Desire announces new album Games People Play, an eclectic labyrinth of love, power, & deception where every move counts, out March 21st via Italians Do It Better and today is sharing new single “The Judge” alongside a video directed by Kirill Nong.
Games People Play unfolds like a game of chess—Desire as the queen, fate as the dealer, & love as the ultimate wager. Set against Johnny Jewel’s signature cinematic curtain, the record guides players through a shadowy dance floor where strategy & surrender blur. In this world of passion, the line between predator & prey is razor-thin, & every lover is a contender on heartbreak’s edge. Checkmate is inevitable—but who will make the final move?
“In the age of omnipresent surveillance…Machines track our every move while friends stalk our every groove. Take matters into your own hands…be the judge & jury of your own timeline. Life is too short, so forget the lurkers & love the jerkers. Time is running out & court is now adjourned.” – Desire on “The Judge”
Pierre Kwenders, the Congolese-born, Montreal-based musician, songwriter, and DJ whose “every song summons an international midnight” (The New Yorker), returns today with the announcement of Tears On The Dancefloor (out 2/26 on Moonshine), his new EP and first new project since the release of his widely-praised Polaris Music Prize-winning album, the “fluid, immersive” (Rolling Stone) José Louis And The Paradox Of Love. In conjunction, Kwenders presents the EP’s lead single, “We Like” (feat. Poté).
Tears On The Dancefloor is Kwenders’ heartfelt ode to the club, a testament to the power of music as both a sanctuary and a space for self-expression. A shift from the big-picture ambition of José Louis And The Paradox Of Love, the new project is an intimate exploration of human connection, exploring intricate themes of love, vulnerability, and self-discovery. The tracks across Tears On The Dancefloor are a reflection of the personal and collective experiences we all share as we navigate love, joy, fear, and growth, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the emotions that arise when we connect with others and with ourselves, creating a space where emotional depth and freedom collide.
With mixing and mastering by PascalShefteshy (Moonshine, Kroy, Vanyfox, Sébastien Tellier), Tears On The Dancefloor features collaborations with heavyweights of the Afro-electronic music scene, including, Gacci, Poté, Vanyfox, NegoO, and Dogzout. “I’m honored to have collaborated with some of my favorite DJs and producers who have graced countless dance floors,” Kwenders says. “Additionally, the incredible vocals of Pierre Lapointe, Lady Donli, Mopao Mumu, and Pony bring life and depth to this project. Together, we embark on a journey through the dance floor, exploring our innermost selves and emotions until we ultimately reach a place of freedom.”
Lead single “We Like,” which features the St. Lucia-born, Paris-based electronic artist Poté, is a rallying cry for unity— a song for connection and celebration. In Kwenders’ words, the track is “an anthem that resonates with the call for love, comfort, passion, and togetherness—this is a song for freedom! It captures the essence of our shared humanity, inviting us to unite and celebrate our connections. We’re excited to embrace this message and let it inspire us as we navigate life together!”
Born José Louis Modabi in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kwenders borrows his stage name from his late grandfather, a widely respected businessman and community figure. Following his mother’s footsteps, Kwenders immigrated from Congo to Montreal in 2001. His debut album, Le Dernier Empereur Bantou, was released in 2014, followed by MAKANDA at the End of Space, the Beginning of Time in 2017. Both albums garnered acclaim and earned Kwenders nominations for the coveted Polaris Music Prize. In 2022, Kwenders returned with José Louis and the Paradox of Love, a culmination of the personal growth and musical dexterity he’d honed over the years, converging his strong songwriting capabilities with the bravado he possesses as a DJ. The album was met with widespread praise from the likes of The New York Times, NewYorker, NPR’s All Things Considered, Rolling Stone, The FADER, MOJO, The Guardian, Bandcamp, and beyond, ultimately taking home the Polaris Music Prize for Canada’s Best Album. In 2023, José Louis and the Paradox of Love was shortlisted for the Juno Award for Global Music Album of the Year.
