It is no secret that I was floored by Shrines, Purity Ring’s 2013 debut album.  It was dark, sharp, complex synth pop with southern rap beats thumping through most of the record.  Just yesterday, Purity Ring unveiled their new track, “Push Pull.”  The lighter feel and the absence of those deep beats from the dirty south can be heard immediately and may herald a newer, more accessible pop sound for the duo.  Even if this is a departure from what what Purity Ring previously mastered, it appears their creativity in lyrics and orchestration remains intact.  “Push Pull” may be more digestible for the masses but it still has the signature of a matured pop group ready to expand into new terrain.

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“10,000 Emerald Pools” is the debut single from emerging indie artist, BØRNS.  A Michigan native now soaking in the west coast, laid back vibes of LA, BØRNS is translating his new state of mind directly into his impressive, dreamy new track.  BØRNS is a one man show, so don’t be fooled by the vocals…that’s all the work of this new star.  The new indie mainstay just signed with Interscope and after hearing his masterful indie pop debut EP, Candy, Interscope just made its best move all year.  Start listening to BØRNS now so you can brag you were one of the first.  Enjoy.

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Roger Sellers creates simple, calming music to get completely lost in.  His single, “Lates,” off his recent album, Primitives, is no exception.  There’s a magical way that this Texas native’s music absorbs you and unravels all that entangles you.  His songs are uncluttered and precise, yet effortless and unbounded.  “Lates” is the perfect track for when you need to turn things down and fade away for a bit.  Enjoy.

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Alt-J has really mastered the indie/electronic/folk vibe.  Every time I play their sophomore album, This Is All Yours, released a few months ago, I discover a new gem.  The most recent gem that is getting repeat play, “Every Other Freckle,” has made its rounds on the indie blog circuit.  What’s remarkable is how they can really mesh so many genres together into a slow, sexy track that even makes ridiculous lyrics seem perfectly fitting (I’m gonna bed into you like a cat beds into a beanbag).  Only Alt-J can craft such an alluring track while referencing cats and beanbags.  Enjoy.

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Half pop singer, half hippie, Zella Day instantly pulls you in with her starry-eyed, carefree intonation.  With her recent single, “Sweet Ophelia,” Day seems to join these two converse approaches into something somewhat intoxicating.  Day’s voice spirals throughout the entire track and only breaks to to explode with a hook heavy chorus that makes all the blood rush to your head.  “Sweet Ophelia” can be found on Day’s recently released, self-titled EP.  Enjoy.

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It’s no secret that Polyenso draws its inspiration from the likes of Radiohead and Coldplay.  “17 New Years,” the first single off what will hopefully be their sophomore album under the name Polyenso (they previously released music as Oceana), looks to be taking inspiration from an unlikely source and combining it with their love for their alternative rock and pop roots.  “17 New Years” has unmistakable R&B and neo-soul flavor, which works surprisingly well as an extension of what they created with their first album, One Big Particular Loop.  Polyenso makes the marriage of alternative, experimental rock with soul seamless.  “17 New Years” has me excited for what’s to come.  I hope it does the same for you.  Enjoy.

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It wasn’t all that long ago that I posted an article on the UK’s Osca and their impressive debut single, “Blood.”  The foursome returns with “Illume,” an emotional track that sways between intimacy and exhilaration.  “Illume” proves that Osca is the real thing.  The near orchestral nature of their songs coupled with the maturity and openness of the lyrics (Come on love/I hold you closer than my skin) melts together into a song that makes the blood rush through every vein in your body.  Osca is bringing us the beginning of something amazing.  You might as well bask in the glory of being there from the start.  Enjoy.

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London-based quarter, Osca, has released a remarkable debut single with “Blood.”  The track is almost stripped bare, giving immense weight to the solitary piano and folksy intonations of the vocals.  “Blood” courses through your veins with an intimacy and clenching need to give yourself entirely to someone because it’s all you have left to do.  Lyrically, “Blood” is somber and sincere, holding up a mirror to some of our most private emotions.  Osca’s ability to trade off between solitude, hope, love and despair so effortlessly is a remarkable feat and one I hope to see them repeat in the future.  Enjoy.

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This is surprisingly the first entry on EWH for Alt-J.  The UK outfit have a reputation of crafting music that is a bit shy or subdued.  However, there is a complexity to the music that eliminates the need for it to be aggressive or laden with upbeat commercial choruses.  Their recent single, “Hunger of the Pines,” continues the path of stripped melodies.  The track starts off barren but slowly leads into a synth-based chant, with a sample from Miley Cirus’ single, ‘4×4.’  Don’t run from this track simply because a 3 second blip of Miley Cirus is on it.  Alt-J seems to have picked the few words to loop and embed perfectly, adding confusing yet irresistible dimensions to the track.  “Hunger of the Pines” is the first single off Alt-J’s sophomore album, and I have a feeling more surprises are on the way.  Enjoy.

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“Thousand Eyes,” the first single off “Ices,” the third album from indie pop songstress, Lia Ices, diverges from her previous efforts, which typically tended to be more solemn and weighty.  The new track definitely leans more towards the pop realm, with a bit of reliance on electronic enhancements that, coupled with acoustic guitars, infuses more energy and creates multiple dimensions.  Upon a careful listen, you can sense pop, folk, and 60s rock all wrapped into a tight, neat package.  I’m hoping the rest of the album can continue this trend and expand Ices’ palate to more upbeat flavors.  Enjoy.

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Scoop “Thousand Eyes” here