Category: New Single

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: New Jersey’s Nuse Shares a Gritty, Mosh Pit Friendly Ripper

Formed back in the ’90s, Hillsborough, NJ-based metal outfit NUSE — Mike LaMastro (vocals, guitar), Eric Mangual (bass), Bob Mangual (drums) and Mike Wilday (guitar) — exploded into the regional scene with the release of a handful of early EPs before, their full-length debut, 2022’s Hung Well, which was re-released in 2005 through No Joke Records.

Their sophomore album, 2008’s Forever Starts Today featured the underground smash “Beat to Death.” Building upon a growing profile, their third album, 2012’s All American Beat Down, which featured “Breath & Fluid,” “War Face,” and “Free Tattoos,” broke through nationally, charting in several key markets, including Kansas City (#5), NYC (#8), Philadelphia (#7) and Hawaii (#5) while receiving streams globally across Pandora, Spotify, iTunes and others.

2018’s The Pain Collection featured “Top Hat Man,” which broke into the Top 10 in NYC and Philadelphia while arguably being their most critically applauded album of their career to date. In 2020, the band, which had long been a trio added Ixion Lux‘ s and Spin Psykill‘s Mike Wilday, Jr., whose rich harmonies and intense leads helped the band’s sound evolve.

Nuse released the highly anticipated Evolution Vol 2 EP last month. The EP’s lead single “Malibu,” is a gritty mosh pit friendly friendly ripper that sounds as though it would fit in perfectly with the RidingEasy Records roster — but with a lovingly familiar, East Coast aggression. Play extremely loud, and open up that pit, folks!

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Tori Bell Shares a Summery, Club Friendly Banger

Splitting time between Santa Monica and San Francisco, Tori Bell is an emerging singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, whose deep passion for lyricism, storytelling and melodies has been the driving force behind her restlessly exploitive creativity; “I use technology to take on different voices across many genres to tell my life story,” the California-based artist explains. “Most songs are autobiographical or detail commentary on heavier topics like social issues, love, rejection, longing, limerence, mental health release and more.”

Bell’s latest single “bad good” is a slickly produced, summery Ibiza-meets big festival stage bop featuring glistening and glitchy synth oscillation, tweeter and woofer rattling thump and enormous drops which serve as a lush bed for Bell’s sultry pop starlet delivery.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: JOVM Mainstays Club 8 Share Breezy and Saccharine “Sneaky Feelings”

Last year, Stockholm-based JOVM mainstays Club 8 — Karolina Komstedt (vocals) and electronic music producer, artist and Labrador Records founder and label boss Johan Angergård — released their 11th album, A Year With Club 8. Since then, the the duo have been busy, releasing a single or so a month over the course of the year, including the previously released “ooo,” “None Of This Will Matter When You’re Dead,” “Staying Alive,” and “Born The Wrong Time.”

The Swedish duo’s latest single “Sneaky Feelings” is a woozy bit of indie pop featuring alternating boy-girl vocals paired with atmospheric keys, a propulsive backbeat, an irresistibly saccharine melody and the pair’s unerring knack for catchy hooks. “Sneaky Feelings” evokes an adult cynicism about love — of trying to catch yourself from making yourself a fool; of trying to avoid inevitable heartache. Will the narrators be successful? Knowing human nature, probably not.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Total Wife Shares Yearning “make it last”

Over the past decade, the experimental Nashville-based duo Total Wife — Luna Kupper and Ash Richter — have firmly cemented as fixtures of both the Nashville and East Coast DIY scenes. 

The duo’s fifth album, Come Back Down is slated for a September 25, 2025 release through Julia’s War Recordings. Come Back Down is the follow-up to 2023’s in/out and builds upon their varied and rich catalog, while featuring the previously released 0 EP tracks “naoisa,” and “(dead b).” 

Last month, I wrote about album single “second spring,” a woozy track that evokes both the hope of new beginnings and the unease of what those new beginnings will actually mean for you and your life. “make it last,” Come Back Down‘s latest single, the shoegazer-like “make it last” features layers of churning and wheezing guitars and thunderous drumming serving as a lush yet subtly uneasy bed for Ash Richter’s yearning delivery.

“‘make it last’ started as kind of a horny song,” Total Wife’s Ash Richter explains. “I was experimenting with lyric writing that felt a little less serious or sappy, but the more I worked through it, the more it kind of ended up as a love song to the road, or like an ode to time passing veiled by the excitement of living. When overwhelming euphoria removes you from your surroundings and sense of time.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: ZODIAC Shares Lush and Summery “Horizon”

Formed back in 2023, the rising London-based production and DJ trio ZODIAC — Joe Doyle, Will McMullin and Ellis Moss — quickly signed to [PIAS] Électronique, the label home of artists like Tinlicker, Eli & Fur and Innellea. Each member of ZODIC brings a distinct sound and vision to the project, blending their talents to create a captivating electronic-driven soundscape that’s both evocative and immersive.

The London trio’s debut single “Blink,” featuring The Boxer Rebellion‘s Nathan Nicholson received support across the global electronic music scene, earning endorsements from Joris Voorn, Above & Beyond, Sister Bliss and Alfa Romero.. Adding to a growing profile in the global electronic music scene, the London-based trio have had opening slots for Armin Van Buuren, Korolova and a growing list of others.

The trio’s highly-anticipated debut EP Constellations I was released last week. While showcasing deep, driven and rhythmically rich melodies, the EP marks a new chapter for the group — the first batch of new material following the addition of Ellis Moss, an already established name in the electronic music scene.. The EP’s first single “Horizon” is a club banger anchored around glistening synth oscillation, a relentless motorik-like groove paired with tweeter and woofer rattling thump. The production serves as a lush and hook-driven bed for a soulful, pop belter vocal sample. Ultimately, it may be one of the more Ibiza/summery songs I’ve listened to and covered in the past few months.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Los Angeles’ Swimming Bell Lovingly Tackles Beck’s “The Golden Age”

Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and musician Katie Schottland is the creative mastermind behind Swimming Bell. Earlier this year, she released her five-song  Rob Schnapf-produced EP Somnia  through Perpetual Doom. 

Somnia invites listeners to an ethereal sonic realm, a sort of underwater dreamworld where melodies drift effortlessly and rhythms pulse like ocean currents. Schottland envisioned the EP as an escape from the crushing weight of reality, a space where listeners could feel suspended — as though they were floating — between wakefulness and dreaming. Collaborating with Schnapf, Schottland embraced a much more percussive approach, allowing textures and rhythms to guide the listener through the material’s shimmering soundscapes.

“I wanted this EP to feel like sinking into water, where everything is softened and suspended,” says Schottland. “Given all the stress and tension in the world, I wanted to make a feeling of escape – something hypnotic and transportive. Rob and I explored percussive layers in a way that felt both grounding and dreamy, creating movement within.”

Her first single since the release of Somnia EP is a gorgeous and lovingly faithful cover of “The Golden Age,” off Beck’s critically acclaimed and beloved 2002 effort Sea Change. “Sea Change has always been one of my favorite albums. I love the production so much,” Schottland says. “I’ve wanted to cover ‘The Golden Age’ for a long time and when my pedal steel and keyboard players lit up at the idea too, it felt right. Rob Schapf produced this version, and we kept it minimal and open, letting the song unfold naturally.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Helang Shares Swaggering, Club Banger “Firehot”

Helang is a Chinese American producer and DJ, who specializes in crafting an eclectic. club friendly sound that blends elements of house and techno with ethereal soundscapes and driving, dynamic grooves. Throughout a series of releases through HE.SHE.THEY., HILOMATIK and Set About, before she launched her own label Dauntless Records, the Chinese-American producer and DJ had developed a reputation for being an outspoken artist, who always stands her ground — and for a sound that’s an authentic and deeply artistic expression of herself, in which she never shies away from pushing back against conventions.

