Ela Minus is, in the best way possible, a guerrilla tech geek using machines as a poetic extension of her anti-capitalist ideology in the EDM world. Heavily influenced by the likes of Kraftwerk, Minus talks enthusiastically about the special relationship she has with her synthesizers, the unique quality they each have and how she cares for them like friends. When you understand that she has built and programmed most of them herself, the idea of a personal connection with a machine begins to make a lot more sense. We’ve grown used to seeing artists and DJs on stage, lurking behind the faint glow of an Apple logo, but Ela Minus is uninterested in using a laptop to arrange her music. She writes, produces and performs on an analog rig covered in neon pink tape. Her pedals, synths and voice are the only tools she uses to create her hypnotic techno-pop beats. Gabriela Jimeno, the one-woman whirlwind behind Ela Minus, is no stranger to the DIY scene. Jimeno drummed for a hardcore band in Colombia from the age of 11 to 18, eventually making it to SXSW in 2009. She then left the band and her hometown of Bogotá to double major in jazz drumming and synthesizer design at Berklee College of Music. It was there that Ela Minus was born, first as a moniker for her graphic design, and then later as the solo music project now releasing subversive singles such as “el cielo no es de nadie.” 

In a low whisper reminiscent of Billie Eilish, Ela Minus peels back the layers that separate the peaceful intimacy of your bedroom and the anonymity of a packed dance club in Berlin, making them somehow indistinguishable. “el cielo no es de nadie,” like most of her songs, is about empowerment, and rejects the notion that lovers must go to the moon and back for each other. In a breathy voice that barely rises above the strobing backbeat, she tells us the only person who can give you what you need is yourself. Fitting for someone who would spend her college weekends going out to clubs—not to hook up, drink or do drugs—but just to close her eyes and dance.

Ela Minus's forthcoming album acts of rebellion is out October 23 via Domino. It is of course performed, produced and recorded entirely by herself. Photo by Teddy Fitzhugh.

REFS is back at it again with another single, "Bound to Lose." We've come to expect a solo drop from Zachary Lipkins, but we're never sure when, where, or how it will drop; which, (again), makes these releases all the more anticipatory. With "Bound to Lose", REFS dives into the passiveness that's a consequence of our fast-paced, day-to-day lifestyles. The lyrics, "So I would rather feel numb / than think about what we've done / stuck in a broken rocket," capture the detachment present in many of our own interactions — not because we want to be like this, but because it's easier in the moment. And yet, this song still makes us want to get up off the couch and groove. REFS has an artful way of juxtaposing electric beats with down-to-earth lyrics, sneaking in some serious nuggets of knowledge and giving us more than we expected (in just over three minutes).  

The playful and spirited relationship between LA-based duo, Carly Russ and Joseph Matick, presents itself through the energy of their psychedelic, folk rock gems. The chemistry is clear on their latest track, “Stevie Knicks,” a tune that has the lackadaisical swing of two lovers holding hands. Transcending the artist-made tropes of writing music with your partner, the couple sings about how “business and pleasure rarely mix,” but they’ll do it together, like Fleetwood Mac.

Opening with breezy guitar strums and piano accompanied by light whistling, the listener is led into a catchy anthem for lovers making music together. Matick’s raspy vocal works in tandem with Russ’s gentle croon and comes together with the catchy chorus line, “Yeah let’s do it, me and you / everything we’re told not to / break the rules, top the charts / baby break my heart, and call it art.” Stringing together their roots in music and fashion, the two paint a protean picture of the struggles young relationships face, ending the song with a soaring trumpet solo as a sonic symbol of how together they can overcome the hiccups of love.

Seven-piece indie-pop band Wild Child has put out a handful of singles in preparations for their fourth studio album Expectations set to release this Friday. Known for their skillful harmonies, heart-warming melodies and genre-bending tunes, "Sinking Ships" shows us a more intimate side of the group. The lyrics of this gorgeous song sound like they were taken off the page of a journal entry, and the combination of the gentle guitar picking along with the tender harmonies make it seem like you're listening in on the private and introspective thoughts that roam in all of our heads from time to time about doubt, fear and hardships. 

