SPC ECO: Under My Skin

SPC ECO have been creating stunning ethereal music for a decade. The duo of Dean Garcia (Curve) and Rose Berlin are back with their superlative new EP, Under My Skin. The five tracks are dark, atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful. With lush synthpads and minimal beats, the EP baths the listener in a aural shower of magnificent music. Watch the video for the EP title track, then stream and buy Under My Skin at the link below.

Girl Scout: +4

Brooklyn band, Girl Scout, have released their sophomore EP, +4. The four tracks are imaginative post-punk anthems, with judicious us of lo-fi sonics, interspersed with a heavy foundation, and all framing vocals that go from Weezerish pop to Jay Reatardish punk. This EP is varied in both its dynamics and its vibe. Girl Scout are a band with depth in a genre where this is a rare commodity. Stream and buy +4 at the link below.

Surf Cassette: Surf Cassette

Milan based indie rock band, Surf Cassette, have released their debut S/T album. With a sound similar to Japandroids, Ty Segall and Cloud Nothings, the duo of Dario Dell'Aversana and Luca Brunelli give us eight tracks with a lo-fi vibe, paired with a garage punk aesthetic. Edgy, raw and catchy, this is an album with attitude, and one that should be in everyone's collection. Stream and download, Surf cassette, at the link below.

Olive & The Pitz: Landlocked

Landlocked is the debut EP from New Jersey based indie band Olive & The Pits. The band of Olivia Riggio, Kyle Cooke, Ross Greenberg and Nick Iacobelli have delivered five tracks of superlative goodness. Riggio's voice is a gift to all that hear it. She is supported by a band that is tight and twangy, with the rare skill of always playing the right part. This album showcases a band that stands out in a crowded genre, with a sound that is both familiar, yet compellingly original. This EP is a must have. Stream and download Landlocked at the link below.

WarNurse: Distress Calling

Distress Calling is the sophomore EP from Canadian rock band War Nurse.The six tracks offer up a hard edged trip through psychedelic influenced post-punk. Dark thematic songs are framed with heavy guitars, melodic synths and a slight lo-fi production vibe to create tension around the EP to fine effect. This is a strong record that will appeal to the most discerning punk and rock audience. Stream and buy Distress Calling at the link below.

Gidge: LNLNN

Swedish duo, Gidge, aka Jonatan Nilsson and Ludvig Stolterman are back with a new EP, LNLNN on Netherlands based indie label Atomnation. The seven tracks are atmospheric synthpop, with a danceable beat and minimalist instrumentals. The duo draw inspiration from the woods and widths of the north, to create dreamy synth pads, foreboding shadings and deep sonic vibe. This EP is a must have. Stream and LNLNN at the link below.

Anchord: As A Real Return

Barcelona indie label BCore Disc, one of our favorite purveyors of emerging music here at FZB, are back with the release of As A Real Return, the debut album from Anchord. The Catalan band pushes forward through eleven tracks of tasty post-punk anthems. Musically tight, supremely heavy, the songs show a band with depth and chops beyond expectation for a debut record. Stream and buy As A Real Return at the link below.

Ric Gordon: Just Can't Get Enough - 1979 Reissue

In 1979, Kansas City based punk rock artist Ric Gordon released his debut EP, Just Can't Get Enough. The six tracks are a hard, fast and loud. In the vein of the Ramones, this is a seminal punk release from an artist and producer that continues to make music today. Russian Winter Records found a box of 50 copies of the original 1979 vinyl release on their shelves and have decided to offer those remaining 50 records for sale, as well as digitally remastering the record for a CD and download re-release. This is an absolute must have. Get a piece of punk rock history, stream and buy Just Can't Get Enough at the link below.

Verena von Horsten: Alien Angel Super Death

Alien Angel Super Death is the sophomore album from Zurich based artist/producer Verena von Horsten. The ten heavy tracks were wrenched forth after the suicide of von Horsten's brother. Dark, intimate and haunting, the album is a stark view from an extremely gifted artist. With superlative vocals, perfectly poised arrangements and deft songwriting, this album would be a standout even surrounded by multitudes. Watch the video for album track Fire, then stream and and buy Alien Angel Super Death at the link below.

American Anymen + Lise: Oui EP

NYC band American Anymen have teamed with Parisian singer Lise to deliver the fun four track Oui EP. The songs are reminiscent of Moldy Peaches, with pop based arrangements that highlight folksy vocals, with a light indie rock vibe. The EP has a slight lo-fi sheen and is unpretentious with its sound like a group of friends sitting around a living room and jamming for the microphone. Simple songs, done simply to please the ears.  Watch the video for EP track Nobody Made Me Smile Like You Did, then stream and download the Oui EP for free at the link below.

Ira Lawrence: MAPAGKAWANGGAWA

MAPAGKAWANGGAWA is the debut full length from NYC singer/songwriter Ira Lawrence. Featuring a haunted mandolin inherited from his grandmother, the eleven tracks are lo-fi laden psych-folk. Atmospheric and twangy, the tracks have a unique sonic vibe, that is decidedly original for this indie genre. Strong lyrical content is a highlight for an album that almost makes the mandolin into a post-punk instrument. A definite must have. Stream and buy MAPAGKAWANGGAWA at the link below.

