Baton Rouge duo Spllit had recorded Spllit Together in 2019 and released it at the beginning of 2020. That record has since been remastered by Sweeping Promises’ Caufield Schnug, and paired together with Darlene, a new A-Side length album, set for release together as Spllit Sides, due out July 30th via Feel it Records.
Sad Cactus’ next release is an exceptionally great split between NYC’s Gorgeous and Hadley, MA’s EIEIEIO (mems of Maxshh, Tundrastomper, Wishbone Zoe, etc), due out this Friday July 16th. The record is quick and experimental, pushing their art punk, post-hardcore, and freaked out indie rock toward something truly unhinged.
North Carolina’s Wednesday are set to return with their next proper album, the excellent Twin Plagues. Due out August 13th via Orindal Records (Lisa/Liza, Karima Walker, TJO), the band’s sophomore effort expands on the sounds and themes of their debut, but stretches out in territory the band have not previously explored.
Open For Business, the latest from Baltimore-via-Australia’s Smoke Bellow, is that kind of record that makes you want to stop everything and listen with undivided attention. Their sound can be described as minimalist, but the record is far from sparse as they weave and loop melodies into psych, post-punk, dream pop and kosmiche exploration.
New York City’s Snakeskin is set to follow up their incredible 2019 effort, Hangnail, with a new EP, Heart Orb Bone. Due out on July 13th via State Champion Records, the release is part of a trio of picture discs with custom screen printed art that also includes new EPs from Noun (aka Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females) and TVO.
Following a full length and a two song single last year, Lane return with If You Say, a new EP that pushes further toward their experimental side. The band, comprised of Wes Kaplan (The Channels) and Jesse Weiss (Pet Fox), describe the sound of their latest EP as “polyrhythmic hyper pop shoegaze,” as fitting as anything else we’d call it.
Philadelphia’s Psychic Flowers keep pushing forward. Led by David Settle, the band have been continuously upping the ante and they continue to do so on the upcoming For The Undertow. Due out July 30th via Living Lost and RIP Records, the LP was recorded with Leo Suarez on drums and mixed/mastered by Justin Pizzoferatto.
One of the highlights from Nightshift’s Zöe comes in the form of “Outta Space,” a track that drifts away from their core sound into something spacier, loungier, and more cosmic. It’s a perfect moment within the album’s framework, an early divergence that shows the band’s range in full disorienting beauty.
Cleveland’s Knowso have released two albums in the past year, both their full length debut, Specialtronics Green Vision and more recently, their sophomore album, Rare Auld Trip / Psychological Garden. While they’ve moved on, it seems they aren’t quite done with their debut’s lifecycle, sharing a new video for their song “Chosen One,”
Body Breaks, the duo of Toronto’s Julie Reich and Montreal’s Matt LeGroulx have made good use of their time at home, working together to create their debut album, Bad Trouble. Due out on June 18th via We Are Time Records, the band take a microtonal approach to what otherwise might be endearingly referred to as “slacker” rock.
The Leeds based quartet have released two phenomenal EPs and a single since their inception and now those kind gents have compiled all their releases thus far into one collection, Thankology. In celebration of the release, Thank are sharing a new video for “Commemorative Coin,” directed by Theo Gowans and Freddy Vinehill-Cliff.
Leopardo, hailing from Fribourg, Switzerland, are the latest addition to the stellar Feel It Records roster, adding their own seasoned blend of garage punk and lo-fi psych to the mix. Malcantone, the quintet’s third full length, bridges the gap between bands like The Stooges and early Brian Eno, with a gritty jangle and charming clarity.
The once again informatively titled EP, is seven new songs that find Smirk doing what they do best, making agitated punk that feels both jittery and anxious. Due out soon via Total Punk Records (Predator, Brandy, ISS), it’s full of rippers that take the piss out of everyday life with jagged guitars and feral distortion.
Set to release their debut album, JOY, on May 28th, the project’s name could be a bit misleading. While it’s most definitely a supreme joy to listen to Wong and co.’s songs, they don’t necessarily come from a place that oozes happiness and excitement. JOY was written by Wong during a time of civil unrest and a great deal of identity crisis.
Recorded with Seth Engel (Floatie, Options, Mister Goblin) at Pallet Sound Studio, the EP is a quick blast of warped and unfiltered indie punk songs, throwing in touches of crusty metal when you least expect it. Call it an aesthetic choice or the musical equivalent of trolling, either way… it really doesn’t matter to Cumbie.
Essential Aliens, due out June 25th via Joyful Noise Recordings, is a record that processes the monotony of the time and warps it into something layered, a lucid dream that loops and shifts. Helvetia’s brilliance lies as much in Albertini’s songwriting as it does in its tonality and production choices.
