02/20/24 [Love Letters, Modern British Invasion and 10 Steps Ahead]
I consider Before the Break a challenge each week…It’s a fun challenge to find shit I like and put it into words that serve the music right. There’s good shit everywhere that goes undiscovered because of Spotify’s algorithm–which is why I started doing this!
Music discovery can be a great way to get to know artists all around the world instead of artists in your vicinity.
Here are FIVE new songs to listen to from artists with under 1,000 monthly listeners to widen the horizons of your musical journey:
The Sea Benz, “Carousel”
“Carousel” is this extremely grooved, moody tune by psych surf-rock Australian band The Sea Benz. The intro to the song has this different personality we get a glimpse of; it’s free to do whatever it pleases and is incredibly foreboding We fall into this intense harmony between all the instruments where everything feels really calculated and multi-dimensional. The drums are clean and give way to the distortion you hear on the guitar which adds this really beautiful 3D texture to the electric guitar that creates this satisfying echo. The rhythm section holds it down for the majority of the song and lets the guitar take the lead as it continuously initiates a call and response using the recognizable and catchy motif. There’s a change in the punctuated section at the end that almost serves as a palate cleanser before we reach the end of the song. The drums produce some pretty interesting fills and the energy goes up as the song returns back to the hook and motif. I will warn you: this song is catchy…
Super Secret Band, “2011 Gia Wizard”
This song is an actual trip from start to end. The beginning feels like you’re getting dragged underwater and into this entirely different dimension where we get a brief hint of this floating, colorful song “2011 Gila Wizard.” There is this dream sequence panning that surprises speakers and catches you off guard until the music hits you in the ears again. This song can come off as extremely overwhelming as it takes you through this insane journey filled with different sounds and patterns that you can’t wrap your head around. Super Secret Band’s mind is 10 steps ahead and we listeners are just trying to keep up. The band originates from Portland (arguably one of the best cities for music) so its no surprise that I’m blown away by them. There are no cracks to get lost in, and no holes needing filling. This song serves as a love letter to psychedelic music and the fade out at the end of this song feels like you’re being pulled away from this revelation and left with a deeper understanding of how complicated and beautiful music can be. This song made me realize just how grateful I am to know that music like this exists and that I can share it with people; this is why I do what I do.
Baby Lung, “Eastern District Fairytale”
This song snuck up on me but I’m very thankful that it did. “Eastern District Fairytale” is catchy from the start and my ears were drawn to the saxophone that accompanies the other instruments. It has this beautiful tamber to it that adds to the song in a soulful and lively way– it adds to the story of the song. The vocals are gritty and deep while having this touch of anger to them; they’re edgy in a tasteful way. The repetition of the syncopation between beats moves in a consistent downward motion but if you listen closely the drummer fills that space sometimes instead of participating in that double drop-off. The consistency of the chords works to their advantage in combination with the lyrics and vocals. The lyrics have this sexy yet messy vibe to them that makes sense in the grand scheme of the song. The writing of both the music and the lyrics obviously has a lot of thought to it; it is deliberately sneaky like there’s something to hide. This song definitely has hints of contemporary music but with an English undertone that comes naturally to the band based out of Northampton.
The Funk Factory, “Just Enjoy the Ride”
If you’ve had a lot on your mind lately and you need a song to chill you out I would probably recommend “Just Enjoy the Ride” by The Funk Factory. This song has hints of reggae in it with this distinct swing that’s so easy to lean into and appreciate. The guitar is tainted with a wah pedal that cohesively compliments the vocals. The bassline is absolutely sick once you catch wind of it and with the crispness of the drums, this song is so chill. The snare of the drum hits very naturally, it makes it feel less studio-y. As you move through the song the guitar has some whine in it at the end that brings the attention to the guitar for a bit. Surprisingly with only 86 monthly listeners, this band takes the likes of artists like Bob Marley and rock like Pink Floyd to create this blended masterpiece. There’s this lovely partnership between the actual music and the vocals that resonates the vibe of the song with one another. This song is destined to put you in a good mood and takes all the weight off your shoulders for a relaxing four minutes.
Diggy Lessard, “Salt”
Diggy Lessard combines the sound of The Beatles and modern British invasion pop rock-esque sound to create songs like “Salt.” Featured in his 2019 full-length album the beach rock song is catchy and quick; determined to get into your ear. The beginning of the song is painted with short audio clips of sounds like kids screaming or people talking as the guitar is strummed methodically which gives it this interesting nostalgic feel. The music is quick at first and slows down as the lyrics begin to get introduced and a tumultuous love story comes through the speakers. The guitar solo is an absolutely mindblowing intermission to the rest of the song, and just when you think it’s over, the guitar gives a little bit more until the vocals come back in. The drums hold it down and keep the rhythm steady and fast as we reach the end of the song. Stylistically, the song meshes so well together and each aspect fits in like a puzzle piece. Even the echoes of the words in the lyrics are extremely pleasing to the ear so much so that it sticks. Lessard leaves the mind wondering as a multi-talented producer and artist and just through his music alone, you can tell music is in his blood. Dope shit.
Feel free to check out these artists’ Bandcamps or social media pages to get an in-depth look at what they’re about and what they’re up to!
Feel free to send me any music you think should be featured on a Before the Break and I’ll definitely give it a listen! As always, check out the Spotify playlist for convenient listening of all songs featured on the blog 🙂
See y’all next week.
where do we go from here? 
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