You should listen to Ari Rivera, Gavriel, Bairi, and more!
June post!
Hiiiiiiiiiii
Made sure to stuff this with loads of new music to make up for my lack of posting. 6 project write-ups as well as other albums to check out, some interesting articles, and alumni projects. All the songs from this post have been added to the 2024 roundup playlist along with the songs from last post, so make sure you have it saved for the easiest way to follow along!
ari rivera ep 2 - Ari Rivera
7 tracks, 19 minutes
Released: April 3rd, 2024
From: Los Angeles, CA
Genres: Alternative, Electronic, Emo
Recommended For Fans Of: Mulherin, Mk.gee, Nico Tripodi
The everyday sparks creativity for Los Angeles DIY singer Ari Rivera on his new EP ari rivera ep 2. With his latest collection, Rivera hones in and captures the smallest moments, which becomes clearer by skimming through the tracklist. He interprets mundane activities like grass cutting, seeing a movie, late lunches, therapy sessions, and eating at a lowkey LA diner but manages to push deeper, uncovering the full spectrum of small moments – both good and bad – as he meditates with ugly thoughts and uncontrollable urges. As the lyrics develop smaller moments into something larger, the production takes a similar approach. Many tracks will begin tight and sparse, with Rivera singing hushed vocals over acoustic guitar and scattered elements of electronic sounds. The songs then progress naturally towards grand climaxes, lush with electric guitar, full drums, vocal harmonies, and thick bass – the works. The escalation reflects the lyrics in how plain experiences can often represent something larger when pulled apart and dissected. On ep 2, Ari Rivera’s songwriting feels like a crucial display of resistance to immortalize the ordinary, truly stopping to explore our habits and feelings even when they aren’t that uncommon. To unpack these experiences is a powerful punch in the fight against a culture created to isolate. Rivera has crafted a profoundly human experience that allows listeners to find themselves in the way he relates to the world around him.
Standout Track: house of pies
This is an abbreviated version of a writeup that previously appeared in Norbu Magazine.
LUXE - Gavriel
7 tracks, 19 minutes
Released: May 24th, 2024
From: Berlin, Germany
Genres: R&B, Pop
Recommended For Fans Of: Lucky Daye, Miguel, dvsn
In this era where it’s more difficult than ever to garner authentic experiences for people to discover your music, I’ll always be a sucker for an artist that can do that effectively. Berlin singer Gavriel had completed his first EP and came up with a simple, but unique solution to try to win over new fans. Gavriel found an empty concrete slab at street level in an area with some foot traffic, and proceeded to leave the door open and perform his then unreleased music every night until the room filled out. Naturally, when he picked up his mic and started playing on night one, he was performing to nobody. But the sounds spread to the street, catching the curiosity of passersby. As he continued to perform, word started to spread. Night 2, a small crowd of ~10 people were ready to watch the set. Gavriel would add elements to make each performance different, such as tables/small platforms to act as a stage, and light fixtures. The crowd increased steadily from night to night, and by the end of the week, people were watching through the windows in the street as the inside had become too crowded. The success story was documented on Gavriel’s TikTok where you can also hear some of the live renditions of his engaging synth R&B with funky grooves you can dance to. It’s no wonder he was able to get people’s attention with these tracks. Working with Killing A Friend, the same collective that brought you the one of a kind listening experience from Valentin Hansen I documented throughly in a 2021 feature, it’s refreshing to see a rollout that introduces people to artists while giving them new ways to think about music consumption.
Standout Track: Can’t Stay
Fire Siren - Bairi
10 tracks, 30 minutes
Released: April 22nd, 2024
From: Los Angeles, CA
Genres: R&B, Pop
Recommended For Fans Of: Jhené Aiko, Kehlani, Kiana Ledé
Bairi, the ‘sagittariust sagittarius,’ lets her fire sign burn throughout her new album Fire Siren. Though she’s at a present point where she can talk her shit, cocky and confidently, R&B wouldn’t really be R&B without a little hurt behind it. Bairi approaches this whole project with the maturity of someone who has experienced tribulations, and is here on the other side to share everything she’s learned. This independent debut album captures Bairi at her most honest and most complete, as she pairs vulnerable R&B bangers with more cinematic arrangements. At the heart of this eclectic mix of sounds, common themes rise to the surface. As she reflects on life and love alike, it becomes apparent that Bairi feels her feelings very passionately. Both herself, and the people around her, can either drown in that passion, or stop fighting it, letting go completely in order to float and flow with it all. As Bairi lets it all go on her album, Fire Siren becomes a rosetta stone in translating that scorching passion to a beautiful musical language.
