Premiere Roman Martinez Premiere Roman Martinez

Exclusive Premiere: Synth pop act New Romantics shares “Low Stakes”

Today we are excited to premiere New Romantics’ new song “Low Stakes”! The track is off their newly announced album NO LIFE, dropping on 12/13 via Gezellig Records.

“Low Stakes” is New Romantics finding harmony between darkness and truth. Its heavy synths and metallic sounds echo creating a dark contrast with Brandon Biondo’s voice. Read more about the track and listen to it now exclusively on soundvsystem before its official release tomorrow!

Read More
6 Things W/ Roman Martinez 6 Things W/ Roman Martinez

6 Things W/Tim Carr

On his second album Pleasure Drives, Tim Carr (Hand Habits, Perfume Genius) builds with a new sonic palette. The album mixes lo-fi recording techniques with strongly crafted productions. We spoke with Carr about 90s nostalgia, home recording, choosing a feeling over perfection, being inspired by a mental portrait and more.

Read More
Checking In Roman Martinez Checking In Roman Martinez

Public Circuit @ The New Colossus Festival 2025

Public Circuit blends new wave and synth-punk into a sound that’s entirely their own. Led by Ethan Biamont, with Sean Holloway on drums and Nelson Fisher on synths, the trio’s debut album Lamb—released via LA/DC indie label à La Carte Records—includes themes of life, death, and what lies beyond. Known for transforming their tracks into high-energy, dance-punk rituals on stage, the band shares insight into their live sets, highlights from New Colossus Festival and more.

Read More
Q&A Roman Martinez Q&A Roman Martinez

Exploring love and loss in ‘The New Romantics’

The New Romantics, spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist Brandon Biondo, has delved into a spectrum of genres. Since 2013, his solo project has unveiled numerous singles and EPs. However, it wasn't until Biondo experienced the profound loss of his mother that he turned to the album format as a form of solace and distraction. The New Romantics stands as a harmonious collection of sounds, reflecting Biondo's diverse set of influences. In our Q&A with the talented artist, we discuss loss, musical taste, the ability to disconnect from music, and more.

Read More
Feature Roman Martinez Feature Roman Martinez

Austin’s Urban Heat on transforming post-punk

Austin’s Urban Heat is determined to make waves. Their songs merge sounds from a number of genres, thematically moving between despair and hope. Lead singer Jonathan Horstmann’s baritone vocals add a layer of urgency to the band’s lyrics. Read our interview with Horstmann, where we discuss making music for therapeutic purposes, touring and the band’s desire to reshape the sound of post-punk.

Photo Credit: Ima Leupp

Read More
Feature Roman Martinez Feature Roman Martinez

Angel-Maker’s Chris Nelson on the evolution of the band

Indianapolis post-punk / coldwave project Angel-Maker have released their complete collection of seasons EP series. The band’s founder Chris Nelson talks to us about the band’s songwriting process, aesthetics, recreating their recorded sound on stage and more.

Photo Credit: Rachel Schwebach

Read More