Tuesday Tracks: Your weekly new music discovery
Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips.
Artists on platforms such as Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to sort through all that? RIFF does!
We pooled our resources to find some of the best new singles from all genres and backgrounds, so you can find your newest earworm without all the drama. Enjoy this week’s hidden gems:
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Filthy Friends, “Despierta” — Mix a dash of Sleater-Kinny, a pinch of Fastbacks, a tad of Young Fresh Fellows and a smidge of R.E.M., and you get some Filthy Friends. The latest super group on the block is set to release their first album and hit the road this fall. Their first single “Despierta,” is a hazy, grungy number that they put together for the anti-Trump 30 songs in 30 days project. The group’s sound is pretty original and doesn’t lean to any one of the members’ bands. Kill Rock Stars is putting the album Invitation out on Aug. 25.
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Boy Epic, “Up Down” — Boy Epic is true to his name on his latest track “Up Down.” The chorus alone is worth a listen just to see the magic that Boy Epic creates. This song feels like a big box office summer movie. Boy Epic definitely has a flair for showmanship; this song is big in every way. His voice fits perfectly with the almost sinister backing track and forceful beats. You’ll also want to check out the video that Boy Epic animated himself for the song.
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Kllo, “Virtue” — Moody and soulful Kllo’s blend of mope and house music has a throwback quality that will have you yearning for when Everything But the Girl was ruled the alt-dance movement. A multi-rhythm backing brings in a great beat and gives Chloe Kaul’s soulful voice enough room to bring the listener into the song. The band’s debut full-length album, Backwater, will be out Oct. 20.
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Gin Wigmore, “Beatnik Trip” — Even though summer about halfway over, we are still seeing some great summer songs being released, including this one by Gin Wigmore. The New Zealand singer-songwriter has a jazzy number on her hands with “Beatnik Trip.” Wigmore has a raspy voice with a swagger that seems to fill the room as you listen. Everything about the song is great, from the classic track to her video for the song, which is part of her GIRLGANG project, designed to highlight and celebrate female art.
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Kali Masi, “Some Friends” — Two minutes is all you’ll need to start enjoying Kali Masi. Their first single, “Some Friends,” is a speedy romp through their style of emo. The group, which formed in 2012, has built a small, loyal following over the last five years, through touring and self-released EPs. “Some Friends” could be just what the group needs to launch them to their next level of success.
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Shane’s pick: “Up Down” is my pick of the week, and for good reason. This song is epic from start to finish. The drama and showmanship of Boy Epic has me excited to see what comes next.
Follow reporter Shane Johnson at Twitter.com/shanejohnson14 and Instagram.com/thehurra.