Composed, performed, and recorded completely by Perkins in his Dayton, OH studio, What’s the Matter… is both the most stripped down and expansive within his tryptic of albums. The headphone symphonies move with a deliberate, composed sophistication while the lyrics explore fresh territory, turning the camera away from the “butterscotch revue” and pointing it into a mirror. "The touchstones of psych pop remain: flourishes of Nilsson are still here, but so are Gram Parsons and Jonathan Richman. If you want to assign geography to What’s the Matter, M Ross?, the album is equal parts Laurel Canyon and Big Pink, more Woodstock the town than the festival. Perkins is a self-contained (late-period) Teenage Fanclub with George Harrison’s spiritual sense of inner wanderlust.
Ever wondered how music that feels so effortless and dreamy actually comes together? Bill from Darksoft pulls back the curtain on his creative process, revealing the fascinating intersection of mathematical precision and emotional resonance that defines his signature sound.
Growing up surrounded by music—with a cellist mother and pianist father who pioneered home recording—Bill's path to becoming a musician feels almost predetermined. Yet his approach to creating atmospheric indie rock is distinctly his own. "Maybe I never grew up fully," he reflects, describing how childhood musical experiences laid the groundwork for his DIY ethos. Rather than seeing this hands-on approach as limiting, Bill embraces it as both practical and ethical in an industry where margins are thin.
What truly distinguishes Darksoft's music is Bill's conceptual framework. Each album begins with an overarching philosophical idea—his latest release "Rationalism" explores how we understand the world through thought rather than direct experience. This thoughtful foundation supports songs built through meticulous layering: starting with chord progressions (often in drop D tuning), adding sub bass, plucky bass guitar, rhythm guitar, and finally jangly leads. "I've kind of built my own formula or algorithm," he explains, embracing rather than resisting the mathematical patterns inherent in music creation.
The result is music that creates a "swell," gently cradling listeners in waves of sound that feel simultaneously comforting and subtly complex. It's an approach that's connecting with a growing audience, with tours planned across the US and new music on the horizon. Whether you're drawn to the philosophical underpinnings or simply love getting lost in dreamy soundscapes, Darksoft offers a musical experience that rewards repeated listening—each layer revealing itself with time, just as Bill intended.
Darksoft is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and producer who creates dreamy indie rock sounds. Blending dream pop, shoegaze, and alternative rock with lush melodies and introspective lyrics, Darksoft explores universal truths and existential themes.
"Return Of Youth" was written before our son was born, a projection, zooming in until the larger existential dilemmas were out of frame. Where "Fender On The Freeway" found peace in the patterns of a gigantic macro, this one finds it in a mundane and simple micro. I imagined seeing myself through the eyes of my child, a rebirth of sorts, laced with fear and insecurity, discovering beauty and serenity together in the simplest places.
The stock of Shopfires/Neil Hill has significantly increased in just eighteen months since he began releasing music in his vibrant corner of Bandcamp. Fortunately, this release, We Are Not There But We Are Here, demonstrates that his artistic vision is not confined to uniformity, which is essential for achieving lasting musical success.
