Charismatic, on the scene, an actual-homies style band… that'sIndianapolis’s Wishy. The 5-top, who you can easily picture in the booth next to you at the bar or diner, build their songs the old-fashioned way, and this one started with a “killer bass line.” Heard! It delivers. Click play for a feel-good indie rock single from their LP Nature’s Pill, and catch Wishy at one of their West Coast tour dates this fall.
A lot of songwriting can be described as diaristic, introspective, poignant… then there’s the work of Joy Oladokun. Through its relatively lighthearted sound, this track expresses a layered and striking message of conviction to oneself — to hold strong to your own needs over self-sacrificing to avoid bringing pain or shame to another. Listen closely for a therapeutic message and don’t miss the video for a beautiful representation of heritage and love.
Trip-hop heads of the world may find themselves summoned by inventive new energy in the space from Space Afrika, a duo — radically — of two Joshuas (Joshua Tarelle Reid and Joshua Inyang), based between the Manchester and Berlin music scenes. Blending music and sound with a cinematic edge, this composition is visceral and emotionally demanding: vocals veer into screams during what appears in the video to be a take on the deathbed scene of Romeo and Juliet (or perhaps, Romeo + Juliet, ifkyk).
Ever swiped right on somebody who felt a little… sketchy? That’s the relatable backstory to this track from ViRG, the small-town synthesizer-backed musical project led by singer-songwriter Piano Whitman. Belting out feelings about not knowing what to do next when you find someone’s dark past — or when they find yours — over soaring analog keys and sax chords, while downing a cold slurpee that may have been obtained with a 5-finger discount… this track’s all cathartic pleasure for anyone world-weary of the digital love era.
We’ll end this week’s newsletter with a track that’s all movement — circular, swirling, perhaps exuberant in its formlessness — and therefore eternal. “Blue Ba-Ya (Excerpt)” is a composition by the late Jon Hassell, noted trumpet player, composer, and founder of Ndeya records. The label has released a collection of live works, the first release since his passing in 2021. Hit play on a transcendent instrumental piece showcasing Hassell’s trumpeting.
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