Clockwise, above from left. Photo: Courtesy of Partisan Records; Zap Records; Mass Appeal Records; Nettwerk.Coves
"Beatings"
Coves' "Beatings" is the perfect blend of shoegazey, psychedelic sounds and indie-pop. The duo's breathy vocals and sweet garage-pop sounds are simply captivating, yet the band has managed to stay under the radar thus far. We're pretty sure their debut record Soft Friday (due September 2) will be an attention-grabber.
Daniel Wilson
"Killed Ya"
An outsider to the pop scene, Daniel Wilson has crafted a haunting, voodoo-like, dance-pop song influenced by gospel music. His soulful vocal chops have been stuck in our heads, and we think that's a good thing. Hopefully his forthcoming EP (out next month) will have the same effect.
Field Report
"Home (Leave The Lights On)"
Christopher Porterfield's longing for the things that remind him of home are portrayed in a deceptively upbeat manner on "Home." The theme of his upcoming sophomore record Marigolden (dropping October 7) tackles depression, alcoholism, and being away from home while on tour by challenging the concept of typical folk-rock music. That kind of raw storytelling has us listening.
Jack + Eliza
"Secrets"
Summer might be ending soon, but NYC born and bred duo Jack + Eliza are trying to keep it going strong with "Secrets" — a sweet, dream-pop song that parallels the Shins and Best Coast. The duo's accompanying video captures the essence of a perfect summer day in the '70s; it's even shot on Super 8 film. We think that their debut EP No Wonder (out September 23) will keep the warm weather going indefinitely.
Run the Jewels
"Blockbuster Night Part I"
Two of our favorite MCs — El-P and Killer Mike — are back with "Blockbuster Night Part I," — a rap song that is likely to get stuck in your head. This jam is an energetic hip-hop track that has us overjoyed for their upcoming sophomore release RTJ2. We anticipate their album release (due October 28) to have just as many crave-worthy gems.