title | art | genre + ffo | blurb | listen | home town |
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TSRS2020: V/A - 2020 Label Sampler |
bedroom pop
chiptune
dream pop
electronic
emo
experimental
folk
hip hop
indie pop
indie rock
instrumental
jazz-fusion
math rock
pop
pop punk
punk
rock
shoegaze
slowcore
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
The culmination of a year's worth of work with and for artists that we're so fortunate, excited, and thankful to be affiliated with. It's been the most surreal of years, but has also been one of the strongest in terms of musical output that our label has ever had. Catch up with everything we've released recently with our annual PWYW sampler! | topshelfrecords.com/S2020 | ||
TSR229: Elephant Gym - Dear Humans |
jazz-fusion
math rock
rock
American Football, tricot, CHON, GoGo Penguin, mouse on the keys, Yvette Young |
Written for the Taiwanese theatre production, Big Band Species, "Dear Humans" finds Elephant Gym at their most dynamic in this whimsical crossover project. Each member of the trio's acumen is featured throughout the composition's distinct movements, which starts on a contemplative piano-led overture before plunging headfirst into unpredictable segments of bass-driven passages which draw influence from math-rock, funk, classical, and post-bop. Ever stylistically all-encompassing, Elephant Gym's deft, diverse arrangements are a perfect auditory match to the Shakespeare's Wild Sisters Group theatre production. | topshelfrecords.com/229 | Kaohsiung City, Taiwan | |
TSR228: Record Setter - I Owe You Nothing |
emo
hardcore
post hardcore
post rock
rock
screamo
Suis La Lune, Loma Prieta, This Will Destroy You, Touche Amore, Underoath |
Explosive, unpredictable, and persistently candid throughout, I Owe You Nothing is a lesson in introspection and identity. The Denton, Texas-based Record Setter are unflinchingly inventive with every new release, creating intricate compositions which balance their fierce spirit and delicate emotions. Frenzied and impassioned vocals soar over thunderous guitars, ferocious percussion, and bone-shaking low-end, comprising fervent songs that oscillate between raw powerful screamo and affective post-rock melodies. Through introspective lyricism and turbulent sonic soundscapes, I Owe You Nothing chronicles the lifelong journey of coming to terms with yourself, your anxieties, and your mistakes, ultimately rewarded by a sense of empowered independence. | topshelfrecords.com/228 | Denton, TX | |
TSR227: Record Setter - Purge |
emo
hardcore
post hardcore
post rock
rock
screamo
Suis La Lune, Loma Prieta, This Will Destroy You, Touche Amore, Underoath, Portraits of Past |
Intricate guitar work, insistent hooks, and a vocal and lyrical conviction that worm their way throughout the album, Purge finds Record Setter making space to thrive in the cracks between screams and gentle whispers. | topshelfrecords.com/227 | Denton, TX | |
TSR225: Really From - Really From |
indie rock
jazz-fusion
rock
Jeff Rosenstock, toe, The World Is A Beautiful Place, Gulfer, Great Grandpa, Kamasi Washington, Deerhoof |
Drawing on influences of jazz improvisation, minimalist composition, and punk rock ethos, the Boston-based band Really From dismiss traditional genre and formulae in favor of explorative, indie rock amalgamations. Since 2014, their ever-evolving sound has incorporated stylistic touchstones from math rock to ambient, exploring themes of place, self, and culture through a dialect entirely their own. | topshelfrecords.com/225 | Boston, MA | |
TSR226: Weatherday - Come in |
emo
experimental
indie rock
rock
Xiu Xiu, The Microphones, The Brave Little Abacus, Have A Nice Life, Glocca Morra, Car Seat Headrest, Glass Beach, Surf Curse |
Weatherday is the bedroom noise-pop project of the mononymous Swedish artist Sputnik. Although anonymous to their entire fanbase, their cult-acclaimed album Come in has garnered them a large and dedicated following through its raucous musical universe and serpentine sparklepunk stylings. Come in will see its first vinyl issue via Topshelf Records in 2021. | topshelfrecords.com/226 | Sweden | |
TSR224: Lunarette - Clair de Lunarette |
dream pop
pop
Cocteau Twins, The Radio Dept., Yumi Zouma, Hatchie |