"If you're into intense, dreamy, subtly imaginative singer-songwriter-ly pop, people like Squirrel Flower or maybe the softer moments of Big Thief, don't miss the debut album by the Brooklyn singer Avery Friedman. Her songs are a cocktail of anxiety and uneasy beauty with chiming, ringing arrangements that really get under your skin." – NPR MUSIC (All Songs Considered)
“Her full-length debut, New Thing, is a work of raw singer/songwriter confessionalism, evoking the knotted melodies, homespun arrangements, and searing edges of musicians like Squirrel Flower, Babehoven, or Adrienne Lenker.“ –UNDER THE RADAR MAGAZINE
“The promise you are left with as a listener, that there is a beauty in uncertainty and becoming, that flowers that die will surely grow again.” – THE LINE OF BEST FIT
"Damn, I adored this record. I loved the writing. So image-rich and vidi, each song feels like its own universe. This is to say nothing of the diversity of soundscape – truly felt like a Writers Album." – HANIF ABDURRAQIB
“New Thing, the scarily accomplished debut album from Avery Friedman, is all about change and growth…Friedman inhabits a complex emotional realm where nervousness can coexist with (and inform) ideas of sexiness, sadness, tenderness. Her world is fragile but appears to have arrived fully-formed.” – KLOF MAG
“New Thing is as much about community as it is Friedman’s individual journey. The album will thrill those who yearn for the days of sad indie bands in Williamsburg clubs. While Friedman and her band might be further along on the L train, they’ve moved past the detached melancholy of that cohort and instead utilize the same musical strains to confront and move beyond the pain that holds them back.” – NO DEPRESSION
“New Thing is a conduit for emotions too frenetic to hold on your own. This record is a collection of the first songs I’ve ever written, after many years of orbiting the music world but denying myself my own musicianship. Many of these tracks were born of anxiety—from my turning to a guitar to externalize (and organize) a sense of chaos that otherwise felt trapped inside me. We recorded the bulk of it with a live band as a means to maintain the raw energy at the center of the record. What results is a time capsule for a year of intense personal expansion in my life—and the layers of warmth, wonder, sensitivity, and sharpness that come with growing.” – Avery Friedman
A fuzz edged stomper with echoes of 60s UK freakbeat and snarly pop bomp from those sweaty ballroom days, a rare occasion of both David and Rachel sharing the microphone to convey the direct hits of the life saving musical adrenalin rushing through your body to hit the heart just when it needs it - to be played loud so your body and soul get the purest benefit of its raw medicine
“this is indie songwriting at its finest, and Ada’s vocals are the cherry on top.” - Clash
“Levy’s lo-fisonic palette and dreamy, speak-sung vocals hint at intimacy, her creative use of sound effects and electronics the mark of an archivist.” – Uncut
“Ada Lea has a musical mind that pushes so much further than just some melodies and words.” – The Line Of Best Fit
This is on full display on today’s single, a mid-tempo, lilting song “baby blue frigidaire mini fridge.” Of the inspiration behind the song, Levy reflects impressionistically: “The Chantal Akerman film where the camera moves in slow circular pans around her apartment. Then what if the frame quickly zooms out as far as it could possibly go? And in that wide pull back, what we recognize as universal is still ‘this chair, this window, this mountain view.’ Then, move out again, even further. What we are left with—three things: ‘our old time souls, this old time moon.’ Two things, I mean.”
What happens when music transforms from an obligation to a lifeline? UK singer-songwriter Sophie Jamieson takes us on her remarkable journey from classical training to authentic self-expression in this deeply moving conversation.
Growing up with piano lessons and orchestral bassoon playing, Sophie never truly connected with music until she discovered songwriting in university. During a period of mental health struggles, writing her own songs became what she calls "the kindest thing I could do for myself" – a radical act of self-compassion that changed everything.
Sophie shares the fascinating evolution of her creative process, revealing how she's become increasingly "lyric forward" over time. She's particularly drawn to the power of a song's first line, which often emerges quickly and without overthinking, guiding the rest of the composition naturally. "I find it really interesting how within a sentence there's a word that wants to be long, a couple of short words that are rhythmic, and somehow you can just hear chord changes within that," she explains.
The conversation explores the vulnerability inherent in sharing deeply personal work with the world. Rather than feeling exposed, Sophie finds that true songs tap into something universal: "When you've written something that feels like you want to share it, it's because you realize you've tapped into something that's a bit bigger than you." This perspective transforms vulnerability from a risk to a strength.
Sophie also reflects on the magical connection that happens during live performances – "the most alive kind of space to be in" – where songs take on their own life beyond both performer and audience. As she looks ahead to a year of shows across the UK and Europe while developing new material, her focus remains on putting creativity first and worrying less about industry expectations.
Listen now to this enlightening conversation about finding your authentic voice, the healing power of creativity, and the courage to share your truth with the world. If you've ever struggled with self-expression or wondered how artists transform personal pain into universal connection, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insights from an artist at the height of her powers.
The effort sees release digitally via Sweet Cheetah Records' Bandcamp site and includes contributions from Deaf Club (CA), MK Naomi (MA), Toilet Rats (MN), Oh Condor (OH), FVRMN (Japan), Holy Hands (MA), Kill Surf City (IN), Chris Broach (IL), Hauntu (CA), and Palm Ghosts (TN)!
