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The second single from London-based duo Quenta, “The Two of Us” grips with a heady hip-hop and art-pop fusion, reminiscent of Demon Days-era Gorillaz. Described as “a journey into the realms of relationships, lovers or friends,” “The Two of Us” meshes hip-hop rhythms with dark brass components. The vocals emit a range of charisma and personality, practically laughing with menacing appeal upon the “it’s just the two of us,” beginnings.

An ominous swell past the one-minute mark excels into a bouncier piano-forward pull, as a mellower vocal disposition emerges alongside. The rise from hip-hop mystique into smooth-flowing pop and “game over!” vocal snippet makes for a compelling sound, reflecting the project’s eclectic and creatively melodic sound — even if it’s at time unsettling. “The Two of Us” is a creative success from Quenta.

Quenta also has an upcoming full-length on the way.

Last year, Los Angeles-based indie singer/songwriter Tanner Houghton debuted his solo moniker Oh Bummer! with a new EP, Losing Sunlight. That debut found Houghton fusing his laid-back, indie slacker aesthetic with trip-hop-inspired beats from producer The KickDrums, crafting a woozy and charming style of indie pop with an insular frame. Houghton describes his sound as “songs that are a conglomeration of my manic ADHD thoughts - the diary of an overthinker.”

Later this year, Houghton is set to share his forthcoming sophomore EP. He has already teased the record with its lead single, “Talk About It All The Time,” and today he’s back with an early listen to another new track, “Listen Up,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Listen Up” is another of Houghton’s breezy genre fusions, pulling together a sunny guitar line, mellow beat, and insistent hook. Samples from vintage TV shows color the margins of the track while Houghton’s expressive vocal delivery adds some melancholic shades, contrasting his easygoing style with introspective lyricism. Houghton explains of the song, “‘Listen Up’ is an empathetic take on what I know about my late father. He was taken by brain cancer when I was five, and lost the ability to walk long before that. I have memories of him trying with all his might to get up out of his wheelchair and walk, only to hit the ground. He contained multitudes, and seemed to carry so much darkness and light in his heart. Even though he hurt people I love, I stand firm in the belief that love is what heals. This all relates to me and my younger self too - lost, angry, confused. Constantly falling and sinking deeper into that black hole. I needed love and support more than anything, but you can only receive those things if you let them in.”

Yet, despite the track’s themes, the results feel brilliantly sweet and summery. That balance is central to Houghton’s music. He explains, “I remember sitting in an old abandoned Victorian house in Echo Park 4 years ago, writing this song and screaming the hook, ‘Sat and I watched you fall apart’ with my best friend Sasha on guitar. I kept the demo this whole time knowing it could be something special. Oh Bummer! is my first solo musical project at 27 years old, and it is the perfect outlet for me to express my love for hip-hop, while adding in some pop and folk-punk sensibilities. Little did I know the name Oh Bummer! would be so fitting, as it’s become abundantly clear that no matter how bouncy and fun the beat behind me is, I’ll find a way to make sure the theme of the song is as heavy as my heart. And if you met me in person, you’ll see why - I carry myself with whimsey to compensate for all of the weight underneath. Oh, bummer.”

Check out the song and video below. The sophomore EP from Oh Bummer! is due out later this year.

Local Natives are releasing a new album, Time Will Wait For No One, on July 7 via Loma Vista. Now they have announced some in-store performances at three Southern California record stores and shared a live performance video for the album’s recent single, “NYE.” Check it all out below.

Time Will Wait For No One includes three singles the band shared last year: “Just Before the Morning,” “Desert Snow,”and “Hourglass.” “Desert Snow” was one of our Songs of the Week. Then when the album was announced they shared another single from it, “NYE,” via an amusing music video, and announced some tour dates. “NYE” was also one of our Songs of the Week.

For the album the band worked with three producers—John Congleton (Angel Olsen, Death Cab For Cutie, St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten), Michael Harris (Lana Del Rey, Feist), and Danny Reisch (Sun June, Other Lives)—recording at various studios around Los Angeles.

