Seaside Holiday – “Provisional Paradise”

The Ashland, Ohio based dream pop collective is back with a groovy ditty that feels like taking a pleasant afternoon drive through a field. Cara Dziak’s vocals sound as controlled and pleasant as ever, and this is a fitting comeback single for the act who last released music in 2016. There’s a sense of evenness and balance that permeates the track as well, along with vibe of welcoming. This brand of dream pop is neither gritty nor washed out. It’s dream pop with class. And Seaside Holiday carries it in spades.

LeTrainiump – “Colors”

When “Colors” started playing, I immediately thought “this sounds like a theme song from my childhood.” Oh, those were carefree days. Thank you, LeTrainiump, for making positive music and making it your life’s mission to make people feel good. He clearly wants you to feel good about life in general and about yourself, too. As is par for the course, expect some retro-R&B mixed with present day synthpop.

Author – “All You Want”

Well, this wasn’t what I expected. This is probably the most danceable song I’ve ever heard from Author – a band I tend to associate with brooding, atmospheric soundscapes with a bit of a groove. It has been way too long since I experienced this group in a live setting. I can picture this song with some trippy visuals accompanying it. Dare I say this is the most radio friendly song from Author yet? But don’t you dare call the band sell outs… far from it.

Migs718 – “Wasted”

Closing a single with an unashamed belch is a bold move. But Staten Island’s Migs718 is a bold guy. His latest single “Wasted” is the sort of track I want to dislike but can’t help but bop my head along to – and I mean no shade by that comment. You shouldn’t write this guy off. This is an artist that, judging by this song, would fit on the old Family Values tour of the late 90s/early 2000s OR on Rolling Loud Festival in Miami. I mean, shoot – Turnstile is repping hardcore in a sea of hip hop. So, this guy should fit right in. I checked out this track on a tip from an online contact, and its recent addition to the hip hop showcase by renowned indie radio host Halshack sealed the deal for me.

False Lefty – “Tanqueray”

This is going to be one of my alternative summer anthems. Within seconds of hitting play, I instinctively turned the song just about all the way up. This song reminds me of the days when I was discovering a lot of my favorite indie/alternative bands for the first time. This single takes vocals reminiscent of Damon Albarn and mixes with a atmospheric backtrack worthy of a Metric album. Fans of Delta Spirit and Silversun Pickups will like this too. This is quite an accomplishment when you consider the duo’s minimalist approach – their tagline on socials is “three drums, three strings.”