Release Radar: October 2021
At the end of each month, Afterglow presents a staff-picked list of new albums and singles that left an impression on our ears.
Written by Afterglow Staffers
Photos courtesy of NPR, The Daily Texan, and thread.
Shiny Singles We Loved This Month:
“My Coffin Overfloweth” by Void Witch
The first track off of the Texas doomdeath metal collective’s debut demo is a nasty, face-scrunching, rib-crushing selection of ink-black despair. Clever, haunted riffs give way to Void Witch’s rotten magic, and even the first taste cloaks one in a suffocating black.
“Meet Me At Our Spot (Live)” by THE ANXIETY
WILLOW and Tyler Cole finally release the live version of “Meet Me At Our Spot,” as the studio version seems to have left fans unsatisfied in comparison. The lusher vocals, fuller instrumentation, and live chemistry improve this version greatly — which isn’t to say the last one was all that bad to begin with.
“Scripture” by Eartheater
The elusive Bella Hadid lookalike strips away her trademark baroque instrumentals in favor of hyperpop-inspired electronics on her latest track, which was featured in the Proenza Schouler SS22 runway. Accompanied by pulsating synths, the singer muses about what she describes as “the feeling that I had surmounted some kind of huge mountain in my life that I’d been climbing for years.”
“Chaos Space Marine” by Black Country, New Road
The nihilistic British no wave group is back with a kitschy track reminiscent of a musical number. Over dramatic piano chords and violins, frontman Isaac Wood abandons his signature sprechgesang while shakily singing about the surreal adventures of the eponymous protagonist.
Echo Eléctrico by Angélica Garcia
Image courtesy of Spacebomb
Though her number of Spotify listeners is small, Angélica Garcia is anything but. The Mexican-Salvadoran has made a name for herself in recent years, making the New York Times’ Best Songs of 2019 list and former president Barack Obama’s coveted yearly playlist. Garcia has dabbled in everything from reggaeton to blues rock, but in Echo Eléctrico, she covers Latin classics with a near-acapella style. Apart from a sparse bassline and spacey effects, opener “Malagueña” consists of just her vocals, which gracefully soar throughout the track. ”Malagueña / La linda y hechicera [Malagueña / You are pretty and enchanting],” she sings with a dramatic vibrato. Originally performed by legendary lesbian singer Chavela Vargas, Garcia’s take on “Macorina” carries a similar bewitching tone. In a husky whisper, the songstress delivers a sensual ode to the infamous eponymous Cuban prostitute: “Macorina / Tus senos carne de anón [Macorina / Your breasts are like the flesh of the anón fruit].” Garcia peppers unexpected elements throughout the EP: in “Llorona,” Garcia adds modern elements with a faster tempo and rapping, while “Paloma Negra” introduces the first discernible acoustic instruments in the album to make for a powerful piano-led closing ballad. In this project, Garcia reinvents herself and Latin classics while proudly wearing her heritage on her sleeve.
— C.S. Harper
Changing by The Brazen Youth
Image courtesy of The Brazen Youth
Recorded on a farm in two members of the trio’s hometown of Lyme, Connecticut, The Brazen Youth’s EP Changing embraces their familiar barnyard sound while adding an alternative twist. The four songs touch on themes of growing up and transitioning through life’s stages, interwoven with experiencing the loss of boyhood and loved ones. The title track, “Changing” exudes these messages through the lyrics “I think I’m changing / Like shaking off this dead skin / I’m shining through.” This first song on the EP sounds like a love letter to the person you’re becoming, decorated with a forward-moving beat and swelling vocals. Next, “Cloud Parade,” a story told simply through harmonies and instrumentals, is a bittersweet goodbye to someone, or something, familiar, further solidifying the coming-of-age feel of the EP. The third song, “I Love It All” is an aptly placed transition, questioning staying in the same place when everything has changed. The last and most popular song on the EP, “Hometown,” expresses the poignant sadness of being grown up in your childhood home, hidden under upbeat sounds. When put all together, the four songs create something like a public diary entry from The Brazen Youth, perfectly combining vulnerability and relatability.
