Profesor Galáctico‘s new pal is out of this world, Wade MacNeil unveils his latest deep cut, Blessed find some structure, Moğollar are back in session, Serpents of Secrecy put the key in the lock and plenty more in your Wednesday Roundup. Hey, Apple: Thanks for totally fucking up TextEdit with your latest OS update. What’s next? Redesigning the MacBook keyboard and forgetting to include a space bar? Dipshits.
1 | Profesor Galáctico | Alien
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. ska/punk/alternative act Profesor Galactico is premiering a video Alien. Profesor Galactico is a self-taught musician, singer-songwriter & producer whose latest release Nightmare / Hope To See You Next Year is a split with collective The Paranoias. “Being a first-generation Latino in the U.S., I wanted to draw a parallel on what it’s like to be a foreign being in a society that tends to look down on foreigners with Alien. The track greets the foreign alien and gives them some advice and brutal awareness on how to survive this xenophobic society.”
2 | Wade MacNeil | Slasherman Theme Song (Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The killer video for the new Slasherman Theme Song (Remix) comes from Wade MacNeil (Alexisonfire, Gallows). It’s from the original score for the Jay Baruchel-directed horror movie Random Acts of Violence, by MacNeil and Andrew “Ango” Macpherson (Goon: Last of the Enforcers, Dark Side of the Ring). Says MacNeil, “When you’re scoring a film you are creating a soundtrack for a world that doesn’t exist. Finding the sounds and melodies for that bleak stretch of rust belt highway in Random Acts was exhilarating. Making music to frighten people is such a unique way to spend your time in a studio. I love it.”
3 | Blessed | Structure
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian art-rock band Blessed share details of their forthcoming EP, iii. Due out Feb. 19, the EP’s four tracks expand on Blessed’s already-idiosyncratic vision: cavernous post-punk electronics and measured drum work pave under guitar-work that trips and sways from chiming and sunny, to serrated and snarling, to frigid and stiff. Blessed have also released iii’s first single. “Structure deals with complacency and failing to explore the depths of your actions compared to the words you espouse and values you proclaim to have. If you can’t acknowledge your imperfection and flaws, you don’t leave room to listen and grow. If you’re always trying to teach, you can’t be taught.”
4 | Moğollar | Iklig D2D Session
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Here’s the single and video Iklig D2D Session by Turkish psych originators Moğollar, from the forthcoming album Anatolian Sun part 1 & part 2. Iklig D2D Session originally appeared on Moğollar’s 1973 Anadolu Pop album — a killer workout of deep grooving bass guitar, heavy driving drums and an unforgettable riff played by Cahit Berkay on the kabak kemane (the oldest bowed Turkish instrument). The album will be available Dec. 11. The session was produced by BaBa ZuLa’s Osman Murat Ertel — a stellar link-up that brings Moğollar’s original psychedelic rock full circle with the contemporary Anadolu psych it inspired.”
5 | Serpents of Secrecy | Broke The Key / In The Lock
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Baltimore doom outfit Serpents of Secrecy — formed by members of Sixty Watt Shaman, King Giant, Foghound, Borracho and more — released their debut album Ave Vindicta on Halloween. In the wake of its release, the band present theirvideo for the closing conjoined tracks Broke The Key/In The Lock. The album and the video have been released in honor of their bandmate, the late Rev. Jim Forrester, who was tragically murdered in 2017. Writes bandmember Todd Ingram: “We had to hike the Serpentine Trail for about 20 minutes to get to the clearing where most of the footage was shot. It must have been a sight to see, all of us hauling gear through the woods on some pretty rough terrain … Sometimes we had families walking the trail behind us who seemed very confused as to what was going on.”
6 | Spencer Burton | Nothing’s Changed
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Country-folk artist Spencer Burton announces his fifth studio album Coyote will be released Feb. 19. The former Attack in Black and Grey Kingdom musician also premiered Nothing’s Changed, a song about the beauty of Alberta, with Lloyd Green (Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney) playing lap steel. “I met a man who called himself Splint one morning outside of a local liquor store before opening hours. It was too early for him or me to be there, but we both had busy days ahead of us and we needed to get the necessities out of the way. Splint told me he was a farmer with 1,000 acres of cattle. He shared his struggles of the ever-changing ways of the place he lived in. Despite those changes, he remained the same. ‘As long as the beer don’t change, nothing will change,’ were his words.”
