Black Polish
“I want to build entire worlds for people to dissect,” says Black Polish, a rising alternative star known for their cinematic anthems of angst and rebellion. Since age 14, the Los Angeles-based artist Jayden “Jay” Binnix has found a listenership of fellow misfits through their songs that delve deep on themes of mental health and identity. After breaking out with their 2020 debut single “Sophie” – currently with over two million streams – they’ve established their own style of emotionally piercing songwriting and dynamic sound, which blends alternative, electronic, and pop music. Now, Jay prepares to expand the Black Polish universe with their sophomore album, Yuna, due September 5 via BMG. The daring concept album — a work of fiction and fantasy — centers around Jay’s alter-ego Yuna, a man-eating succubus who allows Jay to explore their most depraved instincts and hyperfeminine abilities to seduce. Throughout, the Jay character is gradually possessed by Yuna as they grapple with the anguish and pleasure of being inhabited by such a powerful demon. As the alternative project grows more dark and electronic-inspired, it symbolizes Yuna’s presence seeping her way into Jay and fully taking over. The immersive story ultimately suggests that some aspects of ourselves can never be fully banished, but must be understood and accepted. It asks: can you learn to forgive the darkest parts of yourself? Jay explains: “My therapist said one day, ‘In order to love yourself fully, you have to love and forgive all the things you want to hide.’ This album is essentially a love letter to that side of Jay; the obsessive, the manipulative, the aggressive, the dirty, the lustful, and the recklessness that they desperately try not to be. Of course, no one wants to be that person, but you have to forgive yourself to grow into the next version of yourself.”
Puma Blue
Puma Blue is the alias of artist, producer & songwriter, Jacob Allen. Originally from South-London, currently based in Atlanta; Puma Blue first gained wider attention with his EPs Swum Baby (2017) & Blood Loss (2018). His debut album In Praise Of Shadows was released in 2021, followed by concert-film ‘A Late Night Special’. Noted for a blend of sensuality, intimate fragility & haunting, nocturnal ambience, Puma Blue’s live shows feature a band of close friends, blending jazz-influenced improvisation with a vocal energy often likened to Jeff Buckley. His second album Holy Waters, a darker, band-focused meditation on the acceptance of death, was released in 2023 & hailed a triumph. In 2025 it was followed by surprise album, antichamber, announced mere hours before release, an ambient, stripped-back body of work featuring obscure, minimalist arrangements & field recordings. In October 2025, Puma Blue announced that new music was once again imminent, sharing fragments of new single ‘Desire’ – set for release on 22nd October 2025. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
Alice Phoebe Lou
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54 Ultra – Live in North America! (Round Two)
In the kaleidoscopic world of music, 54 Ultra emerges as a beacon of sonic fusion, weaving synthy indie rock with a Latin soul heartbeat. Based out of New Jersey, 54 Ultra is the musical project of songwriter and producer JohnAnthony (Johnny) Rodriguez. Offering music that is both honest and melodic, with a charismatic stage presence to match, 54 Ultra is carving out a space uniquely his own, defined by a garage pop and soul sound. Through a combination of interning in a New Jersey studio and self-teaching, Johnny built a solid foundation in music production before stepping into the spotlight with his own artist project. In early 2025, Johnny headed to Miami to work with Kali Uchis on her latest album, Sincerely, where he produced the track “All I Can Say.” In 2024, he shared his debut single, “Where Are You,” which quickly gained traction online, introducing listeners to a sound that feels both timeless and fresh. A year later, he released his debut EP First Works, which Billboard named one of the Best Projects of the Year (So Far). The six-track collection features fan favorites like “Upside Down” and “No Tengo Valor”, and was followed by four sold-out shows in New York and Los Angeles. Most recently, 54 Ultra shared “I Won’t Go,” a Spanglish synth ballad that further showcases his ability to blend emotional depth with vibrant, genre-blurring soundscapes. Just a little over a year after releasing his first single, it was announced that 54 Ultra will perform at Coachella 2026. Leading up to the festival, he will be opening for Kali Uchis at her San Jose show, embarking on a nearly sold-out North American tour, and playing his first European headline shows in London, Amsterdam, and Paris, before closing out the year with a performance at Festival Color Caribe in Puerto Rico. Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify
The Nude Party
For The Nude Party, nearly a decade has flown by in the blink of an eye. In that time, the New York-based band has released a pair of well-received albums, an EP, and played countless shows. Prior to the pandemic, the band was really starting to hit its stride. They had a system in place and were spreading their brand of melodic rock to the masses. In fact, they could count Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, and Orville Peck as vocal supporters, which led to support slots for each. Soon, incredible live appearances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival, and Shaky Knees became the norm. Over the course of the last two years, The Nude Party decided to produce their new album, Rides On, themselves. With the help of Matthew Horner, The Nude Party had as much fun creating as they ever had at any other point in their career. Their new album includes 14 songs that dabble in electro-pop and stripped-down country. The Nude Party coalesced and embraced the spirit of collaboration. They’re excited to begin the next chapter of their career. At a time when it would have been easy to pack it in, the band continues to persevere. Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify
Greg Freeman
Greg Freeman thrives on finding emotional catharsis and present-day resonance in the eccentric ugliness of the past. His songs all have a palpable sense of place thanks to his urgent delivery and evocative lyricism, which mines history for character-driven tales of violence, loss, and epiphany. On his sophomore LP Burnover, out August 22 via Canvasback Music/Transgressive Records, the Maryland-born, Burlington, Vermont-based artist uses the complicated backdrop of the Northeast to sing of grief, alienation, and the clarity that comes from opening up yourself to love. Explosive, unsettling, and undeniable, the 10 tracks here meld energetic indie rock with an ambling twang. It’s Freeman’s most adventurous and personal yet, cementing him as a singular songwriting talent. When Freeman quietly released his debut LP I Looked Out in 2022, it had no PR campaign, label, or music industry promo, but still received raves from Stereogum and Uproxx. The word-of-mouth success of that release had Freeman on a relentless tour schedule. An itinerant lifestyle from ceaseless long drives made him think about home and his role in it. “I was trying to make an album about where I live, without specifically writing about myself and my immediate surroundings,” says Freeman. Driving around Vermont, he’d pass by the birthplaces of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and Ethan Allen, the Revolutionary War figure and state icon. “I was drawn to these slightly tragic regional figures who helped me understand the culture of that area even today,” he says. Burnover borrows its title from “The Burned-Over District,” a term used to describe parts of central and western New York that became hotbeds of fervent religious revival and utopian communities during the early 19th century. “There was this period where there’s all this psychedelic, religious movement coinciding with the territorial expansion,” says Freeman, citing Jack Kelly’s Heaven’s Ditch as well as Louise Glück, Grace Paley, Jim Thompson and Emily Dickinson’s writings as inspirations. On the album, there’s a sense that danger or revelation lurks behind every corner. It opens with the foreboding “Point and Shoot,” where he sings, “But I was lost like a little child / In a wilderness where the West was way too wild.” It’s a livewire track, with tangible momentum and an expansive arrangement. When Freeman was touring I Looked Out, he revamped his live setup as a five-piece where he was the only guitar player. He took that mindset to Burnover, which he recorded with Benny Yurco, drummer Zack James (Dari Bay, Robber Robber) and Freeman’s live band, at Benny Yurco’s Little Jamaica Recordings in Burlington. “I wanted to write songs that were fun and challenging to play on guitar, and maybe had a little more movement,” he says. Songs like “Gone (Can Mean a Lot of Things)” burst with intensity and Freeman’s guitars envelop the track with crunch and winding leads. But Burnover shines when Freeman tweaks the formula, like on “Curtain.” Originally demoed as a meandering guitar jam, the track came to life when pianist Sam Atallah tracked a tack-piano take at the studio. His lively leads invigorate the song, especially as Freeman sings lines like, “My thoughts die out slowly on the blood swept plains where I see you every night / And to the lonely hours, it’s like burning the furniture to keep the house bright at night.” Freeman says, “As soon as Sam laid down the piano, we heard the song for what it was and it came alive.” Website | Instagram | YouTube
Southern Culture on the Skids
Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since 1983. The band (Rick Miller – guitar and vocals, Mary Huff – bass and vocals, Dave Hartman – drums) has been playing together for over 30 years. Their musical journey has taken them from all-night North Carolina house parties to late night TV talk shows (Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show), from performing at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan to rockin’ out for the inmates at North Carolina correctional facilities. They’ve shared a stage with many musical luminaries including Link Wray, Loretta Lynn, Hasil Adkins and Patti Smith. Their music has been featured in movies and TV, parodied by Weird Al, and used to sell everything from diamonds to pork sausage. In 2014 the band was honored by the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with an exhibition featuring their music and cultural contributions. Their legendary live shows are a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll and what Rolling Stone dubbed “a hell raising rock and roll party.”At Home with Southern Culture on the Skids is the latest full length album from the band and is due to drop into stores on March 12th. The album consists of 11 tracks recorded and mixed in Rick Miller’s living room with some additional tracks recorded at his studio, The Kudzu Ranch.The first radio single off the album is “Run Baby Run”—a rocking number with deep garage roots. SCOTS bassist Mary Huff provides an urgent vocal while the band pulls back the throttle on a full race fuzz fest—cause she’s gotta to go fast! Run Baby Run!The other songs on the album are a combination of the band’s unique mix of musical genres: rock and