SINGLE REVIEWS: Philly’s Finest (#3)

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WRITTEN BY: Vince Barreras

Soul Glo – “29”

Soul Glo is back with another track off their upcoming EP, which is about a month away. What is there to say about this track and band that hasn’t been already said? This song is about as intense as a hardcore song comes. It is incredible the energy that the band is able to bring. They are quiet literally putting Philly hardcore on the map. The song clocks in at just about a minute and punches you square in the face with its energy. If it wasn’t for the band sharing the lyrics on their Instagram and Bandcamp you would literally not know what Pierce Jordan was saying. This band is so special, run to this track immediately!

Nothing – “Bernie Sanders”

Philly Shoegazers dropped a new track off their upcoming full length record “The Great Dismal” due out at the end of the month. This time around the band choose dreamy vocals, a slower, grungy tone, and swirly guitars unlike the previous track. When the guitars come into the fray its lights out as they spiral out of control in a wall of noise. The song is also accompanied by an incredibly dark and graphic video that people should check out. Nothing have been a band for a decade and sound as tuned in as ever on this track. 

Zubin, YAWNS – “Perfect Hell”

Zubin is a Philadelphia based R&B and trap artist, and a member of the Misery Club collective. He explores different kinds of melancholic types of tones, instrumentals and trap beats, but maintains his signature high pitched vocals, reminiscent of early The Weeknd. Zubin embraces live instruments on this track but maintains his signature hip/hop and R&B flow throughout the track. This is probably due to producer YAWNS, who has been producing a lot of these alternative rap artists like Horsehead, ColdHart and Fish Narc. It is catchy, clean, and offers a new sound to the genre. This track is fun to listen to and really enjoyable. 

Kurt Ammermann – “Manifest”

Kurt Ammermann is a Philadelphia based singer-songwriter and film major at Temple University. His new song “Manifest” is a completely beautiful and vulnerable track. It is dreamy, stripped back and soaked in reverb. Kurt uses a nice delay effect on the vocals midway through the track which adds to the layers of this song. The lyrics are about as nice as the music sounds and shows Kurt is really exploring himself as a person and an artist. If this is the kind of music he’ll be releasing then he will certainly blow up. Give this great song a listen!

Another Michael – “New Music/Boring for The Times”

Another Michael are an indie rock band that just signed to Boston based indie juggernaut Run For Cover Records. They released this double single of sweet, indie rock tunes recently to announce a new full length and their signing to the label. “New Music” is a slow, strung out song that moves slowly until the last minute of the track when the vocals and lo-fi instrumentation begins to bring up the volume. “Boring For the Times” uses more of the same jangly effect as the previous track and builds off it with more experimentation. The sound is reminiscent of Spirits of the Beehive sound where there is a combination of genres and influences going on. Indie rock, lo-fi, dreampop all find their ways into this one. Great music from the new RFC signees! Look out for their debut record coming in 2021 and this single available for preorder as a 7”.

Bartees Strange – Live Forever

The brand-new debut LP from Bartees Strange is out via Memory Music — and what a record it is. Bartees Strange transcends genres to deliver something that is a hybrid of punk, indie, R&B, and Hip-Hop. This record has something for everyone, whether it’s the faster and upbeat track “Boomer,” the lo-fi/R&B track “Kelly Rowland” or the folky “Far” and “Fallen for You,” there is quite literally a song on this record for everyone. You might be wondering how all these different genre mashups present into one full length record? The answer is brilliantly. Not only are these collections of songs addictive and beautiful to listen to, Bartees is literally changing indie rock right in front of our eyes by not following the blueprint, but ripping it up, and doing something new and original. Run to this record because its guaranteed to be included on peoples end of the year lists!