“Sweets” is a moody post-punk success from faults., the solo project of Berlin-based Swedish artist KC Dahlehan. The release is supported by an atmospheric, cinematic music video, crafted by Dahlehan and filmmaker Georg Bruno Baur; its ice-cold landscape complements a soundscape steeped beautifully in clanging bass lines, reverbed percussion, and nostalgic post-punk guitar adornments.

“I miss the sweets,” yearning vocals let out hauntingly, assembling with captivating effect amidst the thickly reveberating bass line. “Come give me sweets.” Jangly guitar fixtures emerge alongside haunting vocal submergence, adding further to a palpable momentum that’s satiated by spacey synth effervescence and interweaving vocal layers. “Sweets” is a stylish, enthralling success from faults., alongside a music video whose ’90s thrillers inspirations fit aptly.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The post faults. – “Sweets” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The sophomore album from Los Angeles-based band Poppy Roscoe succeeds in its concept-forward art-rock sound, bolstered by a creative video that spans across the full release. Sea Fortune and the Desert Rats tells the adventure of three rats from the desert, set amidst a dynamic rock production and captivating visual accompaniment. The band’s members make frequent appearances in the video, dancing in psychedelic environments, playing on a virtual stage, getting locked in some tiny prison, and well beyond. The visual splendor bolsters the compelling musical qualities with creative precision.

The album’s eclectic tonal range is aptly represented by the video’s wide array of tones and colors, from the colorful psychedelic skies within “Desert Rats (We’ll All Carry On)” to the nocturnal urbanity within “Traffic Lights.” The music itself is equally consuming. “Dawn Patrol” excels with its brisk, retro-feeling guitar work and sporadic celebratory-feeling vocal impact, while “Highway Blur” enthralls in its twangy guitars and delectably dazed vocals. Melody and atmosphere impress throughout.

The album represents another creative entry from the project, eventually culminating in the release of their “magnum opus,” — A Grand-Semiseria Opera (with kabuki elements).

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“Desert Rats” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of November 2023’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.

The post Poppy Roscoe – ‘Sea Fortune and the Desert Rats’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A meditative, psychedelic rocker from Eric Kehoe, “Peace Drones” finds the Michigan-based artist crafting an immersive soundscape — propelled by calming vocals, buzzing guitars, and a cohesive intermingling of glistening keys and steady percussion. A phaser-friendly effect lingers in the background, enamoring in more subdued and spacious moments, like the four-minute turn. Here, calming acoustics serenely compel amidst a rainfall effect; the track stirs in its hypnotic, spellbinding lulling.

“Peace Drones” represents the opening track on Kehoe’s latest EP, Indications. It releases alongside a gripping video, above, made by Scott Kiernan (Beach House, Cass McCombs), which we’re excited to premiere.

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of October 2023’ Spotify playlist.

The post Eric Kehoe – “Peace Drones” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A standout from Dan Szyller‘s recent album The Celestial Immigrant, “King’s Hall” recently unveiled an accompanying music video that captures the track’s mystical, rock-forward theatrics. The video was filmed in Metz, France, and directed by Thibault Graillot — featuring Szyller performing the song in a variety of notable locations, including the museum “de lá cour d’or” and the stronghold “Porte des Allemands.”

“I chose this song for the theatrical character of The Celestial Immigrant album and to show how interesting this work really was,” said Szyller. “We explored many areas of Rock.”

A prog-rock character is evident in the growth from contemplative guitars and strings, into a fervent vocal-led expanse with invigorating qualities. The patiently unfolding introduction lifts into the “thing called love and jealousy,” vocal exultation, accompanied by medieval-feeling melodies alongside a hard-rocking vigor. The video, and its variety from calming ocean shots to ominous color schemes, adds even further engrossment to the stimulating track.

Stream the rest of the album:

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of March 2023’ Spotify playlist.

The post Dan Szyller – “King’s Hall” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The atmospheric productions from Austin-based artist 1st Base Runner, impressing earlier this year with the Light Roars EP, lends itself to ample visual potential. Whether focusing on the artist’s post-rock or electronic-minded pursuits, there’s no doubt that producer and multi-instrumentalist Tim Husmann possesses a knack for striking, cinematic soundscapes — further exemplified by the newly released Night Stalker EP and its track “Dark Drive Through The Canyon.”

The EP shows a fond embrace of dark soundscapes within its ambient, experimental approach. Its second track, “Dark Drive Through The Canyon” entrances with a gorgeous unfolding sound; murmuring strings build into pulsing synths with elegant, hypnotic qualities. There’s a nocturnal sense of escapism apparent in the lingering strings/synths infusion.

The track finds excellent accompaniment in a new video, directed by longtime Radiohead creative director Dilly Gent. The sight of the artist traversing, wind blowing in his hair, across the flickering illumination of a nocturnal sky fits perfectly within the track’s serene atmospheric engagement — with a lingering, haunting effect reflective of a futuristic dream.

Stream the Night Stalker EP:

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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of December 2022’ Spotify playlist.

The post 1st Base Runner – “Dark Drive Through The Canyon” (video) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The newly released video for “AWAKEN,” the moody psychedelia track from Australian artist ElectroMagneticPulse (EMP), captures a sense of otherworldly brooding. A fireside ceremony of sorts is accompanied by surreal images evoking life and death, as well as the chaos of life.

The visual accompaniment proves as a stirring addition to “AWAKEN,” which enamors with its moody blend of psychedelic electronic and rock. Organ flickers and effervescent synth creeping emerges alongside a suave vocal lead. Post-punk guitar tones linger past the one-minute mark, with ensuing cathedral-like organs lending a haunting feeling. “AWAKEN” is chock-full of gripping atmosphere throughout.

Per the artist: “Thematically the clip touches on the revelatory time the world is experiencing and the kind of coming-of-age humanity is in the midst of, as the collective comes to terms with corruptive power structures, information warfare and ‘bread and circuses’ contrasted by true sovereignty, understanding of self, community and expanding consciousness.”

ElectroMagneticPulse (aka Ali Jon Nooriafshar) made the video in collaboration with DOP’s, Aimee Claire Nicholls and Alexey Kovalev of ‘A-Team Creatives.’ Beginning in February 2022, the results consists of multiple shoots across the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

The artist says the following about “AWAKEN”: “I recorded, mixed, produced, sang and played the instruments on this track and It was inspired by a flash of remembrance that we are all starstuff incarnate with amnesia, fallen off the path of harmony.”

Speaking more about the project: “It’s a project close to my heart. In many ways it’s a vulnerable channeling of my vision, crystallised and manifested into music with the intention of highlighting the integral importance of ‘knowing thyself’ in order to awaken in awe to the mysterious universe we’re so innately interconnected to.”

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“AWAKEN” and other memorable tracks from that month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of August 2021’ Spotify playlist.

The post ElectroMagneticPulse – “AWAKEN” (video) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

1st Base Runner chatted in more detail about the EP in our interview, here.

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This track and others featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2022’ Spotify playlist.

The post 1st Base Runner – “Near Me” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

“I almost died shooting this video,” Paul says. “I thought it wasn’t going to be all that bad. But when you’re actually hanging upside down, it really gives you tunnel vision,” he laughs. “But honestly, we live in a world of chemicals and things trying to kill us all the time, I thought this was the perfect way to convey the message of the song.”

Look for Nathaniel Paul’s sophomore album, out this summer.

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This track and others featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of January 2022’ Spotify playlist.

The post Premiere: Nathaniel Paul – “Turpentine” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A fully engaging track exploring aspects of folk, pop, and prog-rock, “Bleedways” is a consuming showing from the San Francisco-based artist. Impressing prior with “I Star As You” in February, singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist David Benson again exhibits a knack for creative structural twists and a passionate performance, in this follow-up to last year’s eponymous EP.

The track’s first minute builds steadily with a stirring acoustical backbone amidst ardent vocals, followed by escalating vocals and added guitar pluckiness. A fun twist around 02:13 reminds fondly of XTC with its suavely concise vocal tone and intriguing guitar resonance. A vocal rise approaching the three-minute mark leads to lovely woodwind-like pushes alongside the acoustical stirring. “Bleedways” is further evidence of Benson’s ability to keep listeners thoroughly engaged via a blend of styles alongside an ever-evolving song structure.

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“Bleedways” and other memorable tracks from June can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of June 2021’ Spotify playlist.

The post Premiere: Said Sara – “Bleedways” (video) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Sweeney chats more about the EP and this live performance below:

“My favorite activity during a year of lockdown was to play the piano. I’m not a natural player, and I still can’t be trusted to read sheet music, but the challenge of working through songs on a less familiar instrument helped me cope with the greater struggles on the planet. There was nobody asking me to release something during this time, I was just clearing out my basement tapes and making room for new music to fill the air. Of course, almost nobody was rehearsing in a traditional band, so when the ‘Critique of Nature’ EP was set for release, I thought I would ask my friend about playing a mini-concert on his baby grand piano. It felt somewhat appropriate for the moment to be playing in a picturesque ballroom with absolutely nobody in attendance… just some construction happening outside.”

Stream the EP, and its live piano renditions, below:

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“Natural Force” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of March 2021’ Spotify playlist.

The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Electro-Pop.

The post Premiere: Luke Sweeney – ‘Critique of Nature’ EP (LIVE) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.