By: Kayleigh Drake  If there’s one thing I love in the vast world of music, it’s shoegaze. Even more so if it’s loud. And that’s exactly why I’m a big fan of Trauma Ray.  Trauma Ray is a five-piece shoegaze band based in Fort Worth, Texas. (Come through, fellow Southerners!) But I wouldn’t say they’re the “ethereal,” UK-in-the-early-90s brand of shoegaze. Rather, they remind me of a cross between Hum […]

By: Jackie Lo   If you like: Glixen, Land of Talk, Chelsea Wolfe, A Perfect Circle Farmer’s Wife, formerly known as “Sludge”, a “dream grunge band” from Austin, Texas, released their Faint Illusions EP today with 5 new songs of swirly guitars, sludge-y sounds, and whimsical lyrics. Their first EP There’s a Monster released in the fall of 2023 and this sophomore EP is grittier and full of darker fantasies. […]

By: Kayleigh Drake I’ve been a Mclusky fan ever since I first heard them on Sirius 26 Left of Center (R.I.P.) way back in high school. For years, their iconic 2002 album “Mclusky Do Dallas” has been one of my go-tos for when I’m craving some Loud Shit™. And in fact, I almost named my Substrate radio show “Collagen Rock” in honor of track three on that very album. (I […]

By: Paul Cordes Wilm Down the Sparrow Hole Holy shit! I just don’t know what to make of the new Deerhoof album I admit, this was my initial reaction to Noble And Godlike In Ruin, Deerhoof’s brilliant brand new record. However, anyone who might be exclaiming the above sentiment may as well be also reacting to any one of Deerhoof’s 21 previous releases! But that’s what’s so incredibly fun about […]

By: Kayleigh Drake  After breadcrumbing us with increasingly catchy singles for the past several months, Wishy has at long last released their latest EP, “Planet Popstar.” As the name indicates, this is a step in a poppier direction than their earlier work, but it still retains the infectious hooks and sugar-sweet vocal harmonies that are characteristic to the rest of their repertoire. Wishy is a band that I’ve been HEAVILY […]

By: Kayleigh Drake If there's one central theme running through Sunflower Bean's catalogue, it's that there isn't really a central theme to any particular album. Not in terms of the music, anyway. Ever since the release of 2016’s “Human Ceremony,” each Sunflower Bean record has been an amalgamation of genres, styles and musical influences that range from neo-psychedelia to post-punk to 80s-era glam rock. And honestly, with a vocalist as […]

By - Paul Cordes Wilm A Road Trip to Rebirth Okay. If you are unfamiliar with the distinctive sounds of DjRum, here is a convenient and informative rundown for you. 1. About the artist : Felix Manuel, aka Djrum (pronounced either “drum” or “dee jay rum”)  is from London, England and produces a highly ambitious form of electronic music which is a clever amalgamation of club styles such as techno, […]