NYS Music 202​2

Category: New York Singles

  • Butterfly Haus to Release New Record “Hold It Against Me” on June 22

    Brooklyn-based indie-alternative artist Osaze Akerejah, also known as Butterfly Haus, is set to release his new record, Hold It Against Me on June 22 via Glass Bullet Sound Company.

    The New-Jersey-born Nigerian-American artist came up with the project in 2019, and after three years, is ready to share it with the world. As an indie musician, the young artist’s production explores indie rock, alternative pop, hip-hop elements, and even snippets of the ’70s/’80’s new wave. Akerejah originally began making music in the late 2000s, and formerly went by the moniker SAZE.

    With this upcoming record, Butterfly Haus becomes more introspective, exploring themes such as love, mental health, identity exploration, and more. The project was born out of intense personal struggles, including a recent heartbreak, cancer diagnosis, and other mental and physical health battles. 

    These last few years have been beyond transformative. I’m not nearly the same man or artist I initially set out to try to be. Making music under the SAZE moniker was a lovely cocoon that I existed within since 7th grade, and I guess all the trauma, growth and self discovery of the past three-four years especially was what finally cracked the cocoon, ya know?

    Osaze Akerejah

    Butterfly Haus wrote “Hold It Against Me” after an extended hospital stay and as he attempts to grapple with questions about life, the nature of the universe, and manifestation.  The record is quite an emotional one, featuring hard-hitting lyrics, background vocals from Norwegian singer-songwriter Rosarii, and psychedelic electric guitar from Levi Wilkinson.

    Stayed tuned for this record’s release on June 22, and see below to explore more of the impressive artist’s work. 

  • The Harlem Gospel Travelers Release Upbeat Single and New Album “Look Up!”

    The Harlem Gospel Travelers will release a new full-length album, Look Up! on September 16, via Colemine Records.  Ahead of the album’s release, the trio shared their empowering title track and fun-filled music video, which you can see below.

    Harlem Gospel Travelers

    With production by acclaimed soul singer-songwriter, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, the new album gives the trio their first collection of completely original material.  The trio consists of Thomas Gatling, George Marage, and Dennis Bailey, all of whom grew up in different areas but refined their talents in Harlem. While the group is greatly influenced by the gospel quartet tradition of the ‘50s and ‘60s, they give a modern edge with this recent release.

    Travelers Gaitling and Marage met producer Reed through an after-school program that grew their appreciation and knowledge of the deep history of the gospel quartet. The program allowed them to gain new perspectives, and tap into their true talents. After the 2019 release of the LP He’s On Time, Bailey joined the two, completing the group.

    He’s On Time garnered rave reviews in 2019 along with high-profile fans such as Elton John, who invited them on his Rocket Man radio show. The LP also gave way for the group to perform at festivals like Pilgrimage and Telluride Jazz. 

    This newest title track, “Look Up” empowers listeners and the upcoming album is sure to not disappoint. The Harlem Gospel Travelers are reviving old sounds and reminding listeners how prevalent the music is still today. While gospel is always at the root of their music, the group also incorporates country, folk, rock, soul, and blues.

    Check out The Harlem Gospel Travelers live, with the performance dates below.

    Tour Dates:

    July 23 – Staten Island, NY – Maker Park Radio

    Aug. 3 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk Chumley Theater

    Aug. 4 – Springfield, IL – Levitt Pavilion

    Aug. 5 – Chicago, IL – Chop Shop

    Sep. 1 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s Alright

  • Wooter Release Psychedelic New Single “Epigraph”

    Indie-electronic artist-producer Wooter releases his first single “Epigraph” this Friday, June 10th. “Epigraph” is a chill psychedelic pop track that may calm you down and drive you away from the current chaos.

    Wooter

    Wooter, also called Rowan Brind, is a Brooklyn-based artist and producer. He is an engineer and mixer while he also learned multiple instruments. Meanwhile, he is a prolific songwriter who works mainly on his laptop alone.

    However, in this signle, he collaborates with the experienced jazz drummer Caleb Estey. Followed his non-traditional songwriting process that first writing to a drum take, then inserting melody and lyrics, Wooter added new sounds in this new single as well.

    Wooter is fond of obscure, niche audio equipment and instruments, which gives his music a distinctive sound. His perfectionism in audio production and mixing improved the listening experience of his productions. His perfectionism and interest in sound also benefited his produce skills as an entirely self-taught producer. He always searches for new sounds and evolves with each album.

    “Epigraph” is the music shelter to escape from the daily hustle and bustle. Turn it on, and relieve the expectation and burdens on you for the two minutes and 44 seconds. This is music for those trying to break from the routine.

