by Chloe Catajan
There's a surge of new music released every day. And while your scrobble might be the 7.6th million for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" or spiking that latest Ariana Grande single, you could also be spicing up your library with the scene's freshest artists!
The Live Dashboard has always been around to keep track of chart-topping tracks, but Last.fm's got your back in the up-and-coming music department too. Here, we dig up sparkly new musical gems to spare you the dirty work:
Foxwarren - Everything Apart
Led by Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Shauf, Foxwarren could give listeners an adrenaline rush in "Everything Apart." The quartet's single blends a broody bassline with ticking drumbeats, celestial frequencies and Shauf's lush vocal harmonies. Its lyrics deliberate a sense of belonging and purpose, as well as the uncertainty of finding either. Altogether, "Everything Apart" is a nod to film noir melodrama and the track's action-packed music video plays on this imagery as well. Foxwarren's debut self-titled album releases November 30.
Related tags: Canadian, folk, acoustic
For fans of: Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles, Andy Shauf, Michou
The Menzingers - The Freaks
Philadelphia's The Menzingers are back with another standalone single following the surprise release of "Toy Soldiers" earlier this year. In "The Freaks," a poetic opening rhythm meets frontman Tom May's quintessential pop-punk vocals. It's a combination that rings true with the band's melodic punk tag and captures the band's sound evolution that longtime fans grew with. Like previous releases, the lyrics are profoundly anecdotal, though they still resonate through their unapologetic spirit.
Related tags: punk rock, melodic punk, pop punk
For fans of: The Gaslight Anthem, Against Me!, Alkaline Trio
SUMif - Know You
With electro-pop making constant waves in the music scene, it's always a treat to hear how artists make the style their own. San Francisco songstress SUMif does this by putting narratives of gender and sexual fluidity against cotton candy soundscapes. In her latest single, "Know You," SUMif's Steph Wells gets lost in lust and invites listeners to feel the rush. Where you might expect the beat to drop, Wells keeps it breezy instead, achieving the feeling of joyriding out the high.
Related tags: indie, electronic, pop
For fans of: Daniella Mason, Liyv, LAYNE
BODEGA - Name Escape
Imagine the hustle and bustle of a night out, but replace uncomfortable social interactions with a slapping beat. That's BODEGA's "Name Escape." The Brooklyn quintet sums up the sensory overload caused by social outings full of familiar strangers. Its verses are rich in internal monologue à la Cake, while throbbing basslines reminisce the city nightlife scene. There's even a reference to The Smiths. BODEGA's balance of cultivated sonic elements make for a compelling cut, and its music video is just as stimulating.
Related tags: indie rock, electronic, folk
For fans of: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Hop Along, Superorganism
Black Belt Eagle Scout - Indians Never Die
There is strength in practicing softness and self-reflection; Katherine Paul of Black Belt Eagle Scout can lead by example here. The Portland-based musician unravels layers of thought-provoking songwriting in latest single "Indians Never Die." Over a gentle guitar melody and raindrop percussions, Paul's haunting vocals urge listeners to take in and take care of their surroundings. The hush sounds eventually culminate into an ambient rush as Paul makes sense of her own identity and the eternal power of her culture's customs. It draws from the music Paul grew up with at family powwows and alt-rock luminaries Hole and Nirvana, as does the rest of her debut album, Mother of My Children.
Related tags: indie rock, dream pop, experimental
For fans of: Mitski, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, The Joy Formidable
(Photo: Jason Quigley)
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