Our inbox is over flowing again so we are letting you good people know exactly what is new and available out there in the music world. We mostly hover around the Shoegaze and Indie Pop genre's this week but that's ok because the music is stellar. If you want to see your band on one of these lists, send us streaming music and as short bio.
Band Name: Futureheaven
BMN Score: 9.8/10
What the band says: Futureheaven are a 5 piece shoegaze/dream pop band from Sydney, Australia. Formed in 2018 and drawing from a variety of influences Futureheaven look to write music that mixes melody with atmosphere.
What we say they sound like: Ok, you're gonna get me everytime you play a song that sounds like something that could have been on MBV's ‘Loveless’. I'm just going to love it and not be able to say anything about it except for it covers all the hallmarks of the pioneers of shoegaze. It's a light airy reverb soaked voice over melodic guitars as part of a wall of delay and atmospheric tones. Part of this nostalgic trend is making your video look like it was shot on VHS tape and I love it. There is nothing I don't love about this. I literally had to google the band to make sure they weren't one of the pioneers of the genre that I hadn't heard about, if that tells you anything.
Song to add to your playlist: tides
Band Name: Standards
BMN Score: 9.7/10
What the band says: the pair boast a fruitful combination of musical chops and catchy guitar-driven melodies which has garnished popularity among fans who laud standards for their uniquely danceable brand of complex instrumental rock.
What we say they sound like: This band looks like they are 16 and when the song started I was thinking ok, any minute a whiny emo-ish voice is going to come in and ruin this song. Then something magical happened, no vocals, and it's just this grooving fun jam. The video makes it look like it's going to be some typical California bullshit we usually get and I was pleasantly surprised because I feel like this band has so much more potential. It has elements of everything from Trip Hop and Jazz to Pop Punk. Would love to hear more from this band.
Song to add to your playlist: Cloudberry
Band Name: Plight
BMN Score: 8.9/10
What the band says: The track hearkens back to the classic 90's sound honed by acts like Duster and Smashing Pumpkins mixed with the contemporary sensibilities of Title Fight and Nothing. With the single, Plight delivers a music video with footage of them that could have easily been ripped right from 120 Minutes.
What we say they sound like: This has a very cool shoegaze vibe but with an added element of 90's alt rock. It has come very cool elements of bands like Hum, Weezer, My Bloody Valentine but also has a little bit of some of the late 90's over the top power pop elements. The wall of sound makes this band something I'm sure is fun live. The warm fuzz of the power chords is enough to get any 90's alt fans interested.
Song to add to your playlist: No Outlet
Band Name: HAHA
BMN Score: 9.7/10
What the band says: “We came together on what became this cohesive vision almost by accident, after years of being friends. A seemingly endless feedback loop of inspiration followed, and we were jumping over ourselves to get ideas down. These songs seemed to take on their own respective shapes and identities, likely in ways we never would have discovered on our own or with anyone else. This song started the fire and so it only seemed right to give it air before the others..”
What we say they sound like: This is a really great pop song that has potential to make HAHA a well known name. The band features Maria Taylor (Azure Ray) and Mike Bloom (Jenny Lewis, Julian Casablancas, Richard Edwards). I can definitely hear elements of the other artists they have played with. It's fun male/female vocals layered on top of each other like Mates Of State but with a more polished 80's pop aesthetic. This has all the elements for me that make a hit song like The Weeknd's “Blinding Lights” or something like that, and for anyone nostalgic for 80's pop like The GoGo's or The Bangles is going to be right at home.
Song to add to your playlist: Only Gets Better
Band Name: Oh Bummer!
BMN Score: 10/10
What the band says: It’s a summery vibe, but the lyrics are about losing his father to cancer at age 35… really fitting of the name OH BUMMER!
What we say they sound like: Oh Bummer! has a new track that's kind of a bummer. I love the song but lyrics about losing your father to cancer is for the most part hard to make into a fun pop song out of but somehow he does it. The music is so light and loungey and is everything I have loved about this band and all their previous singles. The added info is pretty heavy for your average indie pop song but that's what makes it genuine and something worth listening to. It's odd that my only gripe is there is too much substance behind this, which really isn't a gripe at all. I'm still not sure why this guy isn't an indie national treasure.
Song to add to your playlist: Listen Up