LITM Rock Picks Tracks to Jostle Up Your Playlist Featuring Sons of Chance, Ubiquity Machine, King in Yellow, Koburg and Chris Quesnel
Sons of Chance- Show Them
Sons of Chance are not visiting to play- they're here to slay. With a chant-ready "woawaoah," Show Them takes us in on its inspiring vibe quicker than you can say "dance revolution." It's more than an indie alt-pop-rock tune; it's a movie anthem for those times when life has you beat, and you must get up like a phoenix with deadly dance skills.The words, "Get on your feet now, boy, show them you can shake and dance," may come across as basic party directions, but it's more than that. It's a rallying cry for battling the darkness of despair, a plea to reclaim your happiness, and a reminder that sometimes the best way to combat the blues is to boogie them into submission.
From Fife, Scotland, this high-energy band understands how to blend metaphorical and uplifting lyrics with ageless instrumentation. Seriously, this may be the movie soundtrack of a Guy Ritchie montage- picture a tough underdog boxer fighting along with this playing. Straight-up gold. Sons of Chance are the motivational experts we never knew we needed. Now, we need to go add this gem to all playlists forever.
2. Ubiquity Machine- Angela
If longing had a theme song, it would be Ubiquity Machine's Angela. Half indie-rock soul and half melancholic electronic marvel, this song is like a love letter wrapped in fog and nostalgic longing. It's the aural equivalent of gazing out of a rainy window, pleading with the universe, "Do you even care, Angela?"
Dan Marsh and Howard Rabach, the DC dream team musicians, bring you layers of rich synths, eerie guitars, and words that punch you in the existential gut. Phrases like "You got the love I need, kinda love that I believe" are poem punches to the stomach. Do you believe in love, Angela? Do you?!
With over 100 songs to their name, Ubiquity Machine proves their storytelling prowess yet again. This one will haunt you- in the best way possible. Just don’t listen to it at 3 a.m. unless you’re prepared to spiral (with headphones on, of course).
3. King in Yellow- Dream Weapon
If only your most profound existential crisis had a killer soundtrack. That is Dream Weapon by King in Yellow. Inspired by the eerie, broken-up stories of Robert W. Chambers' The King in Yellow, this song is shoegaze, noise-rock, and new wave giving birth to a gorgeous melancholy child.
Unfurling at the margins like a memory torn away, the guitars keen, the feedback throbs, and the vocals- nearly a wail, almost a whisper—grieve what's lost. It's akin to hearing Pixies' Black Francis on the way home from a very bad day. The line "Dream Weapon is about delusion" sums up that sinking sensation when you discover the world isn't the way it appears—or the way you wished.
Kyle McDonough and Nick Vining make their Kingston, NY recording a fever dream that's well worth the wait. This is music for pacing the floor at 3 a.m., a ghost at your back, and questions you can't quite put into words. Haunting and hypnotic, Dream Weapon sticks with you long after the final note has sounded.
4. Koburg- Twisted Fairytale
Dive into Koburg's Twisted Fairytale gothic majesty, where symphonic metal and cinematic drama entwine. If Painted Stars does not give you chills, are you truly alive? Koburg's strong vocals sweep like a heroine battling her way through an enchanted forest- daring, lovely, and totally badass.
This record isn't music; it's an experience. Each song feels like it was ripped from the score of a dark fantasy epic. The name implies a reinterpretation of fairy tales, but darker, grittier, and more emotionally-packed. It's like if Maleficent had formed a metal band and went on tour across the realms.
Die-hard symphonic metal and theatricality fans will adore Koburg's transformation as an artist. This album is just what you need for those times when you want to be empowered, exposed, and transported to another world- simultaneously.
5. Chris Quesnel – Tarantino
Lights, camera, summer feeling! Chris Quesnel's Tarantino isn't a song- it's a mood. Picture a sun-kissed montage of road trips, beach excursions, and serendipitous meetings with a stranger who just might become the love of your life. This alt-pop pearl is your new summer jam.
The track’s soaring guitars and infectious melody feel like Party in the U.S.A. met indie cool at a music festival and decided to stay up all night talking about fleeting love and serendipity. It’s bright, fun, and oh-so-relatable, especially if you’ve ever experienced that spark of connection with someone new.
With Californian producer Matthew May's output, Quesnel is able to capture the thrill of a summer romance in a catchy but non-clichéd fashion. Tarantino is the musical equivalent of the ideal pair of sunglasses- cool, effortless, and guaranteed to make everything a little more radiant.
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