Brisbane’s The Jungle Giants have dropped the title track of their highly anticipated fourth studio album, “Love Signs” (out 7/23!) – the instant new single stars woozy synths, the Australians’ signature can’t-stop-won’t-stop bass line, and paints the picture of modern day romance, and how alongside the physical and non-verbal displays of affection, modern day love signs also take the form of texts, tweets and tags.

“exquisite hooks and pristine production” – KCRW

“We officially entered electropop season once temperatures began nearing (or surpassing) the triple-digit mark, which means—in addition to being severely uncomfortable and generally concerning regarding the well-being of our planet—the forthcoming record from Australia’s The Jungle Giants couldn’t come at a better time.” – Flood Magazine

The Jungle Giants have come to be known as Australian indie-rock royalty, amassing awards and more than 300 million streams worldwide. They’ve been evolving since the gleaming indie-pop of their 2013 debut album “Learn to Exist” gave way to eclectic post-punk on 2015’s “Speakerzoid” and angular dance-rock on 2017’s “Quiet Ferocity”.

Driven by optimism, creative freedom and a desire to “go weird, go funny, and not be scared,” The Jungle Giants are producing their most exciting and popular work yet. They’re currently playing select shows in Australia in the lead-up to the release of “Love Signs” on July 23rd, and will head back to our shores first part of the new year (see our tour page)!.

Listen: The Jungle Giants – “Love Signs”

The Jungle Giants – “Love Signs”

Lala Lala, project of Chicago-based musician Lillie West has announced her new album, “I Want The Door To Open” (10/8) on Hardly Art, and presents its lead single/video, “DIVER.” Following 2018’s acclaimed “The Lamb,” West wanted to make something sonically bigger and thematically more outward-looking than anything she’d done before; a record that would be less a straightforward documentation of her own personal struggles and more like a poem or a puzzle box, with sonic and lyrical clues that would allow the listener to, as the title says, open the door to the greater meaning of those struggles.

“I Want The Door To Open” is a musical quest undertaken with the knowledge that the titular door may never open; but it is through falling in love with the quest itself that one may find the next closest thing. It’s a bold exploration of persona and presence from an artist questioning how to be herself fully in a world where the self is in constant negotiation.

First single “DIVER,” is “the thesis of the album.” It’s a pop song of Kate Bush-esque proportions, replete with layered synths and booming, wide open drumming contributed by fellow Chicago musician Nnamdi Ogbonnaya, and West pushing her vocals to the ragged edge.

To describe the theme of “DIVER,” West says “I want total freedom, total possibility, total acceptance. I want to fall in love with the rock.” The rock in question is a reference to Sisyphus, the mythical figure doomed by the gods to forever push a boulder up from the depths of hell. “I think it’s easy to feel like we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, that we’re Sisyphus. The key is falling in love with the labor of walking up the mountain.”

The diver in the song references the character Anna Kerrigan in the book Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan, a woman who works at Brooklyn Naval Yard and becomes the first female diver sent down to repair ships.

Listen: Lala Lala – “DIVER”

Lala Lala – “DIVER”

British trio Drug Store Romeos’ “intricate and intoxicating indie rock” (TheFADER) and are one of the coolest new bands we’ve heard in ages, and a dreamy, hazy oasis in a sea of loud, demanding nonsense. Their addictive new habit-former “Secret Plan” is pulled from the newly released “The World Within Our Bedrooms.”

“‘Secret Plan’ was partly inspired by the surrealist quote “bathed everyday reality in magic light”, and we wanted it to feel personal yet transportative. In my own life I try as hard as I can to see the magic in mundanity. Although it sounds cheesy, making the effort to remind yourself of the chaotic, absurd, beautiful layers of life can really help to keep things interesting” – Drug Store Romeos

“Given the transcendent atmosphere they conjure tonight via spiralling singles like ‘Secret Plan,’ climbing the steps to Drug Store Romeos’ show almost feels like ascending Jacob’s ladder into the realm of the heavens.” – NME

“soft-spoken delivery is utterly enchanting throughout, joined by laid-back, twinkling keys and the hum of a steady bassline, making it a listen that’s bound to pull you in and cradle you to sleep if you let it.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“Drug Store Romeos, a.k.a. British teens Charlie, Jonny, and Sarah, craft intricate and intoxicating indie rock soundscapes that belie their tender years.” The FADER

A web of spectral dream pop wonder… the trio’s propensity for cosmic, beguilingly escapist melodies remains an unshakeable draw” -The Line Of Best Fit

Recorded at London’s Eastcote Studios with regular producer George Murphy, Drug Store Romeos’ “The World Within Our Bedrooms” is a testament to youth and adventure; an escape from mundanity and proof that art will always open a door for those looking to escape. The band explain: “The album is a journey of emotions and colour schemes. A lot of bands have a consistent emotion across their whole album but we wanted to reflect the ever changing nature of someone’s mental state over a period of time. We always wanted to create our own world, and as a three we have this force field around us.”