She has played sets at The Brooklyn Mirage and Kappa Futur Festival and others. Building upon a growing profile in the electronic music scene, she has shared stages with Adam Beyer, Charlotte De Witte, Eric Prydz, Amelie Lens, Nicole Moudaber, CamelPhat and a growing list of luminaries. Additionally, she has received features in Billboard, DJ Mag, Forbes, Mixmag, Beatportal and 6am group.

Her latest single “Firehot” is a bombastic club banger that sees Helang pairing wall and ceiling rattling thump, glistening and wobbling synth stabs and a sultrily yearning vocal sample with euphoria inducing hooks and massive drops. Sonically recalling JOVM mainstay LutchamaK and Between Two Selves-era Octo Octa, the song sees Helang boldly challenging gender roles and norms in a way that feels mischievous.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: French Producer HOJII Shares Summery ” Báilalo”

HOJII is a mysterious and emerging, French electronic music producer. His latest single “Báilalo,” is a summery, hook-driven blend of Latin house and reggaeton, anchored around skittering beats, a chopped up vocal sample, a looping and arpeggiated synth melody and a bombastic horn line. Inspired by the club music of 2000s era Latin clubs, “Báilalo” sees the French producer specifically crafting a song meant to get you to get on that dance floor and move your body. But it you’re old enough, it’ll remind you of sweaty night’s at BOB’s,. The Canal Room and Webster Hall.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Dream Bodies Shares Brooding and Road Trip Friendly “Run”

Steven Fleet is a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, poet, writer and artist, who has been in several music projects that have allowed him to play shows across the US, the UK, Germany and the Czech Republic. He is also the creative mastermind behind the solo recording project Dream Bodies. With Dream Bodies, Fleet crafts “witchy, dreamy, gothy, post punk, dream pop, cold wave with poetic, philosophical lyrics.” 

The Los Angeles-based artist’s recently Dream Bodies debut EP, Circle of Light features the previously released “Dream Hangover,” and the EP’s latest single, EP title track “Circle of Light,” which I wrote about earlier this year.

Fleet’s latest single, “Run” is presumably a standalone track that sees him further cementing the project’s sound and approach — Cocteau Twins-like reverb, relentless motorik pulse paired serving as a brooding bed for the Los Angeles-based artist’s sonorous baritone croon. But thematically, “Run” may arguably be the most road trip friendly track of Fleet’s steadily growing catalog.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Glimmer Shares Rousingly Anthemic “Dissolve”

Over the past couple of years, New York-based grungegaze outfit Glimmer — Jeff Moore (vocals, guitar), Jaye Moore (drums), Johnny Nicholls (guitar) and Kevin Dobbins (bass) — have released a handful of well-received singles have seen the quartet firmly establishing a sound that mixes elements of shoegaze, grunge and dream pop in a way that’s both nostalgia inducing and yet contemporary.

Building upon a growing profile, the band’s highly-anticipated full-length debut, Get Weak is slated for an October 3, 2025 vinyl release through Philadelphia-based label, Abandon Everything. Recorded with Jeff Berner at Brooklyn-based Studio G and mastered by Will Yip, Get Weak reportedly sees the band pairing their more pop-leaning singles with heavy-hitting alt-rock anthems and softer, more ethereal material.

The album’s latest single “Dissolve” continues a remarkable run of material anchored around rousingly anthemic, The Colour and The Shape-era Foo Fighters-like hooks, reverb-soaked guitars and a dreamy coda. At its core, the song evokes a dreamy and aching nostalgia for past summers — for times and things that are gone and can’t be had again.

