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Top Music Blog & Promoters In The USA

Meet Sbassbear in the epicentre of the cultural zeitgeist with their viral-worthy alt-comedy-pop earworm ‘Doggystyle’

Posted on 12 December 2024

Sbassbear, the Worcester, Massachusetts-based comedy duo who first found fame remixing The Game Grumps’ impromptu antics, prove their staying power in the alt-music world with Doggystyle, a standout track from their sprawling 77-track album, Fever Dream Radio.

While the title teases something risqué, the duo leads listeners down a playful intersection of influences from The Beastie Boys and The Kiffness, where hip-pop beats collide with twee lyrics and vocals which epitomise our increasingly digital popular culture.

With their 2024 release, Sbassbear defied the novelty label often slapped on comedy music. Doggystyle is an exemplary showcase of their ability to weave feel-good energy into intricate, genre-bending production. For their 65k+ monthly listeners, the duo deliver far more than cheap laughs; they’ve built a space where absurdity meets authenticity, and you might never want to leave!

The track’s infectious rhythm sits alongside a sharp self-awareness of its place in modern culture. Sbassbear understands the chaos of contemporary attention spans and leans into it with their TikTok video-length tracks. Fever Dream Radio is so much more than a concept album—it’s a reflection of the ADHD-driven creativity that makes Sbassbear so unique, effortlessly flipping through moods and styles like radio stations in a surreal alternate reality.

Get stuck into all 77 tracks from Sbassbear’s latest LP, Fever Dream Radio, via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ava Valianti’s ‘Wishing Well’ is a Diaphanous Dive into Lost Innocence

Posted on 10 December 2024

At just 15, Ava Valianti has already mastered the art of weaving raw emotion into new-wave indie pop. With her latest single, ‘Wishing Well’, the Massachusetts singer-songwriter delivers a reverie-rich production that captures the ache of growing up and the bittersweet nostalgia for the innocence of youth.

Inspired by childhood memories, Ava channels her reflections on the fading simplicity of youth into soaring harmonies and sweeping melodies. Thematically, ‘Wishing Well’ resounds with longing and hope, its diaphanous textures sonically illustrating the vulnerability of clinging to the magic of belief. Ava’s lyrical candour doesn’t just invite listeners into her world; it offers them a mirror to their own experiences of inevitable change and loss. Her ability to find clarity in bittersweet moments transforms each note into a visceral connection.

Standing alongside her earlier singles—‘Bubble Wrap’, ‘Middle Ground’, and ‘January’—this track showcases her ability to fuse introspective lyrics with literally and figuratively haunting melodies. With comparisons to indie luminaries like Mitski and First Aid Kit easily and rightfully drawn, her trajectory has been meteoric, already earning her 10k monthly listeners, a nomination for the New England Music Awards’ “Pop Act of the Year,” and praise from over 60 radio stations across the US.

Ava’s music is a force propelling her into the heart of indie supremacy, and ‘Wishing Well’ solidifies her place as an artist who creates vessels of unfiltered soul, poised to resonate with listeners across generations.

Wishing Well was officially released on November 22nd; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Denim Dan sought sanctuary in his latest seminal 70s folk-rock single, ‘Circe’s Song (Save Me)’

Posted on 9 December 2024

With another album to round out the year, Denim Dan has served the airwaves once more with his tender harmonies, nostalgia-beckoning instrumentals and lyricism that always knows which emotive triggers to aim for.

As the standout single on Circe, the 70s-inspired orchestral folk-rock ballad, Circe’s Song (Save Me) exhibits Denim Dan at his most affecting; while he never comes in heavy-handed, the delicate ornate grace of this release allowed the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist to reach his diaphanous zenith.

The way the chamber orchestral strings pull against the steady rings of the acoustic guitar beneath Dan’s organically aching timbre ensures this plea for sanctuary resounds with raw humanist realism.

Between the reflections on existential plight and the poetic projections of a need to find a soul to bolster your own, everyone can find a fragment of themselves within Circe’s Song (Save Me); the lucky will meditate on the single with gratitude for kindred spirits and soul mates, while the lonely will find consolation that they’re never as alone in their alienation as they feel they are.