Listen: Drug Store Romeos – “Secret Plan”

Drug Store Romeos – “Secret Plan”

“HEY WHAT” (out 9/10) is Low’s thirteenth full-length release in twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ Burton.

The new album finds the beloved group focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray, and holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of existence into hymns we can share. These ten pieces—each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook—are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them.

The ineffable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse – building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and attribute meaning to the music and art of these times, but the creative moment looks FORWARD, with teeth.

Listen: Low – “Days Like These” (radio edit)

Low – “Days Like These” (radio edit)

Grammy nominated Australian trio Mansionair share a perfect blend of ethereal and groove in their irresistibly silky new track “Don’t Wait (feat. Yahtzel),” out now on Glassnote Records.

“This song is about confronting the demise of a relationship, letting go of past versions of yourself- mistakes and all – and finding freedom in that fact. It’s a song asking for honesty from your partner and from yourself, to rip the band-aid off and not stretch out an inevitable ending. It’s the joy in moving on and embracing the great unknown.” —trio’s singer Jack Froggat

“Don’t Wait (feat. Yahtzel)” follows the release of single “More” earlier this year and “Guillotine” – a collaboration with NoMBe – released at the tail end of 2020.

Coming off tours with some of the biggest acts in the world (Florence and the Machine, CHVRCHES), Mansionair released their debut album “Shadowboxer” in 2019, which was written and self-produced by the band. The culmination of a journey that started with a viral hit single and led to high profile collaborations, including a Grammy-nomination for “Line of Sight,” their single with Odesza, and gold ARIA-accredited tracks in “Easier” and “Astronaut (Something About Your Love),” Billboard charting singles and over 250 million streams across DSPs.

Listen: Mansionair – “Don’t Wait” (feat. Yahtzel)

Mansionair – “Don’t Wait” (feat. Yahtzel)

Self Esteem’s new single “I Do This All The Time” hits powerful and strong. Part spoken-ode to all the frustrations and societal norms that cloud expectations of ‘correct’ womanhood, it’s a compelling mantra for the age of comparison we live in to boot! You should start with the accompanying visual which is utterly compelling and captivating stuff!

As Self Esteem, Rebecca Taylor has shaken off the shackles of her indie band past to become the unapologetic star she always wanted to be.

With her statement debut “Compliments Please”–championed by The Guardian UK, Drowned In Sound and Most of millennial Twitter –Self Esteem gave voice to the feelings of insecurity and misogyny-induced frustration that many face every day, emboldening a whole new audience with powerful, truth-telling lyricism that speaks to her love of rhythmic noughties pop and RnB. This summer the follow-up “Prioritise Pleasure” is set to do the same, shedding light on important issues around female autonomy, comparison culture and more, but always with an inimitable knack for relatable self-deprecation and snappy dressing, using her time on stage to create an immersive space of both catharsis and celebration.

As Self Esteem, Taylor proves that we can all grow from what we go through, but that life is far too short not to embrace yourself in your most honest of forms – no apologies necessary.

Listen: Self Esteem – “I Do This All The Time” (radio edit)

Self Esteem – “I Do This All The Time” (radio edit)

Original, unfiltered and radiating tenacity, Tiberius b (they/them) is a singer and producer adept at both emboldening audiences and offering them catharsis. “Big Deal” is the memorable first single to radio, stomping and strutting through some achingly catchy guitars, shaking of the debris of past heartbreaks, cockily leaning into the delirious and grand nature of a brand new love, and we couldn’t be More Thrilled to bring it to you first!

“What was most imperative to me was capturing us in and around the enchanted house where I made all the music, which has a rich and matriarchal history. My cousin Lydia and I are just being ourselves, expressing our inherent euphoria and playful, loving connection to one another. I feel very lucky to have been able to encapsulate so much of my family’s world into this project.” – Tiberius b (on the video for “Big Deal”)

Tiberius b‘s debut EP titled “Stains” is to be released on Mark Ronson’s Zelig Records, home to esteemed artist King Princess, and is a new and exciting chapter for the label.

