TRAIN CONDUCTOR – “Light(underwater volcano)”

Wind sweeps through the grassy fields in far-out New Mexico. Cacti stand tall against the night sky, yearning for heaven’s tears. And in a solar-powered shack just West of nowhere, Train Conductor are making their next masterpiece. 

Though Train Conductor has largely been the solo output of Albuquerque’s Will Byrne, the outfit’s newest record, Geodesic, is the result of intentional collaboration. Byrne’s musical life is governed by one rule: there are no rules. Calling friends and collaborators to join him for a new record, the group convenes in a humble desert dwelling to perform these songs live in a desert field.

Grammy award-winning producer and engineer Marc Whitmore guides the group through Byrne’s idiosyncratic songs. The group agrees to capture performances live outside the studio, giving a human feel to the songs. Drummer Eric Lisuasky keeps time, with Whitmore hopping behind the kit from time to time in the spirit of collaboration. Austin Morrell rounds out the rhythm section on bass. Nolan Seidler provides lead guitar, and Michael Gibson plays keyboards. Byrne shares vocal duties with Cati Ortiz and Rayna Torres. The desert wind stops by to add some ambiance to several tracks. 

Together, these folks make a sprawling record. Geodesic is like the horizon; we’ve all seen it and yet it speaks to us differently. The three singles, “Life im livin”, “Light(underwater volcano)” and “Lose Myself,” are wildly different songs, yet they both contain this sense of longing. Byrne has an ability to write songs that represent our humanity in all of its imperfect splendor. Geodesic is a mirror, reflecting the big sky and mountains of the American West. And if you listen closely enough, you just might hear yourself in these songs.

‘Light (underwater volcano)’ is a romantic heartbreaker of a song.

Psychedelic Baby Magazine

TRAIN CONDUCTOR – “Microphone”

A psychedelic-tinged project sprouting from the high desert environs of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Train Conductor has taken on a number of forms and lineups over the years, with contributions from members of the Gatherers, BALLETS, Dulce Base, Canyonlands, and Holy Glories. At its core, it remains the brainchild of Will Byrne. Byrne left high school in Philadelphia and made his way west, bringing with him a love of science and a passion for making weird music. That passion birthed Train Conductor, which has seen a number of lineups over the past decade, though Byrne has remained a constant.

The band delves into synth-heavy production with an experimental edge to its overall production, leveraging analog and digital workflows to shape its sound. Byrne and his collaborators innovate even further in their recording locations: Where Sound Meets Space and Warm Adobe Brain were recorded in a 1970s-era solar grow house in Sandia Park on a Tascam 388.

Train Conductor counts a wide range of acts among its influences, though Suuns, Moon Duo, Dead Skeletons, Yo La Tengo, and Apples in Stereo rank high among those. Likewise, the band has shared the stage with a number of other acts, including Oh Sees, Frankie and the Witch Fingers.

“The musicianship is solid. And it’s catchy. Get intimate with ‘Microphone’.“

Psychedelic Baby Magazine

Courier Club Finds Coming-Of-Age Clarity On New ‘Rural Escapist’ Video Single “Where Do I Run”

Courier Club has had one of the most unique stories in all of indie rock during the pandemic era. Banding together in Philadelphia during the summer of 2018 Courier Club offers a high energy, fiercely anthemic post-punk sound, with cultural reference points reminiscent of aught rock greats and early 2000’s sports video game soundtracks. After gaining their initial following through a series of house parties and forging their sound over four single releases throughout 2018 and 2019, the band firmly established their staying power with their debut EP ‘Drive Like Your Kids Live Here’ in April of 2020. Unable to tour following the release, the band created ‘Block By Blockwest’ a Minecraft music festival which hosted over 40 artists, attracted tens of thousands of virtual fans, and gained them critical acclaim from not only the music press but from mainstream news and entertainment outlets. 