Clair de Lunarette is a split EP release with Babe City records, and is the band's first foray into the spotlight since the dissolution of Gingerlys. Striving for release, both personal and communal, Lunarette lean into the pop sensuality of their polished, electronic world. Lush, swirling guitar layered over dynamic, jingling synth melodies fill the atmosphere of their debut EP. Harkening to late night drives, and the carefree sentimentality of future nostalgia, lead single “Austin St.” beckons listeners to swap the serious for a waking daydream. |
topshelfrecords.com/224 | Brooklyn, NY | |
TSR223: Gulfer - S/T |
emo
math rock
punk
rock
Oso Oso, Joyce Manor, Algernon Cadwallader, melodic and inventive rock with technical flourishes |
Explosive, agile emo serves as the backdrop to guitarist and vocalists Vincent Ford and Joe Therriault's honest and vulnerable lyricism, with the two sharing the writing process on a record that tackles human nature; exploring self-doubt, resentment, complex relationships, climate change, and the waning of youth. The band never lose the sense of playfulness and fun that is omnipresent in their live show, an undeniable, electric energy that stems from being a group of close friends before all else. | topshelfrecords.com/223 | Montreal, QC | |
TSRC025: Alexia Avina - Unearth |
dream pop
electronic
folk
pop
Ada Lea, Grouper, Jessica Pratt, Gia Margaret, atmospheric ethereal synth pop |
Soft, layered, and at times raw, Alexia Avina’s "Unearth" is an exploration of what it takes to rebuild in the wake of a break-up. The songs capture the painful, yet revitalizing process of sifting through damaging emotions and emerging with something slightly new and familiar. Avina’s knack for weaving otherworldly soundscapes and thoughtful lyrical introspection shines through, meditating on what it means to connect and detach. | topshelfrecords.com/C025 | Hadley, Massachusetts | |
TSRC026: Flung - Shaky But My Hair Is Grown |
electronic
experimental
Palm, Stereolab, Body Meat, Kate Bush, Nick Hakim, Jon Bap, Hype Williams, Crumb |
Flung’s debut album showcases their aptitude for songcraft; Shaky But My Hair Is Grown is both restless and instantly relatable. Ambient recordings and unusual chord progressions play duets over hard hitting polyrhythms woven from glitchy samples and clipped loops. The album’s whimsical yet poignant songs venture in all directions, a scattering of textures laced together with some intangible thread. Finding cadence in assemblage, Flung never sits in one place for too long, instead inviting the listener to share in the joy of the unpredictable. | topshelfrecords.com/C026 | Oakland, CA | |
TSR221: Del Paxton - September, Bedtime, Ontario |
emo
indie rock
pop
pop punk
rock
Braid, Third Eye Blind, Mock Orange, PUP, Oso Oso, punchy 90s-inspired alternative rock |
Their latest work is a trio of singles teeming with the exuberance and excitement of being young, alive, and earnest. With overdriven choruses of diaristic contemplation, Del Paxton's thoughtful ruminations stir up the passions of prolonged youth and the challenges of holding onto friends you could never let go. | topshelfrecords.com/221 | Buffalo, NY | |
TSRC024: Harry the Nightgown - S/T |
electronic
experimental
indie pop
indie rock
pop
rock
Ava Luna, Fake Fruit, Palberta, buckets of fun improv art rock |
Harry the Nightgown is the sonic playground for the duo of Spencer Hartling and Sami Perez's impressive production chops (they're both engineers at Tiny Telephone Studios). The band's influences range from The Raincoats and XTC to Rosalía and Kate Bush. Their sound has been compared to bands such as Dirty Projectors and Deerhoof. The result is defined by improv “Toast and Punch” recording techniques. | topshelfrecords.com/C024 | Los Angeles, CA | |
TSR220: Gregory Uhlmann - Neighborhood Watch |
indie pop
indie rock
pop
rock
Cate le Bon, Bill Callahan, Sam Evian, Really Big Pinecone |
Rich in melodic and textural allure, Neighborhood Watch comes from a place of contentment. Consider it a meditation on domestic bliss experienced in early adulthood. The songs on Neighborhood Watch match consummate musicianship and thoughtful songcraft with an innate gift for melody, and that lyricism is channeled through Uhlmann’s unique singing voice—soft and balmy yet also direct and affecting. | topshelfrecords.com/220 | Los Angeles, CA | |
TSR219: mouse on the keys - Arche |
instrumental
