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THE AUTUMN STONE is the result of musical admiration, turned friendship, turned romantic relationship, turned musical love affair.  Syd Lane (Vocals, Organs, Piano, Keys), hailing from Ireland-by-way-of-Canada, eventually joined James Cassidy (Vocals, Guitars, Drum, Bass),in the States, to create harmony both on and off the stage. Their influences are wide ranged, drawing from the likes of Syd Barret, T-Rex, Grandaddy, Pulp, Leonard Cohen, Sparklehorse, and The Beach Boys to name a few. While their sound is familiar, the music they create is unique, yet accessible. Their triumphant debut record, Beautiful Freaks,  is a staggering first glimpse into the band’s music. Their dreamy tones echo throughout the record with haunting vocals that whisper, and stealthily weave along.

Watch: The Autumn Stone “Vampires”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09JkYDBAPz0

The Unravelling offers a stunning blend of industrial and hard rock influences, while still having a great deal of accessibility to out-of-genre listeners. The group, who drew praises for their debut of 13 Arcane Hymns, had their career put to a halt when lead vocalist Steve Moore, was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer in 2011.

Fast-forward to the present day where Moore has luckily recovered and has sprung back into action with the group. Consisting of Moore and bandmate/instrumentalist Gustavo De Beauville, The Unravelling is better than ever. Recently they have debuted their comeback single, “Revolt,” which is a heavy hitting track laced with intricate instrumentation. The band has now released “Master Drone,” complete with brilliant new artwork from Shaun Friesen at Freeze Design (www.freezendesign.ca).

Their new single, “Master Drone,” sheds new light onto the band. Moore says of the track:  “the Master Drone is certain of his reality, and therefore living through an artifact. He is opinionated, and likely a respectable, ambitious member of society. He could be a motivational speaker, an atheist, a religious leader, a ‘life coach’ or a serial entrepreneur. He thrives within identity and strives for new identities as he grows old. He’s in all of us. He represents our human programming.”

Gustavo says of the piece “Master Drone turned out quite dark, heavy and to the point – I think it’s gonna be a doozy to perform live.”

“Master Drone” is available for free download via Bandcamp, here: http://theunravellingband.com/track/master-drone

The Unravelling via Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunravelling

Check out more of Shaun Friesen’s work, here:
www.FreeZen.ca
www.facebook.com/shaun.freezen
www.youtube.com/TheRiddleSolver

Toronto-based Steve Benjamins unearths the stunning, indie pop filled EP, Sightlines, and it hasn’t taken long for me to get hooked. He’s been critically acclaimed by tastemaker indie sites alike, all praising his knack for songwriting and writing killer hooks that will constantly entice you. Sightlines is Steve Benjamins’ sophomore EP, the follow up to the noteworthy, Somewhere Somehow.

Notably a progression from his last record, his upbeat tone harkens the like of indie heavyweights, The Killers, but creating a deeper sound throughout like Sufjan. The first single from the EP is “We Used to Live,” a song that clocks in at a little over 3 minutes, yet adds a great dose of indie pop inspired traction. Benjamins’ vocals are powerful and energetic, without feeling forced or over the top.

Standout tracks on the EP also include the haunting and stunning title track, “Sightlines,” which adds a bit of Bon Iver flavor to the record; and “Later On,” a piece that is gorgeously orchestrated with piano and faded strings.

I think it is going to be the Summer of Steve Benjamins.

Listen: Steve Benjamins’ “We Used to Live”
https://soundcloud.com/stevebenjamins/we-used-to-live

BZRK aren’t strangers to strange, but Crop Circles is definitely their most surreal effort to date. In terms of sound, the group gave Cropsey reign over beat-making duties for the album and the difference shows. The resulting sound is full of psychedelic phasers that’ll rewire your brain-waves, sirens that will keep you on edge, and a host of other strange sounds & beats that aren’t like anything in the Rap game right now.It’s equally introspective, scary, and damn impressive. The only thing more otherworldly than the music is the complex narrative that drives the album. The story starts off chill, but gradually gets more and more aggressive as the narrative distorts time and reality. Within this distortion, the group exposes truths about vices, vision, and voracity that few others have touched on at this level.

BZRK “Interpersonal Ethic”

STASH is just as fun as their name implies. The duo who hails from California, bring their own version of party-rock anthems to the dance floor, just in time for Summer. Consisting of  DJ/rapper/songwriter Steph Prost and classically trained pop singer, Amanda Maze, they bring a carefree and fun-loving feel to the party with everyone else providing the jams.

Think LMFAO without the offensiveness and with class. Prost, who has been a name in the L.A. scene for quite some time, built her reputation by DJing at high-profile events and parties, even making her way to SXSW and Sundance. STASH’s spirit may be carefree and lighthearted, but their message is strong.

When Prost teamed up with Maze, that is when everything started to take center stage. Their high energy electro-pop is ear candy for the masses, without a doubt. Recently the group has released their latest single, “Strip Me Bare,” which is already charting on the Billboard Breakouts for Dance Club Songs (#5).

If you need a new song to be your summer jam, give a listen to “Strip Me Bare.” It’s a tasty treat!

Watch: “Strip Me Bare”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=34&v=8__QpP8WoKw