“Where Do I Run” finds the band growing in sound and style without sacrificing the aesthetics that have made them so appealing for such a young and quickly popular group. Finding space somewhere between the better A-sides of the early/mid 00s guitar revival (ala Tokyo Police Club and Band of Horses), with the well worn and world-weary maturity and presence of generational songwriting greats like Neil Young and Elliott Smith, Courier Club can continue to claim each new single as their best written to date. “Where Do I Run” is no exception; if this is considered something of a pop-anthem and clean guitar ballad, it achieves what it sets out to do, showcasing the band’s depth while always providing a chorus that will be stuck in your head long after each listen. The accompanying video, and its “rural escapism” feel, creates a beautiful backdrop for the simple existential longing that Timothy Waldron gets across so well in his lyrics:

“The idea for the video was nothing more than an excuse for the four of us and our elusive cameraman Ben to take a vacation. We found a small farm in the Catskills that allowed guests to set up shop on the farm’s property for a few nights. We laid around, met a ton of farm animals, and explored the surrounding grounds. It was a pleasant and mellow break we all needed. There’s this tired cliché of “the band runs off into the woods together and finds themselves” and although we didn’t experience ego death or receive that ‘coming-of-age-esque’ moment of clarity; spending those few days together under the silence of that farm did more help than hurt to our overall well being.”

“Block by Blockwest delivered on that aspiration, as the closest we’ve yet come to an authentic festival experience.” 

INSIDER

“Courier Club have built their reputation on alluring textures and pop sensibilities. Most bands have agendas about what they want to accomplish with their music. To their credit, Courier Club just want you to live your best moment in front of them.“

Alternative Press

“Drive Like Your Kids Live Here sounds like a band putting out a resume of the full scope of their work.”

PopMatters

Space Kiddette’s New Single ‘Dead To Me’ is a “Musical Amicable Divorce”

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Space Kiddettes describe themselves as “Space City’s favorite pop delinquents.” Their heavily-layered, high-energy tracks draw inspiration from absurdist new wave acts of the 80’s like Devo; this influence is obvious when seeing the Kiddettes’ manic on-stage presence and quirky (but always coordinated) costumes. Trent Lira plays synths and shares vocals with his creative co-pilot, Devin Will.

https://soundcloud.com/space-kiddettes/dead-to-me/s-rY5gcl6KxwR?si=e6913af4da5440af867641ab7151c005

Their latest offering, “Dead to Me,” is both upbeat and melancholy. Shimmery synths, retro guitars, and a punchy chorus mark this danceable ode to scorn. With additional production by Jorge Elbrecht, Space Kiddettes deliver a familiar sound with a more polished surface.

“Dead to Me” is about a falling-out with someone you still care for, but who you have to cut out for your own sanity. A musical amicable divorce. This is our most collaborative track to date; we worked with three different people for recording, mixing/co-producing, and mastering (John Allen Stephens, Jorge Elbrecht, and Briana Wolf, respectively). Often we’ll release a song as soon as it’s written, but we took our time with the composition and the production of “Dead to Me.” We’ve invested more time and money in this track than anything we’ve released before, and we hope it shows in the final product.

Space Kiddettes also have a weekly podcast, Space Case, in which they discuss the mysteries plaguing their personal lives–conspiracies, cold cases, urban legends, and notable “wait, what?” moments throughout history. Along with artist and frequent collaborator Stoo, Space Kiddettes host queer talent showcases in venues around Houston. They’ve performed for Houston’s NPR member station, and appeared on season 16 of America’s Got Talent. Space Kiddettes are honored to have shared the stage with breakthrough acts like The Aquadolls, Dorian Electra, Slayyyter, Emergency Tiara, and Transviolet.

The Bottom Dollars Return after two years with Instant Classic “Off Brand Lighter” and 10th Anniversary Show at Brooklyn Bowl

Propelled by the smoky, earnest vocals and absolutely fascinating songwriting of Brian “Cherch” Cherchiglia, The Bottom Dollars have grown into a true powerhouse of a project. During their formative years as Brooklyn’s go-to closers, this collective of accomplished multi-instrumentalists became synonymous with explosive live performance; eschewing machismo and bravado to deliver honest grit and unabashed dynamism.

STREAM NEW SINGLE “OFF BRAND LIGHTER” (DUE OUT 9/17)

The Bottom Dollars, Brooklyn press darlings throughout the 2010s, having been featured in NPR, Paste Magazine, Village Voice, The New Yorker, for their blazing, visceral, anthemic “Meet Me In The Bathroom” style NYC indie rock sound. Their comeback single “Off Brand Lighter” is a continuation of that sound and a reinvigoration for their diehard fan base, excited to see them hit the stage again for their first set post-lockdown at the Brooklyn Bowl (on September 26th). 