Stream Denim Dan’s latest album, Circe, in full on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Thalia Jailene spun emotion into rhythmic gold with her standout single, Sueñitos

Posted on 9 December 2024

Thalia Jailene’s latest single, Sueñitos, weaves hypnotic rhythms straight into the soul. From the opening notes, choppy staccato reggae guitars tease the senses, making way for warm flamenco licks that unravel through the vibrant sonic fabric. Thalia’s smooth, serotonin-laced vocals glide effortlessly over the textured layers, delivering an exotic and arcane soundscape that feels as seraphic as it is unique.

The Latina singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and music educator, now based in North Carolina, demonstrates her ability to blend her eclectic influences—from Paramore and No Doubt to Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley—into a sound that transcends genres. Her self-described “music alchemy” transforms raw emotions into an intoxicating mix of pop, rock, and reggae, with Sueñitos embodying her commitment to organic euphoria while the rest of her discography attests to how she never shies away from darker themes.

Hi play and prepare for full immersion as your senses are flooded with colour.

Sueñitos is available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mikey Mosher – ‘Tell Me!’: A Scuzzy Slice of DIY Indie Garage Rock Romanticism

Posted on 9 December 2024

If Fidlar and The Strokes met in a garagey middle ground and took a few production and vocal cues from John Grant, the result would reverberate in the same deliciously scuzzy vein as the latest self-written, produced and recorded single, ‘Tell Me!’ by the Chicago-based DIY musician and visual artist, Mikey Mosher.

With the only other hands brought to this single and self-shot and directed music video being Joseph at Freeman Mastering, it’s safe to say that Mikey Mosher has honed his multi-faceted talents enough to emerge as a master of all sonic trades.

The aesthetic of the release is perfectly complemented by the warm, saturation-rich visuals, which hark back to the DIY videos which reigned supreme in the era of indie sleaze; now that Gen Z is determined to live through the epoch they missed the first time around, Mikey Mosher is well-placed to make major waves throughout the US and beyond.

If you can’t get enough of the haplessly hopeless romanticism in ‘Tell Me!’, keep Mikey Mosher on your radar to stay posted on his new album, Atlantis, which is due to drop in early 2025.

The official music video for ‘Tell Me!’ dropped on November 26th; stream it on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Detroit Dreampop Diehard Romantic, Jessie Berkshires, Pulled All the Emotive Punches in Her Latest Single, Don’t Let Me Down

Posted on 6 December 2024

With her latest single, Don’t Let Me Down, Detroit-based indie artist Jessie Berkshires carved a new vein into the dream-pop pantheon. Opening with tenderly hammered minor piano notes entwined with a syncopated, trip-hop-inspired beat, the track balances warmth and alienation in bittersweet duality.

Beneath its polished production lies a raw exploration of the paradox of love and its ability to flood your world with light while igniting fears of the darkness of heartbreak. Berkshires’ lyricism pierces with its candour: the tension between vulnerability and the need for reassurance is as gripping as the delicate melodies that carry it. Her ethereal vocal delivery is perfectly framed by an instrumental arrangement that feels both spacious and all-consuming, like staring into a love you want to trust but fear will falter.

The balance of the raw, relatable emotion and the cold visualisations of romantic dissonance in the instrumentals allow Jessie Berkshires to establish herself as an artist who knows exactly how to amplify her lyricism with melodies which may be quiescent, but they know exactly how to pull the evocative punches.

Don’t Let Me Down was officially released on November 22 and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Talking Hours cast the first stone in the indietronica blues-rock revolution with the swagger in their latest seminal release, Stop the Sound

Posted on 5 December 2024

The Talking Hours have returned as unrivalled pioneers of post-punk panache after a four-year airwaves hiatus with Stop the Sound, a track from their third LP, Transmissions to Missy. If you’ve ever wondered what The Black Keys would sound like if they traded in their vintage bluesy tones for indie hooks and Arcade Fire-style swagger, look no further.