New York-based Olden Yolk (Shane Butler and Caity Shaffer) share "Vital Sign," the second single off of their self-titled debut album. Collaborating with drummer Dan Drohan and guitarist Jesse DeFrancesco, Olden Yolk creates a dreamy "dystopian folk" (Trouble in Mind) soundscape that's brought to life on their latest track. In the band's own words, "'Vital Sign' represents two sides of a coin. It references feelings of isolation and paranoia during periods of illness and confinement, as well as the emergence from such an experience, in recognition of the trials that bind us ('it could have been you too')." Communicating the good and the bad, Olden Yolk shares a genuine experience that we can all relate to.

Brooklyn-based indie-pop band Daisy the Great recently released their debut EP “I’ve Got a Few Friends and I Wish They Were Mine” and we can’t get enough of these contagious melodies. The band consists of two female lead singers, Mina Walker and Kelley Dugan, who share a unique and quirky perspective on life — one that is especially highlighted in "Built My Home On Hollow Ground." Mina states that this track "is about reinventing yourself in a new place free from the entanglements of the past." We feel more free just listening to the funk-inspired bass riffs and the shimmering voices of this dynamic duo.  Their solid harmonies mixed with invigorating percussion will definitely leave you dancing and wanting more. 

The newest single by Friendship Park, "Growing Boy" is a wonderfully enchanting departure from the sound of their self-titled 2016 EP. Where the duo once relied on vocal effects to blend with their dancy synth-pop, the authentic vocals and plucky strings immediately brings you into this picturesque folk track. Though they’ve switched up their sound, the two have lost none of their charm and this single immediately has you wanting to grab a partner and go dancing around the room in pure exuberance. You would think that a song about convincing someone to stay with you because of the pure potential would be sadder, but they’ve turned that trope upside down and created a song worthy of a Zooey Deschanel indie rom-com. With a debut LP on the horizon, “Growing Boy” gives listeners a tantalizing taste of what is to come.

Portland singer-songwriter Matt Dorrien takes us back to the days of crooners singing in dimly lit nightclubs with his new single "Baby I'm So Lost". With a jazz-infused piano playing, muted horns and a soft confessional voice, Matt tells us how without his lover he's "moping the hours away." The beauty of this song is seen in the mixing of a universal feeling with a classic sound in a world that hasn't shown much appreciation for this style in recent times. "Baby I'm So Lost" shows us that these songs are more than just backing tracks in the montage scenes of our favorite rom-coms, they're living and breathing works of art by themselves. So if you're already starting to feel the "I'm single on Valentine's Day blues," just trust that Matt Dorrien gets it. 

Jersey native indie-pop singer Sidney Gish put out a quirky and expressive new album in December displaying her killer musicianship and crafty songwriting. "Where the Sidewalk Ends" takes us back the days of Juno and The Moldy Peaches. While happy-go-lucky and euphoric, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” has some attitude to it which is probably one of the reasons why we love it so much. Make sure to check out the entirety of No Dogs Allowed on all music platforms.

If you're a fan of Daughter you definitely need to check out UK singer-songwriter Fenne Lily. At just 21 years old, she has self-released a collection of gorgeous songs on Spotify that gained her a ton of fans and millions of plays. Her latest release "For A While" features mellow guitar tones tangled with her whisper-like voice and lonesome lyrics making it a perfect go-to for the days when you're missing someone or somewhere. Look out for her debut album due this year!

Early on in the music video for “Beige,” a faceless stagehand rips Adrian Galvin’s (aka Yoke Lore) banjo from his hands. Shy Girls’ “Beige” remix jettisons the banjo from the song entirely. Whereas the original version lingers in ballad-zone until the one-minute mark, this remix (the single off a six-song Goodpain Remix EP) pumps and climbs from the gun.