“Off Brand Lighter was born as a stream of consciousness. I was watching a friend of mine try to light a cigarette with the window down in a car, they were using this purple off-brand lighter that, well, couldn’t handle the task. Though innocuous, this simple intimate act showed a vast spectrum of emotions. I witnessed frustration, confusion, acquiescence — I shared in the satiation of the first inhale. In one brief, refined moment that wasn’t exactly supposed to mean anything nor include me, I saw too much and I felt the need to capture that and remember the non-linear nature of everything.” “Off Brand Lighter” was produced by Cherch & Chris Urriola and engineered by Jeff Berner at Studio G (Brooklyn, NY) and Cherch at Parts Unknown. It was mixed by Jeff Berner at Studio G (Brooklyn, NY)
and mastered by Matt Lange.

After a decade, The Dollars are still very much the bombastic, fearless act that reliably cemented itself one late-night set at a time. The Bottom Dollars are a band seasoned enough to meet any stage with sincerity, evocative enough to challenge your ideals, artful enough to interlace their compositions with enough $3 words to buy your drinks and humble enough to help you clean the floor once you’ve dropped yours. In 2020, they ended their hiatus with the release of their second LP, Marvelous, produced by Tim O’Sullivan (Childish Gambino, Anderson Paak, Rayland Baxter) and mastered at Capitol Studios.

Various Blonde Call For Love In Our Modern Chaotic Times With “Love Is How We Survive”

Electro Future Rock straight out of Kansas City, Various Blonde is modern rocks missing link. Blonde has taken on many forms since their 2009 conception. With multiple personnel changes behind them, VB has finally morphed into the funky riff wielding rock house you hear on their upcoming release “Love Is How We Will Survive”. Current lineup Josh Allen (lead guitar/ lead vocals/synth), Mark Lomas (Drums, Keys), and Jason Nash (Bass) tracked this 11 song album during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown after their plans to tour on 2019’s double EP “3s1 and 3s2” were put on hold due to the pandemic. Unlike many of their peers who put writing and rehearsal  on hold for various reasons, Blonde began writing immediately  and used the pandemic as motivation. The result is a beautiful bombastic cathartic pop experience spread headed by title track “Love Is How We Will Survive” .  

WATCH “LOVE IS HOW WE SURVIVE”

Written all about our chaotic world and maneuvering the ever growing and quickly changing modern world, Various Blonde have reached the peak of their sound on “Love Is How We Survive”. Pulsing synths and flurried stadium style drums mix with R&B finesse for a truly one of a kind effort, and a chorus that draws you in immediately makes the track an unforgettable experience.

Various Blonde has brought their mesmerizing live show to stages with Spoon, Grizzly Bear, Deerhoof, of Montreal, Broncho, Moving Units, Dead Rider, El Ten Eleven, WHY?, De lux, Russian Circles, Free Moral Agents, Zechs Marquise, Dead Meadow, Imaad Wasif, Thursday, Fang Island, Murder By Death, Matt Pryor, Electric Sixx, Crystal Antlers, Nick Waterhouse, and many more.

Various Blonde will be announcing tour dates soon.

The Ice Cream Militia

The Ice Cream Militia is a group of dudes from Toledo, Ohio bringing you the most lively, legit, lickable, and lactose tolerant music. The group formed in early 2015 while being active members of the University of Toledo Rocket Marching Band in addition to participating as brothers in UT’s music-centric fraternities Phi Mu Alpha and Kappa Kappa Psi. The Ice Cream Militia has performed at venues in and around Toledo, Bowling Green, Detroit, Akron, Ann Arbor, and Columbus. The group’s musical influences range from alternative, funk, reggae, rock, and more with two EPs and one full-length album available for streaming. During live performances, the group has numerous cover songs weaving through the setlist featuring songs by Stevie Wonder, Alice In Chains, The Beach Boys, Kool & The Gang, and more.

