ICYMI is a series featuring new and notable releases you (and we) may have missed
Black Country, New Road – “Science Fair”
Is Black Country, New Road the musical manifestation of our collective anxiety? Possibly. But the chaos is addicting. Their latest release “Science Fair” is a combination of iphone and stock footage sewn together haphazardly and hauntingly against furious jazz instrumentation and agitated vocals. If you’re missing the way Black Midi made you feel, this is probably for you.
Molchat Doma – “Otveta Net”
On the opposite side of the coin is Molchat Doma’s “Otveta Net”. Roughly translated to “No Answer”, the song exists in a more depressive, hopeless place — sick of one’s apartment complete strewn items that mark the passage of time with little intention or desire to take care of it because “yesterday was ‘we’, but today ‘I'”. That being said, it is very comforting to put to dark, new wave complete with drum machine how I’m sure many of us are feeling at the moment. It’s great atmospheric music for questioning your existence, humanity, when this will all end, in a way that still feels mysterious and a little thrilling. The only travesty is that the goth girls can’t dance/cry to this in the club right now.
Miloe – ‘Greenhouse’
If you’re in need of something sunnier to uplift you, Miloe’s EP Greenhouse will definitely do the trick. A mix of pop, r&b, and some of artist Bobby Kabeya’s Congolese references, it’s very much a coming of age release — complete with falling in and out of love and getting to know the person you are becoming. “Winona” was a late summer hit. On “Greenhouse” Kabeya puts his personal relationships in a more physical space, coming to terms with his own needs. “Change Your Mind” deals with the all too familiar phenomenon of unrequited love and how painfully strong we can feel things sometimes. “Marna” is a sweet serenade of unending love on the surface, but has the inclination that the relationship is not destined to last. Ending on “Everything (That Should Go)”, an almost spoken word-esque track, Kabeya’s own resolution is the perfect conclusion to the EP.
STEELE FC — “Save Room”
A very cute, iphone shot montage to accompany the equally cute track “Save Room”. The video was shot long-distance by Steele’s soccer teammate, Jules Muir, who moved to Mexico City just days before the world locked down. Jules documented his new city with his phone and shared that with Steele as their way of keeping in touch when they couldn’t be in the same place. Cut together with clips of Steele singing the track in various locations, the visual is the perfect combination of the nostalgic longing inherit to the track and Steele’s playful, carefree attitude.
Eva B. Ross – “Jim Beam Moonbeams”
On “Jim Beam Moonbeams” Eva B. Ross gives a nod to Nora Jones level seduction with her delicate vocals and jazzy instrumentation. Appropriately titled, it’s as if she’s whispering to a lover after a few glasses as the room starts to fade away around them. We might not be meeting new flames in the wild right now, but we can live vicariously through Eva, light some candles, and pretend.
Pretty Sick – ‘Deep Divine’
I’m not sure if I’m upset or inspired by the fact that Sabrina Fuentes of Pretty Sick is only 20 years old, but possesses the writing prowess of some of our greatest songwriters (including on songs she wrote when she was… 12). Deep Divine feels like the scrawls in the margin of your spiral notebook come to life. Personal, raw, emotive, tinged with Catholicism. Front to back, the EP has a grunge-y, restless feeling to it. It’s one of those releases that makes you want to hang out your car window and yell at the world and maybe have a seance and jump in your neighbor’s pool naked. I’m obsessed with it.
