Browsing Tag

california pop

Micah! is California dreaming in their latest alt indie pop release, STAY UP

Posted on 7 October 2024

You don’t need Micah!’s bio to tell you that they’re a Cali-residing artist, you can hear it in the dreamy warmth of the hazy melodies in their latest alt-indie-pop single, STAY UP, which teases nuances of hip-hop into the mix with sharp pseudo-rap cadences in the verses.

After honing their songwriting, recording and production skills for a decade, STAY UP is a catharsis-soaked culmination of all the time invested in their unflinching dedication to carve out a niche that listeners will want to nestle into time after time.

Fans of the deliciously delirious tonal palettes alchemised by NewDad, Jibba, Just Mustard and other contemporary indie icons in the same vein will find endless appeal in STAY UP, which is yet another attestation to Micah!’s potential that has already been actualised after the artist opened for Snoop Dogg and hit the 1 million stream mark on SoundCloud.

STAY UP was officially released on September 19; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mia Laren is on rhythmic fire in her latest self-produced pop hit, Woman Like Me

Posted on 16 March 2024

Mia Laren’s latest single, ‘Woman Like Me‘, is a masterclass in contemporary pop production, interweaving nostalgia with a fresh, electrifying approach. The guitar tones shimmer with a transcendental quality, while the basslines run as hot and heavy as the empowered lyrics. The anthem of self-worth and confidence is a striking testament to her burgeoning prowess in the pop music sphere.

Hailing from Baltimore and now based in San Diego, Laren, a singer, songwriter, producer, and professional dancer, infuses her music with the rhythm and expression of her dance background. This is vividly apparent in ‘Woman Like Me’, where she combines sharp rhythmic beats and sultrily magnetic vocal lines which hark back to Shakira’s ‘Whenever, Whenever’ while exhibiting her ability to create aural auras which reflect her lyrical themes. Coupled with her impressive octave range, which borders on the celestial, Laren is undoubtedly on the cusp of becoming a significant name in the pop genre.

‘Woman Like Me’ is a reflection of her belief that music is the connection to the soul. It’s a track that not only awakens the rhythmic pulses but also invites you to connect with its deeper message. The track is the perfect opportunity to align your actions with your worth.

The official music video for Woman Like Me was officially released on March 6th; you won’t want to miss the conceptually fire gender fuckery Laren uses to prove her worth and inspire other women to find their own.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Maxton Hunter sets his trajectory to the moon in his psych-pop single, Halfway Home

Posted on 20 July 2022

As classically soul-stirring as Chris Isaak and as compellingly contemporary as a pop-styled Courtney Barnett, Maxton Hunter’s latest single, Halfway Home, extends psychedelic indie Cali warmth across the stratosphere.

Commercial potential and magnetic don’t always go hand in hand, but they have a tight grip on each other in the oceanically breezy indie hit. It’s quite ironic how the lyrics leave Maxton Hunter pontificating on superpowers, given the celestial sense of melodicism that drives through Halfway Home. And vocally, he could very well be the last of the great dreamers. For catharsis’ sake, we can’t wait to hear what comes next from the up-and-coming artist.

Halfway Home is now available to stream on Spotify and all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Natalie Lane has released the bitter-sweet dark-pop ballad of the year with ‘Lonely’.

Posted on 14 October 2021

Californian singer-songwriter, Natalie Lane, has released her most captivating single to date with ‘Lonely’. The experimentally stormy production of the atmospheric downtempo ballad amplifies the intensity of the confessionally raw single to a visceral degree.

With a sonic style that sits in between Angel Olsen, St. Vincent and Billie Eilish combined with hints of bluesy Americana, Natalie Lane’s alchemic single hits like no other. It’s heart-wrenching tracks like this that take the stigma away from the admission of loneliness. Given that loneliness is a fundamental part of our human existence, we’re sure the weight in this track will resonate with anyone that takes a chance on it.

The official video for Lonely premiered on October 2nd; you can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Conner Eko has made his unmissable indie synth-pop debut with SINK

Posted on 19 August 2021

‘SINK’ is the debut indie synth-pop track from the Californian singer-songwriter Conner Eko who takes inspiration from a vast repertoire of artists to achieve his authentically affectionate sound that we’re hoping will become signature in subsequent releases. If Trent Reznor produced for Boy George, the sonic result wouldn’t be all too different from the danceably dark, ethereal textures in SINK, and we are here for it.

2021 has been rough on everyone, but Conner Eko had more to overcome than most. In March 2021, he suffered a traumatic brain injury that forced him away from this work and towards music, resulting in the release of SINK that precedes the release of his debut album, due for release in early 2022.

SINK was released on August 3rd; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

California’s most profound alternative artist Zpextre has released his spacey indie psych-pop earworm, Save it for the Kids.

Posted on 4 June 2021

Hit play on Oakland, California-based alternative artist, Zpextre’s latest single, Save it for the Kids and end the self-obsessive cycle of naval-gazing.

Save it for the Kids is an infectiously feel-good track that serves the awakening reminder that the world is bigger than you’ll ever know, but no matter how small you feel, you still have a part to play. Rather than sending you down an existential hole while imparting that wisdom, Zpextre laced the indie psych-pop earworm with plenty of funk and soulfully distorted grooves.

Zpextre may always run unapologetically with his eccentricity but the commercial potential of his sound never takes a hit. Even with avant-garde defiance of constraint and ideas of aural perfection, the single that was produced by Kool Kojak has all the marks of a summer high-vibe playlist staple.

Here’s what Zpextre had to say about the single:

“The innocence of a child allows them to discover themselves both physically and mentally. It is paramount to the development of love, compassion and humanity. For, in the end, humanity made this world. We have to save this innocence; we have to leave this world better than we found it. Save it for the Kids!”

Save it for the Kids is now available via SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple music.

Connect with Zpextre via Facebook or Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast