Ma Holos - “Object of Affection”
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Flower punk band based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Ma Holos makes loud and catchy tunes. Combining the gritty aesthetics of garage rock and the caustic direction of Times New Viking, The band’s record, Bee On A Rose, (out on Quality Time Records) is a noisy delight.
Cereal Pairing: Wheaties
Be Cool Cowboy - “Animal”
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New Paltz, New York-based Mike Parish aka Be Cool Cowboy returns with his latest record, Not So Alamo. The record was written as part of challenge for National Solo Record month, in which the goal is to write, record and release a record in the time frame of a month. The record’s title is inspired by the challenge’s URL, nasoalmo.org. Parish was never able finish within the deadline and was shelved. Out boutique cassette label, Painted Blonde, the record is simplistic fun with Parish’s splice and paste production.
Gustaf - “a dream” (demo)
https://soundcloud.com/gustafnyc/dream-love-v5
Dubbed as the current hardest working band in New York City, Gustaf has been playing almost every bill in and near the city. Without an official single or a collection of songs, the only way to hear any material from the band is to catch them at shows or on tour. In the material we’ve been able to hear thus far, the band recalls the entrancing grooves of ESG with the loose structures of art rock. Hopefully, they’ll take a break from live shows to make a record.
Cereal Pairing: Rice Krispies
VEDA - “Sweetheart”
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Birmingham, U.K. artist, Dom Sepúlveda makes music under the name VEDA. Sepúlveda crafts glowing post-punk music that shimmers and tingles. Title-track “Sweetheart”, is a glimmering cut from a five-track EP that was featured in Spirit Goth’s monthly cassette club. The track dances and sways with active guitars and cool new wave rhythms.
Cereal Pairing: Apple Jacks
Flower Crown - “Bender Szn”
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Flower Crown is a Pittsburgh-based band that recalls the pop eerie guise of bands such as Galaxie 500 and Bedhead. Swelling with sweeping but gentle guitars, the expansive and hazy “Bender Szn” is radiantly translucent. The band’s latest record, Sundries is on their hometown label, Crafted Sounds.
Cereal Pairing: Peanut Butter Chex
Collate - High Functioning
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Like there neighbors Lithics, Portland, Oregon based Collate make high energy and wirey guitar music. Like musical gymnastics, the band’s skippy hooks and stutter-stepping rhythms make for sharp and agitating punk. The band’s most recent record, Liminal Concerns was released last summer.
Cereal Pairing: Raisin Bran
Turn To Crime - Down In The Basement
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The Detroit-based Derek Stanton makes pop-augmenting experimental music under his project, Turn To Crime. Stanton’s latest record, Down In The Basement continues his gritty brand of pop, driven by reserved krautrock rhythms and dark atmospheric melodies. The title track is a scuzzy darkwave bop with thick shimmering garage chords and off-kilter bass lines that prop up Stanton’s Lou Reed-like singing style.
Cereal Pairing: Wheaties