    The book The Sun Also Rises inspired Wooter to express the feelings of characters. They are living aimless lives and yet live happily unfazed by the world crumbling around them. For the sound design, Wooter composed his new album on the OP1 which has a lush sound of synthesizers during a trip to New Orleans. He absorbed the feelings of artists like Tame Impala, Mild High Club, and Gorillaz. And now it is time to enjoy the realm of Wooter in the “Epigraph”.

  • Spaghetti Eastern Music Shifts to Singer-Songwriter Mode on “I Believe in Love”

    Spaghetti Eastern Music, the solo venture of genre-fluid NYC/Hudson Valley guitarist Sal Cataldi has released “I Believe in Love,” a stripped-down, all-acoustic ballad previewing the spare narrative style of his forthcoming song-centric EP, Turpentine Valentines.

    i believe in love

    With “I Believe in Love,” Cataldi serves up his hard-earned take on romance: the pain it can cause and the beauty too… if one is willing to throw his/her heart back into the ring for another go-round after heartbreak.  Two crystalline acoustic guitars and a solitary voice carry the tune whose narrative arc is reflected in the below, the first and concluding verses of the song:

    I believe in love but not everlasting love
    Life has shown me, it’s just a temporary disease
    Attacks the heart, breaks it in two and does something funny to your knees
    But I believe in love…
    I believe in love but not everlasting love
    If you can accept these terms, maybe we can get the disease
    Warms the heart and make its whole
    At least that’s what life has shown me so
    I believe in love

    “I Believe in Love”

    The song comes with a counterpart video featuring some of the great screen kisses from the classic film era, seen below. It was recorded and engineered by Cataldi at his studios in Woodstock and a floating studio aboard his Houseboat Garlic Knot in Port Washington.

    Critics from The New York Times, Time Out New York and Huffington Post have praised Cataldi’s debut album under the Spaghetti Eastern Music moniker, Sketches of Spam.  This 16-track, 69-minute surf through a slew of contrasting moods, with largely guitar-driven instrumentals inspired by the acid funk of 70’s Miles, Krautrock, Ennio Morricone’s Spaghetti Western movie soundtracks as well as Fripp & Eno ambience and the sound of ECM guitar god Terje Rypdal.

    These contrasted bare-bones acoustic vocal songs are reflective of the influence of John Martyn and Nick Drake, the mode showcased on his latest single. The discs’ acoustic titles included originals like “Wild One” and “Mama Called,” an instrumental cover of the Zappa rarity “Sleep Dirt” and a DADGAD-tuned, ballad paced reinvention of the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride.”

    I have never understood the desire to shove musicians into tiny boxes, the belief that you only get to be and play in one genre. I love all sorts of styles – straight-ahead and avant jazz, post-rock, prog, metal and funk, world music, electronic experimentation and, yes, quiet acoustic ballads like my new single, something that is definitely a 360-turn from my recent releases.

    I love it all equally, listen to it all and want to perform it all – and that’s what I do with Spaghetti Eastern Music, at gigs and on recordings.  That might make it hard for the algorithms that govern everything in the music world these days, so I guess my genre is best stated as iPod Shuffle.

    Sal Cataldi – Spaghetti Eastern Music

    The new single is available as of June 7 as a digital download via Spaghetti Eastern Music’s Bandcamp site, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, CD Baby and other online stores.  

  • Austin and the In-Laws Release Songs From the Woodshed

    North Country’s premier post-outlaw country band, Austin and the In-Laws, have just released their newest album titled “Songs From the Woodshed.” The album just came out on May 10th, giving their audience original tunes of cold weather country delivered in our signature post-outlaw style. They will be coming to play in Plattsburgh on June 24th, at Elf’s Farm Winery 5:00pm.

    Austin and the In-Laws Release Songs From the Woodshed

    The band is formerly known as “Cash Journey,” due to their covers of the classic outlaw country style music by Johnny Cash. If you want an evening of country classics and original tunes, be sure to check out the upcoming show dates from the In-Laws. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXMopxSHi1o

    Regardless of their covers of Johnny Cash’s infamous songs, the band has just released their first original album. The band produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered all the songs on this album. Check out these five new original tunes in the classic outlaw country style. 

    The band is made up of four talented members including Austin Petrashune (Vocals, guitar, piano), Matt Hall (Drums), Ann Petrashune (Bass), and Reggie Duncan (Pedal steel guitar on Dark As Dusk). They are often seen on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and more covering Johnny Cash’s infamous songs like “I Walk The Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.” 

