Rochester musician Jeremy Bittle wants to help develop an organic environment for supporting independent artists. And his indie label Low Tide Recordings, with its focus on UK-based grime music, is part of that vision.
Hassan Zaman
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EMO-AMERICANA | Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties is sincere lyricism draped in an Americana tinge. It’s the solo project of Dan “Soupy” Campbell, frontman of the Pennsylvania pop-punk group The Wonder Years. Fans of folk-punk will find a stripped down grace to appreciate here, like that of artists Bright Eyes, Dawes, or Dolfish. Online, Campbell describes […]
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EMO-PUNK | California Cousins
California Cousins play youthful and sporadic rock, but with an adept orderliness. There are indelible emo influences in their shout-singing vocals, and a DIY, hardcore foundation in their assertive instrumentation. The Rochester trio thrashes about riffs and smashes drums like an ornery band of friends you might hear playing in an upstairs apartment around the […]
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INDIE POP | I Don’t Know How but They Found Me
Sourced from a line of dialogue in “Back to the Future,” I Don’t Know How but They Found Me is equal parts band name and existential proclamation. Formerly of Panic! At the Disco, songwriter-bassist Dallon Weekes teamed up with drummer Ryan Seaman to form IDKHow. The duo’s quirky dance-rock reverberates with 80’s nostalgia as well […]
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FOLK | Tough Old Bird
From Fillmore, New York in Allegany County, Tough Old Bird is a folk project painting impressionistic tones of pastoral scenes. The duo — brothers Matthew and Nathan Corrigan — is robustly reflective in its songwriting, however gentle it is in its performances. Sonically, there is an appreciation of classic folk artists like Pete Seeger and […]
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PROGRESSIVE REGGAE | Black Castle
With steadfast willpower, Ithaca-based Black Castle honors Jamaican, Euro-electronic, and Eastern, spiritual soundscapes just the same. This refreshing alchemy results in what is contemporary reggae’s equivalent to modern jazz. Black Castle’s worldly, wise, and progressive disposition evokes mid-2000s groups like Asian Dub Foundation and Groove Armada. Reggae-wise, next-of-kin are artists like Matisyahu, Midnite, and Burning […]
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HIP-HOP | KZA K’Lee
Homegrown, hard-hitting hip-hop artist KZA K’Lee comes equipped with biting knowledge, reigning supreme over rugged, hyperactive beats. His gritty and ruthless style has been gestating through multiple releases — including his latest LP, “Straitdrop Magazine” — collaborations, and visually fresh music videos. Influence from contemporary artists like Mick Jenkins and Kendrick Lamar are apparent, as […]
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PSYCH-FUNK | Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
Beyond being delightful imagery, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is a contemporary call to a musical movement that bloomed decades ago. Perhaps most easily considered a psychedelic jam band, this four-piece is clearly making music they love celebrating live. Their kind disposition, paired with a groovy intelligence—featuring plenty of articulate solos and funky wah-wah pedal —positions […]
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INDIE ROCK | BRONCHO
BRONCHO’s decisively indie-rock spirit reflects something oddly familiar. The band’s latest album “Bad Behavior” was released last year, traversing intimate yet eerie sonic terrain.). Articulate songwriting and instrumentation can attract fans of artists like The Strokes or Tame Impala. Since their first release, “Can’t Get Past the Lips” in 2011, the Tulsa, Oklahoma outfit’s music […]
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INDIE POP | Rubblebucket
Rubblebucket’s music is a stand-out soundscape of artful,psychedelic indie-pop. It’s been 10 years since the band’s self-titled, nu-Afrobeat album dropped and made noise in the alternative music space. The single “Came Out of a Lady” was featured in the 2013 Joe Swanberg film, “Drinking Buddies”; the band has released a total of 10 albums and […]
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Interview: Dr. Dog
Admired by indie rock and jam band audiences alike, Philadelphia band Dr. Dog plays music with fun vocal harmonies hovering over punctuating guitar lines, melded together with warm bass tone and
unobtrusive drumming.
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ELECTRONIC | DJ Martha Stewart and DJ ELUS
Swan Dive, the burgeoning and aesthetically astute bar and New-American eatery on Alexander Street, will also host a killer set of underground electronic music this Friday. DJ Martha Stewart – previously of local surf-rock trio The Huckleberry Fins – will team up with DJ ELUS of Sole Rehab JD Collective to bringing a flavorful party […]