The band collectively had this to say about the album in a previous press release: “Former selves melting away as some of us became fathers, endured periods of isolation, loss, and identity crisis. The highs and lows we were feeling at the same time were so extreme. There was a moment halfway through making the album, we played one of the most emotional concerts of our lives. A sold out show at the Greek Theater in LA, our first performance in almost two years, and we didn’t know if it would be our last. As individuals and as a band, we were on the verge of a collapse. Time flows on uncontrollably and change is relentless, and the people you love are the only constants. Out of that reckoning we dissolved everything down to start again, and had the most prolific period of songwriting in our history. This is the first chapter, Time Will Wait For No One.”

Whenever one of the members of Local Natives get married, the rest of the members become their wedding band. During the wedding of the band’s Ryan Hahn, he got to watch the rest of the band perform without him for the first time, as they covered some of his favorite songs (including one by The Strokes). That inspired “NYE.”

Hahn further explians: “I was so psyched watching the guys play this from the audience, something I’d never seen before, that I thought we had to do a fast and wild song, and ‘NYE’ was born.”

The rest of Local Natives’ lineup is Taylor Rice, Kelcey Ayer, Matt Frazier, and Nik Ewing.

Local Natives released an EP, Sour Lemon, in 2020. Their most recent album was Violet Street, which was released in 2019 on Loma Vista.

Local Natives SoCal In-Store Tour Dates:

July 11, 2023 - Hollywood, CA - Amoeba July 12 - Long Beach, CA - Fingerprints July 15 - Encinitas, CA - Lou’s Records

Local Natives Tour Dates:

August 1, 2023 - Los Angeles, CA - Ford Theater (Hummingbird 10th Ann. Show) August 2, 2023 - Los Angeles, CA - Ford Theater (Hummingbird 10th Ann. Show) August 18, 2023 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue^ August 19, 2023 - Milwaukee, WI - The Pabst Theater^ August 20, 2023 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre^ August 22, 2023 - Boston, MA - House of Blues^ August 24, 2023 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club^ August 25, 2023 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club^ August 26, 2023 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE^ August 27, 2023 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall^ August 29, 2023 - New York, NY - Pier 17^ September 8, 2023 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre* September 9, 2023 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues* September 11, 2023 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall* September 12, 2023 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works* September 13, 2023 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern* September 15, 2023 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues* September 16, 2023 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater* September 17, 2023 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom* September 19, 2023 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren* September 21, 2023 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom* September 22, 2023 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot* September 23, 2023 - Bozeman, MT - The Elm* September 25, 2023 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre* September 26, 2023 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre* September 27, 2023 - Portland, OR - McMenamins Grand Lodge* September 28, 2023 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater* September 30, 2023 - Del Mar, CA - The Sound*

^ w/ Annika Bennett

• w/ Halfnoise

Every week the Stereogum staff chooses the five best new songs of the week. The eligibility period begins and ends Thursdays right before midnight. You can hear this week’s picks below and on Stereogum’s Favorite New Music Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly. (An expanded playlist of our new music picks is available to members on Spotify and Apple Music, updated throughout the week.)

05

Florry - "Drunk And High"

Keep the rootsy indie rock coming. Florry’s been leaning that way lately, and on the opening track from new album The Holey Bible — coming soon on the same label that gave us M.J. Lenderman’s Boat Songs — their flirtations with alt-country come home to roost. “Drunk And High” laces its power-pop jangle with pedal steel, fiddle, and Southern-fried lead guitar to glorious effect. Francie Medosch and friends hoot, holler, and harmonize atop the ruckus, until you end up wondering if Philadelphia somehow slipped below the Mason-Dixon line while we weren’t looking. —Chris

04

Slowdive - "Kisses"

