Hello friends! 

I’m back for my second write-up of IMF’s weekly release showcase. Thank you for all of the support for my first write-up, I hope to only improve from here! 

I wanted to keep adding some recurring notes I put into every song I write about – the one I’m adding this week is a quick side note on how I think I’ll feel listening to the song live. It’s just a way of me coping with not going to a concert in over a year. 

Here’s how I go about these – I put my headphones on, close my eyes, and take the song in all at once. After jotting down my initial feelings and thoughts, I listen to the song again while typing as I listen and revise my notes into coherent sentences! 

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Atlas & Oracle – Little River

The best way I can describe this song is how I felt when I first listened to Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2; I just wanted to sit in the summer rain and close my eyes. Does that make sense? Too artsy? 

What drove the song the most for me were the vocals – they rested beautifully in the mix which let the rich and deep tone of the singer shine. The simplistic drums gave the running piano part space to breathe in a way that only made me (very) emotional. 

At a live show, it would one hundred percent make me think about every time I’ve felt any sort of longing or hopelessness – which is more often than I’d like to admit. 

The repeating, “cry little river, flow into the ocean”, in the back half of the song had me floating in my first listen. That supportive horn section, continuation of the running piano, and vocal line over and over really drove it in for me. Not only was it one of the catchiest things I’ve heard in a while, but was an ending that genuinely had me in my feelings. 

I recommend this to anyone who likes Jeff Rosenstock, Paul Baribeau, or a good cinematic listen. 

Check out Little River here, and follow Atlas & Oracle on Instagram.

Bug – nightcrawler – demo

Bug is one of the first people I remember meeting in the IMF community – outpouring support and genuine warmth is what I associate him with. Oh, besides making killer music. 

nightcrawler – demo is the first track off of a 5 song EP titled, ‘Bugged’, which features a handful of demos. With a desert-rock tone, this song was giving off a beautiful love child between Beck and Queens of the Stone Age. 

The drum and bass intro, wide vocal first verse into a drawn out bent guitar has stank face written all over it. The good kind, the uhm, “Oooooh! Damn!” kind. I could see this song accompanied by a light show of some sort; one where Bug jumps off the stage while singing and reveals he’s been wearing gloves that light up this entire time.

With an abrupt ending that caught me off guard, it left me wanting a 15 minute version of this song to jam to. 

Don’t bug out Matt! 

I recommend this to people who are interested in hearing what that pre-mentioned love child sounds like. 

Check out nightcrawler – demo here, and follow Bug on Instagram.

Shinyen – Tempo

Man, I wish I could show you my first reaction to hearing this song. Not even three seconds in I was screaming “VIBESSSSSSS”. I couldn’t help but groove my head back and forth throughout the entire track. This song reminds me of reminiscing on the innocence of that first or second love; learning along the way and figuring out you’re actually in love or if it’s just a weekend fling. 

First off, that synthy-piano part makes the entire song. The laid back, gnarly chords perfectly fit the hopeful-but-knowing feeling of the story. This song is an immediate crowd pleaser, a fitting tone for a “welcome back to live shows” party. I’ll buy the first plane ticket out to see Shinyen perform this one. 

Oh, that rhythm section is just… *chefs kiss*. 

The funky bass with those accented pickups drive the song with a refreshing old-school feel; turning this song into something I want to dance down the street to on a sunny day. 

I recommend this to people who like half-alive, Lawrence, or looking for some feel-good vibes. 

Check out Tempo here, and follow Shinyen on Twitter.

You can check out the full March 19th 2021 new release playlist here.