“This journey through sound encourages us to embrace our feelings, celebrate our joys, and confront our fears, reminding us that the dance floor is not just a physical space but a sanctuary for our souls. In every beat and melody, we find an opportunity to reflect, heal, and connect on a deeper level.” — Pierre Kwenders
Formed in Oakland, CA in late 2019, SPY has built on the foundation of bands like Bad Brains and Poison Idea rather than following the current wave of metallic hardcore. They’re set to unleash their latest release, Seen Enough, on Closed Casket Activities on February 21. No song on the EP ever overstays its welcome, instead embodying what makes hardcore frenetic. Burning through six songs in under ten minutes, every track is a testament to the energy the band has built up through relentless touring.
Today, the band shares the EP’s new single, “Dim.” SPY vocalist Peter Pawlak says, “The song’s recurring line (‘you’re the problem but you don’t see it’) is just as easily applicable to some of those you may know in your personal life as it is to a wide array of presently prominent public figures. I’m sure you’re just as sick of all of them as I am.”
Seen Enough doesn’t hide what it’s about: society’s continued descent with diminishing hope for course correction. From the jump, SPY has followed in the lineage of Bay Area punks like Dead Kennedys and Ceremony in both attitude and awareness. Their latest offering maintains the critical edge of their earlier material while expanding their lyrical scope, delivering a streamlined punch that hits hard through its runtime.
Recorded by Jack Shirley at Oakland’s Atomic Garden, Seen Enough was recorded live to tape, eschewing the modern practice of individual tracking in favor of a more immediate, visceral approach that better represents their explosive live show.
By staying true to themselves, SPY have carved out their own niche in the modern hardcore landscape. After touring with legends and contemporaries alike including Gel, Full of Hell, Ceremony, Municipal Waste, Sunami and playing basically every fest worth caring about including Sound and Fury, Outbreak, Sick New World and LDB, 2025 is set to be a monstrous year for SPY.
Pre-order Seen Enoughhere and look for more news from SPY soon.
SPY, on tour:
Feb. 21 San Francisco, CA – Neck of the Woods [record release show] Feb. 28 Portland, OR – Stronger Skatepark Mar. 01 Tacoma, WA – Airport Tavern Mar. 02 Boise, ID – The Shredder Mar. 05 Denver, CO – Marquis Theater Mar. 07 Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves Mar. 08 Austin, TX – Not So Fun Weekend Mar. 09 Houston, TX – The End Mar. 12 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad Mar. 13 Las Vegas, NV – Sliced Apr. 11 Richmond, VA – Municipal Waste 25th Anniversary Weekend Apr. 25 Louisville, KY – LDB Jun. 14 Manchester, UK – Outbreak Fest Jun. 21 Clisson, FR – Hellfest Jun. 25 Viviero, ES – Resurrection Fest Jun. 27 Ysselstein, NL – Jera On Air
Lancaster, PA trio Versus Machine share the official video today for “Seafoam” from their forthcoming sophomore album via Echoes & Dust. Watch/share “Seafoam” HERE. (Direct YouTube HERE.) (And now on all DSPs HERE.)
It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine recently launched the lead track “Seafoam” in an extensive interview HERE. ProgRock Journal recently hosted “Red Queen” single with an interview HERE.
Versus Machine is an innovative and genre-blending rock band whose members bring together years of experience from diverse musical backgrounds. The band’s core is made up of singer/guitarist Stephen Tilley, bassist Michael James Stipe, and drummer Brian Doherty, with the group’s formation rooted in both past musical connections and newfound collaborations.
Stephen Tilley and Brian Doherty grew up together, forming a deep musical bond during their early years. Although they spent nearly a decade apart from playing together, their shared passion for music never faded. In 2021, Doherty reached out to Tilley, reigniting their creative partnership and rekindling a sense of musical chemistry that had been dormant for years. Their reunion marked the beginning of something fresh and exciting, laying the groundwork for what would eventually become Versus Machine.
To bring their musical vision to life, Doherty and Tilley enlisted Michael James Stipe, a bassist known for his work with the band Babel Map. Stipe, with his distinct style and musical sensibilities, quickly became a key member of the group. It was Stipe who coined the band’s name, Versus Machine, a title that encapsulated the band’s blend of raw energy, modern aggression, and intricate songwriting.