“hyper-confident delivery and the sense of restlessness beneath the mix make the whole thing irresistible.” – The FADER 

“Their voice ranges from soulful sighs to rich dips in breath” – FLOOD

“digs deeper in the freeing sense of one’s awakening through each pulsing twist.” – American Songwriter

Listen: Tiberius b – “Big Deal” (radio edit)

Tiberius b – “Big Deal” (radio edit)

“Cool (out 9/10) is Colleen Green’s first record since 2015’s acclaimed ‘I Want To Grow Up,”  and the lead single “I Wanna Be a Dog” sees Green celebrate the simplicity of a canine life and question why she’s still overcomplicating her own.

Colleen Green has always been cool, but on 2015’s “I Want To Grow Up,” she didn’t necessarily feel it. Too young to be free of insecurities but old enough to be sick of them running her life, Green was experiencing an existential crisis. Five years and a new album later, we find her parsing out what it means to be grown-up—and realizing that it’s actually pretty “Cool”.

Burnt out on bad feelings and ready to have fun with melodies and beats, Green enlisted producer Gordon Raphael (The Strokes) to take her songs to higher ground while keeping her lo-fi aesthetic intact. Raphael was already a fan, having caught a show in L.A. and finding himself “struck by how confident and powerful she looked, even though she was the only one onstage.” He agreed to take the gig, and together with drummer Brendan Eder and hip hop producer Aqua over a few weeks in Los Angeles, “Cool” was created.

Green’s reminder to herself is that you get what you give, so it’s important to try and be the best person you can—a hard-won but essential lesson in the emotional maturity that defines “Cool.”

Listen: Colleen Green – “I Wanna Be A Dog”

Colleen Green – “I Wanna Be A Dog”

Golden-hued n’ Reverb-drenched California trio La Luz Are Back, and with “In The Country” their first reveal since their acclaimed 2018 album!

La Luz’s frontperson Shana Cleveland says of the new single, “I moved to the country a few years ago after living in cities for most of my life. Being out in the middle of nowhere makes it easy to imagine how it would be possible to leave society all together. I love how in this track some of the most unnatural elements of the arrangement (synthesizers, fuzz, effects) create an atmosphere around the instruments that ends up feeling very natural–I can hear bugs buzzing around and bird sounds in different directions.”

“a rich, expansive bit of spaced-out surf rock with a serene refrain from singer/guitarist Shana Cleveland” – Rolling Stone

“an extremely cool piece of spectral, shimmering folk-rock. It’s full of eerie, layered harmonies and reverb-drenched surf-guitar notes, and it absolutely nails its out-of-time pop-psychedelia sound.” – Stereogum

“it shimmers with a glowing melodic light.” – Clash

Listen: La Luz – “In The Country”

La Luz – “In The Country”

Sam Evian’s returned with a joyous new single in “Easy To Love,” and it’s his debut release for his new home at the venerable Fat Possum to boot! Buttressed by bold baritone sax (Jon Natchez The War On Drugs), lifted by exuberant trumpet, and washed in Sam’s fluorescent guitars, the new single is an exultant ode to finding a new paradise outside of the city, an idyllic setting where you can plant love and literally watch it bloom.

“‘Easy To Love’ was the first song I wrote after moving to upstate NY. It was springtime and it’s very much about peacing out of Brooklyn with my partner Hannah and falling in love with a new space, new life, and lightening the load coming out of grinding in the city for ten years. Our first spring up here was euphoric. I’ve never witnessed a forest come to life after winter- the electric greens, bird calls, waterfalls….It was the first time in my adult life that I’d felt such a visceral connection to nature.”—Sam Evian

While continuing to write and produce his own music, Sam Evian has kept busy working as a preeminent collaborator, producing and engineering records for the likes of Big Thief, Cass McCombs, Widowspeak, and Anna Burch. In their new home, he and his partner Hannah hosted bands like house guests as he helmed their sessions. The pandemic clamped down on those interactions, largely sealing the couple from their longtime scene. So Sam turned to his own music.

This new single, “Easy To Love,” is the first taste of that period of creativity.

Listen: Sam Evian – “Easy To Love”

Sam Evian – “Easy To Love”