New Music – Page 57 – Queen City Sounds and Art

Signe Vange Tenderly Wish Outmoded Ways of Being and Thinking Farewell on Dream Pop Single “Dinosaur”

Signe Vange takes a different approach to casting off ways of living, being and organizing human civilization with “Dinosaur.” The gentle vocals, measured pace, subtle washes of synth and warbling melody hovering in the background like the least intrusive alarm siren in recent memory are the perfect backdrop to Zen-like lyrics addressed kindly to the forces in the world that are holding the collective species from living in peace and sustainable prosperity with “For nothing can last forevermore/Not you, you dinosaur/Take a bow and leave before/Your bones/Turn into stones.” The words are not delivered with the angst and understandable rancor such words often manifest in music but with an affection and respect for how maybe some older ways and habits served their purpose at a time or weren’t fully understood to be as harmful as they were or became. It’s an invitation to exit with grace before getting fully weighed down by one’s rigid hubris. Listen to “Dinosaur” on Spotify and follow Danish dream pop group Signe Vange at the links provided.

signevange.com

Signe Vange on Instagram

Signe Vange on YouTube

Manpreet Kundi’s “unresolved” is a Poignantly Affecting Song About Earnest Infatuation and Future Heartbreak

Manpreet Kundi, photo courtesy the artist

Manpreet Kundi brings to her new single “unresolved” a level of emotional depth and detail even though it seems to come from a place of youthful infatuation. With spare and gentle guitar work and melancholic washes of synth and electronic strings, Kundi frames her song in which we hear moments of sensory memory that anchor feelings of love and affection in your mind like longing gazes, kisses on the neck and shared “frantic” heartbeats when together. But there is a suspicion that can’t be ignored that concludes each section of the song when Kundi realizes “You just won’t say a word.” The whole song Kundi sings of expressions of love and regard without getting them back the way you expect and thus you hear the hint of future heartbreak without them needing to be said because anyone that has felt similarly about anyone else in a similar situation recognizes that moment of realization even when you know your feelings were at least honest and genuine regardless of their reciprocation. Listen to “unresolved” on Spotify and follow Manpreet Kundi at the links below. Look out for Kundi’s forthcoming concept EP of which “unresolved” is a part.

Manpreet Kundi on Facebook

Manpreet Kundi on TikTok

Manpreet Kundi on Instagram

Mya Lee Explores Themes of Impostor Syndrome and Inner Fortitude on Cinematic Neo Soul Pop Single “Tonight’s the Night”

In “Tonight’s the Night” Mya Lee seems to explore themes of impostor syndrome and cultivating inner fortitude when your internalized habits of mind work to hold you back from achieving your dreams. But Lee also expresses a truth not often spoken of in popular music and that is how if you fail according to the terms of a situation or culture you’ll still be able to get by and continue to do what it’s in your heart to do. Musically Lee starts off with a spare piano accompaniment to her soulful vocals with a style reminiscent of neo soul but with a tasteful trap beat that accents Lee’s lyrics well and weaves in and out of percussive synth lines and electronic orchestral sounds lending the whole song an air of a larger narrative of which this song is an early chapter. But the song stands on its own and the insecurities expressed early in the song are met with gentle words of reassurance and encouragement by the song’s conclusion. It’s a song that has thematic and musical depth and layers of meaning that reward repeated listens. Hear “Tonight’s the Night” on Spotify and follow Mya Lee at the links below.

onlymyalee.com

Mya Lee on Instagram

Urkle’s Downtempo IDM Track “The Hermit” is the Musical Equivalent of the Intricate Inner Workings of a Great Cosmic Clock

“The Hermit” by Urkle is like experiencing a meditative exploration of inner space as an awareness of the interlocking dynamics between aspects of one’s consciousness as it intersects with the world. Tones and textures manifest in an almost mechanistic yet smoothly rendered way with percussive electronic tones like bells struck in exquisitely executed sequences while accented by slow bursts of sound and a background drone orchestrates a reflective mood with swells and fades. Musically it’s reminiscent of Aphex Twin’s enigmatic energies circa Selected Ambient Works Volume II mixed with 90s trio hop especially with the brief moments of warm vocals bringing a touch of organic humanity to what hits as hearing the workings of a great cosmic clock processing the intricacies of space-time into a readily discernible and elegant form. Listen to “The Hermit” on Spotify. Urkle’s latest EP Contrast released on February 24, 2024.

The Fever Haze Relives Peak Emotional Moments in the Warm, Nostalgic Shoegaze Sounds of “(I’ll Always Leave a Part of My Heart in) Colorado”

The motes of melody in the introduction to “(I’ll Always Leave a Part of My Heart in) Colorado” as the guitar line chimes almost impressionistically as well establishes a deep sense of bittersweet nostalgia. But it builds to epic whorls of tone and processional rhythms in which Jackie Kalmink’s vocals seem to fall back into while looking back on a time in life that was filled with peak emotional moments however long those times were, or how episodic. The melodies soar and blaze and then dissolve into meditative open spaces into which the vocals drift and fade with each line of lyrics. Then the song reprises with expansive, robust riffs without dispelling a sense of Kalmink reliving cherished moments of vulnerability and connection with a full heart even if the days coming to mind are in the past. It’s the kind of song that doesn’t fetishize nostalgia but taps into it as a way to access a part of the psyche that’s awash in what makes life feel vital. Listen to “(I’ll Always Leave a Part of My Heart in) Colorado” on Spotify and follow The Fever Haze at the links below. The band’s new full-length album Moonbow was released on digital, cassette and “galaxy” colored vinyl by Graveface on March 29, 2024.

The Fever Haze on Twitter

The Fever Haze on Facebook

The Fever Haze on Instagram

Joh Chase Leans Into Life’s Shifting Circumstances in the Introspective and Spirited Indie Pop Song “Gone”

Joh Chase’s songs from the forthcoming album SOLO (due April 26, 2024 via Kill Rock Stars) each seem to have their own personality and style but all informed by a poetic outlook and personal insight into life’s transitional moments. The single “Gone” finds the melody centered around Chase’s expressive vocals and words that seem to come from a moment when maybe you feel like you’ve run out of luck (“Gone, my four-leaf clover”) and left to your own devices by former partners and even your dog, for now. Chase seems to accept the latter in stride because the dog will find her way home and our narrator in the words “And I’m gone with the wind, now,” leaning into circumstance rather than bemoaning it because so much is transitory and sometimes these changes are the best course for your life whether you are completely aware of it or not. The note struck by the end of the song is one of triumph and exulting in the moment. The minimal, rhythmic guitar work and drums flow where Chase guides them with their introspective and spirited moments lending the song an organic feel like you’re with Chase in accepting an intuitive approach to what might otherwise be more challenging times in one’s life. Watch the video for “Gone” on YouTube and follow Chase at the links provided.

Joh Chase on Facebook

Joh Chase on Instagram

Syndel’s Dream Pop Song “Hear Me Bleed” Evokes Deep Feelings of Conflicted Affection

Syndel imbues her single “Hear Me Bleed” with a vulnerability and dream like melancholy that serves as a fascinating contrast with the sentiments in the song. Employing both introspective singing and spoken word Syndel presents us with the story of someone who has opened herself up to someone who has proven himself not worth being show a side of herself she shares with very few people. We hear her anger at herself for making herself vulnerable to someone who seems to take such a casual approach to her affection. Yet she can’t help but still feel the impulse to be generous with her emotions and regard. The conflicted feelings expressed in the song will surely resonate with anyone who feels strongly and has the capacity to be sensitive and open even if it’s not always something most people experience. The music embraces Syndel’s soulful vocals with lush pulses of synth and a soaring and lonely piano melodies that echoes so slightly reflecting lingering feelings that aren’t so easy to shake. Listen to “Hear Me Bleed” on Spotify and follow Syndel at the links below.