    Upcoming shows 

    June 17th, 6:00 pm, Austin and the In-Laws in Keeseville

    June 24th, 5:00 pm, Austin and the In-Laws at Elf’s! in Plattsburgh 

    July 9th, 4:30 pm, Austin Petrashune plays the music of Austin and the In-Laws in Bloomingdale 


    You can find lyrics, upcoming shows on their Bandcamp page linked here.

    For more information, click the link here.

  • Back to Yours Release “MONSTER” Single

    NYC based indie sensations, Back to Yours, have released their highly anticipated single “MONSTER,” which came to Spotify on April 22nd. This is the first single off of their sophomore album, It’s Dangerous at Home, the band’s second full-length album which is scheduled for release this fall. Additionally, the band will be releasing two more singles coming this later this summer.

    “MONSTER” is a catchy headbanger, consisting of pop and hard rock influences. Because of it’s up-tempo pace, the song was written from the perspective of someone being chased by their sleep paralysis demon. By blending the unique euphonious music taste of each band member, Back to Yours produces warm, nostalgic, and accessible indie rock with a range of genre-spanning influences.

    Back to Yours Released MONSTER Single

    This upcoming a five-piece indie-rock group began playing together in the Spring of 2019, right when the pandemic started. Consisting of Aiden Jones (bass), Bryce Kassalow (vocals, guitar), Daniel Luttway (vocals, keys), Jiaan Mansuri (drums), and Tommy Levin (guitar). Originally meeting at Georgetown University sophomore year, the boys would go on to preform Beatles covers for their locals. This quickly turned into sold out performances all along the East Coast.

    Back to Yours Released MONSTER Single

    The boys ended up graduating remotely, and have managed to stay together to create, perform, and publish music regardless of the Covid pandemic. Despite all of the challenges they’ve overcome, Back to Yours will be having a big NYC show at the Bowery Ballroom on June 10th. You won’t want to miss the newer direction the band has taken in order to evolve with the constantly changing indie-alternative scene.

    For more information about Back to Yours and their upcoming shows, please visit the link here. 

    Their latest single “MONSTER” is available for download on Spotify, Bandcamp, and more. In check out this catchy headbanger, click the link here.

  • Brooklyn-Based Artist Moon Walker Releases Electrifying Single, Announces New Album

    Brooklyn-based alt-rocker Moon Walker has released his new dark, synthy single “I’m Afraid I’ll Go To Heaven.” He also announced his sophomore album The Attack of Mirrors.

    Moon Walker

    Moon Walker has been described as “Fuzzed-out 70’s rock bliss…politically charged rock music with a sound akin to the White Stripes. Lyrically, the songs are confrontational and sarcastic,” by Westword. He has also been compared to The Talking Heads by New Noise.

    Formed during the height of the pandemic, Harry Springer created Moon Walker to pass time and get extra money through selling songs to song libraries. Now, he produces and performs under the name after his first album Truth To Power garnered a fanbase and hundreds of thousands of streams.

    The single “I’m Afraid I’ll Go To Heaven” is sarcastic and sincere, with 70s-inspired dark-heavy synths and lyrics commentating on religion and the modern political system. They find humor in darkness as they sing “I’m afraid I’ll go to heaven / That’s why I’m hoping that I’m right / My biggest fear ain’t no red Devil / It’s being near you people all the time.” 

    Photo credit: Madison McConnell

    The music video produced by Madison McConnell is inspired by Kubrick’s The Shining, and the infamous bar scene. Moon Walker gushed about the video in a statement.

    This is my favorite music video I’ve ever made. Madi had the idea to base it heavily off of one of my favorite scenes in one of my favorite movies, which I think was brilliant. It also gave me specific references to base my performance off of, which is great if you suck at acting, like me!

    His new album The Attack Of Mirrors, due October 21, will elevate his nostalgic, alternative garage band sounds over ten tracks. He will be using a more experimental approach, expanding on the sounds shown on his first album.

  • Remember Jones Drops New Single, Announces July Festival

    Remember Jones has released a new single, “love will return” featuring The Horn Section.

    The newest track promoting his new album HAHA BITCH! slated for July 8 release, features co-writing from Levy Okun and production from AGM3, a duo composed of Andrew Greacen and Max McKee.

    Remember Jones and his band performing.

    A simple dance pop song, “love will return” focuses on moving past personal hardship in aim of finding success and joy in the future with light, spacy verses contrasting loud, funky hooks. “Living in a bubble, it all seems like trouble, you just gotta think free,” Jones sings during the first pre-chorus.

