There is an immediate and palpable sense of joy that jumps out from Next of Kin, the fifth full-length album from bedroom recording project Bellows. But the record is steeped equally in loss: loss of family, beloved dogs, friendships, romantic love, and most of all loss of selfhood. Backwardly inspired by the wealth of loss, Next of Kin sees songwriter Oliver Kalb discovering a renewed sense of appreciation for life in the face of hardship, freshly emboldened to move through the world with a loosened grip on life: “I’m not its master, I give up the fight, I want no claim”, Kalb writes in “Death of Dog”. more info→
Threads of experimental pop, soul, and funk weave the main fabric of Zenizen’s “I Would (...but you want me down)”, the artist’s first new song since 2018. The singular alto of singer, songwriter, and producer Opal Hoyt is at the front of “I Would” with poetic verse that dismisses both the societal requests made of her, and the society from which those requests come. more info →
When writing about a song or album, the convention is to use the present tense. A piece of music, although representative of and influenced by the era in which it was created, is ultimately always experienced in ~the present~. We built this website while pondering ways that we could, at every turn, focus on discovery by bringing music we released years ago relevantly back into the present, challenging how we collectively talk and think about “new” music. Discovering new music is exciting, but so is discovering music that’s simply
new to you.
It’s our hope that you'll enjoy digitally crate digging through this online home of ours, finding and connecting with the 231 albums we’ve released with 139 artists from all around the world over the last 15 years. Directly below are a few of our favorites to get you started.
However you’ve found yourself here presently, thanks so much for stopping by! We couldn’t do this without your support and enthusiasm.
-Mack, Kevin, Sarah, Seth, & Will
“Low Sky” is the second in a series of three standalone singles by Lunarette. Originally begun by Brian Alvarez in 2017, “Low Sky” found new life during quarantine with the addition of vocals and melodic touch by Lunarette bandmate Jackie Mendoza. At the center of “Low Sky” is a gorgeous Queens sunset in which Alvarez found the song’s initial inspiration. Interpreted with clean bubblegum production and Mendoza’s sage optimism, the song is awash in ultraviolet vocal layers set to an upbeat Jon Secada-inspired groove—a subtle but effective injection of bygone feels that is a staple of Lunarette’s songwriting. In the final chorus, Mendoza asks and answers, “what’s the meaning of life? / there is no question”, a confident and instructive punctuation to the lavender evocations of “Low Sky”. more info →
supernowhere juxtapose entrancing midtempo composition with slithery, arpeggiating melodies backed with melodic drumming. Bassist and singer Meredith Davey is at the forefront of most songs with her lilted voice that seems to glide effortlessly over the syncopated phrasings of her bandmates Kurt Pacing (guitar, vocals) and Matt Anderson (drums), with Pacing occasionally taking over vocal leads with a delicate, hushed voice that further enriches supernowhere’s atmospheric articulations. more info →
When Gulfer guitarist and vocalist Vincent Ford sets out to write a song, the words often come before the music–and even then, the overarching meaning isn’t always clear until the song is complete. “Neighbours”–a frenzied and raucous one-off rife with technical flourishes–is no different. Ford says that the song was written specifically about processing his experiences with a loved one diagnosed with schizophrenia, but that he only realized when the song was done. Between its noodly, punchy transitions–a signature staple of the band’s songwriting–Ford explores what it must have been like to live with schizophrenia and not know it. Musically, “Neighbours” speaks to this mentally debilitating experience with tact and precision: frantic, stop-on-a-dime passages set a punkish, animated backdrop for Ford’s ruminations, giving him an appropriate setting to unpack his and his loved one’s experiences. more info →
Starting today, our full shop is 21% off until midnight PST Monday 11/29 ! 2021 titles will be 21% off through the end of the year! read more →
"Going with Beya was a very easy and unanimous decision. The brilliance of her color choices, the soft textures and the amount of detail that spans the entirety of all of her pieces were so alluring." read more →
Along with announcing their new album ‘Next of Kin’, Bellows has bestowed upon us two new tracks -- “Rancher’s Pride and “McNally Jackson” -- and their accompanying music videos read more →
"The idea for this video actually came to me in a nightmare a few years ago." read more →
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