Multi-talented singer, songwriter, and artist Kat Von D has released a new music video for ‘I Am a Machine,’ which features Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White Gluz, and is included on her just-released album My Side Of The Mountain. The music video was directed by Vincente Cordero (Jinger, Cradle of Filth, Suicide Silence etc.) “I’ve been such a huge fan of Arch Enemy for so long, it’s been a dream come true getting to create music with Alissa,” says Kat. “I was actually nervous about even asking her to sing on one of my songs, considering I make more dark, electronic music and not metal, but was so happy/relieved when she agreed to be a part of this album. She’s one of the most talented friends I have. Getting to record her massive vocal range in person was beyond inspiring.”

Last month, Grumpy announced their signing to Bayonet Records (Beach Fossils, Mei Seimones) who will release their new EP Wolfed at the end of October. A NYC-based project led by Heaven Schmitt (they/them), the band has been attracting attention in NYC over the last year, appearing on bills with artists like Katy Kirby, This Is Lorelei, Sinai Vessel and Al Menne. Heaven and the gang are back to share a new single called ‘Flower’ alongside a video co-starring NYC DIY pop musician May Rio. Where lead single ‘Saltlick’ and pre announce single ‘Protein’ were awash with glitchy electronics that envelope Heaven’s intimate and inventive songwriting, ‘Flower’ shows a gentler side of the project, while still flashing the distinctive production flourishes that have set this new EP apart from Grumpy’s earlier material. A waltz, that gradually incorporates strings and layered harmonies over a spare guitar figure, the song is about love can transcend the romantic where it began context. Heaven says of the song: “Relationships arent’ forever, but love can be. ‘Flower’ is about how, for me, at this stage of my life, love isn’t about building a permanent commitment to someone, it’s about nurturing a bond so that it may last a lifetime. In ‘Flower’, I accept the end of a relationship with a peacefulness and gratitude that it happened at all. When I love someone, I know that love is bound to change shape, rather than dissolve, post romance.”

If you have been paying attention to independent music over the last decade you might recognize the voices of Romy and Sari Lightman, even if you don’t recognize their names. Twin sisters, originally from Toronto and now based in LA, the pair first came to public attention as long time members of Austra. Separately and together the sisters have also appeared on recordings from Yves Jarvis and TOPS, released a pair of albums in a project called Tasseomancy, which featured both Lightman sisters and Evan Cartwright of the band Cola, and Romy is one half of the Lightman Jarvis Ecstatic Band, a collaborative project with Jarvis that put out a record on ANTI- in 2021. Now, Romy and Sari are back to launch a new project called Lightman & Lightman, and announce their debut EP under the name, a release entitled Sister Smile. To mark the announce Lightman & Lightman are sharing the single ‘Bethlehem XL’ which features contributions from Hand Habit’s Meg Duffy, and is accompanied by a video written by Romy and directed by Zak Tatham. ‘Bethlehem XL’ is the EP’s opening track and serves as an overture, as the sisters explain in a statement: “An introduction to the record, intended as an overture. The narrator of the song slinks around like a Jean Rhys character, walking alone through empty streets late at night, filled with a material and spiritual longing. Feelings of interconnectedness & disassociation ebb and flow until the ending takes us to a higher, celestial place of joy and belonging.”

Cults, have released a new music video for ‘Onions,’ the track is off their latest album To the Ghosts. Directed by Alice Fassi, whose work has been recognized at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes Lions, brought her unique blend of satire and horror to the clip. Madeline plays a tender housewife with a dark side, hiding a sadistic, thrill-seeker within. Brian plays her half-dead counterpart, likely fallen victim to one of Madeline’s homecooked brews. Set in a secluded country home circle 1980, the video unfolds with colorful cinematography, and a surreal, delightfully macabre charm. [via Northern Transmissions]

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Somehow, we are still in the same year when the self-professed Dublin “garage noise” band Sprints released their phenomenal debut album Letter To Self. (It came out on the very first New Music Friday of 2024, which now feels like a very long time ago.) They’ve had a months of ups and downs since then, including lots of great performances but also some sordid audience behavior and the departure of founding guitarist Colm O’Reilly. They’ve also kept releasing new music in the wake of their debut LP. Back in May, Sprints shared a pair of new songs, ‘Help Me I’m Spiralling’ and ‘Drones.’ Now they’ve got one more for us. ‘Feast’ veers into the glam-grunge territory inhabited by bands like Cherry Glazerr as Karla Chubb repurposes biblical imagery in a queer context. “She chewed me up like dinner,” goes one refrain. The track gets more and more pleasingly intense as it goes along. [via Stereogum]

Albertine Sarges has released the video for her brilliantly direct single ‘Stand Near Your Fire’, via Moshi Moshi Records. Albertine Sarges enlists her band The Sticky Fingers to star in the video. It’s a fantastic explosion of glam-rock colour that captures the joy and energy of the music perfectly. The effervescent, bold and left field indie pop finds the perfect accompaniment in this video directed by Lo Selbo. Albertine talks about the video – “My new video is a vegan soap opera about wanting to belong to a cool group of people. We had this idea that I could have an inferiority complex and we made myself small as a thumbling. I am sneaking around giant rockstars (a reveal of my live band, the sticky fingers) with my binoculars, trying to get closer, but it’s hard to impress them. Eventually, I make friends with them and we sing through megaphones and eat wonton. I love the anti-lookism shots with the wind machine and my Neanderthal-Gucci clothing. “Let me stand near your fire” means I want to be close to your inspiring greatness, close to your clan.”

ATARASHII GAKKO! has released the official music video for their track ‘Omakase,’ in which the members transform into sushi chefs, blending their energetic style with fun culinary visuals. The video offers a unique and lively presentation, showcasing the group’s playful yet fierce attitude. ‘Omakase’ is part of their latest album AG! Calling, which is now available on all major streaming platforms. Fans can expect more of the bold and distinctive sound that ATARASHII GAKKO! is known for, and this music video adds a creative visual spin to their latest release. [via Tokyo Hive]

Lisel releases the video for ‘The Past Is A Tiger’ off The Vanishing Point, which comes out October 18. ‘The Past is a Tiger’ is an emotionally direct and evocative song that blends both macabre and ethereal soundscapes (harsh growls, eerie industrial whistles, bell-like synths) with incisive, probing, and self-critical lyrics. The song reflects on how the past can be both elusive and dangerous—something that lurks and occasionally resurfaces. Lisel’s floating vocals and the intricate, dark, experimental production create a haunting atmosphere, inviting listeners to contemplate how memory and melancholy can often lead to self-obsession and self-absorption. Director Julia Ponce Díaz says, “We developed a series of visual ideas that were inspired by representations of the myth of Narcissus in painting and sculpture, reflecting on how we willingly contribute to our own self-destruction through thought patterns and behavior we know aren’t worthwhile but can’t give up. The element of the pond, and the emphasis on reflections and portraiture all derived from this simple concept. The song and video balance opulent beauty and tension, offering a mesmerizing exploration of time and self-reflection. BAFTA Newcomer Fellow, Julia Ponce Díaz’s visually striking video pairs its stunning, lush scenery and baroque, extravagant garments with the song’s eerie, mournful undertone. The video encapsulates the melancholy of the lyricism, juxtaposing dreamlike visuals with the raw emotion of Lisel’s performance. ‘The Past Is A Tiger’ showcases the most evolved project between Díaz and Lisel, with stunning production value that is a continuation of their previous collaboration on Lisel’s ‘Blades of Grass.’ [via Ba Da Bing]

With 2024 marking twenty years since she shared her first album, Peakahokahoo, prolific artist (and self-proclaimed witch) Kansas-born Piney Gir has just released her latest EP, Cosmic Upside Down; thus completing a magical trilogy, following Alchemy Hand in 2022 and its predecessor Astral Spectra in 2021. The second single to be taken from the EP, following the stirring energy of ‘Witches & Covens’, ‘Show Me The Lightning’ sees Piney Gir embracing the storm of her emotions. Dripping in psychedelic synths and glistening reverb, it offers a powerful slice of retro garage-rock as Piney declares she “wants to feel it all”. Hailing from Kansas and born in a thunderstorm, extreme weather and tornadoes were just a part of every summer for her growing up, and here she recognises how weathering a storm can help us to grow; much like the plants and crops of the American plains after a heavy shower. She expands: “In the song I kind of dare the elements to pull out all the stops! Like, give it to me, I want to feel it all! And that’s true, I want to feel everything, the good and the bad, the highs and the lows. I think it’s important to be in touch with the whole spectrum of emotion & not numb the stormy weather, but to go with it.”

Dance-pop duo piri & tommy have dropped new track ‘dog’ and teased the release of their next EP, about dancing. Having returned this summer with ‘99%’ – their first new music of the year – the pair’s latest was born out of an instrumental tommy worked on in Australia, before piri transformed it into a part-rant, part-rave based on the poor behaviour of a close friend’s boyfriend. “I’m sure we can all relate to the frustration you feel when someone is stuck in that position,” she has explained. “I was venting over this very cute beat for some reason, and from my anger just half-yelled “you’re a dog!” At first I thought it was too much, but it’s actually an under-appreciated insult. We have been excited about this song coming out for a while now, and are so happy it’s out for the world to bop to. Woof.” [via DIY]

Dolores Forever have released their debut album It’s Nothing, alongside a new video for single ‘Not Now Kids’. The London-based band’s album opener ‘Not Now Kids’ takes aim at patronising politicians. “This was the last song we wrote for the album,” they explain. “It’s a bit of a scathing look at the world and the people who are running it with impunity, the feeling of being told to shut up while watching your house burn. What can we say, we love an apocalyptic bop.” Director Francesa Allen adds of the video: “Working across the visuals allowed me to play with the narrative of female friendship – which is not only a theme that runs through my personal work – but is prevalent throughout their lyricism and attitudes. Our small all-female team, Katya Bourvis (choreography) and Carmen Pellon Brussosa (cinematography), helped bring the story to life.” [via Dork]

Kylie has shared her new single ‘Lights Camera Action’. The Australian pop princess shared her album Tension to huge acclaim, but she’s not done yet. Sessions for a proposed deluxe edition were so fruitful that Kylie is lining up a stand-alone release, with Tension II set to be released on October 18. Out now, zesty new single ‘Lights Camera Action’ is perfectly timed for the weekend – laced with energy, it’s an unapologetic dancefloor burner. Produced by Lewis Thompson, it was written by Kylie, Thompson and Ina Wroldsen, a move that – in essence – reunites the team behind smash hit ear-worm ‘Padam Padam’. The full single is out now, and it boasts remixes from JACONDA, Zach Witness, and (pleasingly) filthy Australian dance-pop overlords Confidence Man. Sophie Muller directs the vide – shot in Budapest, it’s a clever flip on spy film tropes, with Kylie assuming multiple roles. [via Clash]

Billie Eilish has dropped a music video for the Hit Me Hard and Soft track ‘Birds of a Feather.’ Upon the album’s release, the song quickly became a fan favorite. In the visual, Eilish is situated inside of a corporate office. She sits in a chair in an otherwise empty room and begins being pulled in all directions by an invisible force, all while performing into the camera. After flopping on the ground, Eilish once again begins floating – a symbol that seems to relay the feeling of being pulled in different directions by someone who isn’t actually present. [via Hypebeast]

Being Dead — the Austin, TX-based project of multi-instrumentalists and best friends Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy — release their sublime new album EELS on Bayonet. Alongside the release the band also share the video for ‘Big Bovine.’ Originally written as a straight-ahead swing/country jam, the track slowly evolved into a droning, punkier final form — a testament to the way Falcon and Shmoofy’s collaboration works, pulling each other into different creative spaces. “If you love or hate Criss Angel, you might love this video,” the band says. “We worked with Kai Winikka again [director of the music video for When Horses Will Run single ‘The Great American Picnic’] so of course, this one is pretty insane. We wanted to go big with some bloody explosions and safe to say, we got the job done.” [via Click Roll Boom]

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‘Dead’ emerged from a collaboration between two songwriting legends: Shari Short (Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Rita Ora, etc.) and Fernando Garibay (Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Kylie Minogue). Garibay also produced the song with Kat Von D.

Kat had this to say about the travk and video: “’Dead’ is a dreamy, dark, synth-pop jam that’ll make you wanna cry and get up and dance simultaneously. I remember the day that Shari Short and I wrote this song; I knew there just HAD to be a goth-aerobics music video to go along with it! Famed horror director Ryan Valdez directed the music video in Los Angeles, which was heavily inspired by classic Jane Fonda workouts from the 80’s. There’s a very special appearance in one of the music video trailers of legendary Charo joining me and my friends working out to ‘Dead’.”

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