Artist Making Waves: Whitney - "No Woman", "Golden Days", and "No Matter Where We Go" [indie rock / alt-country / soul]

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About a year and a half ago, Chicago indie rock band Smith Westerns announced their breakup after penning three solid albums together. Since then, the band's frontman Cullen Omori has released a solo record on Sub Pop while guitarist Max Kakacek and drummer Julien Ehrlich (ex-Unknown Mortal Orchestra) have gone on to form the band Whitney, subsequently signing with Secretly Canadian.

Ehrlich and Kakacek share songwriting duties in Whitney, crafting warm, melancholic songs layered with jangly acoustic guitar, Kakacek's signature twangy guitar leads, triumphant horn sections, and topped with Ehrlich's soulful, unassuming falsetto. They recorded with a full band in California with Foxygen's Jonathan Rado, which makes sense seeing as both band's songs sound like they could have come from the late 60s.

Whitney will be on tour for the next couple months in support of their debut album Light Upon The Lake. Go out and catch a show and pick up a copy of their record when it hits shelves June 3rd. Check out the first two singles from the album that have been bringing Whitney lots of positive attention, "No Woman" and "Golden Days", plus their first demo, "No Matter Where We Go".

Just Rolled In: Idiot Glee - "Baby (I Could Be Your Bone)", "I Don't Feel Right", and "Evergreen Psycho" [psychedelic / synthpop / experimental]

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Lexington, Kentucky's experimental pop artist James Friley has been making music under the name Idiot Glee since 2009. His newest release, a self-titled full-length out on the label he co-founded, Hop Hop Records, and produced by the composer of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, hit shelves a few weeks ago and he's currently on tour with his band to support it.

I had the pleasure of seeing them play at a DIY venue called The Smell in Los Angeles last weekend. Unfortunately, my prior knowledge of Friley's music was limited to his 2011 debut Paddywhack (a unique lo-fi pop album rightfully characterized as post-doo-wop), but seeing him perform live nearly five years after that release gave me a quick lesson on how his progression as an artist has taken his music in a new direction, a direction away from doo-wop and lo-fi and more toward 70s synthpop and psychedelia.

Idiot Glee's sound may be hard to put a finger on, seeing as there's nothing really out there right now that compares (maybe Islands or Adult Jazz?), but it's easy to say that his soulful croon, hypnotizing vocal harmonies, and dextrous piano and synth playing are the defining elements of his music. On Idiot Glee, Friley's influences (namely Brian Eno, John Cale, and Scott Walker) are evident and there's a noticeable improvement in production, which gives the record more of a full band sound than his previous releases. Needless to say, it's a fantastic album.

My top three picks from the album are "Baby (I Could Be Your Bone)", "I Don't Feel Right", and "Evergreen Pyscho". Stream them below to get a better idea of what Idiot Glee is all about and catch them on tour in a city near you! Stream and purchase the album here. It plays great on vinyl!

holaTUBE: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "Multi-Love" [psych pop / indie rock / soul]

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Five years have passed since Ruban Nielson's first song as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, "Ffunny Ffrends", first infiltrated and spread like wildfire throughout the interwebs. After living up to the first adjective of his moniker by actually remaining anonymous for some time, forming a band, and gaining a huge following for their first two full-lengths of lo-fi polychromatic psych pop (the second of which made holaOLA's list of the best albums of 2013), the Portland-based Kiwi is back with a third, Multi-Love, which hits shelves May 26 via Jagjaguwar and, interestingly enough, was influenced by his recent experience with a polyamorous relationship.

UMO's first two singles (the lead-off title track and "Can't Keep Checking My Phone") set the bar high for the new album, not straying too far from the feel of their previous recordings but enriching their unique sound with noticeably higher fidelity production and the addition of other instruments and sounds that give their songs new depth and texture (especially on the latter track).

Hear it for yourself in the psychedelic music video for "Multi-Love" below and stream their funky second single "Can't Keep Checking My Phone" below that.

Purchase a physical copy of Multi-Love here or download it on iTunes.

Swell Album: #1 Dads - About Face [indie rock / soul / experimental pop]

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Tom Iansek has been featured on holaOLA before, but as half of the award-winning Australian duo Big Scary. Now, the Melbourne songwriter is back, further proving his excellent musicianship, songwriting, and vocal skills as the force behind #1 Dads, his solo project, which recently released the beautiful record About Face on Pieater Records.

