Now Listening: This Week's Tracks
Wet Wilson - “Everybody Wants A Trophy”
Originally from Virginia, Wet Wilson currently resides in California where he creates cheeky, deftly produced music. His new single “Everybody Wants a Trophy” has some bite— with sassy, self-aware lyrics Wet Wilson stands out for his balance of humor and authenticity. A tongue-in-cheek indie rock song, “Everybody Wants a Trophy” has strumming melodies that flow in and out of heavily percussion-soaked moments. With belting vocals, Wet Wilson invites his audience into his own inner world, asking them to emote alongside him. The distorted guitar riffs that pile onto each other at the final climax of the song, leave the listener wanting more. “Everybody Wants a Trophy” is overflowing with Wet Wilson’s personality, making us at Luna excited to see what this skilfully playful artist has in store for the future.
Soft Set - “Diamond”
Following the release of their hazy single “More More More,” Toronto-based Shoegaze and Indie Rock duo Soft Set ventured into a new realm for their single “Diamonds.” Inspired by a grizzly true crime story out of Northern New Jersey, the instrumental transports the listener into an eery sonic realm with layers of somber and subtly upbeat melodies. “We heard of this story of a boy who killed his mother and then himself in Jefferson Township, NJ, in the late 80s and the whole story was just so bizarre,” says Soft Set’s James Gray. “He seemed to be a good kid and all of that changed within a matter of months leading up to the tragic night when everything changed.” Evoking the sound of bands like The Smiths and My Bloody Valentine this song has timeless energy that produces a feeling of familiarity. The raw vocals further push on the brooding nature of not just the song, but the story that inspired it. “Diamonds” moves listeners to experience a visceral release of darkness we are all capable of holding within. Keep an eye out for the release of Soft Set’s debut full-length album Still Life, which is mixed by Shae Brossard (Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott, later this summer.
Harry Mold - “Dogbone”
Harry Mold puts everything on the table in his in-your-face single “DOGBONE”. He immediately jumps in with aggressive guitars and intense vocals. Mold is making his mark in the indie rock space creating a fresh vibe, blending beloved sounds of the Arctic Monkeys era rock with the catchy pop melodies of the 2020s. On the track, Harry states that “DOGBONE catches the end of a period of time with a person that was exciting and unpredictable but madly intense and explosive. The 2 in the story coming together with a massive rush of desire and lust, almost colliding head on.” You can feel the intense energy of these two characters throughout the track and the longing that occurs when those passionate feelings just don’t work out. Mold is quickly making a name for himself with the charisma and excitement that makes “DOGBONE” an irresistible track.
Anna Shoemaker - “I’m Your Guy”
After the release of her debut album earlier this year, Anna Shoemaker is back with a beautiful ballad “I’m Your Guy”. Straying away from traditional hetero-relationship norms, Shoemaker bends the conventions of love throughout her latest track. She flips those traditional gender norms in her carefully crafted lyrics, "baby if you’ll be my man / I’m your guy / I will get you through your lonely night." The lyrics spin together with the music of an alt-rock ballad that is both delicate and powerful. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter co-wrote the track with Richie Quake and together, they advocate for unconditional love, whether it manifests in friendships or romantic relationships. Shoemaker elaborates that “people in power all over the country don’t really give a shit about us, so it’s up to us to protect and be there for each other." This feeling of longing to care for one another expresses itself in the tinge of melancholy present in the single. But in the end, it’s all about loving those around us.
Boom Years - “Blood Forever”
How do you understand the roots that you grew from? Boom Town does it with dulcet, folky melodies that drift like clouds over twinkling guitars on their single “Blood Forever”. The light drums that rumble beneath the song keep it together and drive through to a surge of sound halfway through the track. “Blood Forever,” tells the story of growing up in the city while your dads grew up working in small towns. It leads the band to wonder if grabbing two lattes a day with a hypoallergenic dog has washed off all the grit that lays in their family trees. The transition from small-town America to metropolitan life has been documented in many ways, but Boom Years take it to a more personal level. In the end, they realize that “the roots of it all can never really leave you.” “Blood Forever” is the perfect track to get back in touch with your history while allowing a lovely folk-pop track to guide you.
