they aren’t ready to cut themselves off from the indie world at large, but it’s getting tempting.
We’re just a blip on the map compared to the platforms already embracing this phenomenal new project. Earning accolades from Rolling Stone and Vice, it won’t be long before they’re on the main stage at your favorite festival. We hear similarities to Dirty Projects and Rubblebucket, warped with the groups own trademark blend attributed to the skill and studious histories of it’s members. Still on the rise, they haven’t yet outgrown our scope. Soon, though, we guarantee big things are coming for Eugenia Post Meridiem. Say you knew them when.
Get started with Around My Neck now on our Best New Indie Playlist.
Jim and Sam are anthemic on their inspiring new single House On Fire. This small town epic wears all the qualities of complicated love. A troubled romance worn down by the misfortune of inherited poverty, looking for someone to blame only to save them again in this endless cycle of our new American Dream. In that way it shares a classic bitter bred from works by Townes Van Zandt, in contempt of Nashville but painfully catering to its legacy.
The epic dramatic under layers draw similarities to sketched moments. known to Lana Del Rey or even Florence in the Machine, despite neither offering a collective work this blue collar. That is Jim and Sam’s secret weapon, a new dark folk for the commoner, that ancient wisdom known to the tradition of those first Irish standards, updated here to match our present conundrum.
Hear House on Fire now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
Zack Keim updates a rare vintage vibe with his recent Alice. Teaming up with Laurel Wain from String Machine, the duo capture the spirit of 60s folk pop with indie sensibility. It’s how we might imagine the Tallest Man On Earth would sound if supported by the Mamas and Papas. The songwriting also has the playful feel of more upbeat offerings of Simon and Garfunkel, with cheeky production quips known to Edward Sharpe and Dr Dog.
Beyond the scope of comparison Zack Keim is charting his own unique indie folk path. We’ve enjoyed everything we’ve heard from this buzz worthy songwriter. His writing is both stylistic and thoughtful, and he’s got catchy flair to match his inherent style. He describes Alice as a “a rollicking indie-pop/psych folk earworm”. We don’t disagree.
Enjoy Alice now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
Dreams on Tape caught our attention with their new single Lost In My Head. The release really has it all. A good song in its own right, a catchy melodic design and a tonal aesthetic to enhance the overall intention. The vocals are full of attitude as they pop with percussive cadence. Catchy analog textured leads drip between vocal rants. The vibe never strays far from its acquired world, and it shines with a merit of a record that was inspired by one creative burst, as everything settles into its right place with undeniable precision.
Despite it’s conceptual ethos, it doesn’t need to be lofi. It could fall into the stylistic cloak of Vampire Weekend, The National, or The Strokes. It enhances the aura with even more post punk elegance in the scorn bit vocal. The artist and founder Jake Benfant may be playing to his bedroom pop limitations, stuck within the utility of whats available. He marries the musical design with his love of vintage photographs and coming of age films, bringing them with the videos meant to represent his craft.
His potential is self evident in the natural growth of his platform, with his best song garnering of 100k streams on Spotify. If he can get a band to bring it full circle, he’s bound to connect with an eager audience demanding new indie heroes.
Checkout Lost In My Head now on our Best New Indie Playlist
Washburn and the River are soulful on their recent Scaredy Cat. The flowing guitar fuels nineties memories before the indie intention of the full band drops into focus. It’s all by design, as songwriter Jake Rosenberg paints his melodic musings with stylish intention. An acoustic first songwriter, the production caters to the songs foundlings, illuminating the harmonic presence already occurring within the chords and trailing leads. We caught a whiff of Jeff Buckley and Traci Chapman with a touch of recent acoustic Big Thief.
Collectively it rides a groove bred from Laurel Canyon, with classic appeal that should please fans of old and new alike. Maybe you can call him an old soul, but the work is undeniably fresh and fits into the sound of the moment. His vocals, however, are his most unassuming quality. Slightly ragged in the tradition of a well travelled troubadour, Rosenberg sounds wise beyond his years.
Hear Scaredy Cat now on our Emerging Folk Playlist
Brad Clayton is lonely on his revealing Christmas In Detroit. Clayton is equally charming and passionate. Like a smoke lounge crooner snuck in through the legacies of punk, he brings an indie sensibility and tarnished attitude to a classic minimalistic arrangement of piano and voice. With modern jest he connects with recent musings by Father John Misty.
Poetic honest of the moment lyrics and melodic piano movements show a Lennon influence. A raw genuine performance with underground appeal also connects with cult icon Daniel Johnston. The highlight is Clayton’s poetic awareness, how he puzzles fragments of his reality and his pessimistic flaws with witty attraction.
It’s ironically comical when he laments lines like “I’m a misconnection no one knew how to wire…” Can’t help but feel a little sorry for the guy, and wonder at the irony of it all; whereas with a song so melodically pleasant, something good is coming from it all. He knows how to embrace his sad state into sappy songs, sometimes that’s all you can ask for.
See yourself in Christmas in Detroit now on our Emerging Folk Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 