Formed as a way to keep busy creating new material between recording sessions and touring with his more established music project, #1 Dads first made its mark back in May 2011 (as Dads) with the debut release, Man of Leisure. The only real sonic connection that can be made between the two projects is that they both feature Iansek's passionate vocals and experimental pop sensibilities. Comparing #1 Dads' new record with Big Scary's recent genre-defying Not Art LP, Iansek not only mellows down his vocals a bit (albeit without sacrificing any of the soul), but he tones down the music too, favoring subdued piano arrangements and acoustic guitars to punchy keys and percussion. The presence of guest vocalists (Tom Snowdon of Lowlakes, Ainslie Wills, and Airling) on select tracks of About Face also adds a new dynamic to his minimal indie rock, making for an engrossing listening experience that's just as diverse as the list of genres tagged to his previous music.

Stream/purchase the entire album below and hop on over to #1 Dads' BandCamp page to stream and/or buy 2011's Man of Leisure.

Artist Making Waves: Pat Hull [folk / soul / singer-songwriter]

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Originally from Connecticut, singer-songwriter Pat Hull is the son of two classically trained musicians and vocal/piano teachers who fortunately managed to pass on their singing skills and love for music to him. Growing up, Pat picked up multiple instruments like piano, saxophone, and cello, but fell in love with the guitar and starting playing with bands in his college years in New York. After graduating in 2009, Hull moved out to Chico, California for graduate school where he sharpened his skills, recording three albums with the help of other musicians. In 2010, he moved back to Brooklyn where he met and collaborated with Jason Beck and Michael Chinworth on his next two albums, 2011's Light and last year's Shed Skin. Now, Pat Hull resides in Santa Cruz, CA and recently put out his newest record, In The Yellow Room, which is a collection of intimate songs recorded live between 2011 and 2014 with bandmates Mark Robertson and Bob Reynolds at Yellow Room Recording in Portland, Oregon.

As is evident on In The Yellow Room, Pat Hull is one of the few great modern folk musicians with a soulful voice that enraptures you the moment it meets the microphone. My family and I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live on his solo tour this summer in Newburyport, MA, where he played for a small crowd of unsuspecting microbrew aficionados in a local brewery. He played for a few hours, churning out original songs along with a number of classic rock and folk covers that would have slipped by me had my mother not recognized the lyrics and started mumbling along. Everything sounded uniquely his own thanks to the marriage between his alluring singing style and complementary guitar playing. One thing is certain as you listen to Pat Hull play: His impassioned, soothing signature is left on everything he touches.

Jump on over to Pat Hull's BandCamp page to stream all six of his beautiful albums, or you can start below with his two latest records, In The Yellow Room and Shed Skin. Be sure to follow him on Facebook to hear about upcoming shows and releases.

Just Rolled In: Burn Antares - "Crystal Love" [psychedelic / rock 'n' roll / 60s revival / soul]

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The 1960s might be long gone, but luckily enough for us millennials (and nostalgic baby boomers), psychedelic rockers Burn Antares from Sydney, Australia are gracing stages and studios today channeling the soul, melody, and groovy vibes intrinsic to that decade's music. Fronted by the seductive pipes of Grace Farriss, daughter of INXS keyboardist/guitarist/composer Andrew Farriss, Burn Antares manages to catapult us back almost half a century with their psychedelic guitar riffs and solos, jangly percussion, ceiling-busting background vocal harmonies, blazing organs, and of course, Farriss's soulful, energetic vocals, which are quite evocative of those of Stevie Nicks.

Already having released an excellent self-titled debut EP in late 2013, Burn Antares are back with the single "Crystal Love" from their upcoming EP Fur Coat & The Peace Boat, which is being released this October. Check out the track below, followed by their beautiful rework of INXS's song "By My Side" and a full stream of their debut EP.

