#Synth Pop

Leeni Enters a Dazzling New Phase with Violet LP

When Seattle-based synth-pop artist Leeni shops for synthesizers, she finds herself looking at them and asking herself, "Are there songs in there?" Sometimes, like magic, the instrument answers. Just a little play with a patch or a twist of the controls and suddenly, the instrument transports you...

Alexa Peters

Ryan James Brewer Crafts Liberating Debut LP Tender

Raised in a rural country town in Australia, Brewer admits it was difficult growing up queer in a conservative area. Brewer developed depression and anxiety at an early age that he is still...

Cillea Houghton

Lipstick Jodi gives the gift of catharsis in new single "Take Me Seriously"

” Or, if you’re Karli Morehouse of Grand Rapids indie-pop outfit Lipstick Jodi, the “gay” one. The non-binary songwriter and artist has spent years being labeled and...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITBlow Pop Finds Escape in '80s Sounds with "Friendly" Premiere

Before the pandemic, Keaton Butler and Avery Reidy were just friends. They were also living the hodge-podge lifestyles that most working musicians end up scraping together to make ends meet. Butler was bartending, engineering sound for live shows, and performing in three different bands. Reidy was...

Sara Barron

Morning Hands Get Mystical on New LP

Morning Hands' self-titled LP sounds as though someone’s Dungeons and Dragons wizard character made an ‘80s synth-pop version of his spellbook. Maybe that's a bombastic statement for the opening sentence of a review, but once I got to track four, “Moving Through Water,” I knew my initial inklings...

Sophia Vaccaro

Wild Moccasins "Boyish Wave" Video

Wild Moccasins press photo by Arturo Olmos. In the midst of a tour supporting their sophomore breakout album 88 92, Houston indie band Wild Moccasins were breaking up. Founding members Zahira Gutierrez and Cody Swann had been romantically involved for nearly a decade at that point, and as the...

Lindsey Rhoades

PREMIEREPrinze George "Thunder In My Head"

A well-timed bath may have a greater impact on one's mood than exercise (or so says science). Prinze George tap into the same relaxing effect of pulling your head under warm water on their latest single, "Thunder In My Head," off their new EP Airborne. Over Kenny Grimm's cool production and...

Ashley Prillaman

BAND OF THE MONTHSound of Ceres

Then again, Sound of Ceres stretches the...

Lindsey Rhoades

TRACK REVIEWFuture Islands "Ran"

Two years ago, Baltimore trio Future Islands had a huge breakthrough with poignant single “Seasons (Waiting on You),” finding the success they'd been seeking since 2006. Hoping to continue that momentum, they released a teaser single from their forthcoming record The Far Field just last week....

Jerilyn Jordan

PLAYING DETROIT PREMIERENydge "El Segundo (ft. Kim Vi)

"El Segundo" is the latest sonic story from Assemble Sound resident producer and synth-pop artist Nydge who is as masterful as a collaborator as he is a solo entity.

Jerilyn Jordan

LIVE REVIEWPeter Bjorn and John @ Webster Hall

Peter Bjorn and John, three revered names in indie music, get the crowd moving at Webster Hall.

Ysabella Monton

VIDEO OF THE WEEKInfinity Shred "Choir VI"

Infinity Shred's video for "Choir VI" is a 3-D adventure packed with nostalgia, innocence, and a sense of wonderment. Review by AudioFemme.

Nicole Ortiz