Lost Velvet caught our eye with their debut single release, “Endless,” an intoxicatingly dark and dreamy alternative rock tune featuring a touch of shoegaze. Playful, innovative guitar melodies complete with pitch bending and layered, whispered vocal lines make this one stand out. Fans of groups like the Deftones and The Mars Volta will instantly connect with this sound.
We love the dissonance between these layered vocals and guitar work. Stylistically, this band seems to graciously bridge the gap between atmospheric and aggressive without leaning too hard in either direction. We look forward to hearing more from this band in the near future.
Hear it now on our Best New Rock Playlist.
The 2022 single, “Figured it Out,” from Empirical Metaphor immediately caught our attention with its sonic tension and playful dissonance. We love the experimentation in this track, tempo changes, delay-ridden vocal work, infectious layers of guitar melodies and controlled feedback add to this tension, leaving us wanting more.
Similarities to the music of Radiohead and Oasis can be heard in this track, combined with a modern stylistic touch that reminds us of bands like The Backseat Lovers or Peach Pit. This sonically dense tune has that classic indie / alternative rock vibe, with ethereal soundscapes that suggest a shoegaze influence.
Hear it now on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Up next is Ahhmanda and her debut single release, “Holy Mountain,” a catchy, anthemic indie rock tune packed with euphoric and nostalgic feeling. Innovative synth patches work together with traditional instrumentation in this one, creating new sonic landscapes that we find very fresh and intriguing.
We love the contrast in this one. The light and airy vibe throughout the first half is met with a synth heavy, distorted sound about halfway through, showing us both sides of this artist’s sonic capabilities. The blending of these musical styles within the scope of indie rock is reminiscent of artists like Tame Impala and MGMT. Keep her on your radar.
Hear it now on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Ukrainian indie rock band Milktuth recently released their What a Time to Be Alive EP, an inspired collection of original tunes bound for the charts. The second track, “Brave,” is a highlight single from this EP. This one stood out to us. Its vocals involve emotional conflicts and mental turmoil, gently laid out through an ethereal combination of classic indie instrumentals and comforting chord progressions.
We hear similarities to the music of Khruangbin and The Big Moon in this song; fans of this type of atmospheric indie rock will instantly connect with Milktuth’s recent release. We really dig what these artists have been up to.
Check them out on our Best New Rock Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 