Breaking out of your musical bubble.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with falling back on old favorites when life “feels like a movie,” but 2020 has given us some good singles and new releases so far. If you are ready to leave your cocoon of comfort music, here are some tasty tracks to get you started.

“Unlucky” Lunar Vacation

If you’re anything like me, the bedroom is where you are spending most of your time at the moment. So, why not listen to this new bedroom pop single? Lunar Vacation started in a bedroom in Atlanta, Georgia where they hoped to change the sound of the local scene by combining “psychedelic rock with dream pop,” according to their label’s page.

I first heard this band’s track “Blue Honey” and fell head over heels for their dreamy sound and the sweet vocals of lead singer, Grace Repasky. After checking out a couple of live videos, I was sure this band was a cut above.

This new track is a sepia-toned surfer’s dream combining light yet memorable guitar riffs with lyrics that call on a wistful existence between heartbreak and apathy. There is nothing too deep or terrifying about this song so if you are worried about getting lost in the feels on your walk around the block, this song might be perfect.

“technicolor” Covet

Yvette Young, Covet’s musical head, is a modern-day sound wizard and as I found out, a great artist as well. All of the colorful cover art you will see is designed by her. She is a multi-instrumentalist groundbreaker who deserves her spot in whatever math-rock hall of fame might exist out there. 

Young said in an interview with New Noise that she wanted this new album to bring comfort to her audience and, in many ways, it succeeded. The juicy, saturated guitar tone coupled with Young’s amazing style gives the album an uplifting mood that lays out over all the tracks, including even the ones that could be considered more intense or intricate. 

The album is uncharted waters for the three-piece band, with Young adding vocals on tracks like “Parachute” and “Farewell.” In many ways, these tracks stand on their own as a new venture into popular music. Despite trepidations, Young’s lyrics add a layer that I didn’t know was needed. The lines are infused tastefully, adding to the richness of the harmony in a new and interesting way.

“Gathering Swans” Choir Boy

If you are interested in indulging the darker side of your consciousness with an 8o8 backbeat, then the dream-pop outfit Choir Boy might catch your ear. Their new album is serene and wonderfully conceptualized. Adam Klopp’s vocals are warbled and elegant resembling 90s new wave music in the best way.

The Salt Lake City band has defiantly breached the surface of the greater indie scene with this refined album. In an interview with the Salt Lake City Weekly, Bassist Chaz Costello said the band was able to refine the music more without the distractions of the road, and it shows. 

“Nites like This” is a beautifully composed piece that cuts through the album despite being over eight minutes long. The melodic lines are deeply satisfying and it creates what could only be described as an earworm of sorts. The lyrics call the listener to a specific feeling of morose yearning for a simpler time with a significate other.