Every Friday morning, Ears to Feed staffers will be highlighting their favorite tracks of the week and the best in new music.
Editorial Board
Maxwell Cann, Editor-In-Chief
Anika – “Rights”
Berlin’s Anika shares the third single from her first solo effort in a decade, Change. The track is a brooding anthem of unity and empowerment for the disenfranchised featuring Anika’s despondent voice and a rush of drums that slowly build alongside a wall of noise.
Black Dice – “White Sugar”
New York’s legendary noise trio Black Dice will be celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band this year and they’ve shared a taste of what to expect from their first album in nine years. A punchy funk rhythm endowed with the trio’s iconic glitched-out effects and Eric Copeland’s off-kilter vocals are the perfect welcome back to the strange world of Black Dice.
My Idea – “Stay Away Still”
The debut single from prolific Brooklyn musicians Lily Konigsberg of Palberta and Nate Amos of Water From Your Eyes captures the juxtaposition of returning to a new life transitioning out of pandemic isolation. Konigsberg’s feathery lyrics pack a punch describing the whirl of thoughts surrounding being judged out in public again while Amos’ guitar brings a lively playfulness to the track.
The Ophelias – “Neil Young on High (ft. Julien Baker)”
The Cincinnati quartet announced their new album Crocus will be set for release this fall on Joyful Noise. Singer Spencer Peppet wears her heart on her sleeve describing an ill-fated breakup as the band’s expansive instrumentation builds to a shivering climax as Julien Baker’s guest appearance adds to the track’s solemn beauty.
Staff Writers
Brooke Jensen
Faye Webster – “Half of Me”
In “Half of Me,” Faye Webster hums a stripped tune whose lyrics tell a story like sun-soaked berries. A narrative that soured from too much of a good thing. What’s left is Webster’s thoughtful meditations on loss with gaps in places she can no longer fill with words. A perfect punctuation mark to her fourth album.
Ellis -“hell (ft. Chastity)”
On the latest Ellis EP, “hell” helicopters around nihilistic thoughts of life’s endings. As a closing track, it works in conversation with the EP’s title nothing is sacred anymore. Ellis spells out how her readiness to end a relationship is rooted in an inescapable numbness.
Kelsey Wagner
Sipper – “I Won!”
Sipper’s latest single “I won!”glimmers like the sun. It is the jam for all of us heading into summer newly single and slightly bitter. Hazy vocals and woozy guitar complimented with keys, it’s the perfect song to start your sweaty summer mornings.
Marcos Hassan
Smurphy – “Ian”
Mexican electronic artist Smurphy has announced her retirement from music in order to take care of her physical and mental health; but even without knowing the backstory, “Ian” hits like few future clubs of its ilk do. The track relies on a heavy groove and melodies that twist into forms both alien and familiar.
Chain Cult – “We’re Not Alone”
Post punk is often a genre that makes a point to build detachment, so listening to Athens, Greece trio Chain Cult inject so much passion and anger to it is quite a revelation. Vocals spit vile before building to a rousing chorus, basslines and drums keep the song in the pocket, and guitars switch between textural and massive. A top scream-along of the week.
The Bug – “Clash ft. Logan”
Kevin Martin is one of the most eclectic experimental musicians on the planet and his output hasn’t slowed down at all, but it’s a special delight to hear new work from The Bug project. Returning to the bone-rattling basslines and hard dancehall beats that made the project an international sensation, the producer teams up with emcee Logan to turn in a banger.
Trish Connelly
Vanishing Twin – “Big Moonlight (Ookii Gekkou)”
Pulling from a variety of genres, London’s Vanishing Twin are back with a new album in the works via Fire Records. Their latest track, “Big Moonlight (Ookii Gekkou)“, delves into the mysterious abyss of a hypnotizing and psychedelic world with Cathy Lucas’ lush vocals melding seamlessly into their minimalist aural landscape.
Honorable Mentions
Jane Lai
- Pom Pom Squad – “Crimson + Clover”
- Michael Cormier – “Degradation”
- Maple Glider – “View From This Side”
- Squirrel Flower – “Iowa 146”
- Olivia Kaplan – “Ghosts”
Jules Dorney