Syndel on Facebook

Syndel on Instagram

Queen City Sounds Podcast S4E18: Je est un Autre

Je est un Autre, photo courtesy Dylan Desmond

Je est un Autre is a solo project from Dylan Desmond who is perhaps most well known as half of cosmic doom band Bell Witch. Borrowing the name, which means “I is another,” from poet Arthur Rimbaud’s declaration on the nature of being, Desmond has crafted a set of six songs for the project’s debut album Flatworm Mysticism (released March 1, 2024 ) that embody an evocative style of soundscaping and composition reminiscent of the soundtracks to the existential science fiction and adventure noir films of the 70s and 80s like Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Stalker, Sorcerer and Blade Runner and more contemporary manifestations of similar creative impulses like the films of Robert Eggers, Alex Garland and Rose Glass. Desmond had some opportunity to exercise these creative skills when Bell Witch launched its Patreon in 2021 and he beagan writing original pieces to be paired with sections from influential films. But he set aside the bass he usually plays in Bell Witch and took on synths as the vehicle of expression. The album has titles that suggests ideas from obscure science and esoteric knowledge with sounds that perfectly embody those resonances.

Listen to our interview with Dylan Desmond on Bandcamp and follow Je est un Autre and Desmond’s other projects at the links below.

bellwitchdoom.net

Bell Witch on Bandcamp

Boy With Apple’s Gauzy Dream Pop Single “Good For You” is a Transporting Meditation on Unselfish Yearning

Boy With Apple, photo by Christian Valenzuela Barrondo

Boy With Apple’s final single from its debut album Attachment is “Good For You.” The song’s ethereal melodies are enveloping and transporting and though there is the gorgeously gossamer guitar work and winsome vocals for which the band has become known there is an element to its composition that seems rooted in the aesthetics of electronic music and beatmaking. The result is a composition that drifts into your brain and takes you on an emotional journey exploring uncertainty in love while holding a certainty about how you feel. The line “How can I be good for you when I’m not even good for me” is delivered with such delicacy it speaks to a perspective of unselfish yearning, of wanting to love and be loved but not to harm in the course of a relationship. Fans of Black Tambourine and Lush will appreciate the genre-bending style of the song and the way it articulates complex feelings with an expansive musical reach and a willingness to let the sounds linger and interact organically with an analog sparkle. Listen to “Good For You” on Spotify and follow Gothenburg, Sweden’s Boy With Apple at the links provided. The Boy With Apple debut album Attachment was released March 15, 2024.

Boy With Apple on Facebook

Boy With Apple on Instagram

Orange Peel Moses Celebrates the Possibilities of the Upcoming Cosmic Event With the Indie Pop Psychedelia of “Under the Eclipse”

With the path of totality landing next week across a swath of the United States, Orange Peel Moses released the video for his latest single “Under the Eclipse.” The video is edited together from various live performances in which the songwriter tested out the song in front of audiences as well as scenes of other events but it all fits well with clips that serve the plot of the song in which the narrator is seeking out a lady eclipse chaser with whom to make a magical eclipse baby during the great event. Produced by El Javi at Wolf Howl Records in Denver, mixed by Andy McEwen of Crucilble Recording and mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering in Boulder with contributions from pianist Erik Deutsch, percussionist Zay Alejandro Rios and vocalist Lex Alvis, the song is a lighthearted tribute to hedonism and cosmic events. The video edited by Rocco Mountain Productions features footage captured by BinghamX, Eric Heiland, Thor Wixom and Rocco Mountain in locations including Invisible City, the defunct Everland, Danny Fantastic HQ and at California’s Lighting in a Bottle Festival captures but the laid back spirit of the song, its sense of fun and colorful tones. The music is like an indie rock/modern indie pop with touches of psychedelia and vocals reminiscent of early 70s Cat Stevens with inviting tonal resonances and a leaning into possibilities. Orange Peel Moses will be performing during the Texas Eclipse event at Reveille Park Range Friday April 5, 2024 through Tuesday, April, 9, 2024 and there’s a good chance if you’re there during the festivities you can catch the song live. Watch the video for “Under the Eclipse” on YouTube and follow Orange Peel Moses at the links below.