jazz-fusion
math rock
post rock
rock
Tigran Hamasyan, CHON, Cornelius, toe, Tortoise, The Mercury Program |
Seeking to expand their sound and style on tres (2018) and "Circle" (2019), mouse on the keys toyed with form and instrumentation by adding vocals, guitar, and electronic regalia. But on their new EP, Arche, the Japanese trio return to the core of their sound, a dizzying piano-based jazz founded on nimble syncopation and harmonic intrigue. | topshelfrecords.com/219 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSR218: standards - Fruit Island |
instrumental
math rock
rock
TTNG, Algernon Cadwallader, Chon |
Led by the exuberant melodies of cross-tapping guitarist Marcos Mena, the LA duo Standards make meticulous instrumental math-rock whose effervescent riffs teem with sunny enthusiasm. On the band's debut full-length, Fruit Island, Standards deftly retool math-rock's unforgiving, challenging tendencies into a style that is both danceable and compositionally profound. Drummer Forrest Rice's boisterous chops complement Mena's unpredictable melodies, grounding the unusual self-dueling riffs and balancing the bright compositions with tasteful fills and immaculate syncopations. | topshelfrecords.com/218 | Los Angeles, CA | |
TSR217: Thanya Iyer - KIND |
electronic
experimental
instrumental
r & b
Crumb, Arcade Fire, Stereolab, Moses Sumney, Noname, Portishead, Ohmme |
Although represented by a concise title, KIND explores an expansive universe where Iyer and her band examine interpersonal relationships, ideas of home and destination, and our collective responsibilities to one another. Featuring guest musicians ranging from brass trios and vocal sextets, to flautists and harpists. | topshelfrecords.com/217 | Montreal, Quebec | |
TSR216: Crisman - S/T |
bedroom pop
indie pop
indie rock
pop
rock
slowcore
Florist, Lomelda, Slow Pulp, Hand Habits, Built to Spill, Duster, Pinback, Horse Jumper of Love |
Madeline Dowd's visual artwork playfully relays adult themes through childlike imagery. But with her band Crisman, she swaps the acrylics and spray paint for hazily-filtered vocals gently layered over slowcore instrumentals to find yet another medium for masking emotional turmoil with innocence. The contrasting maturity and juvenility of Crisman’s paintings are refracted throughout this measured ten-song collection. | topshelfrecords.com/216 | Denton, TX | |
TSR215: addy - Eclipse |
electronic
folk
Hovvdy, Arthur Russell, Lomelda, Big Thief, Luka Kuplowsky, celestial folk |
The Richmond, VA artist serves up a debut album of contemplative magic on the terrain of eloquent, country-reminiscent instrumentation, ASMR-inducing textures, and Casio-sequenced drum hooks. | topshelfrecords.com/215 | Richmond, VA | |
TSR214: Elephant Gym - Gaze at Blue |
electronic
instrumental
jazz-fusion
math rock
rock
American Football, tricot, CHON, GoGo Penguin, mouse on the keys, Yvette Young |
Carefully synthesized elements of jazz, ambient, and post-rock blend into a groove-replete freeform introspection. The interplay of "Gaze at Blue"'s nimble, explorative guitar and bass bounces between unison and syncopation, coated with subtly glitched sample-clicks and the cool ambience of a droning synth. | topshelfrecords.com/214 | Kaohsiung City, Taiwan | |
TSR213: No Vacation / Okey Dokey - Really Truly |
dream pop
pop
The Marías, SALES, boy pablo, Gus Dapperton |
The dreamlike joint effort by 2019 summertime tourmates No Vacation and Okey Dokey. | topshelfrecords.com/213 | San Francisco, CA | |
TSR212: Alfred. - One Trick Pony |
experimental
hip hop
r & b
Sampa the Great, Noname, Tierra Whack, McKinley Dixon, Peaer, Nnamdï |
On One Trick Pony, Alfred.'s imaginative self-storytelling and twisted streams of consciousness cover a striking breadth of styles across a mere six songs, dancing between dark gospel, Dilla-inflected sampling, and hypnotic bops. | topshelfrecords.com/212 | Richmond, Virginia | |
TSR211: mouse on the keys - Mind |
electronic
experimental
instrumental
math rock
rock
Tigran Hamasyan, CHON, Cornelius, toe, Tortoise, The Mercury Program |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/211 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSR210: Boyscott - Goose Bumps |
indie pop
indie rock
jangle pop
pop
rock
Beach Fossils, Real Estate, Triathalon, Chastity Belt, Boy Pablo, The Drums, Frankie Cosmos |