After returning from a European tour, the members of Glimmer will be embarking on a short run of Stateside tour dates. You can check out the tour dates below.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Cochemea Shares Soulful and Timeless “Omeyocan”

Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer Cochemea Gastelum comes from a long line on musicians on both sides of his lineage. Over the past 25 years, Gasteum has built a distinct and accomplished career as a soloist and arranger/composer, collaborating with an eclectic array of artists across a wide range of genres — from his lengthy stint with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings to the likes of Kevin Morby, Run The Jewels, Jon Batiste, Amy Winehouse, The Roots, Archie Shepp, Mark Ronson, the legendary Quincy Jones and a lengthy list of others. 

His previously released material has received praised from both critics and DJs. 2019’s All My Relations, the acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer’s critically applauded Daptone Records debut was a family reunion of sorts, uniting spirits, musicians and melodies across space and time. Leading a nonet, Gastelum and company employed drums, winds and vocals to create a deeply personal meditation on the interconnectedness of all things. Vol. 2: Baca Sewa expanded this exploration into the archives of family history, mythology and the cultural imagination. 

Slated for a September 26, 2025 release through Daptone Records, Gastelum’s forthcoming effort, Vol. 3: Ancestros Futuros completes a triology while anchored in the cultural fabric that has nurtured him from the beginning. A Californian of Yaqui ancestry, Gastelum describes a central part of his work as “accessing ancestral memory that comes in different forms — sometimes when you visit a place, sometimes in dreams . . . it’s in our DNA.”

“For me it’s about seeking wholeness in these zones of fracture.” In fact, dreams play a vital role in his creative process., “A lot of melodies come to me through dreams,” he says. “I’ve kept a dream record for years, shaping the language into what I call dream scores.” One of these scores appears on the back over of Ancestros Futuros, reflecting the intuitive and layered nature of his work. This dream-guided approach carries into the album’s opening track, “Transmisíon del Soñar,” which serves as a “portal” between dimensions, echoing his connection with both the dream realm and the dynamic interplay of time and space.

His musical and spiritual synthesis is made possible through his deep reverence for the horn, and the music and traditions that precede him. Inspired by Eddie Harris, Yusef Lateef, Jim Pepper and Gary Bartz, Gastelum attempts to bride ancestral rhythmic traditions with forward-looking vision, to create a signature sound that’s both deeply rooted and expansive. With the new album, Gastelum continues to expand upon his work, effortlessly blending past, present and future into a ritual offering, in which memory, survival and imagination converge. The album’s material is also shaped by stories of survival and resistance. 

The acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer gathered a core group of longtime collaborators, an octet featuring some of New York’s best percussionists and members of Daptone’s world famous rhythm section. Additionally, the album sees Gastelum collaborating with Daptone Records founder Gabriel Roth, a.k.a. Bosco Mann returning as producer and mixing engineer, recording the band live to 8-track analog tape. 

Ancestros Futuros will feature the previously released album title track “Ancestros Futuros” and the album’s second and latest single “Omeyocan,” a soulful composition that seamlessly blends Miles Davis and early John Coltrane modal jazz-like melody with tribal drumming and group singing and chanting, which gives the track a a timeless, almost ancient air. You can almost envision being at a bonfire for an ancient ceremony to celebrate and please the gods.

“Omeyocan means ‘Place of Duality’ in Nahuatl. In Aztec cosmology, it’s considered the highest of the heavens—a place outside the temporal world where life and essence originate,” Gastelum explains. “Connected to dreams, birth, and the convergence of opposites, it’s linked to emergence and balance. The track mirrors this idea of duality and becoming, starting with a long, winding instrumental melody before shifting into heavy drums and group singing—moving from something inward to something collective.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Big Wild Teams Up with Phantogram on Slinky, Dance Floor Friendly “Too Loud”

Jackson Stell is a rising producer and artist, who initially started his career in his native Massachusetts as hip-hop producer, known as J Beatz. Following a life-altering trip to Big Sur, Stell switched creative lanes, adopting influences from the area’s natural beauty and open spaces. As Big Wild, the Massachusetts-based artist refines alt/indie electronic music by blending organic elements, lush soundscapes with bold, genre-defying creativity and panache. 