Mauricio and Karie, the fierce force behind The Talking Hours, weave magnetic indie vocals through a dense fog of percussion and angular guitars that slice through the track with post-punk precision. The visceral rhythm and sharp riffs deliver jolts of energy while the vocals cut through, commanding attention with their arcane deliverances of deadpan drawls and euphonic harmony.

The way the duo push against the constrictions of sonic conformity by pairing rock, blues, and indie elements with electronic pulses amplifies the hypnotic gravity of Stop the Sound. You’ll come for the perfect equilibrium of style and substance, yet it is the emotive anatomy of Stop the Sound which allows it to establish itself as a playlist staple, with the same sense of magnetism as Editors and Interpol in spite of the abstract nature of the lyricism.

Stream The Talking Hours’ LP, Transmissions to Missy, in full via Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

‘!! Stand’ by RoBB!EMAC: Reinventing Pop with Y2K Nostalgia and Emotional Cadence

Posted on 4 December 2024

The prolific pop prodigy, RoBB!EMAC, may have only made his official debut in 2023 with the drop of his LP, The Anecdotes of Mr. Songsmith, but he’s already delivered his fifth album, Howling at the Moon, proving that there’s no end to the flow of his creativity or his ability to find fresh alt-pop intersections to explore.

The standout single from his expansive 16-track anthology of pop-hooked vulnerability, ‘!! Stand’ kicks into rhythm through a melodic piano-driven prelude followed by a mash of pseudo-trap, Y2K nostalgia and the twang of alt-country pop; a synthesis which orchestrates a dreamy sense of reverie to drift within as you lock into the vocal cadence which sinks into synergy with the solid backbeats.

If anyone can bring back the trend of putting lighters in the air instead of iPhone cameras, it’s RoBB!EMAC, with his sound that leans into nostalgia while illuminating the path to the pop pantheon which is ready and waiting for his arrival.

RoBB!EMAC, the New Jersey-Hailing, Dallas-based innovator, is far from your average genre-fusionist; he’s mastered the art of ensuring every aesthetic at his disposal lends itself to the mood and meaning of his sound. In ‘!! Stand’, the singer-songwriter strips back all sense of pretence to outpour a vignette that assures the listener that, as we all make our way through the disillusionments of life, we’re all a work in progress, regardless of how perfect our facades appear to be.

Stream RoBB!EMAC’s Howling at the Moon LP on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Melody Key: The Virtual Girl Group Taking Pop to Rapturous Heights – An Exclusive Interview

Posted on 4 December 2024

With infectious energy and a mission to uplift, Melody Key is redefining what it means to be a modern girl group. Formed virtually in 2022 by Katy “Kitty” Kunberger and Lashnate “Shanti” Johnson, the trio has already made waves with their viral TikTok videos, empowering anthems like Girls Rule, and a dynamic collaboration with UK rapper 0milicu0us. In this interview, they discuss their songwriting journey, their forthcoming debut EP, and their vision for spreading positivity in a pop landscape often focused on despair.

Melody Key, thanks for sitting down with us to discuss your discography and burgeoning pop career. We’d love to know what initially brought you together in 2022. 

Our girl group, Melody Key, was originally a virtual girl group that was founded on May 4, 2022, by me (Katy “Kitty” Kunberger and Lashnate “Shanti” Johnson). A couple of months earlier, I was posting an audition call for members who were interested in joining a girl group. However, I wanted to have a girl group since 2014 but kept it a secret but finally revealed it when I posted the audition call online.

Shanti was the third girl to audition for the girl group after two girls had told me that they could not stay nor continue with the girl group. Since then, we made songs and posted singing videos on social media. We have three members in Melody Key and hope to have one or two more members to make it a total of four or five members.

How does the songwriting and recording process play out between the two of you?

Shanti and I usually write original songs and all of us recorded songs on Bandlab. Bandlab is an app where we record our songs, even remotely. Although, we would like to meet together in person sometime next year whenever we are available to record songs at a studio.

