Reviews

Marianne Joyce arrives with “Inventing Something” sounding remarkably assured for a debut, like an artist who’s been honing her voice long before hitting record. Rooted in indie folk but stretching toward something anthemic, the song feels intimate and expansive, carrying the weight of history while staying firmly grounded in the…

“LoveRise” is that exact moment when the sun hits your face a little too perfectly and you suddenly believe in fresh starts again. Jimi C & The Waves, the Venice Beach–based project of producer and multi-instrumentalist Jimi Cracovaner, kicks things off with a debut that leans hard into optimism. It’s…

Plans to Sand take a familiar ache and stretch it until it really hurts—in the best way—with their cover of “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.” Based out of Philadelphia, the band had already carved out their own lane through originals, including the well-received So What, before deciding to touch a…

“New Car” finds Vé/Zé—aka Hungarian songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Zoltan Varga—leaning into classic songwriting instincts while keeping his gaze firmly forward. Coming out of Mogyoród, Hungary, Vé/Zé channels the emotional clarity and craft of ’90s AOR. You can hear the honesty coming from writing, playing, and producing everything yourself. Featuring…

Seema Farswani is a singer-songwriter, composer, and producer whose music bridges worlds. Blending the grit of blues, the pulse of pop-rock, and the soul of Middle Eastern melodies, her sound is as emotionally raw as it is globally resonant. Her debut EP Got My Mojo (May 2024) introduced a fearless,…

Teenage prodigies throwing down modern metal that actually hits? Yeah, Black Seraphim are doing exactly that, and they’re doing it loud. Formed in late 2023 across Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Little Rock, this genre-blurring outfit has been turning heads since their earliest shows on the Sunset Strip. Their latest original…

Alice Okada’s debut full-length chapter one: the beach episode, released on January 30, 2026, opens a window to a very specific headspace. This headspace is private, exploratory, and brave. Based in Portland, OR, Okada steps into Jungle and DnB territory with curiosity, pulling inspiration from genre pillars like Shy FX,…

Paul Claxton’s seventh solo album, To Whom It May Concern, out January 30, could be a handwritten letter you slip under the door. It’s that personal, unguarded, and steeped in decades of musical living. Born in Liverpool and shaped by years on stages big and small, Claxton carries experience you…

There’s something disarmingly real about Derby Hill, the self-titled EP from Detroit singer-songwriter Derby Hill, released on January 27, 2026. Rooted in blue-collar neighborhoods, back porch swings, and late-night reckonings, this EP feels like a handful of lived stories passed across a kitchen table. Recorded in Chicago basements and hall…

After nearly a decade of grinding it out across the Midwest, Carrying Torches sounds like a band that knows exactly who they are—and more importantly, what they’re willing to face. Hailing from the Chicagoland heartland, they’ve logged close to 200 shows and built their identity on what they call Electric…