Based in San Diego, 18-year-old singer songwriter Briana Solorzano, who goes by the artist name RIA, has just shared her first official single “Broke Baby”. The song is a laid-back pop number with a bouncy guitar loop and very minimal beats that slowly build up around Ria’s vocals.
The young artist explains that the song is about the “deeper meaning of solitude” for “a naive young girl going through the first lessons of life as a young adult”. It’s a song about the reality of growing up, broken dreams, friends moving on and time going on and on.
To follow RIA’s present and future endeavours, go to SoundCloud.
Having spent years embedded in collaborative projects, Brooklyn-based artist Xan Young is now flying solo, with a project that represents his unadulterated voice, the product of years of maturation in experimental pop and club music.
Sonically, his new track “Honest” thumps with a driving bassline topped by crystalline soulful vocals and waves of blazing synthesizers. Young showcases his talent as both a songwriter and producer on this new release.
For more info and music, go to Xan Young’s Facebook or SoundCloud. Buy the music on
L.A.-based alternative duo Powers recently premiered “Heavy”, a new track taken off their upcoming debut album, Alpha, which is due out later this year on Republic Records. With its late 70’s New York bass line and deliciously retro string arrangements, “Heavy” is a bittersweet number about the struggle of relationships and how toxic they can sometimes be. It’s a “battle between logic and desire” says vocalist Crista Ru, who co-founded Powers with co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Del Rio back in 2014.
For Powers, bringing songs to life means tapping into their own eclectic backgrounds from playing in underground punk bands in New York City to co-writing for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Selena Gomez. Citing the cut-and-paste art of Robert Rauschenberg and Terry Gilliam among their longtime influences, they’ve taken a collage-like approach to constructing crystalline pop.
For more info, music and your dates, check out their official site or Facebook. Buy the music on
Hospitality is an American Indie trio from Brooklyn, NYC, formed in 2007 and consisting of Amber Papini (vocals, guitar), Brian Betancourt (bass) and Nathan Michel (percussion). The band released their first full-length album on Merge Records in January 2012 to very positive reviews.
“Going Out” is taken off the band’s sophomore album, Trouble, which features a darker sound than its predecessor. Hospitality’s trademark pop is still present but with a more stripped-down instrumentation, creating a space where undulating synths come alive and mysterious voices fill the void.
Amber Papini elaborates: “Most of the songs are about everyday environments that arouse anxiety or unease. I think a lot of the songs deal with this ‘out of place’ kind of theme, feelings of unease and the questions of what is under you or what surrounds you.”
Bones is the fourth studio album released by American musician Son Lux (a.k.a. Ryan Lott), who first came to public knowledge in 2008 with his breathtaking debut, At War With Walls and Mazes, followed by We Are Rising in 2011. Released in October 2013 via Joyful Noise Recordings, Lott’s third album Lanterns has spawned a handful of very successful singles, including “Alternate World” (stream below).
The song features guest vocals from Ieva Berberian, Cameron Schenk, Aaron Strumpel and Shara Worden, which provide a counterpoint to Lott’s raspy vocals. Other guests include Chris Thile on the mandolin and Christopher Wray on pedal stell and bass.
Check out Son Lux’s SoundCloud for more tunes and head over to his Facebook for info and tour dates. Buy the music on
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