    Remember Jones’ vocal talents are on display with this track, flashing hints of Michael Jackson along the way.

    The track’s premier source of flare comes from the aptly named Horn Section on well, horns. Their presence on the final two choruses amplifies the already funky song, only building its optimistic energy until reaching a conclusion.

    “love will return” precedes a busy upcoming summer for Remember Jones. The release of HAHA BITCH! will also be supported by his first ever Summer Slay! Festival at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ on July 9. Also serving as a birthday celebration for Jones, a New Jersey native, it is one of many nationwide stops for his ongoing won’t you be my hater? TOUR.

    Other acts of the festival include Quincy Mumford’s Lifted Laboratory, a long time collaborator with Jones, as well as Tor Miller, Zoe Sparks, and Levy Okun.

    The event will be hosted by drag queens Jolina Jasmine, Miss Paradise of 2016 & 2021, as well as Tastie and Morrigan von Haunt, hosts of drag nights at Georgie’s Bar in Asbury Park. The three will also have performances of their own during the festival.

    The event will include giveaways and audience-involved drag makeovers, and local restaurants Larry Cadillac & Mutiny BBQ will promote the festival with special menu items at their locations.

  • Monotronic Release New Single “In Between”

    New York band Monotronic release new single, “In Between”, on May 27. Monotronic is the brainchild of musician/producer Ramsey Elkholy. “In Between” was recorded in Costa Rica during the pandemic.

    Monotronic

    Monotronic defines itself as not just a band but “a music collective that defies genre”. Their punchy brand of electronic music features bouncy synths, energetic vocals, and approachable lyrics.

    “My friend Dan Freeman has a studio in Nosara, which is on the coast and surrounded by lush jungles,” Elkholy explained. “It’s kind of a hippy place, lots of yoga going on, organic food, ayahuasca retreats. Very simple location, close to nature, which inspired a lot of creativity.

    When Elkholy returned to New York he began working on the lyrics. Once they were complete he collaborated with vocalist Russell Graham to record the vocals for the track. Elkholy, Freeman, and engineer Killian Cruiser played and recorded all the instrumental parts on the track, which Cruiser mixed and produced.

    Monotronic released its debut album in 2019, which it then followed up with the notable singles “Kids of Summer” and “Buy Yourself a Dream”. Both of which debuted at #1 on VEVO’s Incoming Indie playlist.

    There are currently plans for an upcoming music video for “In Between”.

  • Pop Punk Duo poptropicaslutz! Release Debut EP

    Long Island-based emo-pop duo poptropicaslutz! released their debut EP, just in case the world ends on May 6.

    poptropicaslutz
    poptropicaslutz formed during the pandemic. Credit Eli Rae.

    Composed of Nick Crawford and Christian Cicillia, the group’s seven-track project explores their inspiration with a no holds barred approach to making music.

    Just In Case The World Ends is a project that started during the global pandemic, as poptropicaslutz! was forming, and the “end of the world” didn’t seem so farfetched,” the duo explained. “We thought about what album we’d make if it was our last chance to make one.”

    poptropicasluts cover art
    The cover art for the debut EP, “just in case the world ends”, from poptropicasltuz!

    The EP is released under Epitaph Records and is mixed by Matt Malpass, who previously worked with Blink 182 and MGK.

    Most of the songs on just in case the world ends have a traditional pop punk song structure and content—self-aware lyrics and romantic themes. But poptropicaslutz! modernizes them with sparkly synths in their production. The combination of which makes for a fresh take on the hyper-punk genre.

    poptropicaslutz! also released a music video for their lead track “this might be our last december” featuring Canadian artist 8485. According to the duo, this collaboration is the embodiment of the intersection of pop-punk and hyper-pop that they’re known for.

    Throughout the EP the Gen Z duo showcase their interests in experimentation. Particularly with the track “lackluster at best, masterpiece at worst” which features an acoustic guitar as opposed to their usual hard hitting electric guitars of pop punk.

    On “hysteria is impossible without an audience” they offer up some classic emo music before closing out the track with some impassioned screamo.

    just in case the world ends is accompanied by a series of animated music videos from Rob Fidel. The 3-part cartoon series follows the mishaps of a group of evil genius pigs with mohawks who desperately search for a way to fly.

    just in case the tour never ends PT. 1

    May 14 – Columbus, OH – Big Room Bar

    May 15 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen

    May 17 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere – Zone One

    May 18 – Boston, MA – Middle East – Upstairs

    June 4 – Washington D.C. – Songbyrd

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