The entire compilation was expertly mastered by Dan Coutant (Coliseum, Hostage Calm, Iron Chic, etc.) at Sun Room Audio, and cover art was contributed by Evil Jay (Boris, Dead Milkmen, 7 Seconds).
100 percent of the proceeds from sales of this effort will be donated to Border Angels, a non-profit organization that promotes a culture of love through advocacy, education, by creating a social consciousness, and engaging in direct action to defend the rights of migrants and refugees.
"few do it with the style and imagination of Hallelujah the Hills" - Aquarium Drunkard
“fist-pumping anthems" - Pitchfork
“criminally underappreciated” - SPIN
"swirling, pounding folk" - Stereogum
"For 20 years, Boston’s Hallelujah The Hills have made full-blast rock ‘n’ roll that manages to be literate without ever losing its sense of humor." - WBUR
This track is the newest entry in the band’s most ambitious project to date: DECK, a 54-song concept project that spans 4 albums. Each album is tied to a playing card and builds into a massive, genre-spanning collection that reshapes the traditional album format into something thrillingly unpredictable.
Dive into the creative world of Brooklyn-based indie artist Caroline Strickland as she unpacks the emotional journey behind her latest EP "Martha's Calling." From humble beginnings playing her father's guitar at age 13 to forming her high school band "RIP ROX" (named after her drummer's deceased lizard), Caroline's path to songwriting authenticity reveals the beautiful evolution of an artist finding her voice.
Caroline candidly discusses how her creative process has transformed over time—from the youthful days when songs would "just pour out" to her current, more deliberate approach to crafting music. This evolution mirrors her growth as both an artist and person, particularly through challenging periods like breakups that sparked some of her most powerful work.
The conversation delves into the fascinating origins of "Martha's Calling," where Martha emerges as a metaphorical figure representing Caroline's "desire for a sign and something to save me." What began as a character in a concept EP evolved into a profound exploration of seeking external validation during times of inner turmoil. Perhaps most touching is the story behind "Prettiest Girl of Heaven," born from a stranger's comment while Caroline was crying on a Manhattan street—a perfect example of how unexpected moments can catalyze creativity.
Looking forward, Caroline shares her excitement about leaning more into indie rock for future projects, including a potential full-length album. She's embracing a balanced approach to music-making while preparing for upcoming performances, including opening for Bria Salmena in Brooklyn and an East Coast DIY tour.
Support independent artists like Caroline by streaming her music, attending shows, and purchasing merchandise. Her authentic songwriting and evolving sound make her an artist worth following as she continues to transform personal struggles into compelling musical stories that resonate with listeners everywhere.
Musicians often speak of finding their voice, but for Zoya Zafar, that journey has been both literal and metaphorical. The Orlando-based indie folk artist takes us through her evolution from a shy child who couldn't sing in front of others to a songwriter whose dreamy, atmospheric compositions have drawn comparisons to Mazzy Star and Cat Power.
What makes Zafar's story particularly compelling is how her musical development intertwines with her cultural heritage. Growing up in a creatively encouraging South Asian household defied stereotypical expectations, with her grandmother performing classical ghazal (poetic songs) and family members immersed in various artistic pursuits. Unlike musicians who discovered music through their parents' record collections, Zafar's education came through her own explorations – random compilation CDs, film soundtracks, and the early 2000s indie scene featuring artists like Badly Drawn Boy and Bright Eyes.
The conversation reveals powerful insights about artistic perseverance through life's most challenging moments. After consistently releasing music for years, Zafar experienced a significant hiatus between 2017/2018 and 2024, coinciding with both the pandemic and profound personal tragedy – the deaths of her father and grandmother within months of each other. "For a while it was like, 'Oh, I'm not a real artist if I can't turn my pain into art,'" she reflects, before realizing healing needed to precede creation. Her 2024 album "Some Songs," partially recorded remotely during COVID while dealing with health challenges, represents not just music but a milestone of personal resilience.
Listen to Zafar's latest single "I Don't Love You" at the end of the episode, and discover how her evolution from wordier compositions to more spacious, minimal arrangements reflects the journey of an artist who has learned the power of what remains unsaid. As she hints at experimental future directions, it's clear her artistic journey continues to unfold in fascinating ways.
