Fleurie – “Constellate”: Want something that reminds you of Kye Kye and Junk-era M83? Look no further. This sparkly tune finds Fleurie in a higher range than I’m used to (my mind is stuck in the Wildwood EP era), but I really can’t imagine these vocals in any other arrangement given the context. Fleurie takes that classic “indie girl” slightly-restrained voice and gives it her own spin. “Constellate” is a song I appreciate because of how quietly confident it is. It’s not really a loud song, but it’s certainly assertive.

Vacation – “Action Road”: This Cincinnati band is no stranger to the underground Midwest scene, putting out a sound they affectionately call “grit pop.” I’ll take it! “Action Road” is fittingly titled—a quick and dirty song fit for that sort of crowd interaction that isn’t quite moshing but is more than simple head bobbing with a beer in hand.

KLAMMER. – “Modern God”: 2018 might be turning into the year of post-punk for yours truly. Shame kicked off the year in a big way, and Preoccupations is following up with a memorable record of their own. And now we have KLAMMER., from Leeds, UK. The vocals sound like what might happen if Alex from Franz Ferdinand went fully goth. It’s theatrical, but I can tell he doesn’t take himself too seriously. The hook is huge. Ya know, all the hallmarks of an excellent post-punk/darkwave track are there.

Peter Fenn – “Most Days”: “I don’t want love on most days, but when I do, I want to share ’em with you,” croons Fenn emphatically in this laid-back, hazey R&B tune. Fenn might be singing about feeling conflicted in the most relaxing way I’ve ever heard. If Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz ditched the guitar and drenched their new single with a bunch of reverb, this might be the result. You gotta love the classic carefree melody present in the background.

Pale Waves – “Kiss”: “Kiss” is par for the course for Pale Waves. Mildly dark yet still fun and upbeat. What makes this song stand out from Pale Waves’ offerings thus far is a prominent synthesizer base, giving listeners a sense that they’re floating, even while dancing. Think of it as sort of a modernized moonwalk—only we can’t call it that, because Michael Jackson immortalized that dance. Also, when listening I did something ill-advised and scrolled to the comments section on Youtube. One said “this is predictable in the best way possible.” I’d say that about sums it up. At this point it’s going to be really difficult to stop the advancement of this ship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvxwGRxyozw

The New Pacific – “Anchor”: “You’re holding me down, till she comes around” they cry in this anthemic song that plays out like a pop-punk 30 Seconds to Mars. Indeed, if you’re a fan of feeling inspired, fist pumping, and yelling “whoa,” then you’ll dig this. I know I just described a lot of songs, but bands keep making songs like this for a reason. Some pull it off better than others. The New Pacific crafted a catchy enough melody to make me want to write about it. Sidenote: the Columbus pop-punkers (and leaning more pop now, I hear), Heroes Like Villains, would pair well with these guys in a show.