ICYMI is a series featuring new and notable releases you (and we) may have missed
Art by Enne Goldstein, you can find more of their work here
“Nigel Hitter” – Shame
Never has there been a more appropriate period to focus on the mundane and ever-repetitive daily routine. Giving an auditory pulse to that sensation, Shame gives us “Nigel Hitter”, just ahead of their second record, Drunk Tank Pink, out January 15th. Musically, it’s very similar in feel and style to Squid (“Match Bet” and “The Cleaner” both come to mind). It has definitely been a minute since Songs of Praise and we wouldn’t want a repeat from the band of their first release, but it will be interesting to see with the full release the direction the band has moved in.
“Soft Spot” – Claud
Claud’s “Soft Spot” explores the world of young love and having a “soft spot” for a past partner regardless of heartbreak. Combined with the dreamlike vocals and reverbed guitar, the song perfectly captures love, loss, and all the moments in between.
The accompanying music video shows Claud packing up boxes and moving out after a breakup, contrasted with the dreamy nostalgia the song captures. The cool tones combined with flashes of orange and red during transitions between clips reflect the hot and cold moodiness of both a breakup and the song itself.
– Mikayla Lewis
“Last Time” – Adam Melchor
“Last Time” is absolutely stunning — visually, poetically, musically. It will also absolutely break your heart. Not knowing if a moment shared with someone will be your last is more painful than the certainty that it is. Melchor sings softly, “cuz every time you go i’m scared it’s gonna be the last time,” repeatedly as we see him lovelorn and longing in what appears to be the last days of summer (or could very well just be LA). “Last Time” is the new standard for modern love songs in my opinion and a very strong opener to his forthcoming record Melchor Lullaby Hotline, Vol. 1.
“My Hair Stood Up” – Engine Summer
“My Hair Stood Up” is my first intro to Engine Summer and I fuck with it (and, by the transitive property, them). It’s funky, synthy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Engine Summer is in the same sort of musical world as bands like Omni, Bodega, and Love Fiend, but they’re still doing their own cool, unique thing. “My Hair Stood Up” really deserves a full, sweaty venue with sticky floors and humid air to be fully appreciated, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s the kind of music you would come across at a random gig you wandered into and would leave the encounter a full-fledged fan. Good, good shit.
