Blending orchestral chambergaze with melancholic fuzz rock, Breach is the stunning debut album from Detroit-based ensemble harper. The album’s title track opens the release in riveting form. “Breach” is described by the band as “a synecdoche of the record, illustrating how our struggles can become so familiar that they feel like routines.” A mixture of cathedral organs and heartrending strings make for a lovably grandiose commencement, giving way to vocals that exude a poetic lyrical charm: “Kick and scream / The water’s cold / But you love the relief of the air.” Rhythmic ruminations and jangly guitars move seamlessly, with the ensuing “do you want to talk about?” vocal melding with shoegaze-y guitar warmth. It’s a beautiful starter to an exceptional album.

“Anymore” stirs as well, playing as an introspective guitar-forward ballad, “about paranoia and isolation as a result of romantic loss.” The album’s first single, “Anymore” delights in its gauzy guitar tones and textured warmth, as does the ensuing “In & Out.” That track reminds fondly of Wild Nothing in its serene guitar work and steady rhythms, pairing with personal lyrical entrancement, based on lyricist Zach Reed’s relocation experience in moving from the American West Coast to the American Midwest. Album finale “Wez ii” resonates in its dynamic tonal range, from immediate bursts of distortion to hazier serenity. It’s also a cathartic thematic output, capturing the moment one has “breached” the surface and freed themselves from their struggles and expectations. Riveting in both theme and melodic rock immersion, Breach is an excellent album from harper.

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Several of these album tracks and others featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

The post harper – ‘Breach’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Philadelphia-based artist John Markowski enthralls on new single “Summer Rain,” alluring in its hypnotic and emotional combination of heartrending strings and jangling acoustic strums. Triumphant brass tones also emerge in the second half, while Markowski’s vocals also stun in their descriptive lyrical imagery and smoothly melodic prowess.

“Her eyes are green, hair like golden twine,” a sense of adoration conveys as his vocals open, moving past the first minute into piano-touched momentum and a touch of wordless vocal harmonizing. The brass element arrives seamlessly, and the consistent mixture of acoustics and strings delights consistently throughout. “Summer Rain” is another gem of a track from John Markowski, who caught our ears a couple years back with the single “Some Wild Dreams.”

The track comes via Markowski’s new album Golden Twine, streaming below:

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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 John Markowski – “Summer Rain” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Coming via their upcoming EP Sugarbowl, “Limb” is a rousing rock debut single from Maine-based band Lolabelle, who formed over a shared love for ’90s rock. The track’s dynamic range is quickly apparent, maneuvering from fuzzed-out guitar distortion to a lusher, jangly introspection.

“I can’t wait to see you, so happy when I’m near you,” lush vocals emerge during the twangy verses, with the muted “I’m dying over you” bridge leading to another gorgeously whirring dose of heavier guitars, that section reminding of acts like Sebadoh and Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins, channeling a nostalgic rock modern envisioning in the vein of Soccer Mommy. The “you’re my limb / you’re my brother” closing refrain continues the impactful, emotively charged power. The high-quality “Limb” has us firmly anticipating Lolabelle’s upcoming debut EP.

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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 Lolabelle – “Limb” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A darkly impactful electronic pop success, “Confessions” is a memorable single from Detroit-based artist Kent Odessa. Originally written for the movie Weapons for the end credits (though losing out to MGMT), today’s iteration of the track retains many of the original lyrics and a haunting soundscape fit for the eerie film.

“Seems you got some demons…” Odessa sings, his debonair vocal layers floating over pulsing rhythms that add to the synth work, invoking a nostalgic, glistening charm. The midpoint’s percussive ruminations prove especially impactful as New Order-esque guitar lines emerge thereafter, culminating in a final minute where delectably soulful vocals and vibrant synths converge. “Confessions” is another strong output from Kent Odessa, who first caught our ears a decade ago with the tracks “Radar Gaze” and “Gender Studies.”

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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 Kent Odessa – “Confessions” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

“Let Nothing” is a resonating track from Bad Authors, coming via their newly released album Capes, recorded at Drop of Sun in Asheville, NC. Described as “about waking up next to a lover, wishing for the moment not to end,” the track weaves tender guitar twangs and warming bass as the introspective soundscape gets underway. “Sunrise in your eyes, all is calm, let nothing take me away,” the caressing vocals emerge, achieving a multi-layered vocal chilliness in the enveloping “Rose of Sharon blooming / Growing in May” nature imagery. An exhilarating uptick in vocal emotion and jangling fervor follows, showcasing Bad Authors as amply capable of quality, climactic rock songwriting, which is abundant throughout the album.

Stream the album in full:

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An orchestral-touched throwback pop charmer, “Down The West Coast” is the beautiful new single from Moon Construction Kit, the psychedelic-pop project of Swiss producer Olivier Cornu. The track embraces vintage woodwinds and shimmering synths in creating a nostalgic piece filled with choir arrangements and stunning baroque charm.

Cornu notes wanting to “pay homage to that specific ’67–’71 Beach Boys era—the kind of music that feels like a sun-drenched, baroque journey.” He continues: “We combined 50s-inspired woodwinds with an orchestral ‘Chamber-Pop’ structure to create a sound that is as much about the arrangement as it is about the mood.”

A gorgeous combination of heartfelt strings and ruminating piano leads into an introspective vocal calmness. “I came down to see a photograph,” Cornu’s vocals shine, arriving into a lovely array of harmonizing as the “where do I go from here?” question hits. An ensuing piano-forward progression conjures those Beach Boys comparisons as well, certainly evident in the vocal harmonies, and also the chamber-pop whimsy of Field Music. The swooning, wordless vocal entrancement into the two-minute mark is especially riveting, culminating in the “voice is calling” cathartic allure and string-laden re-emergence.

A subsequent “there’s no one to pull me down” vocal outpouring furthers the blissfully magnetic and nostalgic pop production. There’s an anthemic, glowing charm to the repetition of these swirling vocal layers and vintage-friendly instrumentation, entirely succeeding — as intended — in capturing that specific Beach Boys era and wonderful chamber-pop likenesses in general.

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

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Moon Construction Kit – “Down the West Coast” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A conceptual, modular synthesis experiment, life is the artistic new album from Brooklyn-based project ko.valainen. Dividing human existence into eight distinct states labeled as chess moves, the record masterfully pits vulnerable guitar textures against custom electronic elements.

Opening track “A1” conjures a sense of awakening in its gradually emerging vibrancy. Gentle, twanging guitar tones build as a steady electronic swell permeates alongside, atmospherically blissful and meditative in the mixture of droning electronics and illuminated guitar. A dose of distortion-like haziness appears quickly and fades at the four-minute mark, with the track then traversing to an elegantly satisfying outro. Elsewhere, glimmering synths exude an introspective glow within “D1,” reminiscent of the late Susumu Yokota in its lushly absorbing ambient synth elongation. Whereas “A1” feels like birth, “D1” touts a steady tonal disposition resembling greater familiarity with life itself.

A more unsettling hold unveils on “F1,” where static-y effects and growl-like robotic sounds move from the aforementioned tracks’ serenity into a foreboding, futuristic tint. A woozy, nightmare-ish second half sends delectably eerie chills, perhaps representing how both brightness and darkness are apparent in the journey of life. Album finale “H1” then swells from nocturnal, distant-sounding haunts into an artfully industrial darkness, fading into a serene resonance like the end of life itself. life is an artistic, accomplished standout of an album from ko.valainen.

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“A1” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post ko.valainen – ‘life’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

An affecting debut album drawn from genuine reflections and life changes, Catharsis Caught is an introspective standout from Dave Des. Sparked by a move to the quietness of Saltspring Island, the collection weaves gentle guitar work and melodic acoustic strums into life-affirming reflections.

The album’s title track consumes in its mixture of heartfelt introspection and moodily melodic prowess, fusing steady acoustic strums and “a boat to nowhere, nowhere fast” lyrical sentiments, resembling someone at a crossroads. Gentle electric guitar twangs move in cohesively throughout, especially resonant in the “looking back” self-reflective ascent, aesthetically showing shades of John Vanderslice. These contemplative emotions also stir on the ensuing “Poison Envy,” where pleadings of “somebody save me” send enjoyable chills amidst mellow guitar jangles, resembling the lusher material of R.E.M.

Another highlight, “Broken Things” explores the knowledge that can be acquired from the titular aspect, reassuring in how lessons and knowledge can arise from misfortunes. Soft, jazzy percussion and serene guitar work complement lyrical wisdom, about how some broken things “don’t always need fixing.” A tender guitar touch at midpoint melds with hazy keys for further absorbing atmospherics. “Head In The Sand” compels as well, serving up one of the album’s more rock-ready moments within the “a new fear everyday, with my head in the sand” chorus, bolstered by fervent electric guitars. Catharsis Caught is a wholly memorable full-length from Dave Des.

Check out the music video for “Poison Envy” below:

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

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Dave Des – ‘Catharsis Caught’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

An ethereal collection of eleven instrumental tracks, Total Tranquility is the soothing new-age album from Germany-based composer Kirk Monteux Mysoftmusic. Fusing analog synths with acoustic instrumentation, the record creates calming, meditative soundscapes designed for stress relief. A variety of instrumentation consumes throughout — including “analog synthesizers, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, acoustic bass, pandrum, shrutibox, sansula, Koshi chimes, rainstick, Native American flute and Tibetan tone bowls.”

“Nebula Voyage” opens the album with an immediate blissfulness, with chiming instrumentation twinkling with a free-flowing ethereality. The aptly named “Flute Ocean Peace” follows, infusing the gentle aquatic samples into lush, spine-tingling woodwind and synth interplay. The spacious soundscape conjures visions of a wide-open ocean, with the production overall exemplifying the artist’s ability to audibly craft stunning worlds through sound, conveyed both throughout this excellent album and in his past work as a composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist for TV shows, films, and advertisements.

While its title would suggest something entirely tranquil, “Moonlight Walk” delights in a dynamic tonal display — venturing from initial synth pulsing intrigue, resembling footsteps through a nightly walk, and into a satisfying second half with a crisp display of steady rhythms, twinkling instrumentation, and colorful momentum. Other atmospheres to behold include the stunning “Rainforest Calling,” its composition invoking a feeling of rainfall in a vibrant green forest, and the gorgeous title track, which stirs throughout five minutes of caressing ambient synth serenity. Total Tranquility is an enchanting listening experience from Kirk Monteux Mysoftmusic.

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

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Kirk Monteux Mysoftmusic – ‘Total Tranquility’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

A meticulous modern jazz debut, Behind the Universe is an excellent album from Berklee graduate and Czech guitarist Kamila Csenge. Weaving adventurous rhythms with rich harmonies, the record utilizes precise bass-and-drum synergy to construct expansive, multi-layered instrumental wonders.

“The Void” puts on a clinic in immersive, atmospheric guitar work. Jazzy rhythmic lushness persists throughout as well, though largely providing a spotlight to the dynamic guitar work, spanning from emotive twangs to lusher underlying currents. The ascent to the four-minute turn is especially riveting, with heightening guitar gliding infusing alongside a heavier bass-laden bustle. “Against the Wall” follows that up with a similarly captivating stylishness. Percussive pitter-patter and artful guitar momentum build from more fragmented charm into a free-flowing serenity, swelling into a brisker rhythmic presence and guitar emotion as the track’s second half comes into view.

A particularly stunning track, “The Metamorphosis” is aptly named, evolving with meticulous musicianship throughout. A hypnotic, jazzy rhythm section moves consistently as the guitar work alternates between caressing trickling and more fervent tonal displays. The track’s rhythm section is mesmerizing in its precision. Album finale “The Point of No Return” delights as well, inducing a spine-tingling effect as flourishing guitar expressions arrive at midpoint amidst the lovely drum and bass synergy. Behind the Universe is an enthralling full-length from Kamila Csenge.

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

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Kamila Csenge – ‘Behind the Universe’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.