Northern New Jersey-based singer-songwriter Erika Sherger unveils her highly anticipated third studio album, Wrap Me Up in Colored Feathers, a ten-track collection blending indie folk, Americana, and alt-country influences into emotionally rich, soul-stirring storytelling. Out today, the album showcases Sherger’s gift for turning intimate reflections into universally resonant songs that balance tenderness with strength.

Produced and mixed by Damian Calcagne at PineBox Studio amidst the woods of Northern New Jersey, the album features a stellar lineup of collaborators: Caleb Esty on drums, Paul Kuzik on bass, Joe Cirotti on electric guitar, and Calcagne on keys. Special guests Mike Robinson (pedal steel, banjo), Elliott Peck (vocals), and Adam Minkoff (backing vocals) add depth and texture to the album’s lush soundscape, which was mastered by Frederic Kevorkian in Greenpoint, New York.

Wrap Me Up in Colored Feathers follows Sherger’s 2023 full-length Bad Wolf and her 2021 debut EP Like Birds, further establishing her voice as a songwriter unafraid to explore themes of grief, healing, transformation, and human connection. Raised on the music of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Sherger began writing songs during a cross-country geology trip in college, initially keeping her music private. Her first public performance at a local open mic in 2018 marked a turning point, launching her into the New Jersey music scene and inspiring a series of emotionally resonant releases.

Sherger’s live performances are celebrated for their intimacy and emotional resonance. Whether performing solo or with a full band, she blends original songs with carefully chosen covers from artists like Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch, The Band, and Bruce Springsteen, creating performances that feel both personal and communal.

Vocally, Sherger has drawn comparisons to Natalie Merchant, Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, and Bonnie Raitt. Influences ranging from Peter Gabriel and Jeff Tweedy to Katie Crutchfield inform her songwriting, resulting in music that is poetic, meditative, and unflinchingly honest. Each song on Wrap Me Up in Colored Feathers functions as a vignette of life’s complexities—sometimes tender, sometimes raw—inviting listeners into her deeply emotional world.

The making of this album marks Sherger’s most ambitious and collaborative effort to date. PineBox Studio’s intimate setting allowed her to expand her sonic palette, combining acoustic warmth with atmospheric textures and intricate instrumental layers. The contributions of her collaborators add dimension without overshadowing the intimacy of Sherger’s voice and lyrics, producing a record that feels both expansive and personal.

For fans of contemporary folk and Americana, Wrap Me Up in Colored Feathers offers a listening experience that resonates on multiple levels—part personal diary, part poetic narrative, part meditation on love, loss, transformation, and renewal. In a music landscape often dominated by fleeting trends, Sherger’s work stands out for its authenticity, depth, and timeless quality.

Wrap Me Up in Colored Feathers is available today on all major streaming platforms, with select live performances to follow in support of the release. Audiences can expect shows that highlight the new material while also celebrating her earlier catalog, offering a full portrait of an artist continually evolving and inspiring.

From the war-torn streets of Ukraine to sold-out arenas across Europe, Artem Pivovarov has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in modern Ukrainian music. Often dubbed the “Post Malone of Ukraine,” Pivovarov’s journey is defined by resilience, purpose, and the unshakable spirit of his homeland.

This weekend, the pop powerhouse brings his voice to New York City for an exclusive orchestral performance at Brooklyn Steel on September 14. Part of his first North American tour, the show promises a unique mix of cinematic arrangements and deeply personal storytelling.

Raised in the small Kharkiv-region city of Volchansk, which was occupied on the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Pivovarov endured profound personal loss—his childhood home destroyed, and his mother and grandmother living under nearly a year of occupation. Yet from the devastation came an unwavering purpose. “Volchansk is gone, but it lives in me — in every word, every note,” he says. “I create not just for myself, but for every Ukrainian whose story needs to be heard.”

Pivovarov has performed over 500 concerts worldwide, amassed 2.6 million Instagram followers, and garnered 1.2 billion YouTube views. He recently delivered a message of resistance to over 20 million viewers during the Usyk vs. Tyson Fury boxing match in Saudi Arabia. His performances for civilians and soldiers in front-line and liberated areas of Ukraine have cemented his status as a cultural voice for his nation.