In 2022, Versus Machine recorded their debut album at Noisy Little Critter Studios with renowned producer Mike Bardzik. The album marked the band’s arrival, showcasing their ability to fuse elements of post-grunge, alternative rock and psychedelia with an infectious energy and emotional depth. The record quickly gained attention from both fans and critics for its bold sound and honest, often introspective lyrics.
Following the success of their first album, Versus Machine continued to evolve. In 2024, they recorded their highly anticipated follow-up LP, set for release in February 2025. The new album is shaping up to be an even more ambitious project, blending hard-hitting rhythms, complex melodies, and daring sonic experimentation. The band’s sound has matured, and the new record promises to push boundaries even further, establishing them as one of the most exciting acts in the modern rock scene.
In addition to their work as Versus Machine, Tilley has been involved in several high-profile musical collaborations. He has worked with Kellii Scott, the acclaimed drummer of Failure, on two EPs. The second of these EPs is also slated for release in 2025, further cementing Tilley’s place in the alternative rock landscape.
Meanwhile, bassist Michael James Stipe and drummer Brian Doherty have garnered recognition for their contributions to Babel Map’s new album, Teeth, which was produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge. The duo’s work on the album earned them a prominent feature on the front page of Bandcamp Daily highlighting their growing influence in the underground and alternative music scenes. Doherty and Stipe are also slated to work with Martin “Youth” Glover in 2025 on their 4th album with their band Northern Gloom.
With the release of their follow-up album on the horizon, Versus Machine is poised to expand their fanbase and continue making waves in the rock world. Their combination of relentless drive, musical innovation, and heartfelt lyrics has already established them as one of the most promising and dynamic bands in the genre today. As they prepare to take the stage once again in 2025, all eyes are on Versus Machine, eager to see where their bold musical vision will take them next.
II will be available for download and streaming on February 27th, 2025. Pre-order HERE, pre-save HERE.
Sparks, brothers Ron and Russell Mael, make their opening gambit for 2025 with the release of “Do Things My Own Way.” A teaser for their 28th studio album, MAD!, due this year on new label home Transgressive Records, the single also functions as something of a manifesto for the Maels – Sparks are a band who have always, always done things their own way.
“Our mantra since 1972, amplified in 2025.” — Sparks
While further details about the album remain under wraps, fans can look forward to the MAD! Tour. Having wowed audiences and critics alike on their 2023 tour – including sold out shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall (two) and Sydney Opera House, a hometown triumph at Hollywood Bowl, and a headlines-stealing set at Glastonbury Festival – Sparks will be returning to the live stage this June kicking off with the Japanese, UK and European legs of their world tour. A full list of dates can be found below, and tickets are available here.
SPARKS MAD! TOUR DATES: Sun. June 8 – Kyoto, JP @ ROHM Theatre Tue. June 10 – Osaka, JP @ Zepp Namba Thu. June 12 – Fri. June 13 – Tokyo, JP @ EX Theater Wed. June 18 – Thu. June 19 – London, UK @ Eventim Apollo Sat. June 21 – Sun. June 22 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo Tue. June 24 – Glasgow, UK @ Royal Concert Hall Thu. June 26 – Haarlem, NL @ PHIL Haarlem Sat. June 28 – Brussels, BE @ Cirque Royal Mon. June 30 – Paris, FR @ La Salle Pleyel Tue. July 1 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria-Theater Thu. July 3 – Copenhagen, DK @ The Koncerthuset Fri. July 4 – Stockholm, SE @ Grona Lund Tivoli Sun. July 6 – Berlin, DE @ Uber Eats Tue. July 8 – Milan, IT @ Teatro degli Arcimboldi
Most acts, by the time they’ve been making music together across seven different decades, would have slowed to a crawl, creakily playing the oldies on the heritage circuit and releasing nothing more modern than the occasional Greatest Hits collection.