Swell Album: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Oddments [garage / psychedelic / soul]

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Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have just released their fourth LP, Oddments, in as little as eighteen months. The most impressive part is that each album successfully pulls off something different—the Thee Oh Sees-indebted garage-psych of 12 Bar Bruise, the experimental narrative-led spaghetti western album Eyes Like the Sky, the 60s-influenced psychedelia of Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, and the soulful pysch-pop kaleidoscope of their most recent LP Oddments. Since the first installment of this hyperactive recording series, the Gizz & Liz Wiz have scraped away a good amount of the fuzz signature of any psychedelic garage rock band to let the vocals breathe a bit more and to reveal their more soulful side, making this record the most dynamic and accessible listening experience.

While there's no doubt that garage rockers like Black Lips or Thee Oh Sees have played a part in driving the seven-piece to produce their energetic, and often humorous, brand of psychedelic garage rock, a likening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra is also plausible, especially in the comparably unhurried lo-fi track "Stressin'". The main difference between Oddments and its predecessors is that it doesn't cling too hard to any one idea. Each song brings something different into the mix, leaving us with a melting pot of influences and most importantly, a really fun record, maybe just as fun as saying the band's name—King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

Stream the entire album below or listen to it on their Bandcamp, along with the rest of their discography.

Swell Album: Abram Shook - Sun Marquee [indie pop / tropical / psychedelic / jazz / soul]

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As I listen to the new album Sun Marquee by Austin-based multi-instrumentalist Abram Shook I try to pick up some sort of consistency in his songs—as I do with all the music I write about—to be able to come up with genres it may fit into and to help me write a little something about it, but the only thing I've grasped so far is that no two songs are really alike. Shook's dreamy debut solo album is "all shook up" (har har har) in terms of musical direction. With one song you're grooving along to a soulful jazzy tune, then you're bouncing around to an upbeat indie pop jam, and the next one shoots you down a tunnel of syncopated psychedelia.

A spirited world traveler and apparently a big fan of Serge Gainsbourg, Shuggie Otis, fellow genre bender David Bowie, and Brazilian music, Abram Shook does a great job of drawing from his multitude of worldly influences to create a well-balanced eclectic record that hooks you upon first listen. If this great mixture of sunny pop songs has anything consistent about it, it's Shook's effortlessly cool vocals, groovy bass lines, an intricate rhythm section, and his beautiful guitar melodies all intertwined into a catchy record filled with lush production.

Enjoy the full album stream below and be sure to support Abram Shook by purchasing his album via his label Western Vinyl or by clicking the "Buy all on iTunes" link on the SoundCloud player below.

Artist Making Waves: Shivum Sharma [electronic pop / soul]

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After releasing a pair of soulful piano-based bedroom demos last year, 19-year-old South Londoner Shivum Sharma is back with a studio version of the powerful slow-burner that turned heads in the first place, "Flicker", and its lusty B-side "Only You". The two tracks will be on the Flicker EP, which indie label National Anthem (home to CHVRCHES, HAIM, and Sir Sly) will be putting out on March 3.

Shivum Sharma enlisted the help of Warp signee Kwes. to produce his originally piano/vocals-heavy tracks. The result falls somewhere between James Blake and Antony and the Johnsons—unique passionate music with captivating electronic beats and textures that serve to add depth, not to divert attention away from Sharma's vulnerable, compelling croon and his solid piano work.

Enjoy the two tracks below (don't miss the climactic closer on "Flicker") and purchase a copy of the Flicker EP in March!

Artist Making Waves: Astronauts, etc. [dream pop / electronic / pop]

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What do you do when you are studying classical piano at UC Berkeley and you suddenly find out that your future career as a pianist is rendered practically impossible due to arthritis? Well, I suppose you do what Anthony Ferraro did and you drop out of music school to start producing beautiful electronic music under the moniker Astronauts, etc.

With music as celestial as his recording name, Ferraro has been making quite a name for himself despite having drifted away from his original musical aspirations. Astronauts, etc. boasts over 2,500 SoundCloud followers and has been floating around the 'blogosphere' for over a year now, which is a surprise considering his previous projects were scrapped shortly after their realization. However, with recent dreamy pop jams like "Sadie" and "Coldboy", it's hard to imagine Ferraro's current project going anywhere but skyward.

If I had to compare it to something, I'd say Astronauts, etc.'s melodramatic dream pop is a beautiful blend of Neon Indian's lo-fi chillwave, Porcelain Raft's smooth, heartfelt vocals, and Jai Paul's beats and song structures (see "Jasmine"). This is electronic pop at its best.

The idea of getting lost in space doesn't sound so bad if you have Astronauts, etc. to float along with. Enjoy the songs below and check out more tracks on his SoundCloud.

Just Rolled In: Big Scary - "Luck Now" [experimental pop / indie folk / soul]

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Here's another Melbourne, Australia band sure to turn some heads in 2013: Big Scary. Seemingly boundless with their genre exploration, the experimental indie pop duo is set to release their sophomore album Not Art June 28 via Pieater (Aus) and September 17 through their new US home, Barsuk Records.

After listening to Big Scary's previous releases (their debut LP Vacation and previous EP collection The Big Scary Four Seasons), I find it difficult to stick a label on the music, which is a good thing in my mind. On one track they're floating through a delicate piano-based folk tune, then they explode into an energetic rock'n'roll jam that drops off into a more glossy indie pop song, just to do it all over again.

The Australian duo's second single from Not Art, "Luck Now", finds them in one of their more stripped down, subdued moments, but the track is given extra life with lead singer/guitarist/pianist Tom Iansek's soulfully stirring vocal performance akin to that of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. "Luck Now", one of my favorite songs released this year, marks a shift in musical style for Big Scary as they have incorporated a hip hop-influenced, syncopated drum loop embellished by percussion samples they recorded in a garage while hitting various objects. It all comes together quite nicely, if you ask me.

Listen to "Luck Now" below followed by Big Scary's first single "Phil Collins" and grab a copy of Not Art on iTunes at the end of June!

Just Rolled In: f y f e - "Conversations" [electronic / soulful pop / R&B]

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As you may recall, London's f y f e, aka Paul Dixon, was the first artist featured on holaOLA back in March. Well, the rising R&B-tinged electronic musician is back with a new single called "Conversations", which has surfaced in the wake of his recent excellent Solace EP.

Nothing much has changed regarding f y f e's musical vision, which is certainly fine by me. On "Conversations" Dixon whips together another irresistible hard-hitting beat and glazes it over with his beautifully soulful voice and adds some more texture with his usual guitar licks and haunting backing vocals. While fitting in well with his previous singles, the only difference here would be a heavier hip-hop-influenced beat and more glitchy production.

Check out "Conversations" below followed by f y f e's beloved Solace EP. You can purchase the EP via the "Buy on iTunes" link on the SoundCloud player.

Artist Making Waves: S O H N [electronic soul / minimal electro pop]

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S O H N is a producer/singer/multi-instrumentalist originally from London who currently resides in Vienna, Austria. His recent move to Vienna has played a key role in his songwriting as themes of loneliness, starting over, and realization-that-things-aren't-so-bad are delicately strewn over his intricately multi-layered minimal electronic backdrop with his soulful, captivating voice and countered with his stuttering vocal sample that blends perfectly with the complex beat.

S O H N's first single "The Wheel" from his debut EP with the same name demonstrates these themes when he opens with "I died a week ago / There's nothing left / It's caught on video / The very last breath", and calms himself down at the end with the same smooth voice that has been relaxing us: "All this fuss over nothing / Reinventing the wheel / All this searching for something / That's not real".

Believe me – his lovely, addictive sound keeps rolling beyond "The Wheel". Check it out along with the newly released slow-building single "Bloodflows" and a few others below from S O H N's Soundcloud to fully experience his seductive electronic pop. You can buy the 2012 The Wheel EP here.

Swell Album: Ava Luna - Ice Level [soul / experimental pop / R&B]

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I just happened across a truly unique band called Ava Luna, but I did so a bit late. Their debut LP Ice Level was released in February of 2012 and they have toured with Toro y Moi and Twin Sister. Why this experimental pop band hasn't garnered much attention since then puzzles me. The Brooklynites craft a sound akin to that of Dirty Projectors and TV on the Radio but they can't be summed up that easily. What has been described as "nervous soul", their style is very rich in female vocal harmonies, broken drum patterns, minimalistic post-punk and at times orchestral instrumentals, and led by a great "soulified" male voice.

Below you can listen to 2 singles, along with one of my favorites, from their 2012 album Ice Level. You can stream and buy the entire album here.