Stell’s breakthrough was back in 2015 when he toured with acclaimed electronic outfit Odesza and remixed “Say My Name.” That year also saw the release of “Aftergold,” feat. Tove Stryke, which stopped the Spotify Global Viral charts. 

Building upon a rapidly growing profile, Stell followed up with 2017’s Invincible EP and his full-length debut, 2019’s Superdream, which saw the Massachusetts-born artist taking on the roles of singer/songwriter for the first time, while blending indie, electronic and disco influences. Stell supported Superdream with extensive touring across the US, European Union and UK while helping to establish his reputation as an innovative and boundary-pushing artist. 

His sophomore Big Wild album, 2022’s The Efferusphere saw Stell continuing to explore and push the boundaries of genre and emotion. 

The past few months have been busy for Stell: Earlier this year, he released -the first bit of new material since The Efferusphere — “Love Any Longer,” “You Belong Here,” and “The Universe” feat. feat. iDA HAWK,  a sprawling dance music track that mischievously nods at James Bond-thriller-like soundtracks, cinematic psych soul and British Big Beat fueled by an infectious optimism. All three of those previously released songs will appear on Stell’s highly-anticipated sophomore album, Wild Child. Slated for an August 29, 2025 release through Giant Music, Wild Child is reportedly one of Stell’s most dynamic and personal albums to date. After The Efferusphere, Stell found himself craving the curiosity and joy that initially drew him to music.

That search let him to reconnect with his inner a child — a creative alter ego that he has dubbed Wild Child. The album’s material reportedly sees Stell creating a richer sonic palette that draws from and meshes elements of indie pop, psych rock and ’60s music. And throughout the album, Stell embraces the kind of playful and mischievous unpredictability informed from creating without constraints.

Primarily written and produced by Stell alongside a close-knit cast of talented collaborators, Wild Child‘s material explores themes of renewal, resilience and connection to the Earth that simultaneously echo throughout the lyrics and sonic textures while striking a balance between childlike wonder and the hard-fought wisdom of maturity. “Wild Child runs throughout the album and is fighting to stay alive and thriving despite the things the world throws at us,” Stell says. “The album’s about exploring that side of ourselves that we don’t explore much as we age. I think we’re often pushed to repress that part of ourselves when we get older, because it’s deemed silly or irresponsible, but I’ve realized that maturity is about balancing both aspects of ourselves.” 

Wild Child‘s latest single “Too Loud” feat. Phantogram is a slinky, dance floor friendly bop that showcases Stell’s unerring knack for crafting incredibly catchy hooks. Anchored around the same playful and upbeat sensibility of its immediate predecessors, “Too Loud” feat. Phantogram may arguably be the most 80s sounding track of the album to date, managing to channel Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” and the like.

“I first made the demo while I was making The Efferusphere. I can’t really pinpoint inspiration besides following what excites me,” Stell says. ” I try to trust that feeling and not overthink it. As simple as the demo sounded, there was something that consistently grabbed me when I listened back. It was sexy and ethereal. I was hung up on the second verse and the lyrics until I was connected with Sarah from Phantogram. Her voice was perfect and was the last big piece to the puzzle. She smashed it and my team and I were so stoked to work with her. I remember the head of the label, Nate Albert, telling me the song needed to be finished in a week to make it to vinyl. It’s such a cliche when finishing an album, but this truly was one of those songs submitted in the final hour in a mad hellish dash.” 

Stell continues, “Sarah’s voice was meant for this track, she really occupied the imaginary space of the track,Her tone and attitude was the perfect compliment [sic] to the production. Sexy and ethereal. I’m really excited for the day when we can play this one together on stage.”