— Gracie Warhurst
Boys Do Cry by Beauty School Dropout
Photo courtesy of 2021 Version III
Beauty School Dropout’s Boys Do Cry EP is made for everyone that had their emo phase in seventh grade and their 5SOS phase in eighth. The EP opens with “Slipping Away,” an accusatory pop-punk song with steady percussion heavy bass accents sandwiching the bridge. In “Coming Down,” lead singer Cole Hutzler’s voice has the same gritty quality reminiscent of early 2010s pop-punk, especially as the song continues and he begins to close lyrics with growls. “I Love It” has a poignant bass line, and the bridge of the song involves a mid-range growl, a death metal growling technique also utilized in hard rock and metalcore. “Starphucker,” the second song with a feature, is yet another condemnation, with Hutzler bellowing the following: “You run away / The second things start falling apart / That’s why the drugs will never be enough / Pop another pill and call that feeling love.” The electric guitar in the background is so potent that it almost drowns out the main vocals, though it devolves to mere accents when Royal & the Serpent comes in with her gravelly tone and stoically declares that she doesn’t “give a f-ck about your feelings.” The final song, “Demons,” has the strongest electric guitar and percussion of all of the songs on the EP, closing the project with an existential punk ballad. All in all, Boys Do Cry is a sonically pleasing project reminiscent of the themes and sounds of 2000s/2010s pop-punk, guaranteed to make your inner 2014 tumblr user happy. — Arundhati Ghosh
Support Beauty School Dropout on Spotify.
NOTHINGS GONNA LAST FOREVER BY CLUNIS
Image courtesy of Clunis
Austin-based songwriter, bass player, and producer, Chris Loveland, better known by his stage name Clunis, continues to leave his mark on the indie scene. With the release of his debut EP on October 29th entitled nothings gonna last forever, Clunis uses his background in jazz performance to create high-energy music. The EP comes three years after the release of his first single, “Birds” and continues to exude the upbeat rhythms and clever lyrics throughout the tracks. Filled with groovy beats and jazz influences, the album details the emotion of love in all its forms. Clunis explains the complexities of love, whether that be the joy felt in the honeymoon stage on “Butterflies” or the feelings intertwined with heartbreak on “Uneasy.” In his titular song, “nothings gonna last forever,” he demonstrates the nature of being in love, even if the passion doesn’t last forever. In an interview with the Daily Texan, Clunis states he wants his music to inspire change and show the plight of being earnest in a cynical world. The vibrancy of the album cover reflects his attitude of positivity, especially in his song “With You” which describes taking life easy and avoiding making love complicated. From his fun use of piano solos to adlibs, Clunis finds a way to make his music for everyone and is something all listeners can chill to and enjoy. — Mahina Adams
Gransha by Enola Gay
Image courtesy of enolagay1916
Belfast four-piece Enola Gay is marrying ‘80s goth rock and modern post-punk with debut EP Gransha. With King Krule-esque vocals, lead vocalist Fionn Reilly wails, screams, and howls throughout the album. Reilly’s voice delivers melancholy in the opener “Sofa Surfing” just as well as angst in the rapid-fire “Scrappers,” a punk party anthem that the band says is “for anyone who has felt the wrath of sleazy authoritarian bouncers.” Amid a storm of guitars and drums, the singer vividly describes characters from the club underworld: “Professional arsehole / PhD in sleazy / Degree in wrecking your nights and making women uneasy.” However, the band doesn’t just know how to have fun — “Salt” laments modern world politics. Over dissonant guitars, Reilly belts, “Stop voting for trickle-down economics / With the next generation left with no food in their stomachs.” As if these lyrics weren’t enough to make a statement, Gransha ends with a bang thanks to the harrowing “Through Men’s Eyes.” Almost engulfed by a whirlwind of guitar fuzz, Reilly criticizes sexual assault perpetrators by mockingly saying, “Beauty provokes harassment, through men's eyes when deciding what provokes it” before screeching the phrase “through men’s eyes” as the track dies down. With just four tracks, Gransha packs a punch so powerful it’ll leave listeners dazed for days. — C.S. Harper
HARDCORE HEAVEN by Alice Gas
Image courtesy of 909 worldwide
