For duo Foreign Air, both the concept And name of the band has always been rooted in experimentation with sound and instrumentation. The new single “Lonely People” is a memorably thought provoking, and anthemic head-bobber, pulled from their impending sophomore album “Hello Sunshine.”

Foreign Air dropped their debut album, “Good Morning Stranger,” in October of 2020. Before that, they released 10 singles, as well as the “For The Light” EP, starting with the glitchy, spectral “Free Animal,” which became an immediate hit. Nike snapped up the latter for an ad – and everyone from Samsung, Vodafone, Microsoft, to Showtime, ABC, and Vice soon followed.

All told, Foreign Air’s music has been streamed more than 140 million times on Spotify and Apple, they have been featured on sites like Billboard, Grammy.com, and COLLIDE, and they have toured with the likes of Bishop Briggs, Bleachers, Misterwives, and more.

Listen: Foreign Air – “Lonely People”

Foreign Air – “Lonely People”

Spacey Jane’s “Hardlight” follows not only a #1 Album in Australia (35mil+ streams on Spotify alone), but Both a #1 Single for “Lunchtime” AND a #1 Album At SubModern Report new music specialty shows nationwide! Don’t Miss The Aussies Live during their Quickly Selling Out North American Tour starting next month (check that tour page!).

“I wrote this song about how I was feeling like my life was a bit like one of those nightmares where you’re at school with no pants except I used the metaphor of being on set and forgetting all of your lines (because it felt less silly). I guess it’s about anxiety but also just having no idea what I’m doing even though I want it to look like I really do.” – Caleb Harper/Spacey Jane

“a relaxed and resilient ride through the minutiae of everyday life, and maybe that’s exactly what we need.” – Rolling Stone

“Not many bands currently on the circuit have put as much energy into their performance as Spacey Jane do. Their sets are electric and infectious; even if you don’t know a song, you’re moving by the time it’s finished.”- NME

“One of the standout strengths of Spacey Jane is their live show. It’s utterly infectious. They play like they’re having a blast on stage and it means the crowd does too. Their energy and passion might only be bettered by that of their fans… screaming back the lyrics of every song.”- TRIPLE J 

Taken from the working title of Wilco’s seminal album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (one of the bands’ favourite albums), Spacey Jane’s newly released “Here Comes Everybody” sounds and feels like an album that has truly been lived in. Every note is imbued with hard-earned wisdom now being passed down to a new generation. “I want it to be a guide to the experiences that are coming for those entering the period of life I’m leaving,” frontman Caleb Harper says of the new album’s aims.

“Our first record discussed personal experiences of mine and it was a blessing to see how many people related to those stories,” Harper adds, but wants album two to be “for youth persevering and thriving emotionally under the weight of our generational burden.”

The beginning of Spacey Jane’s astonishing success arrived when the band released debut album “Sunlight” in 2020. Universal adulation followed for the band – vocalist and guitarist Caleb Harper, bassist Peppa Lane, guitarist Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu and drummer and manager Kieran Lama. The album debuted at #2 on the ARIA album chart, was voted Album of the Year in the triple j Listener’s Poll, was nominated for a J Award for Album of the Year and is now certified Gold. The sleeper single-turned-megahit, “Booster Seat” picked up Song Of The Year at the 2021 ARIA’s, the AIR Awards Best Independent Song Of The Year and is certified platinum.

Listen: Spacey Jane – “Hardlight”

Spacey Jane – “Hardlight”

Sub Pop will release the astonishing new Weyes Blood full-length “And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow” on 11/18, with ten new tracks written by Natalie Mering, and album production from Mering along with Jonathan Rado (all songs except for “A Given Thing,” produced by Mering and Rodaidh McDonald).

The upcoming release is her follow-up to the acclaimed “Titanic Rising,” the first album of three in a special trilogy. Where “Titanic” was an observation of doom to come, “And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow” is about being in the thick of it: a search for an escape hatch to liberate us from algorithms and ideological chaos (spoiler alert: the next one will be about “hope”). “We’re in a fully functional shit show,” Mering says. “My heart is a glow stick that’s been cracked, lighting up my chest in an explosion of earnestness.”

The album was mixed by Kenny Gilmore at 101 Studio, mastered by Emily Lazar and Chris Allgood at The Lodge, and features guest appearances from Meg Duffy, Daniel Lopatin, and Mary Lattimore.

Listen: Weyes Blood – “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody”

Weyes Blood – “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody”

Australia’s beloved psychedelic surf rock outfit Ocean Alley have not only announced their upcoming fourth album “Low Altitude Living” is coming 10/14, but a new share off it in “Home,” alongside word of their return to the U.S. for a West Coast tour (check the tour page-earlier this year they sold out nearly every show of their Midwest & East Coast leg, so get your needs in to us Now!).

Opening the forthcoming “Low Altitude Living” (out 10/14) with a feeling of warmth and familiarity, “Home” is soaked with bright tones and subtly adorned with twinkling keys. The song is a product of the band’s opportunity to slow down in 2020, with space to reconnect with themselves and the environment around them.

Guitarist Mitch Galbraith explains, “We’ve felt more connected than ever to the people and places that are around us at home. Normally, we’d be spending most of our year away on tour, but we felt very lucky to spend the last two years with the people we love.”

While the six-piece could have rinsed & repeated the styles and sounds of their previous full-lengths – the ARIA Award-nominated Lonely Diamond (2020), their ARIA Gold-certified breakthrough Chiaroscuro (2018) and self-assured debut Lost Tropics (2016) – “Low Altitude Living,” sees Ocean Alley construct their broadest ranging sonic framework yet. As suggested by the diverse feels of previous singles “Deepest Darkness” and “Touch Back Down,” the band cohesively honors the traditional features of their distinct sound while equally giving it a refreshing and exciting new edge. Mitch shares, “It’s no secret that we don’t want to repeat ourselves…there’s a constant sense of betterment, growth and exploration.”

2022 has seen Ocean Alley perform 62 shows around the world with a run of international headline dates and a U.S. fall tour dead ahead, but as frontman Baden Donegal explains, “Low altitude, being by the beach is where we all have the most peace. So naming the album Low Altitude Living made a lot of sense. The title of the album doesn’t necessarily represent any one song in particular, or tie them all together. But it does tie our band to the music. I feel like it’s more of a title that describes why we sound like Ocean Alley.”

Listen: Ocean Alley – “Home”

Ocean Alley – “Home”

Indie dynamo Windser returns with his next reveal off his forthcoming debut EP “Where The Redwoods Meet The Sea” (out 10/12), and it’s the haunting new “Capsize,” upon which he muses about navigating life’s lows and picking yourself back up. This third offering from the impending release follows not only his two prior singles currently in rotation at SiriusXM’s ALT Nation, but the release of his recent and highly-received collaboration with Macklemore, “Maniac” (#2 most added at Top 40 out of the gate, and with spins across 21 countries).

“‘Capsize’ to me is about hitting lows you didn’t think were humanly possible. Feeling like there’s no way out and you can’t fathom coming back from that low point. But also in the back of your mind knowing there is hope even through those moments of uncertainty.” – Windser

The verdant forests and cresting waves of Windser‘s (Jordan Topf) childhood in Santa Cruz, CA, have always lingered in the back of his mind, even as he traveled the world with a variety of bands and writing and producing for other artists. So when he decided to utilize the isolation of the pandemic to launch a solo project, Topf tapped into that vibrant memory.

“Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea” (out 10/12) effortlessly captures the sound of his California roots with his breezy, coastal sound yet despite the carefree sonic world he’s created, there’s an immediacy woven throughout the threads of Windser’s music.

It’s the sort of sound that made Windser the perfect opener on recent tours with Portugal. The Man, alt-J, and Cannons. Befitting the nostalgic tone of the EP, Topf draws energy from his parents and the California music on which he was raised.

Throughout, Topf finds bleary-eyed beauty in joyful memories and painful loss, in the littlest experiences and the life-altering events. “My parents were old hippies,” he laughs. “My dad played the guitar and my mom is a jazz piano player. My dad passed away when I was 22, so getting to play his guitar on this EP was an incredible way to honor him.”

Listen: Windser – “Capsize”

Windser – “Capsize”

After feeling the audience reaction to “A Line Of Shots” during The Afghan Whigs’ May U.S. tour, it was clear the new single needed its moment in the sun! The new reveal is pulled from the forthcoming “How Do You Burn?,” one of the most anticipated of Summer 2022 (Pitchfork, Forbes, Brooklyn Vegan, etc), and the legendary band kick off their next leg of touring Day Of Release (see our Tour page)!

“a reminder to embrace the competing fear and freedom that comes with facing a critical moment. Its adrenaline-boosting build and invigorating production echo the simmering anticipation of lyrics…a storm of sirens, shoegaze distortion, overlayed vocals, and the rapturous refrain” – Consequence Of Sound

“a shimmering, swaying midtempo rocker with the very Greg Dulli-esque title ‘A Line Of Shots’” – Stereogum

“their most direct presentation of abstract passion ever” – Rolling Stone  

“Three decades after forming, the Afghan Whigs remain vital for its willingness to ignore boundaries” – New York Times

“How Do You Burn?” is The Afghan Whigs ninth album overall and following on from the brace of widely acclaimed records they’ve made previously since re-grouping in 2012, “Do to the Beast” (2014) and “In Spades” (2017). “How Do You Burn?” picks up the baton laid down by each of those records and runs it to the horizon.

Work on it was begun in September 2020 – the COVID pandemic having forced Whigs frontman/songwriter Greg Dulli to abandon plans to tour his highly praised solo album, ‘Random Desire’ – and continued over the next 14 months.

The global pandemic dictated also that the band record largely apart from, and in different locations to, each other: Dulli, his co-producer Christopher Thorn and drummer Patrick Keeler together in California; bassist John Curley, guitarist Jon Skibic and strings man Rick Nelson laying down and engineering their own parts in Cincinnati, New Jersey and New Orleans, respectively.

“Once we got the system down, we started flying,” says Dulli.

For his supporting cast, Dulli called upon several serial collaborators including the late Mark Lanegan, who was a regular in Dulli’s Twilight Singers, a partner in The Gutter Twins and a close friend.  Lanegan makes his The Afghan Whigs debut singing backup vocals on two tracks.  “It was Mark who named the album,” Dulli remarked.

Listen: The Afghan Whigs – “A Line Of Shots”

The Afghan Whigs – “A Line Of Shots”

Forrest Isn’t Dead hails from Atlanta, and following a rapidly building streaming presence across all platforms, the ambitious, and above all habit-forming first single “Born or Made,” is a fascinatingly theatrical and driving bit of indie and his first outing to radio (wafts at times perhaps of M83, Thompson Twins, and still others in our collective musical psyche I can’t quite put my finger on—who do You hear?!).

“This song is one of my favorites because of the crisp energy that immediately draws you in upon first listen. And I think everyone can take something away from the lyrics of this one. We drew a lot of inspiration from the first Halloween movie for the music video. We wanted to go for a gorilla style horror flick while still letting the deeper message shine through” – Forrest Isn’t Dead

Of his full-length debut collection, Forrest Isn’t Dead reveals “If I didn’t do music, I don’t think I would still be here right now. I’ve experienced many traumas in my life, and I’ve found myself on the other side. There’s nothing in life you can’t get through. I want my music to feel like a sanctuary for you. My message is, ‘Even in your lowest point, I’m here for you’.”

Known for his introspective and candid lyrics, Forrest Isn’t Dead pours out the stories of his life experiences and hardships through his unique and thought-provoking music. Growing up with a single mother and limited resources, the Atlanta-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist found early inspiration as a child in music and skateboarding, which played a major role in developing his feelings about life and love. Forrest later dove head-first into writing original music, learning to play drums, guitar, piano, and, of course, singing in addition to honing his production skills. 

Since debuting in 2019, Forrest Isn’t Dead has garnered 400K+ total streams across DSPs and over 660K+ total YouTube views in addition to support from Alternative Press (as a New Artist You Need To Hear), MTV (Spankin’ New), and Substream Magazine, among others, for his original music and we’re so very excited for you to hear him for your next radio show!

Listen: Forrest Isn’t Dead – “Born or Made”

Forrest Isn’t Dead – “Born or Made”

Since its inception in 1992, Built to Spill founder Doug Martsch intended his beloved band to be a collaborative project, an ever-evolving group of incredible musicians making music and playing live together. “I wanted to switch the lineup for many reasons. Each time we finish a record I want the next one to sound totally different. It’s fun to play with people who bring in new styles and ideas,” says Martsch. “And it’s nice to be in a band with people who aren’t sick of me yet.”

Following several albums and EPs on Pacific Northwest independent labels, including the unmistakably canonical indie rock classic, “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love,” released on Sub Pop offshoot Up Records in 1994, Martsch signed with Warner Brothers from 1995 to 2016. He and his rotating cast of cohorts recorded six more, inarguably great albums during that time. There was also a live album, and a solo record. While the band’s impeccable recorded catalog is the entry point, Built to Spill live is an essential FORCE of its own: heavy, psychedelic, melodic and visceral tunes blaring from amps that sound as if they’re powered by Mack trucks.

Now in 2022, Built to Spill returns with “When the Wind Forgets Your Name”, Martsch’s unbelievably great new album (and also his eighth full-length)… with a fresh new label. “I’m psyched: I’ve wanted to be on Sub Pop since I was a teenager. And I think I’m the first fifty year-old they’ve ever signed.”