Madisyn Gifford - “21”
Turning 21 is one of the most anticipated moments of our lives. In Madysyn Gifford’s “21,” the artist touches on how turning 21 didn’t meet up to the expectations that everyone has made 21 to be. As she turned 21 in the midst of the pandemic, Gifford felt like she missed out on it. In her track, “21,” she fills the song's atmosphere with a bittersweet joy through instrumentals – the kind of song you can scream to. The track is paired with a music video of a trip she took to O’ahu, HI, noting that the second half of being 21 wasn’t too bad. A personal and reflective track, Gifford offers comfort to those who were placed in the same position.
Hallworth - “Staying Over”
With instrumentals that reel in anticipation and sweetness, “Staying Over” is a track for the summer – meant to be played on a sunny day. Its catchy chorus grabs you in along with the punchy drum lines. Hallworth touches on that unfortunate experience of being into someone more than they are into you, realizing they just want to stay over and nothing more. Although it’s a tough subject, the track has a reflective atmosphere and after you’re done listening you get the sense of what you deserve and are worth. Hallworth’s music is fresh and new, someone to keep an ear out for.
Dream Totem - “Inky Nite”
A synth summer is rounding out with Inky Nite’s newest track, “Dream Totem.” The husband-wife duo began as a lockdown project and during one of the lockdowns, “Dream Totem” came alive. The track has a sincere feel to it, the synth elements along with the heart beating drums grab you immediately while the vocals fill the area around you with a bit of softness. The duo say, “Its lyrics paint an anxious picture, but we tried to take all that negativity and turn it into our most vibrant Inky Nite tune yet.” As “Dream Totem” for an introduction into the world of Inky Nite, we’re excited to see what else this duo has in store for us in their technicolor vibrant world.
Alexandra - “Bonnie & Clyde”
Indie pop singer and songwriter Alexandra’s latest single “Bonnie and Clyde” is fresh, fun and romantic with folk influences and zealous vocals. Fitting with the spirit of Bonnie and Clyde, this latest release feels like running away, young love and Summer car rides as Alexandra shows a musical maturity. “I wrote ‘Bonnie & Clyde’ a handful of months after the release of my first two singles in 2020 and 2021. This time was when I focused on healing, reflecting, and getting super clear on the type of music I wanted to represent me and this time in my life. This track is exactly that. It embodies a sense of awareness, yet lightheartedness and perspective about difficult love. More so, it explores what happens when you meet someone who makes you want to toss your ‘play it safe’ reputation out the window. It’s a relatable summer jam about blindly jumping into the shotgun seat if the driver is charismatic enough to convince you it’ll be the ride of your life.” Alexandra demonstrates storytelling abilities through her music and is one to keep an eye out for more playful pop tunes.
LaVo - “Roller”
Indie-pop, alternative artist LaVo introduces his 4th released song “Roller” as an electric and energetic must-listen bop. Comparable to the likes of Flume, Tame Impala and Foals, LaVo is quickly making a name for himself with an impressive resume of psychedelic sounds. Roller sets off mixing gospel backgrounds with deep, distorted vocals and is reminiscent of 90s/00s pop tunes. “With the idea to release an EP around it, I believe ‘Roller’ to be the best offering I have put forth to date. ‘Roller’ is raw, aggressive and suave. The lyrics deal with the hurt and predatory nature of modern day "holyrollers". I was trying to express that while they've gotten away with so much that I and no one else should continue to turn a blind eye.” Retro, youthful and synth-filled, “Roller” might just be LaVo’s best song to date accompanying his other most popular song “Tango.” Though entering the alt-pop scene not too long ago, LaVo has proved himself as one to lookout for, with Roller paving the way for more exciting upcoming musical projects.
Listen
-
weekly tunes playlist has been updated! new tracks from @furtradeband, @pecqband, @garryfool & more! check it out! https://t.co/ToFU0R6YGo -
-
RT @oliviaborch: new @LunaCollective out todayyy shot by @alltookev ✨ @P1H_official editorial design by me ! https://t.co/cvSCKsWB5D
-
RT @rlyblonde: @AnnieDirusso for @LunaCollective shot by me #35mm #portra800 https://t.co/0UUJSCBGcH
