Ravenhill – “Guilty Vertigo”: Ravenhill is gearing up for their next release with the only way they know how to: rolling out singles as the summer arrives. Joshua’s vocals are as gritty as ever here. This song is somehow unassuming and gritty at the same time. The staccato effect takes some getting used to, but the end result is pretty dang satisfying.

The Eighty Six Seas – “Guy and Girl”: The whimsically named Eighty Six Seas is a pun, referencing the 1986 Boston Celtics – “the 86 C’s.” The whimsy continues in the debut single, a cutesy folk pop track with conversational harmonies. The Brooklyn resident is assertive in his delivery of the song; it gradually plays out in a storybook fashion. The project’s debut EP, This Is A Simple Song, releases 7/8.

Keep Shelly In Athens – “White Rose”: Time to get ethereal. Did you need some dream pop with a floral theme? Vocals cut through an airy backdrop in a pointed, yet accessible way in “White Rose,” the latest single from Keep Shelly in Athens. The song gets its name from a non-violent resistance group in 1942 Nazi Germany. Though the movement was anonymous, they got found out all too quickly. Not quickly enough – their effect carries over to unexpected places. How about a downtempo electronica group that has worked with Tycho? Why not?

Doc Robinson – “Ride the Wave”: The warmth in this song is so palpable it would be corny if you didn’t know it was genuine. A sense of camaraderie is built into every Doc Robinson release, and this one couldn’t be timed better. A song for the people on the cusp of summer.

The Stars Collapse – “Is It Nerves?”: I ask myself the question in this title all the time. This emo rock track is oddly warm for something that discusses the complex role anxiety can play in our lives. For me, the ambiguity that comes between physical symptoms of anxiety, their similarity to illness, and sometimes the absence of an apparent trigger is something I reckon with all to often. I get the sense listening that TJ, the man behind this project, knows exactly what I’m talking about. Time to contemplate this while zoning out to some really satisfying riffs!

Jady – “1970”: Man, kudos to this artist for releasing a memorable indie pop banger that sounds like a mix of The 1975 and Capital Cities. Who remembers that “one hit wonder” act who put out “Safe and Sound?” I am disappointed that horn-laden pop rock lane hasn’t been explored more thoroughly. Misterwives has touched on it. Could Jady be next? This is tailor made for outdoor festivals.