The members are Jake Cassidy (guitar, vocals, synth), Tanner Wertz (guitar, vocals), Kyle Polak (guitar, vocals), Jarod Schmitmeyer (bass, vocals), Zach Bodenmiller (drums), Dondré Cook (trumpet), Michael Borjas (trombone), Patrick Dillinger (trombone), and Alec Blake (tuba).

Find The Ice Cream Militia on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Music is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and iHeartRadio.

For inquiries, please contact The Ice Cream Militia at icecreammilitia@gmail.com or send a message on any of our social media pages.

https://linktr.ee/icecreammilitia

Social media follower count:

Facebook (1,138) – Instagram (660) – Twitter (405) – YouTube (98 subscribers)

Featured on:

–100.7 the Zone: Toledo’s New Rock and Alternative Radio Station

-“On The Radar“: Toledo-based Music Podcast

–88.1 WZIP: University of Akron’s Student Radio Station

-“Rise Up“: Toledo Music Show Produced by BCAN

-“We Speak English Good“: Toledo-based Podcast

-“Simple Blasphemy Podcast“: Toledo-based Podcast

-“Vinyl Stallions“: Toledo/Cleveland-based Music Podcast

Press:

-Toledo City Paper (May 1st, 2022)

-Voyage Ohio (November 10th, 2022)

Touring bands we’ve opened for:

–Nonpoint: Toledo Music Fest 2017

–Helmet: Toledo Music Fest 2018

–The Toasters: NYC-based ska band formed in 1981 (2019)

–Mac Sabbath: McDonald’s-themed Black Sabbath tribute band (2019)

–Okilly Dokilly: Ned Flanders/The Simpsons-themed metal band (2019)

–The Quasi Kings: Columbus, Ohio-based reggae/rock/hip hop group (2022)

Sold-out shows:

–Frankie’s Inner-City (twice, 2017 and 2018, ~ 300-350 attendees per show)

–The Ottawa Tavern (once, 2018, ~300 attendees)

Shows through the University of Toledo:

-“Midnight Breakfest”: UT Homecoming Week event (2016)

-“Rocketfest”: on-campus festival (2018)

Charity shows performed at:

-“Traffic Jam UT”: benefit show for the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition (2017)

-“Ales for Tails”: benefit show for Humane Ohio (2018)

-“Tunes For A Better Tomorrow”: benefit show for the Battered Women’s Shelter & Rape Crisis Center (2018)

Notable performances:

–grand re-opening of The Ottawa Tavern (March 13th, 2020)

-in-studio performance at Bigfoot Studios in Waterville, Ohio (March 18th, 2021)

-headlined at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan (March 16th, 2022)

-headlined Day One of the Ohio Roots Music Festival in Sunbury, Ohio (July 8th, 2022)

Notable venues performed at:

The Blind Pig, The Village Idiot, Frankie’s Inner-City, The Ottawa Tavern, The Blarney Irish Pub, Headliners, Civic Music Hall, Wild Goose Creative, The Ritz, DIME Detroit (Detroit Institute of Music Education), Howard’s Club H, The Switchboard

Courier Club, Creators of Block By Block West Minecraft Festival, Return With Anthemic New Single “Foreign Ground”

Courier Club has had one of the most unique stories in all of indie rock during the pandemic era. Banding together in Philadelphia during the summer of 2018 Courier Club offers a high energy, fiercely anthemic post-punk sound, with cultural reference points reminiscent of aught rock greats and early 2000’s sports video game soundtracks. After gaining their initial following through a series of house parties and forging their sound over four single releases throughout 2018 and 2019, the band firmly established their staying power with their debut EP ‘Drive Like Your Kids Live Here’ in April of 2020. Unable to tour following the release, the band created ‘Block By Blockwest’ a Minecraft music festival which hosted over 40 artists, attracted tens of thousands of virtual fans, and gained them critical acclaim from not only the music press but from mainstream news and entertainment outlets. 

Courier Club’s newest single ‘Foreign Ground’ (due out 5/27) is the band’s best, most accessible effort to date, showcasing what makes their specific brand stadium sized, melodic indie rock ready to break out to a wider audience. Laying somewhere between a grittier ‘Love My Way’ by The Psychedelic Furs and The Killer’s ‘Hot Fuss’ while still remaining reminiscent of the band’s past post-punk anthems, ‘Foreign Ground’ combines pounding drums and sweeping synth backdrops with winding guitars and pulsing bass. Courier Club pull off no easy feat, equally showcasing their palpable live band energy while still providing masterful production, it’s clear to see why they are a band to watch.

