There is no shortage of killer new music out this month and handful of those have already appeared here on Beatique, but I’m just one person and there aren’t enough hours in the day to listen to everything that’s out now, let alone write about it. I didn’t want to shout out a few more new releases, like Soft New Magic Dream from Black Moth Super Rainbow, plus an impressive goth/industrial club-friendly new album and two lovely full-lengths out now via long-running indie label Slumberland.
Before we get to the reviews, though, I just want to say thank you reading. I started updating Beatique with reviews and original reporting in January because it looked like the situation for music, arts and culture journalism, my day job for well over a decade, in the U.S. would grow even more dismal and it has. But, at the same time, Beatique has had its highest amount of traffic this month and a lot of it is repeat visitors (from outside the U.S. too!) who are checking out multiple stories. Maybe I’m correct in thinking that people actually want to read things written by actual human beings who actually go out into the world and do the reporting themselves. Maybe I’m deluding myself. Either way, thanks for joining me on the ride. There’s more to come, so if you’re interested, check out the ways you can stay up-to-date on Beatique (and my DJ gigs) at the bottom of this post.
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Soft New Magic Dream
Soft New Magic Dream, the first new full-length from Black Moth Super Rainbow, sounds like summertime in the Land of Ooo, super cute, but also totally post-apocalyptic. The Pennsylvania band’s strain of fuzzed-out, analog-heavy psyche pop is what you need when you’re ready to level up from Tame Impala. It’s full of squiggly electronic sounds, static-y textures and warped record vibes that add layers of weird to otherwise accessible pop songs. For inexplicable reasons, I think of Madonna every time I hear “All 2 of Us,” but “The Eyes in Season,” a “cherry chocolate” sweet love song, is the standout on the album. TBH, Soft New Magic Dream gets better every time I hear it. Give it a listen.
Get Soft New Magic Dream by Black Moth Super Rainbow
Mari Kattman
Year of the Katt
The third solo album from Mari Kattman of Helix, and her first for Metropolis Records, Year of the Katt falls solidly in the goth/industrial club camp. There is a lot for DJs on here, from the steady stomp of songs like “Take” and “Little Bullet Girl” to the slow flow of “PunisHER.” Kattman’s vocal deliver is like a cross between Shirley Manson and Black Cherry– era Alison Goldfrapp and, particularly on “The Worst,” there’s a hint of The Downward Spiral in the production. Year of the Katt closes on a high with the dramatic “Take Myself Back” and the fierce “Pain,” both of which I would consider strong contenders for club play, closing out the album.
Get Year of the Katt by Mari Kattman
Lightheaded
Thinking, Dreaming Scheming
There’s a sound that I associate with Slumberland Records, the long-running indie record label, that sits at the cross section of orchestrated ‘60s pop and the indie jangle of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Lightheaded encapsulates that sound on Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming. They’re from New Jersey, but sound more like they’re from the U.K. In fact, specifically, I thought of the British band Heavenly, for whom Lightheaded has opened, when I first hear them. I also thought of Strawberry Switchblade, Belle & Sebastian and Phil Spector productions. If that’s all music on your playlist, then you need to hear Lightheaded’s latest album. It’s a winner.
Get Thinking, Dreaming, Scheming by Lightheaded
Jeanines
How Long Can It Last
The second of two albums released via cult favorite indie label Slumberland in late June, How Long Can It Last is the latest from Massachusetts-based Jeanines. With a sound that’s equal parts soulful pop and garage rock, the decade-old band writes concise, catchy songs. In fact, How Long Can It Last is comprised of 13 songs, but only clocks in at 22 minutes. It’s a delightful album that will keep your head bopping along as you listen.
Get How Long Can It Last by Jeanines
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Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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