7 | Puma Blue | Opiate
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Puma Blue’s melancholic meld of organic live instrumentation and skeletal beats is set to reach its widest audience to date when he releases his debut album In Praise of Shadows on Feb. 5. Today he shares his latest cut Opiate alongside its official video. Puma Blue, real name Jacob Allen, explains: “It’s about learning to love yourself, despite finding yourself dreaming of someone from your past and wondering why they resurfaced when you were so sure you’d left them behind. It makes you realise that you still have some healing to do.”
8 | Juliana | Call It Quits
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Emerging pop singer and songwriter Juliana has released an acoustic version of her empowering single Call It Quits. The song details the breaking point of a breakup through straightforward lyrics without filter as the L.A. artist urges, “get your shit off my couch” and “let’s call it quits now.” “When I originally wrote this song, it was fully stripped down with just my voice and my guitar, which inspired me to replicate that style in this acoustic live version so listeners can get a glimpse into the story behind the track and why I wrote it in the first place.”
9 | Yuki Dreams Again | Too Fast
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Yuki Dreams Again (Samuel Bocan Biddle) spent the first years of his career producing and writing music for others. He secured song placements with DJ Carnage on his album Battered Bruised & Bloody, proving his writing and producing ability among a roster of heavy hitters. The 22-year-old artist just released his new single Too Fast, a song and video about the desire of finding and showing one’s true self. The song’s textures capture the feeling of weightlessness, not bothered by the external.”
10 | Michael Jones | The Crossroads
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Poet and songwriter Michael Jones shares The Crossroads, a suitably Devilish date for a track which is an anthem for change at a time when life around the world seems to be poised on a knife-edge. Taken from his forthcoming EP American Poet Part II, it takes us back to the crossroads of Robert Johnson, a stopping point at which all of us are asked to make moral choices as to the right road ahead. “These epic and changing times have brought humanity to The Crossroads. The symbolism of Robert Johnson, trading his soul for the gift of music, is woven into the heart of American folklore. We can all sense that 2020 is a transitional historical moment. The choices we make now may very well determine the fate of our collective human soul.”
11 | 44phantom | All Figured Out
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Emerging alternative artist 44phantom has released his new single All Figured Out, along with a video. An icy guitar melody entwines with soft vocal delivery as the 19-year-old Oklahoma-born and Seattle-based musician explores an unrequited infatuation before eventually surrendering. “All Figured Out is about accepting a person you care about has moved on,” shares 44phantom. “Even if you wish they hadn’t, you gotta respect it.”
https://youtu.be/CfAovaqjqAQ
12 | The Imaginaries | Hometown Christmas
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Oklahoma’s married Americana duo The Imaginaries — Shane Henry and Maggie McClure — release their video for their holiday song Hometown Christmas. Filmed in and around Chickasha, OK with local area businesses and a small cast / crew, it’s from the album of the same name, which features holiday favorites and new originals. “We’re very lucky to already be home in Oklahoma with our families and friends during the holidays and know this year has been a very difficult one and a lot of people can’t go home to be with their loved ones so we dedicate this song and video to them.”
13 | Doohickey Cubicle | Thinking (ft. Sam Wilkes)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Doohickey Cubicle (FKA Booty EP) announce their debut LP Don’t Fix Anything, and share the video for Thinking. The nature-dreamscape video was completely filmed & edited by Doohickey Cubicle. Thinking is a flow of ethereal vocals & textures that swirl all around and end up being held together by the steady rhythm section, which features Sam Wilkes on bass guitar. Don’t Fix Anything will be self-released on March 12.”
14 | Plants and Animals | The Jungle
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Plants and Animals have released a video for The Jungle, off their fifth studio album. The band share the story: “This song grew out of the ashes of one that we had recorded for the previous record but didn’t ultimately make the cut. Nic, who had sparked the song in the first place way back when, wanted to try to salvage some of the parts and give it another shot — the chord changes and the “yeah yeah yeahs” at least, which were inspired by Jorge Ben and the band’s eternal love for Brazilian music.”
15 | John Garrison | Blissfully Ignorant
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Copenhagen-based singer-songwriter John Garrison says his new album Extinguisher is due De. 4., and shares the single Blissfully Ignorant. In discussing the album, John said, “Extinguisher came from a feeling that situations are out of control. Multiple wildfires springing up everywhere. There are too many fires to tackle as an individual. But if we all took personal responsibility, we could potentially extinguish the overall fire that burns. However, it is much easier to blame than to take responsibility. Extinguisher is a record for these times.”