“‘Foreign Ground’ was written and recorded this past summer, dead smack in the middle of the pandemic. Not sure what the other side would look like or whether we would even still be able to make music together in the future, the song came together in a rush. The urgency of the moment helped us create something that was free from past inhibitions that would have plagued our creativity if the stakes were higher.” 

‘Foreign Ground’ is the first in a series of singles the band plans to release throughout the rest of 2021.

“Block by Blockwest delivered on that aspiration, as the closest we’ve yet come to an authentic festival experience.” 

INSIDER

“Courier Club have built their reputation on alluring textures and pop sensibilities. Most bands have agendas about what they want to accomplish with their music. To their credit, Courier Club just want you to live your best moment in front of them.“

Alternative Press

“Drive Like Your Kids Live Here sounds like a band putting out a resume of the full scope of their work.”

PopMatters

Ciarra Fragale Harnesses 60’s Motown Heartbreak Pop On Soulful New Single “It’s Only Raining”

Ciarra Fragale is an indie pop singer/songwriter, producer, and actor from NY’s Hudson Valley. By blending the nostalgic traditions of songwriting with unique new-wave sensibilities, she creates a refreshing sound all her own. In addition to making her own music, Ciarra has also composed many works for theater and film.

LISTEN TO ‘ITS ONLY RAINING’

Her newest single ‘Its Only Raining’ is a modern take on 60’s motown heartbreak pop; pounding keys drive this sunny, upbeat ballad with Ciarra’s one of a kind vocals gliding in and out of doowop harmonies showcasing her masterful musicianship and songwriting prowess. Written about longing and heartbreak, Its Only Raining continues the classic legacy of what makes soul music so appealing, the pain of loss, but in Ciarra’s case, her twist of sunshine and optimism makes her specific brand of soul-pop so beautiful and fresh.

In 2017, Ciarra released her first full-length “Seasons,” written and recorded entirely in her home. It was during this recording process that she started to experiment with different sounds and textures, igniting her love for production. After two more years of touring and recording, Ciarra followed up “Seasons” with her second full-length “Call It What You Will” in 2019. Shedding the nu-folk sound for more of an Indie/alt pop direction, “Call It What You Will” was an ambitious project that artfully portrayed Ciarra’s growth as an artist. Produced by Fragale, the album was recorded at Nashphone Recording, a studio owned and operated by engineer Jesse Bolduc (of the band Candy Ambulance ).

In 2019 after a heavy year of touring both full band and solo, Ciarra relocated to her current home in Western Massachusetts. Since living here she has written and produced many projects–including her 3rd LP, a record that “perfectly encapsulates” the last 18 months of Ciarra’s life. Mastered by Curtis Roush of The Bright Light Social Hour, the electrifying self-titled album is set to release on July 2, 2021.

“The new single “Shapeshifter” wraps around your heart and comes alive with the spirit of an ’80s pop ballad.”

BTR Today

“Musically, there’s not only reverence for her pain but a shedding of layers: from her throaty chirps to the soulful textures, it’s all about liberation.”

Audiofemme

The Voice’s James Pyle Releases First Original Single Since TV Debut

Former The Voice contestant James Pyle, who gained viral recognition for his cover of ‘Watermelon Sugar’ (garnering nearly 1.5 million views on youtube), is set to release his first original single since his TV debut late last year. ‘Fall For You’ (due out May 7th) showcases James’ sweet and smooth croon in full effect; a crushing and beautiful chorused out, chill guitar backdrop melds with modern R&B inspired pop-production to bring James’ heart and soul to the forefront. We get to meet James more intimately on ‘Fall For You’, with sultry and romantic lyrics, all dedicated to his love.