The North American tour also includes stops in Miami, Toronto, Chicago, Edmonton, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with several shows already sold out.

For New Yorkers, the Brooklyn Steel show is a rare chance to experience Pivovarov’s music with orchestral grandeur—a performance that promises to be both moving and unforgettable.

Tickets and more information for the U.S. tour are available at pivovarovtourusa2025.com.

From a beach hut in Thailand to the wooded trails of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, “Walk Right Through” is Jont’s latest transmission from the deeper currents of human experience—a contemplative, harmony-soaked track that feels both ancient and modern, gentle and unflinching.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever had a song emerge quite like ‘Walk Right Through,’” Jont reflects. “First it was just two chords, over and over—this hypnotic loop in my beach hut when I first arrived in Thailand. The phrase ‘And then you hear your song, the one you’ve always known’ came alongside it, and that was all I received for weeks.”

For most of that winter, the track lived as a fragment. But near the end of Jont’s stay, something shifted. “I brought my focus to the song,” he says. “Started feeling into a chord sequence, then into what the most organic, relaxed melody might be. I’ve never listened to a song with that degree of reverence and surety—that there was a full song on the other side, just waiting to come through if I paid the right kind of attention.”

What arrived was more than just a song—it was a narrative wrapped in archetype and poetry.
“A story of a son and a father, of a truth so radical it’s banned by society, of the desire to sing that truth despite everything,” he explains. “It’s a photographic story if you want to see it. But more than that, it’s a felt experience—melodic, harmonic, trance-like. The lyrics are there, but the real message is in the feeling.”

At the heart of the track lies a chorus that offers a kind of spiritual reassurance:
“Nothing’s ever gonna get you / nothing’s ever gonna blow you out / no-one loves you like I love you / you’re the me that is all around.”

“I have goosebumps as I type these words,” Jont admits. “Perhaps I’ve never felt prouder of a song than this one. Or maybe I mean grateful.”

“Walk Right Through” lands as a personal and artistic high point—not only for its musicality, but for the clarity with which it affirms Jont’s role in this world.

“We are the ones who bring the songs,” he says. “Thousands that may disappear without trace. But one or two get through. One or two, 50, 60, 80 years later, will still be alive in people’s hearts. We do this for those who are not here yet.”

Following the emotionally stirring “My Father’s Sins,” The Bapti$$—the spiritual, genre-blending project of veteran artist Joseph LaPlante—returns with “Wear & Tear,” a light-hearted, whistled love song that radiates hope, joy, and divine alignment. The single is the fourth release from his just-announced debut LP, Pop Cult(ure), out September 26th.

Built around a delicate acoustic guitar, thick 808 bass drums, and a nostalgic whistle melody, “Wear & Tear” is a unique blend of contrast and cohesion. It’s both old and new, playful yet grounded, modern yet timeless.

“The melody that came to me had this hopeful, loving vibe, so I ran with it,” says LaPlante. “My wife thinks the song is cute, and that’s all the approval I needed.”

Meet me at the cedar tree

This lyric anchors the track with a subtle but powerful nod to LaPlante’s spiritual ethos. In the Pacific Northwest, cedar trees represent spiritual strength, and here, they become a symbol for love that’s been anointed. “It drives home that my wife and I have a relationship blessed by God,” he shares.

“Wear & Tear” continues The Bapti$$’ thread of intentional, heartfelt storytelling, even as the tone shifts to something more playful. “The whistling gives it this old American hobo vibe,” says LaPlante. “Still, it fits with everything else I’ve released so far. It’s in the same spirit.”

As with the other songs from The Bapti$$, the creative process was raw and intuitive. “I just jumped in the booth and pieced it together on the spot. Nearly the whole project has come together effortlessly.”

“Wear & Tear” is spiritual pop-country with a smile—a warm beam of light in The Bapti$$’ growing body of work. Despite its cheerful exterior, the track remains deeply aligned with his core mission: following divine direction in both music and life.

“Just let God take the wheel, man,” LaPlante says. “I’ve learned there’s no greater superpower than having God in your life.”

