motel void

This time, we’re heading to America three times – each visit taking us to a completely different corner: California, Florida, and Illinois. And the genres vary just as widely, from experimental electronics to indie singer-songwriting and shoegaze.

SNOWCUFFS – IN BLUE

Snowcuffs is a Chicago-based shoegaze/dream-pop band drawing influence from Alvvays, Beach House, and Mazzy Star, while reaching for a slightly more experimental approach on their debut.

What sets Snowcuffs apart from the current wave of shoegaze bands, at least for me, are the vocals. I love how they lean toward a more melodic, almost crystalline quality, evoking the icy emotional tone of one of my favourite band, Daughter. Paired with the hazy shoegaze instrumentation, the contrast works beautifully – at times even slipping into a subtle gothic vibe. It’s a sound that feels familiar yet distinctly their own.

ZOYA ZAFAR – STRANGE HEAVEN

Singer-songwriter Zoya Zafar, born in Lahore, Pakistan and raised in Orlando, Florida, is a self-taught musician who has been writing songs and performing locally around Florida since her teens, earning a diverse fanbase across the state’s underground subcultures. While Florida is one of the places in the U.S. I’ve never actually visited, I’ve been familiar with Zoya Zafar’s music for some time.

What I appreciate most in her writing is its effortlessness – an authenticity that never feels calculated. Within this genre, I sometimes sense an overbearing ambition from certain artists trying to break into one of the “million-follower playlists,” but with Zoya Zafar, I only ever feel a genuine desire to craft songs that matter to her. In today’s landscape, that kind of sincerity is rare – and incredibly valuable.

XAY COLE – RIBBON START IS A PYRAMID BRACKET

Xay Cole (*1999) is a multi-instrumentalist and recording artist from San Jose, California, who began releasing music online in the early 2010s. I spent about two days in San Jose myself, and unlike in many other American cities, I didn’t particularly feel any strong local music scene – but perhaps that kind of environment is exactly what gives rise to something unique.

Ribbon Start is a Pyramid Bracket opens with an instrumental, experimental whirlwind before slipping into a pleasantly raw, slightly murky vocal delivery. The track then pivots into a stunning mid-section, only to return in the final moments to the familiar melodic theme. It’s a wonderfully intriguing composition, built with real inventiveness and a lot of talent.