LISTEN TO ‘FALL FOR YOU’

James Pyle grew up in Southern California, but instead of chasing the typical LA industry dream he laid more modest roots in central Ohio back in 2018. Although it is a much smaller music scene, James only has positivity for his new home, “There are a lot of talented people who are open to collaborating and audiences feel really accessible.” Taking his playing cues from John Mayer’s bluesy and rhythmic style, James mixes soul, pop, and R&B to create a sound always yearning for complete artistry and originality.

“For this solo project, the single Fall For You, I tip-toed into the lofi genre while playing with soul vocals and jazz inspired guitar parts. I am really into this Spotify playlist called Jazz Vibes which inspired me to diverge a bit into a more produced and dynamic sound-space while mixing in some of my typical choices to create a track that still felt like “mine”, but with an interesting twist. This is the first song where I really put myself into the mind of a producer. Typically, when I create I stick to what I know I’m good at – capturing a good sounding live drum kit, clean guitar tones,  and soulful airy vocals. This time I really pushed myself to create a more dynamic soundscape that listeners could get lost in.“

“This production style was inspired by Still Woozy and Nick Hakim where there is all this movement and ear candy throughout the song. I got myself a Splice membership and went all in on trying to find sounds rather than create all of them from scratch. So I guess sometimes it’s true that it’s better not to waste time re-inventing the wheel. It felt great to utilize that sort of resource and pour that saved energy into piecing together the song I had in my head.”

James gained national attention when he was featured on Season 19 of The Voice specifically for his soaring and bold cover of Harry Style‘s ‘Watermelon Sugar’. Although he considers it his big break he feels like his career is just getting started. “I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to show my artistry and it would get lost in commercialism, but I was really able to do whatever I wanted musically. And beyond that, it was amazing to meet so many other artists who I now call friends. All that artistic energy really gave me fresh motivation to pursue new collaboration and write fresh music when the show ended.” 

Introducing Last Ice, The Internet Super Group Who Have Never Made Music In Person

Last Ice have successfully released their debut album, and now are rolling out their first performance style music video “Chains”, without having ever met in person as a band.

Last Ice is a collaborative project between Austin future punk duo Bloody Knives and Portland/Atlanta darkwave trio We Are Parasols. The fusion of their genre bending sounds and styles creates a style both novel and familiar, with sounds ranging from minimalist angular electronics to sweeping cascading atmospherics, and opportunities to visit sonic landscapes neither may have done on their own.

Last Ice began with We Are Parasols finishing songs from an abandoned Bloody Knives record, which in turn prompted Bloody Knives to begin remixing tracks from the We Are Parasols EP ‘No Center Line‘. What resulted were songs that held a coherent vision but were often far from their origin. The contrast between vocalist D’s witchy operatic and Preston Maddox’s ghostly monotone rests on Jake McCown’s steady backbeat surrounded by Alec Yeager’s layered polyrhythms, with Jeremy Wilkins adding guitar and synths along with mixing and mastering. D and Preston each contribute bass and synths along with Jack O’Hara Harris providing additional guitars.

Recorded in 2019, Last Ice found their stride as an entirely remote band without losing their stride or creative momentum, especially as the COVID pandemic put a damper on any prospect of in person work. The video for “Chains” was recorded entirely remotely, with different bands members in their respective cities, but despite this the chemistry comes through in droves and gives us reason to believe Last Ice will be a stellar live act going into the second half of 2021 and beyond. As guitarist Jeremy Wilkins puts it “’Chains’ is a performance video by a band that has never actually played together. The footage of one half of the band was shot in a living room in Portland, Oregon, while the other half filmed themselves at a house in Austin, Texas. Then I assembled and edited the footage.”

Their debut S/T album showcases all the band members’ individuals strengths and collective songwriting prowess as one cohesive effort; it’s one of those rare debuts that sounds well-worn and worldly, like the band has been playing together for years. Pulsing industrial dance mechanics in “Chains” and “Disease” help introduce the ornate atmospherics of “Fire” and “Divides.” “Prayer” combines a confessional whisper with art nouveau aesthetic on amphetamines. “Curse” and “Submit” are both deep trips into the void, while the ghostly invocations of Moriah West (Xibling) complete the ethereal warmth of “Summon.” “Rising” takes that ethereal energy and balances it on top of a mechanical stuttering beat wrapped in D’s angelic vocals. Closing out the album in summation of all that came before it is “End”, with its propulsive dance beats and rhythmic synths ramping up to an expansive ambience.

