Zach Prosser, mastermind behind Z and occasional Bandsplainer guest, recently announced that the band would be releasing an EP and a full-length in October. The EP, entitled MAGNUfEEK, is a Cassette Store Day exclusive that I imagine you’ll have to beg and plead with Banana Tapes to get a copy. The full-length, entitled BarbedWire.org, is currently unreleased but we may have a bit of a sneak peek of what lies within from a recent Bandcamp posting of the song “Burner.”

Doing some low level Internet sleuthing, it seems that MAGNUfEEK does not contain a song with such a title, so it’s safe to assume this exists outside of that. The song itself is a much heavier number than the previously released “456“, verging into metal territory with the vocal growls, sludgy guitars and plenty of distortion. Does this signal that the track is its own standalone endeavor or that BarbedWire.org promised to be an eclectic offering of whatever-the-fuck style the band wants to put out into the world?

Sure, in this age of social media I could just ask the band but I prefer the speculation route. My money’s placed firmly on the idea that the forthcoming album is a varietal offering. Only time will tell and prove me wrong or right but, in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the surprising offering of “Burner.”

If you missed the premiere over on The Cream, please go take a moment to familiarize yourself with the background of Peachy – the new trio of Leah Miller, Rachel Warrick and Benji Coale – and their new album Squirt that’s been released by Idle Bloom’s own Olivia Scibelli’s new label, Budding Romance Records.

The album itself manages to find that tricky balance between head-bopping pop songs and snarling punkish delivery. The longest runtime clocks in just over three minutes, which means that none of the tracks have a moment to drag or give a moment of reprieve from the energy they’re putting out. “Rich Boy” is the prime example of that unrelenting push forward. Lyrically and musically, it’s emblematic of the album as it could be a Fuck You ode to Trump or just your run of the mill asshole (maybe both), complete with all the appropriate and empowered mentality that comes with it.

Naming your band “Peachy” and giving your debut album a bright pink and rainbow adorned cover would imply an album of keyboard fueled twee pop songs but Peachy is an exercise in subverting your expectations. These songs have bite and an opinion, namely in their rightful expression of frustration and disgust with much of our current social climate.

The mission statement of So Very is a clear cut and achievable goal:

So Very began in 2018 in Nashville with the intent to bring something danceable to the city.

With that context in mind, it’s hard not to listen to their latest offering, the single “Vern’s Taproot“, with the dancefloor in mind. It’s got the pulsing beats and immersive keyboard swirls you need to lose your mind in a sweaty frenzy but it’s far from a phoned-in dance track as the unique vocal style gives it a somewhat twisted vibe.

It’s only one track but it’s easy to see this going the route of WOTT favorites Meth Dad and resulting in a full album of danceable fun with an undertone of the nefarious.

As of late, the output of Makeup and Vanity Set has been staggering. Starting in May (only four months ago at the time of this publishing), he has released two EP’s inspired by Blade Runner (PRIS and Run), a remix EP he curated from fan submissions, the soundtrack to podcast Atlanta Monster, the soundtrack to the ongoing podcast Up and Vanished, a collaborative album with Jasmin Kaset called You Drive, another EP called Shadow Circuit and, now, another EP entitled Holy Mountain.

The craziest part about the insane deluge of music is that it isn’t all rote reworkings of the same basic ideas. Yes, it is electronic music and, yes, he tends to work within an aural space that is somewhat dark and brooding but each of the above releases has its own identity. That’s not an easy task to fulfill when you’re putting out a somewhat significant release every month.

Holy Mountain in particular is a great example of this diversity in that it is transcendental immersion into modular synth loops and ambient soundscapes. This is not the general foreboding vibe you expect from Makeup and Vanity Set. In fact, some of these songs even sound downright optimistic! Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch but it is a great deal of variety from his norm and I can’t wait to hear what the next thing is.