“When the Wind Forgets Your Name” continues expanding the Built to Spill universe in new and exciting ways. In 2018 Martsch’s good fortune and keen intuition brought him together with Brazilian lo-fi punk artist and producer Le Almeida, and his long-time collaborator, João Casaes, both of the psychedelic jazz rock band, Oruã. On discovering their music Martsch fell in love with it right away. So when he needed a new backing band for shows in Brazil, he asked them to join. “We rehearsed at their studio in downtown Rio de Janeiro and I loved everything about it. They had old crappy gear. The walls were covered with xeroxed fliers. They smoked tons of weed,” Martsch says.

The Brazil dates went so well Martsch, Almeida, and Casaes made the decision to continue playing together throughout 2019, touring the US and Europe. During soundchecks they learned new songs Martsch had written, and when the touring ended, they recorded the bass and drum tracks at his rehearsal space in Boise. After Almeida and Casaes flew home, Martsch began overdubbing guitars and vocals by himself.

Martsch, Almeida, and Casaes had planned to mix the album together later in 2020 somewhere in Brazil or the US, but the pandemic kept them from reuniting in person. “We were able to send the tracks back and forth though, so we were still able to collaborate on the mixing process.”

What emerged is “When the Wind Forgets Your Name,” a complex and cohesive blend of the artists’ distinct musical ideas. Alongside Built to Spill’s poetic lyrics and themes, the experimentation and attention to detail produces an album full of unique, vivid, and timeless sounds.

Listen: Built To Spill – “Gonna Lose”

Built To Spill – “Gonna Lose”

LA-based Magdalena Bay recently announced a deluxe version of their breakout debut “Mercurial World,” and the duo have unveiled their first new single of the year off, it in the guitar-driven “All You Do”! The New Track & Accompanying Video swells into a majestic pop gem that perfectly complements the reimagined sonic landscape of “Mercurial World Deluxe”.

Magdalena Bay released their long-awaited debut album, “Mercurial World,” at the end of 2021 to mass critical acclaim. They debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top New Artist and Alternative New Artists charts (Top 20 in Heatseekers, Current Alternative Albums, Independent Current Albums, and Current Rock Albums!), opened for the likes of Charli XCX, Flume and Porter Robinson, and sold out headline shows internationally, earning countless accolades on ‘Best Of’ year-end lists over the course.

One of the most irresistible, refreshing and exciting pop records of 2021 gets reimagined on “Mercurial World Deluxe.” Written, produced, performed, mixed and mastered by Magdalena Bay, the upcoming album now features some new songs, remixes, alternative versions of album tracks, orchestral arrangements and some surprises for fans.

“The Deluxe is a mish mosh of sorts, an amalgamation of new songs that didn’t originally fit the flow of Mercurial World, of reimagined versions of existing album tracks by us and some talented remixers, plus some special secrets,” the band explain. “ When we started working on the Deluxe, we wanted it to flow like the original album did. These secrets tie the record together in a cool way, we can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”

Listen: Magdalena Bay – “All You Do” (radio edit)

Magdalena Bay – “All You Do” (radio edit)

Following an earlier pair of Top 7 shares at new music specialty shows nationwide, including a #1 for the prior “Bones (God Like You),” Toronto duo Housewife are just getting started! “I’m Spent” premiered as a FLOOD Magazine ‘First Listen,’ and Now we’re thrilled to deliver it to you for your next radio show!

“This song is about fading friendships, especially as you move into adulthood from high school or college. You have this group of people you’re really close with for years, but as you both grow and change, you start disagreeing more often and eventually drift apart. Growing up and moving on can feel sad, but mostly necessary so you can continue to evolve as a person.” – Housewife

Nominated for 2021 Canadian Music Week Indies Awards for Duo/Band Of The Year

Toured with Broken Social Scene, Born Ruffians, Barenaked Ladies

Co-Founders of Music Declares Emergency (climate initiative)

At 19 and 20 years old, Housewife are quite simply the future. Brighid Fry (she/they) and Pascale Padilla (they/she) are queer and allies, activists and co-founders of the climate initiative Music Declares Emergency and while to be sure their Twitter sums ‘em up concisely as “Opinionated feminist indie band,” We say they they epitomize one of our favorite discoveries this year!

Fry and Padilla already released their debut self-titled EP in 2017 and a follow-up EP, “Better Daughter,” which the CBC named one of the ’22 Albums You Need to Hear’ in the summer of 2020. Additionally, they’ve already won a Canadian Folk Music Award, a Toronto Independent Music Award, the Canadian Songwriting Competition (in the under 18 category), and the Slaight Music It’s Your Shot award.

Though Housewife began with folksier roots, their newest music showcases the friends’ experiences living and writing through the end of high school and the pandemic, as well as navigating the life changes that come with growing up. Their joy pervades though, even as Fry says, “we’re figuring out relationships and where we stand in the world.”

Listen: Housewife – “I’m Spent”

Housewife – “I’m Spent”