Zafar sings with a remarkable assurance and intimate warmth, effortlessly weaving hymns of haunting, torchy, jazz-inflected heartbreak that are minimal but never stark, lush but with plenty of space to breathe — and swoon — as needed. tinnitist
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's official video for The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth, co-directed by award winning filmmaker David M. Helman and Daniel Henry .
"A celebration for the incompatible and the base models of all things, human and machine” David M. Helman
For its 20th anniversary, the 2025 video features the song from the self titled 2005 debut album, available as limited deluxe reissue May 30th in stores (avail for preorder! https://cyhsy.lnk.to/cyhsy20) or as exclusive presale at the shows https://www.cyhsy.com/live
New York-based independent label Worry Bead Records brings artists like Remember Sports, Squirrel Flower, 22° Halo, 2nd Grade, and Pink Navel together for ‘True Names,’ a benefit compilation to raise funds for the Trans Youth Emergency Project. The compilation has been featured by Stereogum, Dork, Treble, Atwood Magazine, and other outlets.
“The comp also has demos and live versions of tunes from Squirrel Flower, Remember Sports, 2nd Grade, (T-T)b, and more great acts.” – STEREOGUM
"True Names feels like a sampler from Matador Records in 1998. It’s a killer indie music mixtape with proceeds going to support Trans Youth." –TURN & WORK
“A collective of artists including Remember Sports, Squirrel Flower, 2nd Grade, 22° Halo, and Pink Navel have joined forces for a new compilation album titled ‘True Names’, set to benefit the Trans Youth Emergency Project.” – DORK
Originally formed in 1991, MOVIELAND made their mark with immersive guitar textures, hypnotic rhythms, and melancholic melodies—traits that remain front and center on Now & Then. With nods to shoegaze pioneers like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, MOVIELAND’s sound continues to evolve without losing its emotional core. “It’s been fun playing a few shows mixing in the old and new tunes,” Boyd reflects. “Trying to do it solo has made me rethink how to recreate those layers with just guitar and voice. But we did a show in my hometown [Edmonton] with a full band, and it kinda knocked it out of the park. I hope I can get out and play more of this—both solo and with a band. Plus, I’ve got 15 more songs ready to go… so let’s see!”
A conversation with Stella Birdie feels like stumbling upon a secret diary—intimate, raw, and unexpectedly illuminating. Speaking from her candlelit porch in Australia as dawn breaks, Stella reveals how songwriting became her way to process emotions too complex for everyday conversation.
"I want to ruminate on things much longer than most people want to," she confesses, perfectly capturing why her music resonates so deeply. From childhood notebooks filled with song-like poems to her recent EP "Speaking Terms," Stella's creative journey follows a consistent thread: seeking intimate expression for experiences that defy easy articulation.
Her songwriting process begins with lyrics, usually captured in her phone's Notes app while walking home, processing the day. Unlike many artists who begin with melody or chords, Stella prioritizes the words and the emotional truth they carry. This lyrics-first approach explains the rare authenticity that permeates tracks like "Organ Donor" and "He Didn't Mean It"—songs that begin as personal catharsis before becoming universal connection points.
What's particularly fascinating is Stella's revelation about the therapeutic nature of her craft. "Closure is not real," she says with hard-earned wisdom, "and writing is a really good band-aid for coping with that fact." This perspective offers listeners a new way to understand why we're drawn to emotionally complex music—it gives voice to feelings we struggle to resolve in our own lives.
As sunlight gradually illuminates our conversation, Stella reflects on the beautiful paradox of performing painful songs with joy, watching audience members connect with her most vulnerable moments. There's something magical in this transformation—from darkness into light, from private pain into shared experience. For anyone who's ever found solace in a song that seemed written just for them, Stella Birdie's music provides both mirror and window into our shared emotional landscape.
Discover Stella's music across all platforms and catch her upcoming shows across Europe and the UK this May. Your new favorite lyricist is just getting started.
“Some songwriters need to shut themselves off from the world to make music, all Stella Bridie requires is her iPhone. Thanks to her Notes app, the 25 year old can write anytime and anywhere”
Vogue Australia
“Perhaps the best songwriting I've heard this year. I could give a full five stars just to the line "am I meant to say what's honest 'til what's honest gets too hard?".”
