A fresh batch of the best tracks we’ve heard lately — highly recommended!
Moonpool – Like You Do
Not many grunge-influenced bands appear on my blog – despite the genre being one I grew up with and still hold dear. It’s a style that, in my opinion, hasn’t aged as gracefully and seeps into today’s music a bit more slowly. But Denver-based band moonpool manage to channel its energy with remarkable finesse. Their latest single Like You Do blends classic Seattle-flavored grunge with shoegaze and post-punk textures. Citing Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins as key influences, the track instantly took me back to the days I had Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on repeat. Like You Do could easily be one of the heavier cuts from that record – think Bodies. The band’s musicianship really shines, and the dark, hook-laden melodies stay with you long after the track ends.
Color Palette – Nights Alone
Led by singer-songwriter Jay Nemeyer, Washington D.C.’s Color Palette have shared stages with big names like Charli XCX, but still feel like one of indie’s best-kept secrets. Nights Alone fits squarely into the dreamy corner of bedroom pop – a genre they elevate with strong songwriting and production. From the first second, you’re pulled in by the crisp beat, groovy bass, and shimmering guitar riff. Nemeyer’s vocals – drenched in tasteful effects – enter around the 30-second mark and lead you through a catchy verse before landing in the song’s emotional core: its chorus. Nights Alone is the kind of track you want to hear on a warm summer night, or in the closing credits of an indie film about bittersweet love.
Foot Ox – Horseshoe
Though they’ve been around for nearly two decades, Foot Ox somehow slipped under my radar – until now. The long-running project of Teague Cullen emerged from the same Phoenix-Tempe DIY scene that brought us AJJ, Stephen Steinbrink, iji, and Roar. Since 2007, they’ve carved a unique niche in experimental folk, mixing surreal storytelling with reflections on love, mortality, and dreams. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, they’ve just released Horseshoe – a beautiful, haunting track that’s as stunning in its production as it is in its melody. The vocals are soft and expressive, the instrumental richly textured. I’ve already hit play three times (while it’s pouring rain outside), and yet my mind keeps drifting somewhere warm – somewhere like Arizona. I’m excited to dive deeper into their discography.
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