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Detroit Proud Playlist: Week of 7/18

This week's playlist is bringing you all of the new releases from the last few months. Summer is always a little bit better when you have new tunes to jam out to and that's what we're here for!

New music is our bread and butter, so why not make a sandwich...aka a playlist! Don't judge us for our lame jokes, we can't help it.

1. Shady Groves - "Pixelation"

Shady Groves
(credit: Connor Irwin)

If you're ready to fall into a trippy, dream sequence, then Shady Groves' new release, Bitzer, will take you there. The vocals cut through fuzzy, psychedelic guitar and rhythmic drums. Each track is superb in its delivery, jumping from psychedelic rock to new wave jazz and beyond. The synth adds a nice neo-psychedelic touch and stacks another layer onto the already full sound they've created. The entire album feels like an adventure; roadtripping through the creative process and uncovering pop/rock surprises along the way. This release is great for all occasions and we know you'll enjoy listening to Bitzer straight through.

2. The Full Ride Scholarships - "Wright State University"

The Full Ride Scholarships
(credit: http://ncjorgensen.bandcamp.com/album/personal-statement)

Multi-instrumentalist Nathan Jorgensen goes by many different monikers when creating music and most recently, we stumbled upon his release from earlier this month called Personal Statement. It's a unique and intriguing cluster of demos deemed "jingles and fight songs for American colleges". Can't say we've ever come across something so eccentric, but we're diggin' his humorous take on corny college tunes. They're short, sweet and perfectly acoustic, making us wonder what the heck he's going to come up with next.

3. Don't - "Your Head"

Don't
(credit: http://dontmi.bandcamp.com/)

Sweet in delivery, yet bitter in contemplation. Don't released an album last week and it's melancholy in all the best ways. Aside from the punk, bedroom rock vibes that make you want to dance like it's 1999, their brutally honest lyricism and untouched vocals make this a heartfelt listen. The recordings are crisp and vibrant. Each track cuts the silence like soft butter and it just melts reality away. There is a phenomenal dynamic happening here and we're pumped to have stumbled upon it.

4. Demon Bitch - "Hellfriends"

Demon Bitch
(credit: http://demonbitch.bandcamp.com/album/hellfriends)

Demon Bitch's new release Hellfriends is a full-throttle metal album with intense guitar licks and unstoppable double kick drum action. We can't even believe these guys are real, because how do you play guitar that fast?! Our minds are blown, and these guys have some top notch vocals to kick it all off. It's haunting and maniacal, just plain epic, speed metal chaos.

5. Empty Houses - "Rope"

Empty Houses
(credit: http://emptyhouses1.bandcamp.com/album/daydream)

Soulful and infectious, Empty Houses recent self-titled release is upbeat indie pop with a Motown flare that is easy to groove to. It has innocence and attitude with groovy guitar licks alongside melodic keys and percussion. The vocals are a perfect compliment to the flawless instrumentation and combined, it's a powerhouse of sound. Every track on this album is catchy and listen-worthy. It's a real treat to have Empty Houses as a part of the Detroit music scene.

6. Ugly Heroes - "Notions"

Ugly Heroes
(credit: http://apollobrown360.bandcamp.com/album/everything-in-between)

Hip-hop/rap trio Ugly Heroes, released Everything In Between in late June, and in order to do this album justice, you'll just have to listen to it. Powerhouses in the hip-hop scene, these guys weren't in the mood to cater to our natural tendency to avoid harsh topics. They blast reality over perfectly manicured beats with cut throat lyricism. It's a revolutionary listen, giving a glimpse into their past, present and future with unmatched storytelling and lots of R&B, Motown undertones. Listen to every track very carefully, we promise you won't be disappointed.

7. Norty - "Greed"

Norty
(credit: http://itsnorty.bandcamp.com/album/we-were-nearly-there)

Everything about Norty's new release, We Were Nearly There, is intriguing and stunningly diverse. Each track is something completely different with so much happening at once, it's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that this is all done by a single dude. It's an electronic wonderland keeping the listener engaged and venturing off the beaten path stylistically. It's not your typical drowned out synth and bass. It's colorful and explorative with a lot of attention to detail, not to mention just plain fun to listen to.

8. Double Winter - "Blood Candy"

Double Winter
(credit: http://doublewinter.bandcamp.com/album/watching-eye)

Released earlier this month, Watching Eye is a surf rock gem with psychedelic tendencies that add another dimension to their simplistic style. The vocals are effortless and dreamy with an echoing guitar drowning them out just enough to feel hyper-authentic, as if they're playing only for you directly into your ear drums. We love their dark lyricism and often haunting nature. It's a perfect album to throw on when you're feeling a little witchy and wild.

9. Lemix J Buckley - "Blue Hair"

Lemix J Buckley
(credit: http://lemixjbuckleymi.bandcamp.com/track/blue-hair)

This may not be an album release, but it's worth mentioning. Lemix J Buckley's single "Blue Hair" is a melodic, post-hardcore treat with lots of heartbreaking lyricism and guitar riffs that will blow you away. The intricacies of this track are beautiful, from the catchy lyrics to the impressive guitar work, and it just makes you want to keep listening to see what happens next. If this is any indication of what their next album is going to sound like, then we're beyond excited to hear it.

10. Bonehead - "Trouble"

Bonehead
(credit: https://bonehead.bandcamp.com/album/tricky-girl)

This one woman music machine knows how to take weird pop punk to a whole different level with her 3-track release, Tricky Girl. The guitar is fuzzy and her voice is soft, but coarse, in the best way. The theme bounces between something like darkwave and surf rock with lots of subtleties in between that make it unique. We love the tinny sound of the drums and guitar, it just adds a perfect ambiance to the music and keeps it in raw form.

 

Have an artist in mind for future playlists? Let us know in the comments!

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