roll, surf, folk and country—all a bit off-center, what Rick proudly calls “our wobbly Americana”. Rick goes on, “We put a few more acoustic guitars on this one, as you would expect if you recorded in your living room, but it still rocks like SCOTS. So put your headphones on, get in your favorite chair/sofa/recliner, put on “At Home With” and let’s hang out for a while.” Guitar riffs as lumpy as a camel, rough as a jackhammer or smooth and bright as Tennessee sippin’ whiskey, all slung loose and loud over salacious beats – No Depression For over thirty years, Southern Culture On The Skids have played an eclectic range of Americana including rockabilly, surf rock, country and R&B, with a punk edge and heaps of humor. They are known for their legendary live shows and wacky antics…But it’s more than just great fun; they are fantastic musicians to boot. – Elmore Magazine This Chapel Hill-based trio is flat-out amazing. Without resorting to needless flash or attention-hungry showboating, Miller in particular is one of the most spectacularly gifted guitar players I’ve ever seen. He juggles a lot of styles – country, garage rock, surf, rockabilly and soul to name just a few. – Stomp & Stammer Website | Facebook | Instagram
WXYC Goes Psycho – Halloween Dance party
UNC Students $5 with One Card$10 for non students
Kishi Bashi: Sonderlust 10th Anniversary Tour
Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of Emmy-nominated singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Ishibashi. A Berklee-trained virtuoso violinist, Kishi Bashi is acclaimed for his uplifting, high-energy concerts and his distinctive loop-based violin style. He has also earned recognition for his groundbreaking collaborations with major symphonies—including the National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and Oregon Symphony—where he blends classical and pop influences in captivating performances. Beyond the orchestral stage, he has toured internationally with Regina Spektor and of Montreal, and released five acclaimed albums—beginning with his NPR-praised debut 151a (2012), followed by Sonderlust (2016), the documentary project Omoiyari (2019), and most recently Kantos (2024), a kaleidoscopic fusion of funk, jazz, and orchestral pop. Known for his cinematic storytelling and genre-bending sound, Kishi Bashi continues to push creative boundaries while captivating audiences worldwide. Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Matt Pryor
Kansas City, Missouri native, Matt Pryor, is a household name for anyone who was attuned to the second and third waves of emo. His genre-defining band, The Get Up Kids, were among a small and legendary group that has shaped the musical landscape for years. However, after growing tired of the boundaries it so needlessly applied, the internationally recognized frontrunners eventually transcended the genre with their later albums and found themselves at home with a more indie sound. Most recently, on his latest album under his given name, Matt Pryor has presented the world with The Salton Sea, and it is abundantly clear that this is the continuation of a decades-long love affair with music and being outright obsessed with songwriting. Steadfast fans of Pryor’s prolific career will also find themselves treated to a style that is more reminiscent of the works of Paul Westerberg and Red House Painters, that is of course laden with Pryor’s signature style, whose DNA is deeply rooted in artists like Elvis Costello and The Afghan Whigs. It should be noted that the chosen title for the album is not one that was picked arbitrarily, and while not a concept album, the period of time when the songs were written were some of the darkest days of Pryor’s life. After spending six months in a downward spiral in what he sarcastically refers to as the penultimate moments of his “drinking career”, Pryor finally hit rock bottom. A casual habit that became a full-on addiction had officially come to a head, and in the blurry moments when 2022 became 2023, Pryor found himself with a choice that so many people before him have been forced to reckon with: Keep going on this path and face certain tragedy—or— Clean up, get sober, and stay on the right side of the dirt. Thankfully, Pryor decided on the latter, and the beautiful composite left on the shoreline for all of us to enjoy is the album now known as The Salton Sea. For those unfamiliar, The Salton Sea is what’s known as a “terminal” lake—meaning that new water never flows into it, and its salinity increases incrementally due to evaporation and pollution… The once high-spirited desert oasis was a tourist attraction for celebrities and the upper crust in the 1950s and 60s, and it is now a bona fide wasteland. It’s not difficult to imagine that while in the throes of addiction, Pryor saw himself as this once lush and vibrant body of water that years ago was referred to as a “California desert oasis”—but it is now an uninhabitable veritable shadow of its former self. Pryor’s latest songs have a timeless quality that makes you instantly nostalgic for strangers’ memories that unfold as narrative stories, and as a listener, you’re left wondering what these moments are all about—how will they unfold? This is undoubtedly due to the fact that along with sobriety, Pryor has found solace in writing for the sake of writing , a practice that he keeps up with daily—usually before dawn. If there’s a silver lining to all of this, one can glean that nothing bad will come from finding more creative outlets to calm the devil that sits on your shoulder, especially when that person has been writing the soundtrack of so many people’s lives for the last thirty years. Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
