Taking cues from the feedback haze of The Jesus and Mary Chain and the cold pulse of Joy Division, Black Market Heart thrive in that tight space between distortion and melody. Tina’s basslines grind and move with purpose, Medina’s drums hit with stripped-down force, and Robinson’s guitar cuts sharp and bright through the fog. It’s music designed for low lights, empty overpasses, and that stretch of road where the city opens up and you can almost pretend you’re alone. Recorded in just two days at Kitten Robot Studios with Los Angeles underground mainstay Paul Roessler, known for his work with The Screamers and 45 Grave, What Happens in the Dark captures the band in a live-wire state. Minimal takes. No studio gloss. Just volume, tape, and instinct. The vocals, often submerged in earlier recordings, are more exposed this time. Brugnoletti’s added harmonies bring a heavier presence, giving the songs weight without sanding down their edge.
SJ Riedel from Dutch Mustard takes us on an emotional and musical journey that began at eight years old, all sparked by the iconic film "School of Rock." Her story is a testament to passion and perseverance, from diligently saving up for her first guitar to mastering classical compositions in the Netherlands. After moving to the UK, SJ's transition to rock music marked the beginning of a new chapter, where early songwriting and an unforgettable school talent show win set the stage for her burgeoning career.
In our conversation, SJ opens up about the pivotal shift from band member to solo artist. After forgoing traditional college in favor of a sound engineering apprenticeship in London, she discovered a new world of creative possibilities. The isolation of the COVID lockdown, though challenging, offered her a unique opportunity for self-reflection and musical innovation, resulting in 20 demos and a debut EP. SJ's narrative highlights how this time of solitude was a catalyst for finding her authentic voice and artistic identity.
Listeners will be inspired by SJ's resilience as she navigates the music industry, embracing authenticity and collaboration with artists like Steve Milbourne and Gang of Youths' guitarist. Her story of overcoming personal struggles and the serendipitous connections that shaped her career is truly uplifting. With upcoming live performances, recording sessions, and new music releases on the horizon, SJ embodies the power of positive energy and creative collaboration. Join us for an episode filled with heartfelt stories, exciting plans, and the unwavering passion that fuels SJ's musical journey.
Dutch Mustard blends ethereal dream-pop, 90s alt-rock, and shoegaze, creating a unique sound of abstract drones, psych- infused guitar lines, and SJ’s versatile vocals—ranging from delicate whispers to powerful bursts. Her music layers atmospheric textures with raw emotion, offering a captivating, genre-defying sound that's both dreamy and dynamic.
"It’s easy to see (and more importantly hear) why Catcher are making their way up the musical ladder with 'Comparing Saviors and Friends.' Scuffed up guitars veer towards shoegaze here and there, but the riffs are spidery and crawl all over the track. The vocals cut through, dark and demanding as the whole thing propels through with anxious but melodic melodies the order of the day." - Backseat Mafia
"[The band is] able to weave together visceral melodies and dissonance, creating a unique and distinctive blend all their own. The music is desparate while alluring all at once." - Ghettoblaster
Catcher is a Brooklyn-based post-punk band with a reputation for visceral and powerful live performances. Drawing comparisons to Iceage and Protomartyr, Catcher deliver music with a driving and inundating low-end, provided by childhood friends Cameron McRae and Wilson Chestney, on bass and drums respectively. Guitarists Jack Young and Christian Reech — each having been recruited earlier this year via a Craigslist ad and connection via the band's shared Tinder — interweave melodies and noise to create an environment that manages to be at once both bleak and moving, desolate but hopeful, violent but tender. Vocalist Austin Eichler commands listeners with a domineering and chaotic presence. From drawling croons to powerful screams, Austin’s narrative lyrics invoke a wide spectrum of emotion while creating a world of their own. Through endless hours of practice and work, the band has crafted a gripping and tight live performance and a growing international fanbase.
A swirling haze of sound glazes over dreamy pop songs, leaving a shimmering electric roar with a slight grin. The Oakland, CA duo Blue Ocean play with shoegaze & noise pop to make a sound that is somewhere between My Bloody Valentine's "You Made Me Realise" era and C86 jangle - but with repetitive motorik drumming.
