Honne – “Coastal Love”: Out this week from a “soulful electronic duo” is an EP from Honne. “Coastal Love” is the breezy, vivacious single. The voices drone with a reserved yet assertive presence in this funky tune. The band’s name signifies a battle between a person’s wants and desires and the behavior that transpires in actuality. Use this song how you want. It can be easy listening or club ready – up to you.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb7Cf9CfP90[/youtube]

Monks of Mellonwah – “Never Been Good”: We’ve covered this Australian alternative pop band before, and now they’re back with an irresistible single just in time for summer consumption in the northern hemisphere. I actually pity the land down under for the fact that they can’t blast this tune now, at the time at which it is probably most relevant. Seriously though, this is one of the most enjoyable tracks at first listen (or maybe second) that I’ve heard in a long while. I can’t exactly test the song’s longevity on a whim, but I’m feeling optimistic.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/198689329″ /]

Mutoid Man – “Sweet Ivy”: Prepare to be jolted out of the pop bliss of the previous track and thrust into the progressive rock madness of Mutoid Man. Did you know that this band has members of Converge and Cave In within? Betcha didn’t. This is loud rock music for the indie snob. The rhythm section is so fast I half expect a transition to deathcore at some point. This band was meant to be a non serious experimental project, so if you dig what you hear be sure to spread the word!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKh-Nf2NeEY[/youtube]

Seoul – “The Line”: This might be the best cinematography I’ve seen in a music video since M83’s “Midnight City”/”Reunion”/”Wait” trifecta. And actually, the Montreal band sonically isn’t that far off from M83. They even both hail from lands where the dominant language is French. Where M83 focuses on wonder and childlike awe, Seoul prefers to emphasize the low end – not as drum and bass, but in the form of vocals and creating somewhat of a downtempo atmosphere. Consider these guys on my “to book” list for an Ohio Tuned Up event.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auNC32PZ9qU[/youtube]

Deaf Rhino – “Hey You”: I wouldn’t want to mess with a deaf rhino (or maybe that wouldn’t be so bad – he wouldn’t be able to hear where I run). I do want to get to know this band better though. Catchy alternative with a dash of reverb and a hearty helping of rhythm. The DIY band from New Jersey boasts that “‘Hey You’ is the song that no matter what style bill we play on..Pop, rock, metal…it always gets asses shaking.” I think I can stand behind that statement.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGDZigbYA1w[/youtube]

Tired Lion – “I Don’t Think You Like Me”: Tired Lion is a band that I’d like to see sharing a bill with Now, Now and All Dogs someday. Punk attitude mixed with driving indie rock is the name of the game here. The band hails from Perth, Australia and I want to see them in the states very soon! Obviously Tuned Up needs an Aussie writer with all this action from that direction coming our way! “I don’t think you like me” they wail… Well I beg to differ!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu-NTKl4b7c[/youtube]

Loop – “Precession”: So I’ve been really really behind on this shoegaze train. So all these bands are coming back just in time for me to discover them for the first time. We had My Bloody Valentine a couple of years ago, then we had the live reappearing of Slow Dive. Now, this year we have comebacks from Ride and Loop. Loop might technically be shoegaze, but they certainly fit the general vibe of this trend. “Precession” is their first new material in a whopping 25 years. Count ’em. I really don’t know how to describe this track other than I paradoxically dig its repetitiousness and I’m not sure where I’ve been. I was a year old the last time this band released music…
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/202050935″  /]