16 | Suss | Nightlight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “New York City’s Suss share Nightlight, the final single from their upcoming third LP Promise. Guitarist Pat Irwin provides insight to the new track: “Nightlight was started by the light of the winter moon. I’d never seen anything like it. The band finished it up in my studio in Long Island City and turned it into a new direction for Suss We’re big fans of Kraftwerk and this track took us to that place.”
17 | Pierce with Arrow | In The Depths Of His Eyes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The collaborative debut of American minimal techno producer Troy Pierce and Colombian audiovisual artist Natalia Escobar aka Poison Arrow was conceived in reverse: first they created a collection of shadowy surrealist videos, then wrote music inspired by them. This inverted process proved remarkably fruitful. Their album Shatter is a simmering, slow-burn noir odyssey inspired by the Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus, traversing subtle shades of sleepwalker dub, metallic lament, broken beats, and erotic negative space. It’s an effectively unsettling evocation of the legend’s core theme: “There is nothing more complex than a shattered heart, or a heart that can’t love.’ ”
18 | The Weather Station | Tried To Tell You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Weather Station — aka Tamara Lindeman — announces her new album Ignorance is out Feb. 5 and unveils a single/video, Tried To Tell You. Lindeman has remade what The Weather Station sounds like, using the occasion of a new record to create a novel sonic landscape, tailor-made to express an emotional idea. Tried To Tell You is about “reaching out to someone; a specific person, or maybe every person, who is tamping down their wildest and most passionate self in service of some self (and world?) destructive order.”
19 | Andy Mineo | Herman Miller
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Atlanta artist Andy Mineo releases the single Herman Miller from his upcoming EP Happy Thoughts, out Dec. 2. Mineo once again teamed with director Isaac Deitz on the video, featuring Andy tackling many different roles. Mineo explained that the track “not only celebrates my recent love of fine furniture, but also the excellence in craftsmanship that I look to bring to my music.”
20 | Josephine Foster | On&On
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Daniel Blumberg has shared the video for American singer-songwriter Josephine Foster’s exquisite reading of his song On&On. The track announces a new compilation album of interpretations and reworkings of the recurring title song from his latest album On&On, featuring 14 versions of Blumberg’s song reimagined and deconstructed by friends and collaborators including Daniel Miller, Elvin Brandhi, David Grubbs, Exotic Sin and O Yama O.”
21 | K-os | Supernovas
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hip-hop artist K-os returned this fall with his groovy and slick hit Supernovas, and today he shares the out-of-this-world video. Since the release of the track earlier this fall, it’s received critical acclaim and earned him the billboard above Young and Dundas Square! Safe to say, the track isn’t slowing down anytime soon.”
22 | Layla Kardan | No Place
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Layla Kardan unveils the cinematic video for her newest single No Place. Part of a new generation of fearless creative talent redefining music, fashion and culture in Dubai, Layla works closely with AY, the music producer pushing new sounds in the region. The sought-after artist experiments with dark sounds, percussive drum beats cushioned by warped electronic sounds, distorted vocals and haunting chants, over which Layla’s voice stands out gloriously through the mix.”
23 | Clustersun | Desert Daze
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Desert Daze is a refreshing cauldron and marks a huge comeback for Clustersun, coming four years since their last effort Surfacing To Breathe, a classic shoegaze album that brought to the trio from Catania massive attention and airplay worldwide. Avalanche will be released on March 3.”
24 | Altin Gün | Ordunun Dereleri
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Amsterdam band Altin Gün return with a masterful single that widens their critically acclaimed exploration of Anatolian rock and Turkish psychedelic folk to include dreamy ’80s synth-pop and dancefloor excursions. Ordunun Dereleri — the debut single from their upcoming album Yol — reimagines a traditional Turkish folk song about two doomed lovers. Mysterious and atmospheric, the track features down-tempo electro beats, majestic synths and Erdinç Ecevit’s yearning vocals of unrequited love.”
25 | Litany | Uh-Huh
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Litany needed a suitably bold vision to make the video for her larger-than-life indie/alt-pop anthem Uh-Huh stand out. And the answer emerged from an unlikely source: Comedian and fan Joe Lycett. His perky, pink and provocative video for the track represents his directorial debut, and features some of the duo’s famous friends, including Katherine Ryan, Billie Marten and Vinegar Strokes. Litany, real name Beth Cornell, added, “The song is unashamedly about sex so good you sometimes forget who you are and within 24 hours Joe had emailed me with the most stupid yet perfect idea and, well, here we are!”
26 | For Those I Love | I Have A Love (Overmono Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Dublin’s For Those I Love shares a remix of his debut single I Have a Love, from brothers Tom and Ed Russell, better known as the electronic duo Overmono. The remix adds euphoric, rave-indebted synths to the poetic, honest lyricism that had already marked out the original as a musical highlight of the year on its release earlier this year.”
27 | M. Ward | You’ve Changed
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “M. Ward has shared You’ve Changed, his take on the classic ballad originally by Billie Holiday. “The music for You’ve Changed was written in the early ’40s by pianist/composer Carl Fischer — a Californian of Cherokee descent,” M. Ward explained of the song’s origins. “He was born into poverty but his parents raised enough money to provide some music lessons and he wrote this song in his late 20s with lyricist Bill Carey. Fischer died in 1954, a few years before Billie Holiday recorded her version of his music for Lady In Satin.” You’ve Changed will be featured on Think of Spring, Ward’s album of Holiday covers that will be released on Dec. 11.”
28 | Tombstones In Their Eyes | I Can’t See The Light
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. indie psych-rock outfit Tombstones in Their Eyes will release an anthology — aptly named Collection — on Nov 27. Ahead of this, they present the lead track I Can’t See The Light. “This is an extremely simple song and also our most popular, by far. It was written in the depths of depression and the lyrics showcase that state of mind. It’s got what is probably a cliched loud-quiet-loud thing going on, but is so full of real emotion that hopefully it rises above the cliché! Simple as it is, I’m proud of it and glad that it seems to have touched a few people,” says John Treanor.”
29 | Girl In Red | Two Queens In A King Sized Bed
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Norwegian sensation Girl In Red could melt the coldest of hearts in the lead-up to Christmas with her magical new single Two Queens In A King Sized Bed, which gives all the hope you need for a bit of warmth and cheer in the colder months ahead in an already tough year fueled with feelings we have for people we love. Speaking about the song, Girl In Red said, “reminiscing about a Christmas I had with a person I love. When laying in bed glued to their body didn’t feel close enough. When we wanted every second to last forever.”
30 | The Dears | Christmas Love
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Montreal husband & wife duo The Dears will help spread some joy this holiday season with a new single featuring their original Christmas Love. Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak share a video for the single, directed by Montreal-based digital media artist AJ Korkidakis, to get you all in the festive spirit. Lightburn stated, “We wanted to avoid some clichés like chestnuts and sleighs or whatever. Instead it’s a very simple love song about how sometimes that time of year can highlight who you really want to be with and how that brings a huge smile to one’s face as well as the warmest feeling. This is what we hope happens when people hear this song.”
31 | Steve Earle & The Dukes | Harlem River Blues
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On the forthcoming album J.T., Steve Earle & The Dukes pay tribute to Steve’s late son Justin Townes Earle, who passed away on Aug. 20. The album will be released digitally on what would have been Justin’s 39th birthday, Jan. 4. “The record is called J.T. because Justin was never called anything else until he was nearly grown. Well, when he was little, I called him Cowboy,” explains Steve Earle. “For better or worse, right or wrong, I loved Justin Townes Earle more than anything else on this earth. That being said, I made this record, like every other record I’ve ever made … for me. It was the only way I knew to say goodbye.”
32 | Elijah Wolf | At Times / At Night
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brooklyn artist Elijah Wolf released a new single At Times / At Night, the third track from his forthcoming album Brighter Lighting, out Feb. 26. The track features Photay, Josh Jaeger (drummer for Angel Olsen & Fleet Foxes) and Sam Cohen, who produced the album. “At Times / At Night is a song about simply sitting still to observe the world around you, in a life that can move so fast,” explains Elijah. “I wrote it one Sunday afternoon while watching a rain storm through my window. It was a rare moment where everything felt still, & I felt completely present in my life.”
33 | Wedge | Across The Water
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Berlin-based classic rock specialists Wedge have already announced their third studio album Like No Tomorrow. Today the trio reveal the single Across The Water. “Originally dealing with the European refugee crisis, Across The Water tells the story of people crossing over to Europe on a boat, in a naive way a father would talk to his child, preparing it for a rough journey. In a broader, more metaphorical sense, it is the description of a trip or a daydream, which outlines the feeling of leaving things behind, crossing one’s personal borders and looking towards new horizons.”
