motel void

FOUND SPACE – MOONLIGHT

We recently added Moonlight by Found Space to our shoegaze playlist, although the track actually sits somewhere between dream pop and downtempo. There’s a distinct Twin Peaks-like atmosphere running through it. The vocals bring to mind Beach House at their best – beautifully melodic, yet strangely hypnotic and slightly unhinged, a quality that’s enhanced by the synth work throughout the song.

The second half drifts into almost trip-hop territory, becoming noticeably darker and more immersive, but it works brilliantly.

I’m also a big fan of the cover artwork, which perfectly captures the song’s mood: somber, yet filled with a sense of curiosity.

BABY GRENDEL – TIMELESS

Baby Grendel is a four-piece alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon. The current lineup consists of Jonathan Suarez (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), Colleen Johnson (keys, backing vocals), Zach Cardenas (drums), and Drew Cardenas (bass).

We’ve praised Suarez’s songwriting before, and for good reason. I absolutely love his voice. It’s slightly shaky and vulnerable – not the kind of voice that impresses through technical range or flawless delivery, but its tone is incredibly distinctive. Personally, that matters far more to me than someone being able to hit every note perfectly.

More importantly, Suarez has a remarkable gift for melody, and Timeless is another perfect example. Simply put: it’s a banger

SONS OF SEVILLA – DRIVE BY HONEY

Few songs evoke a place as vividly as Drive By Honey. California, ocean breeze, palm trees, driving through the dry landscapes around Palm Springs, wandering through the desert, spotting scorpions in the sand, cooling off in a swimming pool, watching the sun set behind the San Jacinto Mountains, stumbling across a beautifully designed gas station somewhere along the road – this song brings back countless memories of travelling through the American Southwest.

To me, that’s one of the greatest qualities music can have: the ability to instantly transport you somewhere else. Drive By Honey does exactly that.