NADUH (nah-duh) composed of TARANEH (aka Tee Krispil), Jenny Lea (of I M U R), Rosita Alcantara (of Off Topic), Giorgi Holiday (aka Giorgi), and Larisa Marie, write, engineer, and produce all of their music – meaning they have crafted a sound that’s truly representative of their collective energy. With heavy influences from 90’s R&B, soul, and modern hip-hop, the self proclaimed soft/hard music NADUH make is representative of their queer, femme/tomboy identities as they dance between themes of empowerment and juicy realness.

New single, “CHAPSTICK,” was produced by TARANEH and written by all five members. Flipping the script on the often used line in male hip hop – “I took your girl…” – the crew wrote a queer rendition from the perspective of women having the power and energy to attract other women.

Sunshine & The Blue Moon know that whatever dreams or nightmares may come, it won’t do us any good to lose our ability to embrace joy and even get silly once in a while. In fact, it may be that spirit—the groovy one, the enlightened one—that keeps us from losing ground in the years to come. Their sophomore album Born 2 Boogie (out June 25) is shot through with that spirit, simultaneously amplifying the good vibes of ‘60s psychedelia while wrestling with the demons that the last few years have re-loosed on the world.

Lead single “Good Morning Sunshine” reminds us to find time to unwind, inspired by dreary hazy mornings, when you wake up and don’t want to do the things you’re supposed to do. We’re all in the same boat, sharing those introspective humdrum days, despite our different lived experiences. 

Toronto punk band Faiyaz and the Wasted Chances have a raucous, rough around the edges appeal whose sound falls somewhere between Warhol pre-punk and the local DIY scene in which they flowered.

Modern life in the city can be extremely draining and vamperic. New single, “Glow,” was written at a time when frontman Faiyaz Shah was working a full time job, touring in multiple bands and sleeping on the floor. However, there were moments worth experiencing and taking in. Moments as small as taking a bath or as beautiful as the night sky. 

Born from the bones of forgotten nostalgia, Sleepy Jean spent the better part of a decade frequenting tourist traps and hole-in-the-walls alike whilst sneakily sliding her self-penned songs amongst those of her contemporaries and reveries. Sleepy Jean’s blend of American standard songwriting and folk sensibilities are unquestionably her own.

Her first recorded offering, Idle Hands, makes its way into the world midsummer 2021. Taken from the forthcoming EP, “Smaller” is a meditation on the compulsion to curl up in a ball and physically occupy as little space as possible. Anxiety often turns into dreamlike, soft-around-the-edges state of numbness, and this song is the sonic representation of that.

With an American alt-pop sound that’s unique from start to finish, this is the year of the Babe. The design of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Evans, he draws inspiration from his Great Lakes upbringing. Perhaps most notably so by deriving the name Paul Babe from the giant, superhuman lumberjack of Northwood’s lore who’s faithful companion was the Blue Ox, Babe. The music is based on ambition, raw feelings, natural occurrences; moments big and small that were always meant to happen. His sound is both genuine and rich in spirit, as his upcoming music is truly a labor of love. He makes beautiful sounds and then butchers them, obsesses over spaces but is not entirely minimal. The finished product often depicts a deceptively dense greenhouse of sound. The drum arrangements sway a little bit electro and a little bit organic. In his hierarchy of songwriting and production priorities, melody always reigns supreme. When the cake finally comes out of the oven it is often a homemade and gritty but bonafide result. Made during a period of significant loss in Evans’ life, the songs ultimately carry undertones of positivity and hope for the future. Moments of trying to find the good in horrible situations. Of realizing that there is beauty in the scars. These elements helped to inspire and mold his music into what it has become today, and what an odyssey it is.

“The World is a Goner” is the first single from the newest album coming from Diane and the Gentle Men. Written at home during a pandemic, she says “the song came about from looking for alternate ideas for creativity, while dancing around my house by myself in an effort to feel alive and well. We sometimes take for granted that when we are out and about on a daily basis, inspiration is endless. Being forced to stay indoors for a longer period of time allowed me to venture down a rabbit hole of podcasts, You Tube documentaries, old radio programs and television programs of yesteryear. The song emerged when I was feeling content about being locked in and lonely, seeing the world through a window and being grateful I wasn’t sleeping on the street. Like the cover, the crooked dilapidated house not wanting to fall, I found Influence from old films like King Kong, Mad Max, American Graffiti and songs by Diana Ross and the Supremes, Otis Redding, and of course, The Kinks. I got to work this song up with Derek Cruz (Jesse Malin band) for a live broadcast I was working on and then when things felt a little more safe, we went out to Atomic in Brooklyn with the other guys in Jesse Malin’s band and put down the song. My other players were unavailable at the time because of the pandemic (they have kids). I am grateful to Derek Cruz, James Cruz, Randy Cover Art Gillian Stoll Schrager and Rob Clores for their musicianship and of course for Malin and his never ending generosity not to mention Merle Chornuk and Geoff Sanoff for their genius. Lastly, Don Dilego, producer, writer and friend at Velvet Elk Records who tirelessly puts out my records while delivering great tunes himself. I feel very lucky to be a part of a beautiful music community.” The video for the new single was filmed by Photographer/Artist Dina Regine in an afternoon in an apartment in NYC and edited by Dave Stekert, with whom Diane has often collaborated.