Sparks aren’t most acts. And, if anything, their rate of productivity has sped up in recent years: since the millennium the duo have released eight new studio albums, a radio opera (The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman), a side-project (Franz Ferdinand collaboration, FFS), a live album, a film musical (2021’s Annette, which won a Best Director award for Leos Carax and the Best Original Score at the César Awards for the Maels), toured the world numerous times, and been the subject of The Sparks Brothers, an acclaimed documentary by Edgar Wright. Their laurels remain resoundingly unrested-upon.
Porto, PT trio Verbian shares the first single from their forthcoming new album on Lost Future Records, Casarder today via Decibel Magazine. Hear and share “Não vai o Diabo Tecê-las” HERE. (Direct on all DSPs HERE.)
Heavy Blog is Heavy recently launched the official video for “Não vai o Diabo Tecê-las” which features an impressive live-in-studio version of the song HERE. (DirectYouTube.)
Verbian understands that evolution is essential to heavy music. And so is commitment to revealing profound emotions and letting artistic expression take your music wherever you dare to go.
“Casarder speaks a little about the insecurities of artistic expression and personal exposure when it comes to fearing being judged for something that is somewhat outside of what is done in each artist’s niche,” the band explains. “This was the theme that also inspired the album cover.”
The distorted, anxious and surrealist visual style of the album’s cover art (see below, painted by artist Madalena Pinta) speaks perfectly to the album’s direct albeit melted psychedelic electronic post-metal. Riff after riff comes and goes, never wearing out its welcome, and instead pulling listeners along on a sonic journey through Salvador Dali landscapes of rock forms, pulled apart and reconfigured into mesmerizing new ones. The mostly instrumental album never lingers on a part too long, never wastes a note. It’s angry, driving and multilayered without sounding overly technical or indulgent.
Since their founding in 2015, the Porto, Portugal band’s music has continued to push forward and fuse genres from metal, rock, electronic, experimental percussion and more into a concise, powerful sound. Guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Vasco Reis was originally joined by drummer Filipe Romariz, with bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Alexandre Silva joining in 2017 to solidify the trio. Following Romariz’s departure in 2022, drummer/percussionist Guilherme Gonçalves brought an evermore hard-hitting feel to Verbian’s sound.
Verbian’s 2019 self-released debut album JAEZ was followed in 2021 by Irrupção on Italy’s Antigony Records. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Verbian showcased Irrupção at venues like the Hard Club (Porto) and toured cities including Braga, Viana do Castelo, Santiago de Compostela, and Aveiro. Upon Gonçalves joining the lineup in 2022, the band toured cities like Toulouse, Clermont-Ferrand, Santander, and at the Romaria Cultural in Gouveia. They concluded the year with an Iberian tour alongside Catalan band Syberia, visiting Vigo, Porto, and Coruña.
Casarder was recorded with a different approach from their previous efforts. Produced by Verbian and Daniel Valente, the trio did all of the preproduction in the studio, live. “We then built a tempo map and after that we did overdubs,” the band explains. “But the biggest difference was that these were the first songs we wrote with Guilherme on the drums and we believe that is why it’s so different from the previous albums. He brought a new and fresh groove to our music, maintaining the heaviness.”
Casarder will be available on Limited Edition LP and download on March 21st, 2025 via Lost Future Records. Pre-orders are available HERE.
The good folks at Levitation and the Reverberation Appreciation Society have unveiled the full lineup for the 2025 Austin Psych Fest.
They’re playing heavy this year. The first night alone unleashes Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Black Mountain, Kadavar, and Blackwater Holylight on you. Kim Gordon shows up Saturday night to wallop you, and then Dinosaur Jr. closes Sunday night. That’s a lot of decibels in three nights.
As if that weren’t a big enough announcement, they also announced the first three bands for Levitation France this year: Blonde Redhead, Boy Harsher, and Kadavar. Three powerhouses already booked, and that’s just the start.
Tickets are on sale now for both festivals. Don’t miss either.
Visionary director, photographer and producer, Robert Ascroft unveils a captivating musical odyssey akin to the cinematic allure of Wim Wenders’ “Until The End Of The World” and evoking the ethereal resonance found in 4AD’s This Mortal Coil.
