Writing about music in lieu of human interaction
KELS, fresh off a relocation from Pittsburgh to Atlanta, recently released the carefree "Be Fine." The track contains KELS's signature blend of breezy pop production and force-of-nature singing, deployed this time around in the service of soothing, both for herself and for her listeners. Muted percussion ticks, guitar chords eddy like ripples in a swimming … Continue reading Daily Yinz – KELS – Be Fine
Water armor, a side project of FLOOR BABA, sets aside the former's hyper-expressive video game sounds for something a bit more meditative. Where FLOOR BABA's chiptune synths and frenetic beats bring to mind images of sleepover-happy middle schoolers crushing energy drinks, button-mashing XBOX, and hurting themselves on a friend's trampoline, water armor's most recent release, … Continue reading Daily Yinz – water armor – My Reflection
Two former Wild Blue Yonderers join forces for an EP of smeary, stripped-down pop music. Fittingly, the EP's first track is called "Two Chord Song," and it's a twee-as-can-be proclamation of devotion that sees Schmeler pledge, "Just know I don't want no one else," to a person with whom she shares moments both carefree ("The … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Betsy Schmeler and Benito Countouris – Two Chord Song
Essential Machine, a trio comprising two parents and their son, recently released the aptly titled Exponential Crisis (Lemon Tree Records). Album highlight "Almost Outta Here" taps into the retro road warrior energy of "Red Eyes"-era War on Drugs, riding metronomic drums, swirling guitar, and bargain-bin synths toward the far horizon in search of something just … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Essential Machine – Almost Outta Here
The fuzzy, slack-happy (slack-sad?) Zells take a ride in the "Hell Car," the second single from their upcoming album, Ant Farm (Crafted Sounds). While The Zells have always cranked up the distortion, slumped their shoulders, and fixed their eyes downward in response to the alienating drudgery of modern American life, they've got a TV sitting … Continue reading Daily Yinz – The Zells – Hell Car
Oddball R&B artist and rapper Deej recently released, "Deejor," a single that exudes subdued swagger. There's a point on "Deejor" at which Deej, addressing a dude over his proclivities for messing around while out of town, murmurs, "They don't know you like I do." On a lesser track, the line might function as a plea … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Deej – Deejor
Tyler Heaven are a quintet whose full-length March debut, Darkness on the Edge of the Parking Lot, combines lush sonics with haunted lyrics. Throughout Darkness's ten tracks, guitars chime, drums echo and hiss, violins keen, and Brady Lanzendorfer, voice pitched at a Daniel Johnston quaver, conjures images that hint at catastrophe without revealing it fully. … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Tyler Heaven – Mongoose
In advance of their upcoming album, Ride the Dark Trail, The Mixus Brothers recently released a sepia-toned single called "The Girl From Topeka." The track contains The Mixus Brothers' signature elements--rollicking strums, ramshackle vocal harmonies, toe-tapping percussion--but fleshes them out with strands of electric guitar (courtesy of one "EZ Mixus") that wink and glitter like … Continue reading Daily Yinz – The Mixus Brothers – The Girl From Topeka
Pittsburgh-to-NYC transplant Corrine Jasmin remixes "Move Through," the second half of a two-part track from her standout 2021 release, Fever Dream Insomniac. Where the original "Move Through," a pillowy jazz-house cut featuring free associative, pitch-shifted vocals, is introduced by "Let Go," a spoken word segment that muses on the enervating effects of unbalanced relationships, the … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Corrine Jasmin – Move Through 2.0
Partly Sunny, comprising Alex Gleue and Zach Bronder (Bat Zuppel, Slow Bluff, Flower Crown, Astrology Now, Good Sport), recently released Fesh, which features Rave Ami's Evan Meindl on drums. Partly Sunny (and I have to take a minute to appreciate their name, because it is the most appropriate Pittsburgh moniker I've ever heard) play a … Continue reading Daily Yinz – Partly Sunny – GOD BLESS
Bored In Pittsburgh 