The Map and The Territory, EXEK’s latest album, never subsists on dread or tension, the sound is rarely claustrophobic, but the sense of mystery is palpable, we’re wandering the unknown. That seems to be by design, as the band worked to create an emphasis on pop structure, but the atmosphere remains vast and disorienting.
Chicago’s Cel Ray already released Cellular Raymond, one of our absolute favorite EPs of the year back in February, and as the well deserved hype around the band continues to grow, they’re getting ready to release another one. Piss Park, their new EP, is due out November 17th via Six Tonnes De Chair Records.
The construction of the trio’s interwoven brand of post-hardcore is brilliant throughout their second album, Making Sounds For Andy. Due out November 17th via Human Worth, Beige Palace’s upcoming album finds the band pushing their songs to sparse limits, every note and beat resonating to its full potential.
SWiiMS continue to evolve their sound with their upcoming album Into The Blue Night. Along with their excellent instrumentalism comes tracks drenched in thoughtful songwriting, leaving listeners to want more. Mai Diaz Langou notes it’s about: "the beginning stages of a relationship - how you try to make yourself more intriguing”.
Sunk Heaven returns with the next full length, Off-White Colosseum, due out October 24th via Hot Releases. Recorded during a residency at Pioneer Works, it’s a record that feels both mechanical and immediate, where things are rarely as they seem, and the claustrophobic nature of the recording is matched with equal parts wonder.
Deady brings a fresh sonic expression of throwing a middle finger to the system through their lyrics taunting ACAB on one of the more punk rock albums to be released this year. Deady unfolds into further exposure of greed and blindness while also being an album you enjoy simply because of the hex-girl whining and electrifying strings.
Miracle Sweepstakes continue to grow their sound with their upcoming album, Last Licks, due out October 27th via their own One Weird Trick. Recorded in drummer Ian Miniero’s Long Island basement, the band embrace indie rock, psych, and breezy jangle pop on a record that’s prone to shift unexpectedly from song to song.
Following the incredible Walang Hiya EP (reissued earlier this month by Iron Lung Records), Stress Positions are set to release Harsh Reality, their full length debut on December 8th via Three One G Records. Recorded once again with Seth Engel, there’s a primal sense of tension and carnage that lurks throughout the record.
There’s a clear constellation of influence with Adult Mom, but Paper Bee are more pastoral lyrically, often blurring between the body and the earth. Even the rhythm of the title, its looping and returning, is reflected in the sweeping structures of the songs, and feels like a mirror of the natural world.
Tuxis Giant lead singer and guitarist Matt O’Connor says they don’t love the idea of The Old House being their pandemic record. Even though the eleven songs were recorded in a studio in Boston, the dusty Vermont Cabin they were written in by O’Connor throughout 2020 couldn’t quite be shaken out of the record.
Following a move across the country, Hannah Liuzzo is back as Little Bit, a brand new solo project. Set to release Talk A Blue Streak, recorded together with Brad Krieger, the sound of the lead single is captivating, residing somewhere between the sugary indie of Lilith and the alt-country emo fuzz of Ratboys.
All Around You finds its roots in the exploration of how to find light in a world that can feel, at times, dark, senseless, and devoid of meaning. From the ashes emerges a hopeful record that encourages listeners to tune in to the beauty that is all around us - if we can only find the courage to look.
