What It Sounds Like to Be Here Now

Music is on fire right now. Surprise releases, legends coming out of the woodworks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The summer of music is in full swing. Tame Impala goes trance, Mac DeMarco goes inward, Ruby Plume keeps it raw, and Quinn XCII finds his peace. I hope you can vibe with these selects for your weekend.

The Aussie god is back. It’s been a long 5 years since his last release but if this is any indication of what’s to come I’m so excited. Kevin stormed onto the scene in the late 2000’s and has been delivering nothing but gold since. As I’m sure you can tell I’m a huge fan of his work. His music transports you to a different dimension. His ability to layer textures and create these rich soundscapes fosters an emotional response from any listener whether you enjoy the music or not.

Kevin Parker aka Tame Impala, leans fully into the dancefloor here: trancey acid-house pulses, minimal vocals, and a hypnotic groove that builds over seven blissed-out minutes. It’s less psychedelic dream-pop, more sunrise rave.

The music video (directed by Julian Klincewicz) is a trip of its own. Parker hops trains, drifts motorcycles through the desert, and wanders across an increasingly surreal landscape. It’s nostalgic and weightless.

For an artist who helped define a generation of psych-pop, this isn’t a return. It’s a reboot. A clean slate. The new era is officially here.

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

I first discovered Ruby about a year and half ago when she posted an IG reel of a song called Duel. I knew immediately she was going to be a star. Ruby’s based in Boston and is currently in school at Berklee. Her guitar playing is phenomenal and her songwriting is on another level. It’s raw, complex and emotional all at the same time. It’s the type of writing that takes a few listens to fully grasp what she’s saying which I think is super cool.

Cherrypick is a song about picking unnecessary fights and that quiet ache of loving someone in all the wrong ways. Acoustic guitar, unfiltered vocals, and lyrics that feel like pages ripped from a diary.

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

The king of indie rock is rolling out his next project, Guitar, due out in late August. He just released the second song from the project titled Holy. It’s a slow and vibey track with a slow arpeggiating guitar and the iconic Mac twang.

The song feels like a quiet prayer. Sparse, meandering, and weightless. Mac reflects on inner demons and unreachable grace with a simplicity that hits deeper than you'd expect. It’s still lo-fi. Still Mac. But there’s a deeper stillness here.

Shot and edited by Mac himself, the video is classic Mac visual that’s a little funny, unfiltered, and gently absurd.

If This Old Dog was a mirror, Holy is a confession booth. It won’t scream for your attention but a true lo-fi indie rock fan will appreciate it. I think?

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

Back with another Quinn XCII video. My brother from another just dropped his seventh studio album today: LOOK! I’m Alive and I highly recommend you give it a spin. He’s officially entered his Jack Johnson era.

When he first shared the project with me a few months ago, I told him how much I loved that it felt like where he’s at in life right now. It’s grounded. Grateful. Present. A beautiful reflection of family, peace, and growth.

If you’re looking for something feel-good and easy on the ears this weekend, don’t sleep on this one.

This is an image of my buddy Damian backstage before his performance on tour with Logic. I shot it. Before each show, Damian would find a place where he could be alone and say a prayer. This was one of those moments.

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