Norwegian newcomers Haunted Mansions bring psychedelic warmth and understated confidence to their hiphop-inspired indie weirdness. Haunted Mansions namecheck Portugal The Man, The Shins, Danger Mouse and Gorillaz when asked to describe their music and while those artists have inspired Haunted Mansions it's clear to all that they bring their own flavour to the music as well. The band combines old-school hiphop beats, almost shimmering acoustic guitars, textured synths and weird, smoky and infectious vocals to perfection. The songs are seductive in all their gloom, mildly psychedelic and strongly melodic, but most of all just really great.
For the uninitiated, Mammoth Penguins are a 3-piece indie pop powerhouse, showcasing the songwriting and vocal talents of Emma Kupa (Standard Fare, The Hayman Kupa Band) backed up by the noisiest rhythm section in indie pop.
i started making music bc i wanted to make it.. not any other reason. it felt necessary to make it - not to share it, not to sell it, not to do anything with it, just to have something exist that wouldn't otherwise, unless i made it exist.
A collection of home recorded songs dating back to 2013. The original plan was to re-record them with a full band in a studio, but for various reasons that didn't happen. After two years out dealing with my Mother's illness and subsequent death with Motor Neuron Disease and my own depression and anxiety issues, I've decided now is the right time to finally release these tracks to the public. Any money raised from this release or any of my other releases on Bandcamp will be donated to the MND association and St David Hospice, as both were there in my Mother's and family's time of need. Here's to you Mam, I think about you everyday.
"Smith and Young harmonize in a trashy almost haphazard rock 'n' roll way that is both raw and sweet... and there's a surfy element that is instantly infectious. Think the '50s punkabilly of The Cramps and the breezy pop brilliance of The Beach Boys, all mixed up in a Boone's Farm warehouse." - Detroit Metronomes
Gillian M Last night in Brooklyn you said Carolina was the best song you've ever written. I agree - love the new record Favorite track: Carolina.
Cvetomir Ginev One of the really fresh recent punk releases. Really like the whole spirit of the album and the fusion of soul and punk in one. Punk's not dead! Favorite track: High.
Chris Lamont Mentally FKIN great album thank fuck someone still gives a fuck! Favorite track: Carolina.
Viva la Punk, great energy. Favorite track: Another World.
Alex Jurkiewicz just try not to dance Favorite track: Garbage.
“(Chastity Belt’s) No Regerts sounds young and callow and smart and horny all at the same time. Playing it feels like a night out.”
CMJ –
“But, as with all good comedy, No Regerts is actually saying something too. In between pelvic-thrusting sexual innuendo and self-mockery, Chastity Belt filter feminist theory, cultural commentary and general intellectual bad-assery… Chastity Belt isn’t the band 2013 wants—it’s the band 2013 needs.”
The Finest Kiss –
“What a bunch of punks!”
The Stranger –
“Simple, brilliant chord progressions, shockingly astute lyricism, and noise, oh my god, the beautiful noise. Their first EP Fuck Chastity Belt is a lo-fi bloody spiral of unyielding fury that refuses to leave my MP3 player.”
Mittenfields’ songs like “Goliath FTW” and “My Mind is an Avalanche” made the rounds on local and college radio nationwide; local press and blogs picked up on the buzz with positive reviews. In the ensuing months, Mittenfields found themselves sharing the stage with bands like The Amazing, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Paperhaus, Left & Right, and Deleted Scenes. The EP demonstrates the band’s love of bands like Pavement, Broken Social Scene, Dinosaur Jr, Krill, Built to Spill, and the Pixies. IRC
Combining a densely layered three‐guitar attack with raw, nervy vocals, Mittenfields have drawn comparisons to some of the best indie rock acts of the 1990s. Far from an exercise in pure nostalgia, however, the DC‐based ensemble has crafted its own unique sound combining elements of indie rock, shoegaze and noise pop
Interpol once seemed like a candidate for a quick post-debut flameout. Its 2002 debut, Turn on the Bright Lights, broke through with seemingly instantaneous intensity, setting the band up for an equally ferocious second-album letdown. So many bands in its fickle New York scene were playing a variation on Interpol's sleek, stylish, darkly driving post-punk that success was bound to be difficult to sustain.
Interpol often tiptoes on the fine line separating consistency from sameness. El Pintor treads that same line, but keeps finding Interpol on its better side. Twelve years after its debut, it's a band that knows what it wants to be — and, just as importantly, knows how to get there every time.