Abby Butler, triple j
““He Didn’t Mean It” showcases her cathartic brand of indie-rock and stark, emotive songwriting”
Rolling Stone
“Lyrics leave a highly emotional yet freeing impact”
"I took over five years writing this song. I’m not saying that makes it good, but it does mean that it means a lot to me. It’s another in my series of songs that make sweeping declarations about ‘the human mind’ (cf. “Ordinary Life,” “Poor Girl A Long Way From Heaven”).
"The lyric is me taking on a problem I’ve had all my life: I believe in God and I can’t explain why to anyone; I don’t even understand it myself. I have no evidence, no argument and no doubt. I think it might just be the kind of brain that I have, one with a need to ‘take the frame from the painting / and let the colours bleed out into the room.’ I love a diffuse God, one who is everywhere, underlying everything, and who absolutely does not fit into my little consciousness with all its rational rules. My God makes no sense. That’s one thing I love about her. That’s how I know she’s much bigger than anything we could have invented.
"When things stop making sense, that’s when the world of night has its hooks in you. That’s when the moon takes over. You wake up one day and you realize you can never really understand anything, and then you’re into the poetic, under the power of the moon.
"This spirituality of mine has, annoyingly, not alleviated the existentialist nausea I’ve always felt. I’m overwhelmed by this God-haunted world. The train is on its way to flatten you. The blues come around to devastate you. But I find myself enjoying this nauseous life anyway. Especially when we get a good drum machine going and Jorgen plays a hypnotic bass line and then Sam and Ben come in with their perfect parts and existence feels like a real cool time.
"Amazingly, somewhere within me I believed that this could add up to a hit song. God, what’s my problem?” SB
Featuring a dynamic guest vocal from Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis (SAD13), “Crush All Night” embodies what frontman Ryan H. Walsh describes as “Dirtbag Rock.” Walsh elaborates: “In our band, we have a genre of song that we sometimes like to mess around with that we’ve titled Dirtbag Rock. ‘Crush All Night’ is a great example of a Dirtbag Rock song. I wanted this track to sound like running red lights and smoking cigarettes inside a church. But also, the lyrics try to rise above all that; the adventure might take in an old Camaro, but the stakes are mythical. And then the great Sadie Dupuis comes in on vocals and it just takes it to a whole ‘nother level. We hope this single, coming on the heels of ‘Fake Flowers at Sunset,’ will give listeners a hint at just how many different sounds we’ve packed inside the DECK.”
Owen Ashworth returns to the podcast to discuss his latest Advance Base album "Horrible Occurrences" and the beautifully human stories woven throughout its tracks. Rather than rehashing his origin story (covered in our previous episode), we dive deep into his current creative approach and the emotional weight of performing these vulnerable new songs.
The conversation takes us into Owen's refreshingly authentic touring life—traveling solo in his Subaru Forester, staying with old friends or in characterful motels, and creating space to experience the towns he visits. "I really love traveling... gas stations and motels and diners and seeing the sites," he shares, describing a touring routine built around personal comfort rather than business optimization. This DIY ethic extends to his performances, where he typically sells his own merchandise and makes himself available to connect with listeners.
What emerges is a fascinating portrait of songwriting as a long-term pursuit of meaning. Owen reveals that some songs on "Horrible Occurrences" began as fragments written 15 years ago, only finding completion when new life perspectives illuminated their purpose. The fictional town of Richmond serves as a unifying setting—a deliberate creative choice that allowed him to build "a community where all these stories were fitting in with each other" despite spanning different times and experiences.
Perhaps most compelling is Owen's candid discussion about the vulnerability required to perform these songs. "These shows have felt very heavy," he admits, describing how the minimalist arrangements leave him emotionally spent. Yet he finds a meditative quality in performance, where the music itself carries both him and listeners through difficult emotional territory.
As one of indie music's most thoughtful storytellers, Owen continues to find beauty in everyday human experiences—even the painful ones. Check out "Horrible Occurrences" for its developed stories and beautiful reflections, and catch Advance Base live if you can for a uniquely intimate musical experience.
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