More often than not, the outcome of certain collaborations don’t quite work as well as the idea on paper, but there have been numerous instances where certain collaborations just flat-out make complete sense while all parties involved feel rejuvenated as they bounce ideas off each other and gain a new sense of inspiration. Judging from the new collaborative single by Converge, Chelsea Wolfe, Stephen Brodsky, and Ben Chisholm, it’s looking like this is going to be one of those collabs that works. All aforementioned musicians got together to create a collaborative album titled Bloodmoon: I, which will drop on November 19th via “Epitaph Records,” and the lead single “Blood Moon” is a brooding seven minute plus epic that gives us a taste of the journey we’re about to embark on with this album. You can watch the music video for ”Blood Moon” below:
IDLES will release their follow-up to their critically acclaimed album Ultra Mono on November 12th via “Partisan Records.” The album is titled Crawler, and is coproduced by Kenny Beats. The band have also shared a new single titled “The Beachland Ballroom,” which is a massive departure from their previous work. About the track, lead singer Joe Talbot states “It’s the most important song on the album, really, There’s so many bands that go through the small rooms and dream of making it into the big rooms. Being able to write a soul tune like this made me go, fuck , we’re at a place where we’re actually allowed to go to these big rooms and be creative and not just go through the motions and really appreciate what we’ve got. The song is sort of an allegory of feeling lost and getting through it. It’s one that I really love singing.” You can watch the music video for “The Beachland Ballroom” below:
Hailing from Nashville Tennessee, Kelley Cole has released her debut single “Anyone,” and it’s a synth-heavy bop ready to pack the dance floor with its smooth Funk-dominated swagger. The track was written and produced by Cole herself, indicating the possibility of her becoming an influential producer in the Pop world. She is definitely an artist to watch. You can listen to “Anyone” below:
As of late, I’ve been trying to stay away from the easy and often uninspired mention of the pandemic when it comes to my write-ups of new music, but the fact of the matter is, it’s nearly impossible, and maybe a little irresponsible to not mention the impact COVID and lockdown has had on the music scene. Whether it be the frequent cancellations of tours, or the music that has been created as a reaction to the stir craziness of isolation, we’ve hit a point where the whole music world has collectively been forced to endure the same thing, so of course the mention of COVID is inevitable. An album that epitomizes the feeling of wanting to punch the walls or to be able to do something as simple as driving to your favorite spot to order fucking fish and chips is “Amyl and the Sniffers'” new album Comfort to Me. The Australian quartet are no strangers to riotous Punk Rock highly energized and ferociously enticing, but what happens when you take that same energy and lock it in a house with no access to the things in the outside world that create normalcy in everyday life? That energy gets amplified of course. The band wrote the majority of this album during lockdown, and the proof is in tracks like “Hertz” and “Guided by Angels,” tracks that convey the feelings that are brought on by isolation, and even those moments of existentialism like on the track “Capital.” “Existing for the sake of existing, meaning disappears,” shouts lead singer Amy Taylor on what is possibly the heaviest track on the album. Those guitar riffs, they bring to mind Kill ‘Em All era “Metallica” every time I hear them, which perfectly echoes the nihilistic nature of the track. Lockdown played a role in this album no doubt, but merely labeling this a “lockdown album” would do a disservice to the band, because the subject matter will resonate with anyone at any point in time. Divisiveness isn’t anything new. We faced it even before the pandemic. Marginalized people have always been victims of prejudice and hate, having to fear walking home alone late at night or just simply being themselves out in public. It’s an unfair reality that fortunately has been brought to light in recent years, but still continues to be smothered by social norms that stifle any progress or innovation, so it’s important to have anthems such as “Freaks to the Front,” “Choices,” “Don’t Fence Me In,” and “Knifey” to inspire and to speak on the anxieties many face on a daily basis. Though the album doesn’t break new ground sonically, it still sounds fresh in a genre that continues to inspire many, and the lyrical content consists of the most important subject matter that people shouldn’t just skim over.