With this being release number four, The Bapti$$ is preparing for the unveiling of his long-awaited debut LP, Pop Cult(ure), dropping September 26th. “I’m super excited to drop it and I’m already itching to cook up the next batch of music,” he adds.

Experimental indie-electronic duo Allegories return with “Stay Out Of The Basement,” a mischievous alt-pop track that pairs lush, genre-warped production with a tongue-in-cheek narrative twist. Balancing intrigue and dark humour, the single imagines a world where your crush’s overly inquisitive parents meet a sinister fate simply because they couldn’t resist snooping while you were making out in the basement.

With a sound rooted in indie-electronic, alt-pop, and the duo’s signature unpredictability, “Stay Out Of The Basement” blurs lines between playful fantasy and eerie undertone. It’s another testament to Allegories’ talent for crafting songs that surprise and subvert expectations, inviting listeners into layered sonic landscapes that feel both inviting and uncanny.

“‘Stay Out Of The Basement’ is the second in a series of songs that started on ukulele—but this one took a left turn. I wrote the original idea, dropped it into Pro Tools, and handed it off to Jordan. Usually, we keep parts of that first take—vocals, lyrics, melodies—but in this case, none of it made the cut.

The original version had solid ideas, but it didn’t fit the new direction. The vibe, the vocal phrasing—it just didn’t connect. So we started fresh. What you hear now is entirely built around Jordan’s instrumental, and the final vocal fits it naturally.

Each song in this series lands somewhere different. Some stay true to the original demo, others evolve into something completely new. ‘Stay Out Of The Basement’ is one of the rare ones that left the ukulele version behind entirely.”

One Hundred Moons continue to evolve their sonic identity with the release of “Volodya,” a mesmerizing new single that arrives today as the second preview of their forthcoming album, Black Avalanche. The track immerses listeners in a dark, cinematic world, showcasing the band’s ability to balance tension, beauty, and emotional depth.

Where the lead single, “Black Avalanche,” painted broad strokes of shadow and mystery, “Volodya” narrows the focus, guiding the listener into a more intense, urgent, and enigmatic soundscape. The composition is built layer by layer, each instrument and effect carefully positioned to create a feeling of controlled chaos that is both thrilling and haunting.

“Volodya” feels like walking through a deserted city under the glow of streetlights, where every corner holds the unknown. There is a palpable tension, a push and pull between the alluring and the unsettling. The song speaks less through words and more through its textures, rhythms, and dynamic swells, allowing the music itself to tell the story. Each note, each echo, each build contributes to a narrative that is felt rather than read.

From its opening moments, “Volodya” demonstrates meticulous craftsmanship. Sharp synths cut through dense layers of sound, while guitars cascade in waves of reverb that rise and fall like a shifting skyline. The rhythm section anchors the track with subtle yet relentless momentum, creating a heartbeat amid the sprawling instrumentation. The result is a sound that is simultaneously intimate and grand, inviting the listener into a world that is unmistakably One Hundred Moons.

While hints of Circa Survive’s emotional tension and the atmospheric sweep of post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky can be sensed, One Hundred Moons remain entirely unique. The band has developed a sound that is moody, expansive, and deeply authentic—one that prioritizes feeling and atmosphere over imitation. “Volodya” is both a statement and an invitation, drawing listeners into a realm of sonic exploration.

As anticipation builds for Black Avalanche, “Volodya” provides a tantalizing preview of the album’s journey. The record promises to navigate vast emotional landscapes, alternating between quiet introspection and explosive, immersive crescendos. If the album is the adventure, “Volodya” serves as the map—guiding listeners through shadow, light, and the spaces in between, toward something haunting, beautiful, and unforgettable.

Even as a standalone single, “Volodya” establishes its own world. It is immersive, layered, and slow-burning, rewarding listeners who take the time to delve into its depths. One Hundred Moons continue to demonstrate that their music is not just heard—it is experienced, a delicate interplay of tension, atmosphere, and emotional resonance. With this release, the band solidifies their place as creators of music that lingers, captivates, and transports, inviting listeners to step fully into their enigmatic sonic universe.