Standout Track: Come My Way
This is an abbreviated version of a writeup that previously appeared in Norbu Magazine.
I Can’t Wait To See U Again - Louis Culture
6 tracks, 15 minutes
Released: April 5th, 2024
From: London, UK
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap, Alternative, Electronic
Recommended For Fans Of: Bakar, Ragz Originale, Choker
I Can’t Wait To See U Again is the tender, innovative, and tactical new EP from British artist Louis Culture. A beautiful exploration of electronic tinged R&B, the project still takes some detours into deeper electronics, rap, and alternative moments. It feels wrong to say with the abundance of influences, but this project actually sees Culture narrowing down his sound. “Over the years, I have done so many different genres, and I just wanted to hone in on one sound. There were a lot of songs that didn’t make it, and also a lot of revisiting, so there was more gel between everything,” Culture said of the EP to Ollie Cox for Culted. This EP sees him following his two year pattern of project releases, with his debut dropping in 2020, and the follow-up album in 2022. Also a producer, and active in the fashion world, Louis truly lives up to the Culture part of his name, excelling in multiple disciplines.
Standout Track: Mannequin
Like what you hear?
Harsh - BOBBI
6 tracks, 17 minutes
Released: May 24th, 2024
From: Montréal, Québec
Genres: Pop, Electronic, Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: Wet, Banks, Låpsley
Montréal pop artist BOBBI makes a statement with their standout debut EP Harsh. After experimenting on different pop singles dating back to 2019, BOBBI returned this year locked into a cohesive sound, making dark and brooding electronic pop music. Real human emotion surfaces out of these artificial sounds, synthetic vocals, and hard-hitting 808s. The project, which was primarily produced by London producer Model 86, knows when to pull back on the abrasiveness to feel these touching moments harder. To this effect, tracks like Nothing and Harsh are largely vocal ballads that muse on heartache, self worth, and the pain that comes with growth among other themes. Speaking specifically on the title track Harsh, BOBBI told Wonderland Magazine, “I’ll be transparent with you – when I decided to produce the track myself, the creative choice of having a predominantly vocals-only song was initially due to the fact I’m super new to production and wasn’t sure I could pull a big production off. In the end, I can’t imagine the song any other way. I love how a limitation can become our strength, and in so many ways, this song sums that up.”
Standout Track: Lie To Me
Basquiat - Monogram
14 tracks, 39 minutes
Released: March 29th, 2024
From: Kansas City, MO / Washington, D.C.
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Odd Future, MF DOOM, The Cool Kids
Grimy raps get paired with samples and sunny synth/string arrangements to create the dark, pretty, and complex picture of Basquiat, the second album from rapper Monogram. This follows up his 2020 debut Lab Rats, but as he says on Vice City, “2020 was an exhibition.” This project is the real deal, and in that way it feels like a true introduction and execution of all the growth since the debut. The bars can go toe to toe with any of your favorite lyricists of today, with production and execution that is warmly reminiscent the elite mixtapes of the blog era. Do you remember that feeling of randomly stumbling upon a post about a mixtape that you click play on, and soon realize you’ve found an artist you’ll be listening to for a long time? Basquiat will give you that feeling again. Featuring other standout Kansas City artists like BLACKSTARKIDS members TyFazion & TheBabeGabe, as well as blog favorite Paris Williams, over production from The Human (Medici + TyFazion), don’t miss this dazzling display of underground talent.
Standout Track: Sold Dope 2 Jesus
Also Worth Listening To!
Chicago indie rock artist bnny explores the boundless ways of love on their new album, One Million Love Songs.
One of the tags on Bandcamp for the new album by experimental UK band Still House Plants says ‘audiobook,’ and I can’t even for certain say that’s wrong. See for yourself on their incredibly unique new album If I don’t make it, I love u.