We all have them. Our favorite spots to hang out. Whether it be coffee shops, bars, venues, or diners, it’s part of the human experience to get out and meet people, have conversations, or even people watch as you gaze at someone you find attractive, intriguing, or maybe someone who is obnoxiously making a scene, whatever the case may be, these are the things, good or bad, that make us human. These are the things we’ve grown accustomed to, but what happens when all of that is taken away from us? That’s what we were forced to endure last year during lockdown. The importance of human interaction made itself more clear than ever, making us realize we took these things for granted. However, that isolation lead to self-reflection for many of us, and prompted countless artists to create such profound art, artists such as “Lucky Iris.” Inspired by their desire to get out into the world again, the Leeds duo created a dance floor ready banger rich in Electro-Pop and Disco titled “Coffee Shop,” and the track reflects on those times of normalcy, inspiring us to slow down and savor these times as they slowly return. The track was produced by Ed Heaton, and mixed by Lee Smith. You can listen to “Coffee Shop” below:
Following her self-titled debut, which was released last year on St. Valentine’s Day, Riki is set to drop her follow-up album Gold on November 26th via “Dais Records.” The Los Angeles-based artist has also shared a new single titled “Marigold,” which is a duet featuring Telefon Tel Aviv co-founder Josh Eustis, who helped produce the album as well. “Marigold” carries on that dreamy synth-driven New Romantic sound that delightfully lit up her previous album, but the track pulls no punches when delivering an atmospheric tone with reverb-drenched guitars that will transport you to the days of old where New Wave was dominant. However, Riki is more intent on breathing new life into these genres, as opposed to being overly nostalgic, showing there’s much to be explored in these musical realms. You can listen to “Marigold” below:
We’re approaching the release of “Amyl and the Sniffers'” new album Comfort to Me, which will drop this Friday via “Rough Trade Records,” and today the band have shared one last single before this release titled “Hertz.” Much like their previous singles “Guided by Angels” and “Security,” “Hertz” is a fired up rager residing in the Punk spirit the band is known for. Lead singer Amy Taylor shouts “Take me to the beach, take me to the country” with immense aggression that prompts one to believe this is a reflection of the stir crazy 2020 we had, and for many, continue to have this year. You can watch the music video for “Hertz” below:
Being one of the most prolific bands in the Hardcore scene today, two full-length albums in one year doesn’t seem out of the ordinary for Austin, Texas-based trio “Portrayal of Guilt.” Back in January the band released a dark, but enticing record titled We Are Always Alone, and following their split single with Oklahoma’s “Chat Pile,” the band have announced the release of their follow-up album Christfucker, which will drop on November 5th via “Run for Cover Records.” You can listen to the album’s first single “Possession” below:
Following his addicting debut E.P. Mimic, Ethan Attwood-Summers under his “Dare Above Nemo” project has shared a follow-up single titled “Synergy,” and it’s just as infectious as his previous work. Continuing the synth-dominated style of Mimic, “Synergy” is a sensual exploration of the hybrid of Dream Pop and Bedroom Pop that Ethan Attwood-Summers has crafted so brilliantly. You can listen to “Synergy” below:
You’ve probably been seeing all over the internet that the GOAT is back, and who is everyone talking about? Not Kanye, that’s for sure. We’re all talking about Kendrick Lamar. A week after his public statement regarding his final album with “Top Dawg Entertainment,” which has no release date yet, Kendrick Lamar has made a glorious return on Baby Keem’s new single “Family Ties,” and this is the collab we didn’t know we needed. “I been duckin’ the pandemic, I been duckin’ the social gimmicks, I been duckin’ the overnight activists, yeah I’m not a trending topic, I’m a prophet,” Kendrick spits, commenting on the abundance of events in 2020 to now that have rendered everyone divided. Kendrick was relatively quiet last year, but hopefully “Family Ties” is just the beginning of his much needed return. You can watch the music video for “Family Ties” below:
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