Dominic Coppola: Swoon Season

FZB favorite Dominic Coppola is back with a stunning new two track album, Swoon Season. The Ann Arbor based ambient artist/producer continues to make beautiful melodic music, with lush synthpads and loops, spacious sonic landscapes and ethereal vibes. Coppola's music is always marked by simple complexity, that conveys emotion with atmospheric imagery. Always pleasant and always showing depth of musicality, Coppola's creations are treats whenever they appear. Stream and buy Swoon Season at the link below.

Tsinder Ash: The Ecstasy Of Making Things Worse

London based artist/producer Tsinder Ash has released his new album, The Ecstasy Of Making Things Worse. The eleven tracks are dark and foreboding, like a claustrophobic camera shot in a thriller. Highly experimental and original, the music perfectly conveys the poignant emotions hinted at in the album title. This is music that is meant to be unsettling. Music meant to challenge the listener's perceptions and tolerance of stress and edge. Stream and buy The Ecstasy Of Making Things Worse at the link below.

Lite: Cubic

Lite is an experimental quartet from Japan who have been delivering music from the edge for fourteen years. On their fifth full length, Cubic, they explore varied sounds, textures and rhythms to serve up an album that takes the technical approach from jazz, the hardness from rock and the funk from R&B. Bold, innovative and just so very cool, this is an album that demands attention. Stream and buy Cubic at the link below.

Nasiono Records: Sampler Vol. 4

Gdansk, Poland based artist collective, Nasiono Records has released their label compilation, Sampler Vol. 4. With tracks from 20 artists, the album delivers wonderful nuggets of punk, post-punk, shoegaze and psychedelic music. We love label compilations as a way to discover great emerging music from around the world, and this album is chock full of good music. Stream and buy Sampler Vol. 4 at the link below.

Rooster: Baby on the J

Canadian singer/songwriter Mimi Oz has a new band, Rooster, who have their debut EP on the way in March. In the meantime we have their debut song, Baby on the J. The track is a catchy alt-country ditty, with elements of freak folk, some rocking guitar and Oz's unique vocals, which channel elements of Maria Muldaur and Cyndi Lauper. Fresh, energetic and original, the track leaves us in anticipation for the coming EP. Watch the video for the track, then stream and buy Baby on the J at the link below.

The Despondents: The Despondents

To find a great punk rock record, one needs look no farther than Leeds, UK and the S/T debut album from The Despondents, on Dirty Water Records. The fourteen tracks are fast, raw edgy and perfect. Leeds is a working class town, with a rich musical heritage, where authenticity rules and The Despondents are as pure bred as it comes. This is punk from the guts, unabashed and unafraid. A definite must have. Stream and buy The Despondents at the link below.

SheLoom: The Making of The Baron of the Fjord Documentary

FZB favorites SheLoom (look in archive for reviews) are back with a new documentary on the making of their sophomore album The Baron of the Fjord. This international musical collaboration is interviewed by Kim Hollandaise in this 15 minute documentary. Watch it below.

Boomarm Nation: Family Album 2017

Portland based indie label, Boomarm Nation have released the compilation, Family Album 2017. Featuring twenty tracks and artists, the music is a varied collection of electronica that spans genres and cultures. Compilations like this are an excellent way to experience a label's artist culture and discover new realms of emerging music. This album is excellent from start to finish. Stream and download Family Album 2017 at the link below.

Rachel Mason: Das Ram

Das Ram is the latest extravaganza from NYC artist Rachel Mason. The eight tracks take one of the most intriguing artists out there and has her explode with a huge sound and vision that takes pop music into a new experimental realm. Brash, powerful and totally compelling, this is a work of superlative originality, vision and quality. Just a great album in every way and a definite must have. Watch the videos for album tracks Heart Explodes and Tigers in the Dark, then stream and buy Das Ram at the link below

James Kruman: Twitch

UK singer/songwriter James Kruman has released a brilliant new album, Twitch. The ten tracks take a lo-fi approach to delivering an album that is completely original and compelling. With elements of post-punk and psychedelic, Kruman masterfully crafts a sound that grabs one by the scruff of the neck and says listen to me. As well it should. This has got to be one of the standout albums of 2017. A definite must have. Watch the video for album track Country Sigh, then stream and buy Twitch at the link below.

The Cavemen: Born To Hate

London based indie label Dirty Water Records bring us Born To Hate, the sophomore album from Auckland punk band The Cavemen. The thirteen tracks are raw, in your face punk, which channels the greats like Buzzcocks, Undertones and The Sex Pistols. Straight forward, edgy and hard, The Cavemen bristle with authenticity and energy. Stream and by Born To Hate at the link below.

Bad Mongos: Shoot The Bullet

Our favorite Spain based indie label, BCore Disc, have released Shoot The Bullet, the first album in over 12 years from Spanish punk band Bad Mongos. In the same vein as The Ramones and The Clash, the thirteen tracks are raw, hard edged anthems. With flawless execution, the band delivers punk rock as it's meant to be, no pretense and no prisoners. This is an absolute must have. Stream and buy Shoot The Bullet at the link below.