“Last Ice is a wonderful mix of industrial-tinged shoegaze with plenty of goth elements thrown in as well. The darkwave aesthetic leads to a lot of pop sensibilities, but we don’t hear the group delve into too much lo-fi sound, mostly opting for lush, clear textures.”

New Noise Magazine

“Their debut single ‘Prayer’ is somewhat of a revelation, combining the best elements of west coast industrial with a swooping atmospheric feel, the cold and stark vocals draw you into almost a new era of what driving indie-electronica can do.“

IDIOTEQ

Blvck Hippie’s Josh Shaw Is Looking To Be More Than Just The ‘Weird Black Kid’ Of Indie Rock

Josh Shaw has always been a weird black kid trying to find a place where he belongs. He’s on his way to make the indie rock world that place with his band Blvck Hippie. As a black indie artist, Shaw has struggled to feel like he belongs in a genre that is predominantly white. It’s not easy when the bands you play with, the audience in front of you, and the artists influencing your sound are all white. That feeling of belonging is what pushes Shaw to keep doing what he’s doing because, as he puts it, “if I keep fighting through the layers of crap that come with being a Black indie artist then maybe in 10 years there’ll be a group of black kids starting an indie band, and it’ll be super easy for them.”

Blvck Hippie’s newest video single “Bunkbed” is a dreamy, youthful, haze of an effort, accentuated by colorful scenes of fleeting fun and intimate moments. It’s as crushingly honest and stark as it is energetic and frenetic, ultimately ending up showcasing an air of loneliness from it’s start to the video’s end.

“The Bunkbed music video is a collab between me and my older brother, Lawrence Shaw, who does freelance film in Memphis. Our aim was to show the slow cyclical, destruction of personal relationships by ending in the same loneliness the video began with. The video is an intimate look at how a self-destructive personality can ultimately drive away those who we strived so desperately to hold close. The end of the video is a rewind back to the start, to show a never ending cycle of love and self sabotage.”

“I wrote Bunkbed in early 2020 after getting out of a year long song writing funk. My main inspiration for the song is the feeling of self-inflicted loneliness. The lyrics reference a bunk bed, something that splits up the intimacy of sleeping in a bed with someone you love. Thus intentionally separating yourself from the people closest to you because you feel like you have to.”

“Blvck Hippie” is Shaw’s childhood nickname, coined by his mom. Classically trained in piano, Shaw didn’t pick up a guitar until his junior year of college when he started to write and record Lo-Fi music out of his dorm room. Post-college, Shaw worked on solo projects under St. John until 2018 when he met current Blvck Hippie drummer, Casey Rittinger — the band’s sound took a different direction as the duo penned new music under the name Blvck Hippie. Blvck Hippie’s current lineup is composed of Lead Guitarist and Vocalist Josh Shaw, Casey Rittinger on Drums, Mattie Turner on Rhythm Guitar, and Anna Welden on bass.

Blvck Hippie is recommended if “you’re a fan of The Strokes but like your songs a little more moody” (From The Strait). Overdriven shimmery guitars, jazz-inspired bass, and tight, polyrhythmic drums come together to create an unexpectedly delightful “VHS” inspired rock. This pairs with Shaw’s dark, brooding lyrics, drawing on themes of escapism, loneliness, and grief to create the Sad Boy Indie Rock songs of your dreams. Shaw credits Kanye West and Kid Cudi for inspiring him as a Black artist, pushing him to always make something different.

“Reverb and distortion envelop the guitar and vocals (fittingly the song was recorded at Memphis’ famed Sun Studios), with frontman Josh Shaw’s voice rising from a croon to a scream over the song’s explosive bridge. It’s raw and jagged in all of the ways indie rock should be.“

Afropunk

“Shaw shows off his impressive lyrically skill, machinating on dualities and dichotomies.“

The Wild Honey Pie

“Making thirsty, overdriven rock music, Blvck Hippie are an emerging force reminiscent of The Strokes and The Black Keys, but with their own spirited and dynamic energy. One listen to Josh Shaw’s fierce chorus outpouring asserts this band’s compelling artistry.“

Atwood Mag