How lovely it is to have Slowdive back (again). From the jump, “Kisses” is everything a Slowdive superfan could want: hypnotic and hazy melody, a tight, driving rhythm, swirling synths, and lush, whispery vocals from Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell that entwine with each other just so. The sheer dark romance of “Kisses” really makes you want to drive around Los Angeles at night (IYKYK). It’s not like we needed a refresher on why Slowdive influenced so many dream-pop and shoegaze acts of the last 30 years, but it’s great to hear from the OGs nonetheless. —Rachel

03

The Smile - "Bending Hectic"

“Bending Hectic” sure packs a wallop, and I can only imagine what it must be like to witness live (certain fans among us have, as the Smile debuted it on tour last year). An eight-minute odyssey of sound, “Bending Hectic” starts softly with elegant, harp-like guitar picks; every few beats, Jonny Greenwood curves the strings in an experimental manner that makes me think of early-career Animal Collective. Meanwhile, Thom Yorke’s murmur gives way to cinematic strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra, which curdle and turn dissonant — like that godawful THX chord at the movies, except more bone-chilling. The song’s conclusion is screeching, chaotic, thudding, and totally at odds with the song’s beginning. You can practically visualize its curvature, mirroring the title. —Rachel

02

Aphex Twin - "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f"

We shan’t be taking new Aphex Twin for granted! Richard D. James can go a long time without releasing music — even his trickle of ambiguous SoundCloud tracks has dried up. But earlier this month, he started making the festival rounds again for the first time in four years, and here comes Aphex Twin’s first official material in five: “Blackbox Life Recorder 21f” is a prelude to an EP, due out next month. And it slaps, at least in the transportive way one might expect. It’s groovy, not so frenetic as some of his more recent material, but still hypnotically unstable. There are no showy breakdowns, just a whole lot of impeccably layered sounds. —James

01

Doja Cat - "Attention"

Last year, Doja Cat got tonsil surgery, which forced her to pull out of the Weeknd’s stadium tour. She talked openly about career burnout. She shaved her head and her eyebrows. She mentioned the term “hardcore punk” as a possible future direction. Doja didn’t seem terribly interested in the pop stardom that she’d chased for so long, and nobody knew what form she’d take when she came back. But “Attention” isn’t the confrontational fuck-you that some of us were expecting. Instead, it’s a warm, honest, irresistible track about the pressures and headaches of fame — one that manages to pull us in rather than pushing us away.

It’s pretty. That’s the most striking thing. The backing track, from past Doja collaborators Rogét Chahayed and Y2K, is lush and pillowy, with murmuring jazz bass and florid acoustic guitar and light plucks of electric sitar. On the hook,, Doja sings in a dreamy, sleepy coo, and her words are a little nebulous: “It don’t need your lovin’, it just needs your attention.” On the verses, Doja raps with easy, conversational fire, lashing out at anyone who thinks she’s not living up to some imaginary standard: “Boo-hoo, my n***a, I ain’t sad you won’t fuck me/ I’m sad that you really thought your ass was above me.” It’s a striking statement from a true pop star — one who can go anywhere she wants from here. —Tom

more from The 5 Best Songs Of The Week

'Today the world saw that the masters of Russia do not control anything. Nothing at all. Just complete chaos,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says

Chaos in Russia works to Kyiv’s advantage, Ukraine officials said on Saturday, June 24, but it remains to be seen whether President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his army can capitalize on the disorder caused this weekend as mercenaries marched towards Moscow.

Late on Saturday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a founder of the Wagner army, said he was halting his “march for justice” on Moscow after a deal that spared him and his mercenaries from facing criminal charges. The deal also exiled Prigozhin to Belarus.

“Today the world saw that the masters of Russia do not control anything. Nothing at all. Just complete chaos,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, urging Ukraine’s allies to use the moment and send more weapons to Kyiv.

The Prigozhin unrest, the biggest internal challenge to President Vladimir Putin as Russia’s paramount leader for 23 years, has spurred global security concerns and a frenzy of calls between Washington and its allies to coordinate actions.

“Any chaos behind the enemy lines works in our interests,” State-run Ukrinform news agency quoted Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as saying on Saturday.

