I made the mistake of taking a week’s vacation and not checking the number of music submissions that were constantly being added to me my Five Songs inbox. When I got home, more than 1,200 pitches were waiting. These are the five who survived the cull.
1. Gift, Going in Circles
Illuminator (Captured Records)
Recommended If You Like: Cool melodies
Gift is a five-person band from New York City who are preparing for the release of their sophomore album on August 23. They have an interesting backstory, too. The members are from all over the place (SFO, SLC, Boston, and Brazil) and have background in everything from photography, art directing, venue ownership, talent buying, audio engineering, DJing, and more.
2. Dead Pink, Dream Girl
Single (Independent)
RIYL: Resilience
Even though Ukraine remains locked in a brutal war with Russia, life does go on. Behold Dead Pink (a real band, not the fake one from an old NBC made-for-TV movie starring Shannon Doherty) who sent me this track in hopes that it would help prove that the Ukrainian people will not back down. Done. And it’s a good song, too.
3. Hyaenas, Another Level
Single (Dark Kingdom Records)
RIYL: The Go-Go’s, The Beaches, Dear Rouge
Hyenas is an all-female quartet from BC into an alt-pop sound written through a queer feminist lens. If you like bands ranging from The Go-Go’s to Metric, then they’re definitely worth a listen. Feel free to clap along.
4. Kelly McMichael, Bomb
After the Sting of It (LHM Records)
RIYL: Ice-T metal
There is so much great female-fronted music coming out of Canada right now that it’s really kind of staggering. Once you go through the Hyaenas (and NOBRO and Les Shirley and The Beaches and a bunch of others), move on to East Coaster Kelly McMichael who inhabits a headspace shared by Courtney Barnett and Juliana Hatfield. She’s also a touring member of Sarah Harmer’s band and plays with Gentlemen Reg and The Hidden Cameras. A full album is due this fall.
5. Royel Otis, Murder on the Dancefloor
Single (Ourness)
RIYL: Covers
Remember how Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 20-year-old song blew up thanks to its inclusion in the movie Saltburn? Yeah, this is a cover by an Australian guitar-pop duo (Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, hence the name)—and they’ve managed to get some viral traction out of it, too, after performing the song for a radio station. That performance now has more than 50 million streams.
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