New Tracks

Souvenir Driver – “All the Patterns”

Portland-based group Souvenir Driver label their sound as “bliss-pop”, a self-professed hybrid of shoegaze, post-punk, new wave, psych, and pretty much whatever else they’re digging at the moment. That philosophy results in a

Chains of Logic – “Age of Progress”

Chains of Logic is the project of Houston-based producer JSteev, who crafts a darkly intoxicating hybrid of swelling electronica and dubstep with a futuristic edge. Bleak vocal samples emit a futuristic optimism

The Coquettes – “In Other Words”

The Chicago-based duo of Joe Cristo and Rob Volpendesta comprise The Coquettes, a jangly pop group whose hooks and delivery are polished enough to make the self-recorded title irrelevant. On excellent track

Isaac – “The Unknowns Blues”

Isaac is a rising synth-pop artist with a crisp-clean sound. His new single, “The Unknowns Blues”, appears to be his first major release. Already receiving positive feedback on SoundCloud, “The Unknowns Blues”

16 Knapper – “Zero Gravity”

16 Knapper’s track “Zero Gravity” is nicely exemplary of the skills presented by the Norwegian instrumental hip-hop/electronic artist and producer, who has dug into music after several years living “the graffiti and

Obscure Sound: Best of May 2014

I consider this to be one of the highest-quality compilations released on OS, despite it being less stylistically eclectic than usual. For whatever reason this month, rock dominated. The first eight tracks here

Covers – “North Star”

Melbourne rockers Covers impressed last year with the track “The Automation“, which touted an infectious mixture of fuzzy synths, punchy guitars, and whirring keys. A proper comparison then was as if Blonde Redhead’s laid-back

New Albums

Chloe Dunn – ‘Blossom’ EP

A consuming new EP from Chloe Dunn, Blossom showcases a sound steeped in dynamic allure — ranging from singer-songwriter and folk to

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MARA WANNA – ‘how dreadful’

Hamtramck, Michigan-based artist MARA WANNA consumes across her new album, how dreadful — navigating grief and growth with inventive, hook-driven artistry. Blending

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Erro – ‘Shadowland’

Pittsburgh-based project Erro, led by multi-instrumentalist Nikki Stagel, impresses again with Shadowland, a new album that fuses shimmering pop-rock textures, ethereal dreaminess,

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