Putin called Prigozhin’s actions a “blow to Russia,” but there were no immediate signs his rule was threatened. The defense ministry, under the helm of Putin’s loyal ally Sergei Shoigu, remained silent throughout the weekend’s events.

Kuleba said it was too early to speak of consequences for Ukraine, but later in the day he held a call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the events and Kyiv’s counteroffensive efforts.

The US State Department said in a statement afterwards that Washington will stay “in close cooperation” with Kyiv as the situation develops.

Ukraine’s military reported on Saturday an offensive near villages ringing Bakhmut, which was taken by Wagner forces in May after months of fighting. Kyiv also claimed the liberation of Krasnohorivka village in Donetsk, but gains were incremental.

The counteroffensive has been in general “slower than desired,” Zelenskiy said recently.

Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, said on Saturday there was no immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from the frontline to Moscow.

“They…all remain in their places. They continue their resistance,” Ukrainian state media quoted Danilov as saying. – Rappler.com

Osees Powerlift Their Way Through Synth-Punk on New Single and Video “Goon”

On their second single from their upcoming album, Intercepted Message, “Goon” wastes no time to turn the amps up with the help of some tasteful 80s synths.

June 23, 2023

Osees - Photo by Titouan Massé

Osees – Photo by Titouan Massé

Released just before they embark on their North American tour, garage-punk band Thee Oh Sees, currently going by Osees, are switching lanes into synth-punk on their latest track and video, “Goon.” Once a solo project of guitarist and vocalist John Dwyer, the band is known for constant name changes and reinventions from album to album. On their second single from their upcoming album, Intercepted Message, “Goon” wastes no time to turn the amps up with the help of some tasteful 80s synths. Ad

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Complete with verses and a chorus that comes rapidly in just over two minutes of track time, Dwyer’s voice, using his gravelly diaphragm, shouts like there’s no tomorrow. From the jump, the drums go at lightning speed without slowing down for a second, fitting for “your 24-hour news cycle eyes,” as Dwyer put it when describing his intentions behind the song. The quote also applies to the lyrics, with Dwyer seemingly speaking to conformities and embracing himself as a goon while simultaneously raising hell on the guitar. Ad

The music video clocks in at the same exact time as the song, keeping matters concise and tight. Perhaps just as tight as Zack Palmisano’s muscles, the focal point of the video. Alone in a mostly empty gym, he pumps iron through constantly changing frames, taking note of posters that tell him to “work hard” and “use every single inch.” He takes the latter to heart and comically uses his hard-on to lift heavy weights like the star of an absurd 80s movie à la Repo Man. artist to watch in 2023

“Goon,” described by Dwyer as “a pop record for tired times. Sugared with bits of shatterproof glass to put more crack in your strap,” just about captures that essence and then some. It also helps that the music video works so well with the track and understands how much it will get your blood flowing. But that should be expected from a band that, after more than twenty studio albums, still manages to keep everyone guessing about what’s around the corner.

“Goon” by Osees is out on all streaming services. For more on their upcoming album and North American tour, including a date at Substance Festival in LA on November 9th, follow them on Bandcamp and their website.

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Saw a dude with a They Live shirt on today, and we agreed it was the truth! A gem by a true master!

A stirring single from Chicago-based band SOFT CHARM, “soup” launches quickly into an exhilarating guitar-laden soaring amidst a calming acoustical pulse. The caressing vocal tone emerges amidst a lusher backing disposition; the seamless alternations between urging contemplation and subsequent soaring reminds fondly of Japanese Breakfast.

“Everything that you believe in is a lie,” the vocals let out, the bitter truth contrasted by the exuberant guitar play. The lyrics play poignantly, with this particular line reflective of current society’s trend toward false truths. The track itself “poses itself as a challenge” to such blind acceptances, and does so in rousing form with the climactic rock production.

Check out the band’s track description:

“soup” is a song about brainmelt. Lyrically it weaves gently but potently through subjects such as reproductive justice, gender affirming healthcare, gun control, and police brutality. It poses itself as a challenge to those who may be blindly accepting and reciting dangerous conservative rhetoric. A leftist manifesto tucked into an upbeat sway and melody, reminiscent of an early 2000s indie / pop rock ballad.