Keshore explores new terrains that I could best describe as a blending of Jean Dawson and Polo Perks on his latest project, Indie Thug.
In advance of their upcoming fall album, A Devil’s Paradise, otherworldly alt-artist Demi Yo’Ko gives a glimpse into their world of ‘whimsical horror’ with the EP SCREAMING FROM A ROOM THEY CAN’T SEE.
gglum serves up catchy indie rock bops on their new album, The Garden Dream.
Lip Critic arrives with an explosive bang on the raucous Hex Dealer.
Holiday Sidewinder takes a breezy, melody laden, ‘Yacht-Pop’ voyage on The Last Resort.
Dizzy Fae turns to a more soulful sound with their new EP, Are We There Yet?.
With their new EP Puppy Breath, The BLSSM proves they have that dog in them.
Fun and forward thinking electro pop highlights the new album from Ibibio Sound Machine, Pull The Rope.
No, the debut album from Baltimore’s Tomato Flower, will keep you on your toes with their always evolving experimental indie rock.
Another Michael quickly follows up their project from last fall with the ‘contrasting but complimentary’ album, Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down.
Halima makes a unique blend of alt-pop and R&B, showcased on the new EP Exu.
The DC punks in Tosser rip harder than ever on their new album Sheer Humanity.
Dynamic rapper Nyota Parker takes you inside their head on the latest project, Intrusive Thoughts.
Good Reads
When Do We Stop Finding New Music? A Statistical Analysis by Daniel Parris for their substack Stat Significant. I’ve been fearfully listening to Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem a lot this year and this is a data backed dive into why.
‘This is an art form – and we’re losing it’: is the music video dying? by Michael Cragg for The Guardian. A look at the current state, and potential future, of the music video.
‘Is She Sure?’ How the Breeders Joined Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour by Jenn Pelly for The New York Times. Neat peek behind a very intentional and cool opener selection for one of the year’s biggest tours.
Six Attempts To Find Noah Kahan Interesting by Steven Hyden for Uproxx. And they say real music journalism is dying.
Everyone has an opinion on touring these days. The gist of it is that it has become both too expensive for small/mid-sized bands to profit off a tour, and too expensive for fans to afford to see many tours. It’s a messed up ebb and flow, as the price of everything increases it becomes costly to tour as you consider the cost of gas, hotels, gear rentals, visas, crew/band wages, merch production, and food all skyrocketing. With this in mind, ticket prices often have to be set higher for an artist to even consider making their money back. Those price increases on everything are also leaving fans with less money to spend on concerts, and they have to be pickier about what shows they splurge on. Many people that used to see a wider range of artists are now electing to only see their favorite artists. Plenty of other factors too, these last four links are some of the better and more reasoned takes I’ve read on the subject
‘The working class can’t afford it’: the shocking truth about the money bands make on tour by Daniel Dylan Wray for The Guardian
‘People are forfeiting meals’: musicians on the struggle to financially survive by Alfie Packham for The Guardian
The Curious Case of the Underselling Arena Tour by Zach Schonfeld for Stereogum
For many musicians, touring means losing money. How do they make it work? Press Play with Madeleine Brand for KCRW, written by Amy Ta, produced by Zeke Reed.
Alumni Watch
English Teacher (featured 5/11/22) paints an epic, sprawling portrait on their debut album This Could Be Texas.
Vicky Farewell (featured 9/07/22) keeps the heartfelt synth-pop bops coming with her new album, Give A Damn.
Semiratruth (featured 10/20/21) released a new project, The Star of the Story, continuing to make thoughtful experimental rap with a one of a kind sound.
Quiet Light (featured 9/13/23) follows up one of my favorite EPs from last year with another stellar installment, Contact.
Lip Filler (also featured 9/13/23) turns up the energy on their second EP, witchescrew.
Slow Fiction (featured 3/08/23) deliver more dreamy alt rock with their EP, Crush.
Sir E.U (featured 8/11/20) proves himself as a rapper that will always evolve his sound. Expect the unexpected on The Ghost in the Shell.
I love Death By Algorithm, thanks for reading