The Alt Weekly Roundup (6/19)
Posted: by The Editor
The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format. Albums, singles, videos, and live sets. Check back each Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Kenny Mason – “SIDE II SIDE”
On previous releases, Kenny Mason’s music fused elements of punk and metal into his rap sound; on 6, he mostly sticks to straightforward trap. While he’s incredible even in a more traditional style, “SIDE II SIDE” steals the show, a hazy, atmospheric dirge that owes as much to any grunge ballad as it does Mason’s Atlanta forefathers.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Bas Relief – Insulary
The members of Bas Relief might have emo backgrounds, but Insulary only ties to the genre are in its heartfelt, hushed vocal delivery. Instead, the duo weaves scurrying beats and smears of ambience together to create a beautiful electronic record more akin to Ontario Gothic than Dog Bless. It’s a lovely record, from the cascading vocal effects in “Lot” to the dance-pop of closer “Hung Round My Name,” not a moment wasted.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Bodyweb – Train_Wreck_Simulation
There are several points where Bodyweb is too saccharine in its vision of alt-rock/nu-metal revival. It makes sense, given that one of the members is also in Higher Power, a hardcore band that treads similar territory. You can feel the 2000s alt knob turned up on “Fall in Love (Again),” an acoustic ballad that will lead many to stop listening. But despite my complaints, I continue to revisit the more fleshed-out ideas on “Judas” and “Synthetic.” Something about a blisteringly heavy mosh part set against a reasonably pretty chorus hits my pleasure center in the best way possible.
Hugo Reyes @hvreyes5
How Strange It Is – “Bug”
“Bug,” the second single from How Strange It Is’ upcoming In the Light of the Blistering Moon, unfolds from a jangling, hazy intro to an explosive and cathartic finale. It’s markedly different from the previously released “Head Holder,” which existed at arm’s length under a blanket of fuzz, but the most immediate sound works well for the Portland indie rockers.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Fury – “Vie”
“Vie” is Fury’s first song since 2019’s excellent Failed Entertainment. It’s their thrashiest song yet, with a monstrous guitar solo—it’s a hell of a reintroduction.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week our editor Lindsy Carrasquillo compiles a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays on Twitter and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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