Ten upbeat tracks that forge together elements of surf rock and bedroom pop with a sonic depth not commonly associated with lo-fi projects. | topshelfrecords.com/210 | Connecticut | |
TSR209: LITE - Multiple |
experimental
instrumental
math rock
rock
toe, tera melos, CHON, Yvette Young, TTNG, BATTLES |
Multiple is the sixth full length record by the prolific maximalists known as LITE. Over the years, the Japanese quartet has established itself as one of the most influential groups across a host of subgenres. Though usually referred to by touchstones such as "math-rock" or "post-rock," LITE has developed an uncanny ability to fuse their influences into their own unmistakable dialect that defies generic genre classification. |
topshelfrecords.com/209 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSR208: Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling |
bedroom pop
dream pop
electronic
experimental
folk
pop
Cornelius, Sufjan Stevens, Rei Harakami, Grizzly Bear |
Although sung almost entirely in Korean, Crumbling exhibits a distinct universality, merging disparate sounds and styles into a cohesive, electronic-infused folk amalgam that tactfully blurs the lines between organic and synthetic. | topshelfrecords.com/208 | South Korea | |
TSR207: No Vacation - Phasing |
dream pop
indie rock
pop
rock
Sales, Men I Trust, Hot Flash Heat Wave, Crumb |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/207 | San Francisco, CA | |
TSR206: Ratboys - Printer's Devil |
folk
indie rock
punk
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Upheaval and change are clear themes spread throughout the songs of Printer's Devil, but the moments of uncertainty are embraced as a necessary part of growing. And through it all, Ratboys’ dynamics still beautifully thread together the kinds of intimate folk songs and devastating alt-country tracks that fans have come to expect from them. | topshelfrecords.com/206 | Chicago, IL | |
TSR205: Alfred. - Like You!! |
hip hop
r & b
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Co-released with Citrus City Records, "Like You!!" is the deeply multifaceted debut album by Richmond, VA's Alfred. Its warbly bell tones, expertly chopped melodic samples, and slow-mo hip-hop grooves form the instrumental base for the "darkgospel" singer/rapper Aaron Brown. | topshelfrecords.com/205 | Richmond, Virginia | |
TSR203: Field Mouse - Meaning |
indie rock
punk
rock
shoegaze
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Meaning is the third full length album by the Brooklyn- and Philly-based indie rock group Field Mouse. While listeners have previously described Field Mouse's sound as something akin to a shoegazey dream pop, Meaning marks a decided turn to less obscured realms, perhaps more simply described by terms such as rock and roll or pop. | topshelfrecords.com/203 | Brooklyn, NY | |
TSR202: Queen of Jeans - If you're not afraid, I'm not afraid |
folk
indie pop
indie rock
pop
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Dreamy vocals shine through as the sun through clouds, drenching twangy, western-reminiscent guitar in evocative light, illuminating the album's vast and serene "crockpot pop" soundscapes. | topshelfrecords.com/202 | Philadelphia, PA | |
TSR201: Elephant Gym - Underwater |
electronic
instrumental
math rock
rock
Yvette Young, Joe Pass, Chinese Football, TTNG, mouse on the keys |
Elephant Gym builds worlds through a bass-driven, jazz-and-funk-inflected writing style that teems with agile, articulate excitement. While commonly associated with the sub-genre of math-rock, Elephant Gym employs their own unique technical candor, with rhythms and melodies that never cross the line into uncomfortable angularity. | topshelfrecords.com/201 | Kaohsiung City, Taiwan | |
TSR199: Bellows - The Rose Gardener |
bedroom pop
electronic
experimental
folk
indie pop
indie rock
pop
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
"I think the loneliness I see in this moment became the metaphor of The Rose Gardener — a gardener trying to tend to a single rosebush in the dead of winter. I imagined this character and his practice of tending to a rose that seems destined to perish in ice, who recognizes the futility of the work but nevertheless goes out every day to tend to the dying plant." | topshelfrecords.com/199 | Brooklyn, NY | |
