The Qualia – ‘Cotillion Knives’ (album stream) (premiere)
Cotillion Knives is exciting because it never stays in one place, always careening around in order to keep engaged.
Will Rivitz
Will Rivitz is a student at Princeton University in New Jersey who plans to major in computer science. He's written for various Internet publications since 2012, and his ramblings can be found on Sputnikmusic (under the last name Robinson), The 405, The Daily Princetonian, and the Nassau Literary Review. He's still shedding the last vestiges of his teenage/post-teenage angst, and asks that those who roll their eyes at any that makes it into his writing kindly hold their tongues.
Nikki Y – “I Know Sorry” (audio) (premiere)
“I Know Sorry” tumbles forth, long sentences cascading on Yanofsky’s caramel voice and an electric horn arrangement.
holon – ‘The Time Is Always Now’ (album stream) (premiere)
Certainly not for the faint of heart, holon’s newest should satisfy progressive rock fans of all stripes.
Sara Melson – “No Expectations” (audio) (premiere)
Less a purely original cover than a faithful revision, “No Expectations” shines mutely, a triumph of melancholy.
The Minders – “Summer Song” (audio) (premiere)
“Summer Song” is a love letter to a bygone time, folk-rock drawing bits of old-school pop and psychedelic to fuel itself.
HEIRSOUND – ‘Merge’ (EP stream) (premiere)
HEIRSOUND's new EP is radio-ready alt-pop with a heavy coat of pop-punk, taking the best of every world in which it dabbles and layering extra energy on top until everything screams.
BOYO – “Moombah” (audio) (premiere)
It’s surprisingly simple: mix catchy chord progressions with legions of guitar, and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Elise Davis – “Finally” (audio) (premiere)
At the end of the day, rock ain’t so bad.
EXES – “Like You” (audio) (premiere)
Hollow, chilly, and full of love, “Like You” fits the pop landscape of 2016 to a T.
James Williamson and Petra Haden – “Blues Jumped the Rabbit” (audio) (premiere)
It’s a gloomy, slow song, but it’s one full of instrumental light, borne aloft by crystalline piano and echoing guitar.
Cody Johnson – “Wild As You” (audio) (premiere)
“Wild As You” is timeless, the pop-heavy end of the genre that fits almost anywhere from the radio to the bar to the stadium.
Trapdoor Social – “Sunshine” (lyric video) (premiere)
“Sunshine” is all monster hooks and full-blown chorus, snarled guitars warping anthemic vocal harmonies.