Savannah-based smalltalk describes their sound as “griddy gaze.” Their set during the annual The New Colossus Shoegaze Day Party, hosted at Arlene’s Grocery, was a captivating experience that left us wanting more. We spoke with the band about staying up late, British ‘80s rock, collaborations and more.

The NYC music festival The New Colossus took over eleven venues this year. Featuring 200 bands, the six day event had something for everyone. From indie pop to goth rock and art-punk, the event featured some of the best emerging talent from all over the world.

This year we had a chance to speak with a variety of performers and over the coming weeks, we will be sharing those conversations. To kick off our series, we spoke with New York’s Genre is death after their 30-minute set at The New Colossus Goth Post-Punk Party hosted by Bowery Electric.

Bandcamp Friday is back! See some of our favorite recent releases that you should consider picking up today.

This year’s edition of The New Colossus includes almost 200 bands. The five day event takes place March 4–9, 2025 at venues across Manhattan’s Lower East Side. We’ve picked 20 artists to see this year!

Massachusetts-based songwriter and producer Hazel Adeline is a masterful storyteller, channeling raw emotion and introspection into her music. In a bold move, she released two strikingly different albums—Color of Nothing and ego death & nightmares—just a month apart. One is lush and collaborative, while the other is stripped-down and deeply personal, capturing unfiltered moments of self-reflection. In our conversation, Hazel opens up about her creative process, the power of authenticity in songwriting, and the challenges of being an independent artist.

It wasn’t easy, but we managed to pick 10 of the best albums of 2024. See the full along with a handful of other noteworthy selections.

It wasn’t easy, but we managed to pick 10 of the best EPs of 2024. See the full along with a handful of other noteworthy selections.

It’s here. Our list of 100 Songs of the Year. From sharp observations on masculinity to 80s film soundtrack inspired songs and emotional pleas for friendship, our list has it all.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact. 

Indie rock band Dogwood shares their list of most-liked releases of the year. Their selections range from dream pop artist Fazerdaze to Atlanta locals Indy Grab.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact. 

Today we highlight releases chosen by Pete Ferrari of the indie rock band Book/Spirit. From Been Stellar to Uncle Skunk, we get all New York-based bands.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact. 

In this edition, we hear from Iceblynk’s Martin Newman. The guitarist for the New York-based shoegaze project selected music from the unclassifiable duo Tremours and Icelandic goth trio Kælan Mikla.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact. 

Next up in our Best of 2024: Artist Picks, we hear from lucidlüc. The Atlanta-based artist blends psych-pop, punk and hip-hop. Lucidlüc’s curated list includes the diverse sounds of Tyler Jackson and Alli Cat.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact. 

For this edition of our Best of 2024: Artist Picks, we collaborated with Toronto-based post-punk/synth pop trio, Theo Vandenhoff. The band’s picks range from the black metal sounds of Nächtlich to indie folk tunes from Little Kid.

As we close out 2024, we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the standout creative projects from the year. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with a few of our favorite artists whose work has made an impact.

We’re thrilled to feature Anjali Nair, of the dreamy and genre-blurring New York band Navel Grazr to kick off this series!

Today is Bandcamp Friday and it’s the last one of the year!

Miami alternative band Ex Monarch blends 90s grunge with modern rock. Their most recent single “Rotten,” which we featured as one of our faves back in October, the band calls “an honest expression of grief.” 

“We want our music to create a sense of empathy, and a space to expand the conversation and destigmatize topics that are hard to talk about,” says vocalist Amanda Pasler.

In our “6 Things W/Ex Monarch” the band touches on sonic influences, creating a balance on social media, guilty pleasures and more.

Sacramento-based art punk band Blous3 has released their third album Synchronized Swimming, showcasing their evolving sound and songwriting. The album features a mix of noise, distortion, and experimental elements. In our Q&A, the band discussed their creative growth, collaborative writing process, working with Cherub Dream Records, and shoutout their favorite Sacramento bands.

Bands Do BK Presents The Music Matters festival, held at Arlene's Grocery earlier this year, captured the spirit of the city's vibrant indie scene through performances by fourteen diverse bands. Curated by Marc Seligman, a fixture of New York's music world since the ‘70s, and Sam Sumpter of Bands Do BK, the event celebrated both emerging talent and the deep sense of community that defines the indie scene. Documented on VHS by the video crew I Know We Should, Bands Do BK Presents The Music Matters preserves a unique moment in time, capturing not just the music, but the unbreakable bond that connects artists and fans in the city's ever-evolving underground scene. Read our interview with Seligman.

Dutch post-punk band Docile Bodies’ debut album, Light Will Come Our Way, is a powerful, emotionally-driven release that showcases their intuitive approach to songwriting. The album explores themes of art, nature, and family, while delving into hope and possibilities. We spoke with vocalist Sjoerd Aarden about the band moving in unison, turning gut feeling and indecisiveness into creativity, and their plans to experiment even further in the future.

Bordeaux shoegaze band Cosmopaark has released their latest EP, Backyard, which features five tracks that blend classic shoegaze with modern noise pop. The EP was recorded in a studio, allowing the band to experiment with new production techniques. Backyard explores themes of resilience and introspection while showcasing their evolving sound. With a limited-edition release that quickly sold out, Cosmopaark's creative journey continues to captivate fans. Read our interview with vocalist Clément Pelofy.