Written by Andy Katz

Small Talks

Without a doubt, one of my favorite bands to emerge over the last few years is Small Talks, based out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Cayley Spivey is an incredibly gifted songwriter. Last year I saw the release of “A Conversation Between Us,” via Common Ground Records. This is a wonderfully written record that takes you through a cascade of introspective and soul-soothing tracks. It's bursting with dazzling chorus hooks and radiant, driving verse grooves. This record should be on everyone’s radar. I'm looking forward to the next release from this emerging band, destined to become a big name in the scene.

Recommended song: “Honeydew” 

Danny Denial 

Danny Denial is going to make waves in the scene. Based out of Seattle, Denial just recently released “Fuck Danny Denial.” This record is an intense and authentic listen that pushes the limits. This is a record where you dive deep and pay close attention to all the nuances that Denial formulates. Denial’s voice reverberates throughout the entire record, giving it that super thunderous sound that strikes with incredible fervor at just the right moments. This is by no means a casual listen. The music is just so vulnerable where you feel like you’re staring into Denial’s soul, embracing their every emotion like a tidal wave crashing in, flooding your eardrums. Some awesome highlights from the record include “Everything is terrible,” a song that has a driving crescendo that ties in a ton of emotion in the latter half of the track, and “Scorpio eyes,” which samples the main progression of blink-182’s, “Adam’s Song.” Denial is an incredibly innovative artist that’s guaranteed to make a lot of noise in the scene. 

Recommended song: “Am I cool enough for your love”

No Rome

No Rome has been bringing a refreshing and lush sound to the scene for quite a few years now. The sheer amount of vivid and candid singles that have been released is downright impressive. In addition to the magnificent “Crying in the Prettiest Places - EP” and “RIP Indo Hisashi” via Dirty Hit, singles like “Talk Nice” and “Trust3000” have been on repeat for me since they’ve been released. There is a luxuriant texture to each song that interweaves with a sense of longing and badass groove that’s captivating. Fueled by Rome Gomez, No Rome has also teamed up with both The 1975, beabadoobee and Jay Som on “Narcissist” and “Hurry Home,” respectively. I haven’t found a song that I don’t love and I’m looking forward to seeing what Gomez will do next. 

Recommended song: Pink

Kaonashi

I had the pleasure of catching Kaonashi when they came through Asbury Park, NJ last year. Holy shit, this show was crazy intense. So much energy went into every song, and the crowd responded accordingly. As soon as the set ended, I was hooked. Tracks like “You’ll Understand When You’re Older” and “I Found No Peace” are absolute juggernauts that will shred you to pieces in the best way possible. Coming out of the Philly scene, Kaonashi are breaking ground and are currently signed to the legendary Equal Vision Records. They just released a re-imagined version of “Coffee and Conversation” and it’s stunning. I cannot wait until they come through VA when shows resume again. I’ll be ready to dive in, face first. 

Recommended song: “Real Leather”

Fire is Motion

One of my favorite bands of all time. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this band on numerous occasions. They released “Still I Try” in 2017 and I believe it’s flawless. Every song is like curling up with a warm blanket on a brisk autumn day, watching the leaves outside swirl in various patterns from your window. Please listen to “Flowers in Kawameeh Park” with your eyes closed in a quiet setting. You’ll quickly see why this band is on another level of musicality. They also have an amazing Audiotree Live Session out and it’s nothing short of amazing. I’m hoping they release new material soon as this band deserves a much larger audience. 

Recommended song: “Who Knows”