Junaco – Livin out of Mind
An overwhelming shroud of sadness looms of Junaco on ‘Livin out of Mind’, as the California pair marks their first release of the year. Depicting waves of fluctuating emotions, where bouts of sadness seemingly creep in with no warning turning the world to grey; it’s Shahana Jaffer’s warming presence that reveals a different hue of grey on Junaco’s latest work, one that invites in companionship and comfort. A moment to seek solitude and escape from the challenges of life welcomes you on ‘Living out of Mind’ and will surely be a refuge for many occasions over the year.
The Caracals – On & On
Another resident from California, Orange County native The Caracals, aka Johnny Cisneros, smothers his melancholic lyrics with pulsating psychedelic riffs throughout ‘On & On’. A post-breakup song about moving on (& on) from the past and towards a hopeful future, Cisneros blend of psych, pop, and melancholy is a match made in heaven, casting a kaleidoscopic light of simply wonderful psych variations.
Esbie Fonte – March 1st
Aspiring pop comes in the form of Esbie Fonte on her new release, ‘March 1st’. Another on the California list, the San Francisco artist delivers heartwarming pop that packs pure power, as ‘March 1st’ rolls forward into a blinding light of hope and optimism. Themed around freedom and choosing to follow your passions despite not knowing what will come ahead, Esbie Fonte captures the solemn dignity of Gleemer, casting dream-pop aside and standing valiantly with her brand of atmospheric pop, bold and unshakeable.
Febueder – Réseau
A duo made up of Kieran Godfrey and Samuel Keysell, hailing from Ascot in the UK, Febueder (pronounced Fe-byou-der) produced ethereal alt-folk, utilising world influences on their latest track ‘Réseau’. If you were ever on the wavelength of Adult Jazz, Febueder’s take on alt-folk will feel perfectly at home for you, as ‘Réseau’ vibes out to atmospheric folk, sampling multiple cultural styles, transcending above standard folk and elevating the genre tenfold.
Nectar – Fishy
Some pop-punk to close out this weeks edition of What’s Good?, Champaign, Illinois group Nectar, share a quick blast of the late ’90s with their alternative-love song ‘Fishy’. Clocking in at just over 90 seconds, ‘Fishy’ keeps its cool during its short running time, as Nectar throw together raucous riffs that would send any young-teens parents crazy, with pre-loaded choruses of wooah’s that demand repeats so those 90 seconds become infinitely longer.
velvetindependent.com 