New Music From The Inbox – Monday Edition! (Sep 27, 2021): Des Rocs, Royel Otis, SOJA, and more!
Every week, we’re sent dozens if not hundreds of promotional emails from agents, PR firms, and hopeful artists containing the latest releases from around the world. From the biggest superstars to the ambitious self-starters we comb through it all to highlight to you what we’ve been digging, the tunes that caught our eye, and the recommended selections that make the notifications worth it. This is New Music From The Inbox!
Artist: Des Rocs
Song: “Ruby with the Sharpest Lies”
Album/EP: A Real Good Person In A Real Bad Place
Throaty, chant-like vocals taking up most of the bass register in “Ruby with the Sharpest Lies” set an alluring base for the rest of this song’s many unconventional approaches. Main vocals verging on unhinged, shuffling and swinging instrumentals that lie on an alternative-circus rock spectrum, and sudden, unexpected stings all add some wacky flavour to this undeniably catchy single.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Royel Otis
Song: “Without U”
Album/EP: Campus
Effervescent and bouncy indie with a touch of hazed-out psyche amidst the piercing keys and fuzzed-out vocals, new Australian duo Royel Otis strike a sunshining chord in “Without U”. The band lists MGMT and Tame Impala amongst their influences, and the inspiration shows – the tune finds a great balance of danceability and meandering groove to keep the vibes going.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: SOJA
Song: “Jump” feat. Slightly Stoopid
Album/EP: Beauty In The Silence
Easy-listening rocksteady reggae with bright and crisp production comes together in the intoxicatingly quaffable “Jump” from SOJA and Slightly Stoopid. Tart guitar (on the upstroke, of course), floating keys, and a relaxingly sparse coalition of instrumentals makes this keyed-down tune go down silky smooth.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Weatherstate
Song: “Never Getting Better”
Album/EP: Single
There’s some gravel and rock salt tossed all over this deceptively bright indie alt tune. Seriously, don’t be fooled by the coarse vocals and crunchy guitar tones – strip everything down and you’ve got a melodic, soaring tune in “Never Getting Better”. Never mind the fatalistic lyrics and thumping tempo, we’re here for the twinkling glockenspiel feature, the rising harmonics, and the searingly high guitar lines.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Blackout Orchestra
Song: “It’s Fine”
Album/EP: Single
The group say it was unintentional, but comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins are impossible to avoid in Blackout Orchestra’s “It’s Fine”. Sensitive and sonically-exposed vocals, incessantly-plucked fretboards, and flickering harmonies end up coming together exactly like mid-career Corgan et. al would’ve assembled themselves. Gives you an idea of the emotional weight of this slow-burning alt tune, too.
Watch/Listen:
