by Carly Schorman
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Mt. Joy
“Mt. Joy”
In the year(+) since Mt. Joy hit the music scene, they’ve certainly cultivated a fanbase for their buoyant indie sound and have more than 18 million Spotify streams to prove it. The L.A. (by way of Philadelphia) act dropped this s/t single just in time for a slew of scheduled performances at this year’s SXSW. Talk about an introduction to the Mt. Joy sound. “Mt. Joy” combines raw emotional charge with a carefully crafted down-home sound. If you don’t know Mt. Joy, you’re going to want to get on that.
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Follies & Vices
“Statuesque”
This duo from Seattle fuses indie pop and hip hop for something a little different and that makes us like them all the more. This chill number mixes up contemplative lyrics with a lush, genre-blurring soundscape for a fresh and harmonious feel. Rob Auerbach and Tanner Houghton, the musical partners behind Follies & Vices, relocated to Echo Park so they can regularly be found playing the L.A. haunts. Maybe we’ll get them to cross the desert for some PHX gigs. Until then, check out “Statuesque” from Follies & Vices.
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Castelle ft. Nic Hanson
“We Don’t Need to Dance”
Castelle gives shape to some slick indie-electro tracks and “We Don’t Need to Dance” is just one such example. The artist combines indie pop and R&B with an array of influences from House to Bossa Nova that all merge and mesh on his debut EP, Polychromatic, due out later this month. “We Don’t Need to Dance” is catchy with its kickback energy and sexy hook featuring Nic Hanson. Yes, I said sexy. The rest of the EP drops on 4/20 so mark your calendar.
Westrin & Mowry
“Cold Rain”
There’s an old-timey feel to this new track from Westrin & Mowry that makes me feel like slow-dancing through my living room in the slight chill of this dwindling desert winter. “Cold Rain” puts a bluesy spin on indie-folk that will have you feeling the same. Brian Westrin and Peter Mowry, the Americana songwriting duo from Michigan behind the act, have been playing together for 15 years, but they’ve got something big planned for 2018. If “Cold Rain” is any indication of what’s to come, you’re going to want to make sure Westrin & Mowry are on your radar.
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Ailey
“It Goes”
This experimental indie track will draw you into its meditative soundscape of richly layered vocals supported by minimal instrumentation. “It Goes” is simple yet entrancing. The Arizona-based artist is currently traveling/living in Mexico where rumor has it she’s also working on new recordings. If you get drawn into the Ailey sound with “It Goes” you’ll end up joining us in the wait for new songs upon her return, but there might be a Justin Bieber cover lurking on her Soundcloud page if you want to hear another side of Ailey.