In her second studio album HARDCORE HEAVEN, Alice Gas keeps it fresh and to the point, with the record coming in at just under 19 minutes. A work of hyperpop, the album is fast-paced and rousing, with driving drum machine beats and repetitive, catchy synth rhythms layered over them. These electronic sounds define the record, supported by scattered vocals that range from brief interjections to indistinct rambling lines. This makes HARDCORE HEAVEN the perfect soundtrack for whenever you need a little bit of added drive in your life without getting too distracted, whether it’s while working out, studying, or even just doing chores. The first three tracks of the record are rapid and energetic, with bouncing rhythms that build throughout, never quite reaching a definite conclusion. “HARDCORE WORSHIP (INTERLUDE)” bridges the two halves of the album with a similarly frantic sound, but the next couple of songs are slightly more subdued, at least in terms of hyperpop. The same high-energy beats are still present throughout, but they are interspersed with softer, more melodic moments as well. The final track, “REACH 4 THE STARS,” begins with a somewhat restrained piano, but this soon builds to a higher intensity sound reminiscent of the beginning tracks, ending the album with a punch. “HARDCORE HEAVEN” is certainly hardcore at times, but it is not without the eccentric, whimsical sounds that have come to define hyperpop as a genre, and this skillful juxtaposition cements Alice Gas as an up-and-coming artist to look out for. — Caroline Pastrano
Support Alice Gas on Spotify.
TV or Not TV by Liily
Image courtesy of Liily
Los Angeles based alternative rock newcomers, Liily released their debut album TV or Not TV, the perfect blend of anti-establishment punk and manic grunge. Known for their intense, mosh-inducing live performances, Liily delivers an album packed full of angsty lyricism, high-energy choruses, stinging guitar riffs, and hard-hitting snares. The opening song, “Mr. Speaker Gets the Word,” builds in intensity, with a gradual layering of high hats, rhythmic bass, strong guitar licks, and spoken-word lyrics to prepare you for the harsh, chaotic sound Liily created for their launch into the music scene. The unhinged “Monkey” shows the youthful whimsy of the band, with the chorus repetitively declaring, “I want my monkey.” Collectively, the album has peaks and valleys of energy, with slower, more thoughtful songs like the haunting “Anvil” and melancholic “I’m Glad When They Arrive, and I’m Glad When They Leave” and chaotic, head-banging songs like “The Yig” and “Early Bopper.” Lead vocalist Dylan Nash’s impassioned tone is reminiscent of Arctic Monkey’s front-man Alex Turner, but Nash’s yelly-nature also fuels a Sex Pistols-esque punk edge. The band has already made waves in the industry, garnering enough popularity to perform at Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, even though they released their first EP, I Can Fool Anyone in This Town, only two years ago. The band’s unique sound experimentation, combining 70s punk and garage rock, is enough to make anyone reach for a pair of combat boots and a leather jacket, to prepare to take down The Man. — Olivia Abercrombie
Support Liily on Spotify.
My Way by LEADR
Image courtesy of LEADR
As a queer Vietnamese-American artist, LEADR (Alexander Tang) occupies an underrepresented space in the music industry. Having found their passion for singing through Madonna (Haven’t we all?), Tang is creating a unique musical legacy just like the Queen of Pop. Their debut album My Way fuses crisp electronic beats with evocative lyricism: over bright piano chords, the singer delivers cocky lyrics in the title track: “And I’ll be fashionably late / That’s just my way.” Despite the bold braggadocio of this song, much of the album deals with grimmer themes. The melancholy “Cherry Hill” and “Gaia” allude to past abuse through vibrant imagery. While the former expresses the singer’s childhood desire to escape to the fictional Cherry Hill, the latter juxtaposes gritty guitar fuzz with more hopeful lyrics. In “Gaia,” Tang looks to the Greek goddess Gaia to heal from and understand their abuse, and they beg her to help their younger self. Released at the peak of anti-AAPI hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the standout “Hi, I’m Human” addresses collective trauma. The singer kills racists with kindness, telling them that “With a change of heart, you can start to be / Something better than you wanted” before the powerful hook: “Hi, I’m human, I’m just like you.” With their debut album, Tang carves out their way and makes space for their communities. — C.S. Harper