—

This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of June 2023’ Spotify playlist.

Impressing in both twangy yearning and bright hooky rock, the I Don’t Hear You Anymore EP is a stellar release from The Money War. The Western Australian-based duo of Dylan Ollivierre and Carmen Pepper concoct a heartrending sound, authentically capturing a range of emotions.

“The songs are special to me because they remind me of moments in the last year where I felt desperate to express myself,” Ollivierre says. “In the past, we often had numerous songs to choose from, but nowadays, with three young kids, our time has significantly decreased. Therefore, a song only progresses beyond the ‘idea’ stage if it strongly demands to be realized.”

The good thing about limited time is that selectivity becomes of greater importance; that’s emphasized in the EP’s 4-for-4 success rate, not wasting any time during its brief yet memorable runtime. Opener “I Don’t Hear You Anymore” is immediately indicative of such, presenting a caressing folk sound. A lush acoustic guitar complements Ollivierre’s affecting vocal lead. “Is this the cross I’m nailed upon, or just my ego out for blood?” the vocals stir.

Pursuing a more playful, peppy sound with twangy guitars and light reflective keys, “Was It Ever Really Anything?” enamors with its hooky, laid-back production. The duo alternate vocal leads, joining for the “if we gave up now, was it ever really anything?” refrain. Further captivation arises upon the gorgeous burst of guitar twangs past the two-minute turn. The track also features FEELDs, the Melbourne-based project of James Seymour.

Taking inspiration “by the beauty of living in the present moment,” “Ride” scales things back with beautiful twangs and a resonating vocal emphasis on the importance of love. “Come on ride with me, come and take the ride of your life with me,” the vocals entice, comforting amidst the western-y, desert-set sound. The closing “Somebody Loves You” brings back the vibrancy, exuding a nostalgic rock quality with its mellow pushes and bouncy guitars. The title-touting chorus shines with replay-inducing warmth.

Featuring two shimmering rockers and two scaled-down beauties, The Money War’s I Don’t Hear You Anymore is an EP with dynamic and melodically impactful resonance.

Leaders of SAG-AFTRA signaled they are making good headway in contract negotiations with the major studios, suggesting Hollywood may avert a second strike.

In a video message to members Saturday, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland shared no details of the talks, but said they were progressing well.

“We are having an extremely productive negotiations that are laser focused on all the crucial issues you told us are most important to you,” Drescher said.

The talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers began June 7 and are being closely watched in light of the ongoing writers’ strike, which began May 2.

The writers’ strike has brought nearly all scripted production to a halt in Los Angeles. But an actors’ strike could be even more destabilizing for the film and TV industry.

An agreement with the actors, coming on the heels of a contract recently negotiated by the Directors Guild of America, would likely put more pressure on Writers Guild of America and the AMPTP to resolve their standoff, although guild leaders have stressed they would not be bound by terms negotiated by other guilds.

Actors have been vocal in their support of writers and share many of the same demands to boost pay and improve working conditions that they say have eroded during the streaming era.

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SAG-AFTRA members have already authorized their leaders to call a strike if they can’t reach a deal on a new film and TV contract before their contract expires June 30.

The last time actors went on strike was in 2000 in a dispute over their commercials contract. The previous actors’ strike against the major film and TV studios was in 1980.

Despite the tensions, SAG-AFTRA leaders expressed optimism they could reach a deal that would avert another walkout.

“We have a very narrow window of time remaining before our contract expires,” Crabtree-Ireland said in the video. “We remain optimistic that we will be able to bring the studios, networks, streamers along to make a fair deal.”

SAG-AFTRA, which represents some 160,000 performers and broadcasters, is seeking increased wages to counter inflation, higher residuals from streaming and protections from the use of AI. Additionally, the union wants to bolster contributions to its health and pension plans and curb the practice of self-taped auditions, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic.

The video message was first reported by Deadline.