How did it feel to go viral with your dance videos to your original music on TikTok? 

To be honest we felt very honored to have our TikTok videos go viral! It has been part of our dreams to have our TikTok videos go viral, let alone dancing to our original music.

How did you connect with the British rapper, 0milicu0us, for your official debut track, College Groove? 

We met 0milicu0us on Instagram last year! He discovered us and sent us a message requesting that he could rap in a song someday. We accepted his request to collaborate with our song, “College Groove” and then he recorded his rapping verse on Bandlab! We released the song this past January 12th!

Your latest single, Girls Rule, is an instantly iconic lo-fi hyper-pop anthem; what’s the story behind the single? 

The story behind “Girls Rule” is how girls could be anything they want to be, meaning girls could have professions that only boys had once upon a time. For instance, Mary Blair was a female animator back in the 1940s to early 1950s and she worked for Disney. It was not typical for women to be professional animators and often those who were employed took masculine names.

There’s an eclectic mash of aesthetics and genres in the mix, allowing the track to unravel as an infectiously upbeat celebration of feminine power; what do you hope your listeners take from it?

We hope that our listeners will be inspired by the positive message and the upbeat tempo of our songs. Our group has been somewhat dismayed by the numerous pop songs that focus on depressing themes of despair, We believe that life is full of joy and opportunity and we want to inspire young people, especially girls to seize opportunity and live life to the fullest.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming debut EP? 

Our debut EP has six songs:

  1. Reach the Stars
  2. The Girls and I
  3. Take Me Back to the 90s
  4. Golden Age (Best Years)
  5. Lover Girl
  6. Bright

We do not exactly have a title for our debut EP but we are planning to release the EP this coming May. “Golden Age” is my personal favorite song, but “The Girls and I” will hopefully be our most popular song in our EP and we would like to have our own music video for the song, “The Girls and I”. The mock instrumentals are already made but needed their official remakes. This is our golden opportunity to travel to Los Angeles, California and meet up there in person in order to record our EP and do our music videos whenever we are available.

How does your forthcoming EP fit into your broader ambitions as an artist?

In our forthcoming EP, other members in Melody Key other than myself wrote some of our songs such as “Lover Girl” and “Reach the Stars”. Additionally, all six of our songs have different themes and stories behind them. “Reach the Stars”‘s theme is Zodiacs and Astrology. Whereas, “Golden Age”‘s story about how great and optimistic vintage culture is unlike modern-time media that can cause anxiety and melancholy.

Stream Melody Key on Spotify.

Follow the artist on TikTok.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Embrace the nostalgically chaotic empowerment in Melody Key’s hyper-bubblegum-pop hit, College Groove, ft 0mili0us:

Posted on 2 December 2024

Melody Key’s official debut single, College Groove, featuring British rapper 0mili0us, is an explosion of Y2K pop nostalgia ignited by unapologetic hyper-pop ferocity.

Formed virtually through TikTok in 2022, the trio—Kitty, Shanti, and Bella experimented with their creative synergy by recording tracks on Bandlab and releasing them on Soundcloud. After a year of digital experimentation, they’ve graduated to the big leagues with a debut that’s impossible to ignore.

Sticky-sweet bubble gum harmonies form the earworm’s anatomy, but its soul thrives in its feminist grit. Between the euphoric bursts of neon-coloured melodies, 0mili0us delivers rapid-fire rap bars that sharpen the edges of this otherwise sugar-coated anthem.

By injecting Y2K aesthetics with a progressive punch and proudly wearing their serotonin on their sleeves, Melody Key became the ultimate conduit of female empowerment with their anthem that crashes onto the airwaves like a fresh feminist wave.

TikTok virality may have been their genesis, but Melody Key proves they’re more than a digital gimmick. They’re a powerhouse with enough energy to keep their fans craving more.

Whether you’re here for the nostalgia, the empowerment, or the unapologetic chaos, Melody Key delivers it all with an infectious swagger that commands attention. It’s pop, but not as you remember it—this time, it’s here to stay.

Stream College Groove on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast