Solo punk project Gorilla Knifefight (Matt Glassel) has a music video out to their song “Mark My Skin.” It’s less than a minute long and makes its point loud and clear; the black-and-white video features Glassel receiving a stick and poke tattoo from good friend and bandmate Eliot Hess. The lyrics are displayed in Glassel’s distinct font as well (if
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Hip hop artist Rahn Harper dropped a three-piece EP two weeks back. Featuring artwork of him dressed like the beloved Looney Tune, Harper is feeling like an all-star across this release. He raps about moving boulders, never missing a shot, and having carrots in his teeth as he executes one play after another. “Bugs Bunny” is an EP about being
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“Cryptsludge” project It Is Dead recently dropped a new EP. Consisting of a ten-minute and nine-minute track, it’s a diabolical pair of compositions that drone menacingly against satanic growls. The lyrics are minimalist but carry enough wickedness to cast you into damnation. If you like your metal blackened and drawn-out, look no further than It Is Dead.
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Lo-fi hip hop producer Postureless is out with his debut EP. It’s a collaborative effort featuring raps from hip hop artists Defcee and CRASHprez on two songs each. Both of them spit conscious sentiments; for example Defcee talks about balancing love with trust in “Siphon” while CRASHprez tackles resilience in the face of great fears in “Onward.” It’s an elevating
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Chicago-based indie pop artist Julius Dolls has a new single out. This one kicks things off with a disco feel, gradually introducing Dolls’ ethereal vocals and swelling into an uplifting dance jam that folks of all tastes could enjoy. The production and lyrics together make you feel young and want to bide your time with the people and good times
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Hip hop artist Protege’s latest song finds him rapping about taking his place at the throne. His bars revolve around being made to make music and turn words into artistic statements, and that he’s got the ice water in his veins to prove it. Specifically he mentions how people weren’t hyping him up originally but now that he’s doing well
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Bedroom pop artist Blacktop’s latest single is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a hypnagogic tune about embracing personal growth and change. There’s blooming keys and watery textures that accompany Austin Wood’s gentle yet convicted vocals, adding up to an ethereal atmosphere. Blacktop is walking on a cloud with “Getting to Know Myself” – we hope to hear more from him soon.
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Harsh noise project Restraint Malfunction followed up last week’s debut album already with another one this week. It’s a continuation of the abstract exploration of the first, using hardware synths to achieve abrasive textures. Such sounds evoke feelings of breaking free from the shackles of one’s personal chaos and subjective oppression. It’s both cathartic and liberating; Restraint Malfunction floods our
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A show took place at Club Timbuktu in Riverwest Saturday night featuring slowcore rockers Haunter, noise pop band Brief Candles, and experimental rockers Gauss. An excited crowd of music lovers came out to support, and fun was had. Gauss consists of vocalist/guitarist Eddie Chapman, bassist John Larkin, drummer Andy Grygiel, keyboardist Brandon Miller, French horn player Elise McArdle, and violinist
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Indie folk artist Next Paperback Hero has a new record out today. It’s nine tracks; the cover art is a shot of Lake Michigan from our good friend Samer Ghani. Fittingly, this album serves as somewhat of a “lake” of singer-songwriter Nathan Honore’s poignant feelings about starting fresh and finding meaning in every pocket of his life. He has immense
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Country-folk group Ryan Necci and the Buffalo Gospel’s new record dropped this past month. It’s a collection of songs from Necci’s past, present, and future and they all touch on loss. Whether Necci is mourning a failed relationship with “Here Lies Our Lovin’” or lamenting the lonesome blue-collar life in “Mule” or living your numbered days in “Waiting for the
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Linneman’s Riverwest Inn have their open mic every Wednesday, and this week their featured artist was singer-songwriter Kyle Kenowski, who has been playing there for a number of years now. Known for his whimsical artistry, Kenowski’s eccentric musical style contains elements of psychedelia, classical, folk, and pop. He released the album “Need Disease” last November, which was accompanied by an
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Electronic duo Mood Migration have a new video for their song “Nightside” out, which features contributions from fellow artist Seanie. Shot by Jon Banach, the scene finds the duo walking out at night under the street lights enjoying the summer air, with the atmospheric production accompanying their journey. It gives off the idea of living in the present moment, admiring
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Electronic producer Travvy Trav teamed up with vocalist Nico Duschatzky for a reggaeton track. Featuring Spanish lyrics, the song has rather minimalist production, with an airy guitar melody over light shuffling rhythm. It’s definitely still a party track though, with plenty of sunny sensibility and exciting energy. Travvy Trav has never been one to put himself in a box, and
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Hip hop artist and collab king Taiyamo Denku teamed up with Detroit’s Marv Won and the late Pumpkinhead for a new joint. Over Bofaat’s tense, adrenaline-fueled production the three rappers bring lethal bars that come at you like gunshots in an action movie. No hooks are needed here – it’s a cypher based track that showcases metaphoric wisdom in a
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Dystopian electronic project Detraction has a new album out. This one fascinatingly introduces pop sensibilities through trip hop beats that weave in and out of the experimental, dense soundscapes. As a concept the whole thing feels like one is retrieving fond moments out of distorted dreams. The final track drones on as if the dreams are becoming more vivid until
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Shifter is a new metalcore duo consisting of Armon Hassan and Nik Voyn, who play in metalcore band After Hour Animals together. Their debut single has a brutal bite and confronts when you fall into one bad habit after another, making you feel hopelessly suffocated. Armon’s shrieks rattle the soul as the fate of those trapped in vicious cycles spills
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Indie folk project Dead, Dead Swans have a new single out. Recorded in a bedroom with just one microphone, it’s a song that touches on someone appearing different than you once remembered them. Fittingly, it’s got a gentle acoustic melody that accommodates Swan’s gruff and honest vocals. It certainly makes you want to call up an old friend.
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Ska punks Something to Do’s latest video accompanies “Am I Still Coming Over?” from last year’s album “Give Me Attention.” The scene finds the great-smelling band playing in a Riverwest backyard while we observe a couple walking their dog down the street, amid some tensions. Next thing you know, the dog eats up the pizza they ordered, and the tensions
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Soul-R&B singer-songwriter B~Free has a new single and video out. Shot by Jovan Landry, the scene features Free with her friends in the locker room gassing each other up, while other shots feature her busting moves with choreographed dancers. The song itself touches on lack of consistency and commitment from someone; they’re clearing interested in you but just aren’t following
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Harsh noise project Restraint Malfunction released an album this past week. Consisting of five pieces all made in the last month, it’s described by Michael Jurek as a cathartic effort freeing himself of obstacles he’s faced mentally as of late. The results encompass erratic static blasts that scatter across the open space, reflecting the irregularities of one’s demons choosing to
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Bass producer Outage has a new track out with a rattling edge. Featuring a Venom-looking villian on the cover, the song builds into zaps of electronic excitement, like you’re using lightning-fast reflexes to evade said villian coming after you. Outage once again brings his unique brand of aggressive bass that requires even the most experienced headbangers to watch their head.
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Hip hop artist Renz Young’s latest single finds him rapping about being worth a ticket. He knows his worth and flexes about not needing anyone’s help getting where he is; he doesn’t even have to post any pictures for people to wonder what his next move will be. It’s a banger with just the right amount of confidence from Renz
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Ambient drone project The Vicuna 100’s latest release envelops us in layers of golden hue. Sandwiched between two shorter cuts is the mammoth track “Soft Melon Boys” which flutters for over twenty minutes; you feel like you’re sleeping in a bed miles up in the sky as yellow clouds gently glide past. If you’re looking for something meditative and trance-inducing,
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Indie pop band Bicentennial Drug Lord have a new record out. With six tracks, the band channels their knack for summer romance and humid adventure. There’s imagery of a couple coping with the increasing distance between one another (“The Traffic Outside”) as well as people getting drunk with others just to feel a little less alone (“Salt Off”). It’s a
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