TSR198: LITE - Blizzard |
electronic
experimental
instrumental
math rock
post rock
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/198 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSRS2018: V/A - 2018 Label Sampler |
electronic
emo
experimental
folk
instrumental
math rock
post punk
post rock
punk
rock
shoegaze
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/S2018 | ||
TSR197: Doe - Grow into It |
indie rock
pop
pop punk
punk
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Following the critically acclaimed Some Things Last Longer Than You, London-based indie-rock trio, Doe present Grow into It. If you’re into the likes of The Breeders, Weezer, Charly Bliss, Great Grandpa or Speedy Ortiz, you'll want to check this out right away. As NPR once said ‘Doe makes snide exasperation sound like a party’. Sounds great, doesn’t it? |
topshelfrecords.com/197 | London, UK | |
TSR196: toe - Our Latest Number |
electronic
instrumental
math rock
r & b
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
There aren't too many bands you can listen to and over the course of a few minutes hear parts that ring simultaneously of J Dilla, Victor Villareal, and Fugazi—toe is one of those bands (hell yeah). | topshelfrecords.com/196 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSR195: Another Michael - Land |
electronic
indie pop
pop
r & b
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Another Michael is a band that defies immediate classification. While they incorporate a wealth of stylistic touchstones, their uniqueness presents as a thoughtful amalgam of indie pop carried by crispy, subdued electronic percussion. | topshelfrecords.com/195 | Philadelphia, PA | |
TSR194: El Ten Eleven - Banker's Hill |
electronic
instrumental
post rock
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
The music of El Ten Eleven has been described as “meditation in motion,” which seems apt. To fully realize this descriptor the band worked with an outside producer for the first time in their 16-year career, teaming up with Sonny DiPerri and moving into the incredible confines of Panoramic House on the beautiful Northern California coast. The result is Banker’s Hill—an album that explores the paradox of beauty in anxiety, the importance and effect of family, and the fleeting possibility of satisfaction. | topshelfrecords.com/194 | Los Angeles, CA | |
TSR193: mouse on the keys - tres |
electronic
experimental
instrumental
jazz-fusion
math rock
rock
CHON, Cornelius, toe, Tortoise, The Mercury Program |
Known for their genre-blurring style that combines minimalist neo-classical piano work with the fringes of jazz-moded math-rock and even IDM-tinted electronica, mouse on the keys are constantly discovering new styles of music. On their aptly titled third album, tres, the trio present the most boundary-pushing results of these discoveries to date. Talented guest musicians from CHON’s Mario Camarena to jazz singer Dominique Fils-Aimé feature to elucidate and embolden the broadspectrum experimentations of mouse on the keys, adding yet new dimensions to a sound already unbound by musical trends and convention. |
topshelfrecords.com/193 | Tokyo, Japan | |
TSRC023: Another Michael - Sans / Voice Memos |
electronic
folk
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/C023 | Philadelphia, PA | |
TSR192: gobbinjr - ocala wick |
bedroom pop
electronic
indie pop
pop
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
Upbeat and whimsical indie pop meets themes of loss, remorse, relationships and uninvited advances. | topshelfrecords.com/192 | Madison, WI | |
TSRC022: Pema - Bad Habits |
electronic
r & b
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/C022 | Brooklyn, NY | |
TSR191: tricot - potage / On the boom |
emo
indie rock
math rock
punk
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/191 | Kyoto, Japan | |
TSR190: Us and Us Only - Two Songs |
electronic
folk
rock
slowcore
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/190 | Baltimore, MD | |
TSR189: Clearance - At Your Leisure |
indie rock
jangle pop
pop
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/189 | Chicago, IL | |
TSR188: Queen of Jeans - Dig Yourself |
dream pop
indie rock
jangle pop
pop
rock
missing ffo info—pls ask us! |
missing a blurb—pls ask us! | topshelfrecords.com/188 | Philadelphia, PA |