34 | Wildstreet | Still Love You
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Wildstreet have released the video for their single Still Love You. Trading in their usual guitars for acoustic instruments, the song optimistically reflects on lost love and heartache. Still Love You will be on their album Wildstreet III, which will be out in 2021.”
35 | Barely Passable | Step Inside
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Barely Passable invite you to Step Inside their world of chic, stylised indie-electronica with their latest release. Gleaming with Nile Rogers-inspired funkiness and panache, the latest track from this fast-ascending Australian duo is the first single from their debut EP, expected early in 2021. As Barley Passable say: “Revisiting old memories of young love, the song reflects on how perspective can shape how you come out of any situation. Telling a story of how being caught up in the moment of a relationship that turns sour can become so consuming that you lose all perspective. It is only with time that you can truly let go, move forward and hope to learn that where you are now is better off because of your past experiences.”
36 | DJ Shub | Smoke Dance Three
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian producer DJ Shub returns to announce his new studio album War Club, which lands on Dec. 4. With a sound that looks to merge the worlds of hip-hop with a bold and ferocious production, War Club is set to become the producer’s most intense and powerful record to date. Arriving at a pivotal moment in the rap community with political and social upheaval dominating the scene right now, this new collection comes across as a battle cry for change, filled with high-energy beats and rapidfire flow throughout.”
37 | Jeen | Fairytale of New York
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian alt-pop songstress Jeen has released a cover of The Pogues’ classic Christmas anthem Fairytale of New York. “It seems like the best Christmas song for the worst year,” says Jeen. “I’m an Irish girl too, so Shane MacGowan is an elixir.” It features The Mahones’ Michael O’Grady on Irish whistle and renowned Toronto musician/producer Ian Blurton (Change of Heart, C’mon, Future Now) on lead guitar.”
38 | Lost In Japan | Troy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Glued together by a tight friendship and mutual rivalry, Lost In Japan love what they do and plan to continue to grow and expand their sound. With the recent addition of bassist Karl Von Estorff, the four-piece are stoked to show off their brand new single, Troy, part of a five-song collection. Inspired by a quote from Homer’s Iliad, which expresses that everything is beautiful because it’s the first and last time you will ever experience that moment, Troy is about understanding that importance and appreciating it all — good or bad.”
39 | Darshaan | Jungle (ft. Katus Myles & Nysza)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British-Asian electronic-R&B craftsman Darshaan explores a bouncier, electronic-influenced production with new single Jungle. feat. Birmingham rapper Katus Myles and Indian-born soul vocalist Nysza. Darshaan says: “This song is about how freeing it can be to embrace that dual heritage. Celebrating both cultures and allowing both worlds to be part of who you are can be liberating. Katus Myles’ British flow and Nysza’s Hindi lyrics represents the culture and sound clash of the genre-bending song.”
40 | Lucian | Win Or Lose
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. producer Lucian has a broad palette of musical skills and boundless inspiration. He artfully weaves through a fusion of influences and genres from electronic to hip-hop to indie-pop. Today, he returns to his electronic roots with the release of the new single Win Or Lose. He explains: “I would say this song is about chasing a passion / significant other no matter what the obstacles in your way, persistence being the key driving force.”
41 | Mystic Peach | Wanna Be My Daddy?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Southampton trio Mystic Peach return with eerie new single Wanna Be My Daddy?, a spectral slice of grunge rock that isn’t afraid to tackle the tough questions and confronts vulnerability head on, with the lyrics acting as glorious juxtaposition against waves of psych and garage rock. Singer Curtis Gale details: “Wanna Be My Daddy? is a story of experience about how the comfort in your own sexuality can be threatening to certain people. Small town mentality, prying eyes and assumptions giving rise to the purest form of irony. The questions, the staring and unsubstantiated accusations can go unnoticed even in your busy life. But when people go out of their way to make sure you know, what are you meant to do? I guess this shows how I feel.”
42 | Tanaya Harper | Emma
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Perth’s queen of moody indie rock Tanaya Harper has a new single called Emma. Since releasing her debut EP Some Kinds in 2018 and recent follow up Slow Motion Breakup earlier this year, Tanaya has grown an avid following with her insightful lyricism. “Emma is a sad song thinly veiled as a fun song. It’s about a couple months of recklessness I embarked on following a breakup. At the time I felt totally justified in my actions when really, grief and denial were always looming. I was partying pretty hard and having lots of fun with all my friends but once I was alone it would just hit me, all the confusion and unresolved issues and the ‘what ifs?’ ”