“This song makes me want to roll the windows down and turn the volume all the way up,” Phantogram’s Sarah Berthel says. “Working with Jackson has been such a blast and we can’t wait to dance with you to this soon.”

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Shawn Lee and Kelly Finnigan Team Up on a Breezy and Soulful “Say It Again”

Acclaimed singer/songwriter, musician, producer and Monophonics frontman Kelly Finnigan recently teamed up with acclaimed Wichita-born, London-based producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and Young Gun Silver Fox co-founder Shawn Lee on “Say It Again,” a breezy and soulful tune that seemingly channels 1970s Isley Brothers — in particular, think of “Summer Breeze Pts. 1 & 2,” “That Lady,” and the like.

“There has always been a mutual admiration society between myself & Kelly. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of playing on both the Monophonics & Kelly’s solo records in the studio and live onstage,” Shawn Lee says. “This is the first I’ve had Kelly on something that I’ve put together. Good things come to those who wait…and here it is!”

Colemine Records officially released the track on all DSPs today. Be on the lookout for 7″ 45RPM vinyl on September 19, 2025.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: rhythmspitter Shares Hypnotic “Yilan”

Things look a bit different around here. There’s a reason for that: Regular freelance work dried up for me last July. Not much has gone on with full-time work, or anything else. So,. whatever meagre earnings i had have pretty much evaporated. And now, when it came to certain subscriptions — i.e. WordPress — I can’t afford it at all. Admittedly, things are extremely frustrating and discouraging. But I’m trying to keep the show running as best as I can until things get better. Hopefully. But in this environment, who the fuck really knows?

Michael Mosley is a San Francisco-based musician, composer, producer, who may be best known for playing bass in Red Thread Theory. Mosley is also the creative mastermind behind the JOVM mainstay act rhythmspltter. And with rhythmspitter, Mosley explores instrumental indie rock and lo-fi beat-driven material that’s influenced from an eclectic array of sources, including Bill Laswell’s Material and Jah Wobble‘s Invaders of the Heart. 

Each rhythmspitter composition sees Mosley weaving together a rich tapestry of instruments and rhythms from across the world. Each composition is meticulously crafted to resonate with listeners while providing a chill and captivating vibe that’s entrancing. With rhythmspitter, Mosley seeks to break down barriers and introduce audiences to a world of sonic exploration that they may not have encountered before — but he also hopes to open minds to the beauty of different styles and instruments.

Mosely’s latest rhythmspitter EP, The Antique Land is inspired by Alexander the Great and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias.” The EP’s latest single “Yilan,” continues a run of percussive and hypnotic material with shimmering Middle Eastern-styled instrumentation and eerily atmospheric vocal samples ethereally floating through the mix. And much like the previously released material, “Yilan” channels the hypnotic and dreamy beauty of gnawa but with a swaggering and slick, modern production.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: The Desertones Share Broodingly Cinematic “The Portal”

Things look a bit different around here. There’s a reason for that: Regular freelance work dried up for me last July. Not much has gone on with full-time work, or anything else. So,. whatever meagre earnings i had have pretty much evaporated. And now, when it came to certain subscriptions — i.e. WordPress — I can’t afford it at all. Admittedly, things are extremely frustrating and discouraging. But I’m trying to keep the show running as best as I can until things get better. Hopefully. But in this environment, who the fuck really knows?

Arizona-based instrumental trio Destertones specializes in a sound that they’ve simultaneously described as “hypnotic soul-meets-desert groove” and as feeling “like dry heat, long shadows, and endless sky.

The trio’s recently released full-length debut, The Portal features album title track and opening track “The Portal,” a broodingly cinematic track anchored around a slow-burning and hypnotic grove that recalls JOVM mainstays Tinariwen, The Diasonics and Mildlife. Recorded live and straight-to-tape to get the song a human, imperfect touch, “The Portal” manages to evoke dry and dusty desert heat rising up from blacktop.