His upcoming album Echo Still Remains is now set for a February 14th release date (moved from its original January 31st release date due to complications from the Los Angeles fires) on Hand Drawn Dracula. Drawing from a diverse array of talented friends, Ascroft curates a mesmerizing ensemble of vocal performances featuring luminaries such as Christopher Owens (Girls), Britta Phillips (Luna, Dean & Britta), Tess Parks, Ruth Radelet (Chromatics), Guy Blakeslee (The Entrance Band), Ora Cogan and Zumi Rosow (Black Lips).
Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps, Gun Club) is featured on his latest single “Devil Opens The Door,” out today.
On the track, Kid Congo Powers shares, “”Devil Opens The Door” is a swampy, gritty groove courtesy of my friend Robert Ascroft’s wicked songwriting and guitar playing. For my vocal I let loose with Devilish screams that would make even the underworld blush, while Roger Brogan’s primal drumbeat keeps your hips moving underneath. In the video directed by Robert, I channel my inner televangelist, preaching fire and brimstone about the dangers lurking on your TV screen. It’s loud, raw, and just naughty enough—exactly how rock ’n’ roll is meant to be.”
Check out the video on YouTube, and pre-save the album here.
The album takes on a further rich and dynamic sound with the recording contributions of Grammy Award winning audio engineer Ted Young (Rolling Stones, Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth), the mixing of Larry Crane (Elliott Smith, The Shins, She & Him), additional production by Manny Nieto (Kim Deal, The Breeders) and mastering by Josh Bonati (Mac DeMarco, Wild Nothing, Slowdive).
Echo Still Remains transcends traditional musical boundaries, beckoning listeners into a world crafted from Ascroft’s vivid imagination. Each track unfolds like a technicolor scene in a cinematic narrative, with each melody and lyric evoking a sense of profound introspection and wonder. Accompanied by stylized music videos in Ascroft’s distinct visual world, Echo Still Remains” emerges as a multifaceted work of art, inviting listeners to stir the soul and lose themselves in a world of sound and sensation.
Emerging as a prominent photographer in the 2000s, Ascroft forged his path through collaborations with luminaries of the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys, and Emmys from Cate Blanchett, Ryan Gosling, to The Killers, Mark Ronson and A$AP Rocky. With an innate ability to capture the essence of his subjects through his camera lens, he redefines photography, infusing it with depth, emotion, and narrative. A classically trained guitarist turned music producer, Ascroft weaves intricate melodies and evocative songwriting with cinematic narratives.
Jaco Jaco — the project of Philadelphia-based musician, visual artist, and former member of beloved indie-rock trio Sports,Jacob Theriot — announces his new album, Gremlin, out March 21st, and shares its lead single, “Woman.” The music Theriot makes as Jaco Jaco straddles genre: a little funk, a little psych, a little dreamy 70s AM rock. The follow up to Jaco Jaco’s 2024 debut Splat, Gremlin is a playful, elegant record that isn’t directly inspired by the movie Gremlins, but honors the movie’s use of kitsch and camp to explore a prevailing mood of irreverence and introspection. “This record came from a somewhat confused and lonely state of mind,” says Theriot, “It’s a journey through reflection and longing for something real—an inner dialogue giving me advice on navigating life when it feels like it’s working against you.”
Following last year’s Brazilian Jazz-funk-inspired “Favorite Kind of People,” “Woman” is anchored by slick, wet bass, bright guitars, and light distortion. The lyrics are abstract, but behind that abstraction, there’s something deeper: an exploration of the complexities and nuances of relationships. It is a meditation on honesty and acceptance, being real with yourself, and being real with your partner.
Recalling the song’s creation Theierot says “‘Woman’ was one of those rare, serendipitous type songs that just kinda happened. Everything fell into place pretty quick, lyrics and all. I played guitar along to some random breakbeat and out came the guitar riff(s). I was big into Black Messiah (D’Angelo) at the time, so that influence may have seeped in a bit, maybe? No comparison though, of course. I just wanna be like Pino Palladino when I grow up.”
Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Theriot began writing and recording music in grade school with his brother and childhood friend. The musical relationship eventually resulted in the band Sports. After three successful albums and international tours with Sports, Theriot then decided to venture out on his own, using all of the skills he learned as a producer and composer to breathe life into something new.
Gremlin, above all else, is a mature work from an artist who has been perfecting his craft for his entire life. It’s also a visual marvel that is aesthetically inspired by the early ‘90s sitcom “Dinosaurs,” Les Blank docs, and the world of alternative comic books. Theriot is thoroughly enthralled by the extremes of both “absurd cartoons and animatronic puppets,” lending even more of the prevailing feeling of playfulness throughout the artwork. Gremlin is a seductive record, beautiful and meticulously arranged. “It’s written in the third person,” Theriot says, “but really it’s in the first person. It’s a form of therapy. It’s like journaling.”
Before Electroclash and the wave of 00’s Dance-rock there was The Faint, emerging in the late 1990s in Omaha, Nebraska—a place known more for stoic practicality than synth-punk. In that unlikely setting of beige restraint, they pioneered a sound that combined the melodic essence of new wave, the raw edge of post-punk, and the robotic futurism of Detroit electro. Breaking free from indie rock’s humble comfort, they arrived armed with synths, dark eyeliner, and a raw, frenetic energy that dared audiences to actually feel something real, somethingprimal. The late ’90s and early 2000s indie scene was overdue for a shock, and The Faint delivered—not just as a band, but as an invitation to cast off coolness, to sweat, to move, and to live fully in the moment.
Onstage, the band turned every show into a raucous dance party. In a time of understated guitar rock, flannel shirts and torn blue jeans, their DIY foot-controlled lighting rig and all-black wardrobe was eyebrow raising. Behind unironic smoke machine clouds, keyboardist Jacob Thiele’s priest collar lent an eerie vibe while frontman Todd Fink delivered a fractured vision of a hyper-sexed cyber dystopia. The electro-punk beats of his brother Clark Baechle supplied the pulse and energy, and later, death metal guitarist Dapose infused a raw tension with his howling atonal guitar work. It was clear that this was more than a nostalgic nod to the 80’s. It was a spark from theunderground, foreshadowing an era of dance-oriented indie music that is still reverberating in the work of some of today’s most vital emerging artists.
The distinctive, synth-driven sound that brought The Faint to wide acclaim first surfaced on 1999’s Blank-Wave Arcade. The album was raw and daring, striking its own chord between early synth-pop pioneers (The Human League, New Order) and more recent heroes like Fugazi and Sonic Youth. The band’s blend of new wave, and DIY post-punk was trailblazing, and when the new millennium dawned that sound took hold of the zeitgeist, launching the band to new critical commercial peaks. 2001’s now classic Danse Macabre found itself scratching an itch that many indie rockers didn’t know they had. Wet From Birth followed in 2004 with its unusual electro-orchestral arrangements, cementing The Faint’s reputation as pioneers of the indie synth scene.
Today, 25 years removed from its release, The Faint are returning to announce a reissue of Blank-Wave Arcade, and Wet From Birth, which just celebrated its own 20th anniversary. Both reissues will arrive on the band’s longtime label home Saddle Creek on March 14th. This will be the first time that The Faint’s full catalog has been available on vinyl. To mark the announcement the band are sharing an unreleased Wet From Birth-era track entitled “Zealots,” and and accompanying remaster of Wet From Birth track “I Disappear.”
Fink says of “Zealots”:
“This song came from a dream Jacob had (our late keyboard player). In the dream, people were chanting, “You will know we are zealots by our guns,” . The lyrics are about the paradox between Christianity’s core message of love and the obsession with guns among some of its followers.”
In celebration of these reissues, The Faint will be embarking on extensive touring throughout 2025. Full details of those dates can be found below.
Tour Dates
Mar-21 – Santa Barbara, CA @ SoHo
Mar-22 – Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar & Billiards
Mar-24 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
Mar-25 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
Mar-27 – Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
Mar-28 – Kansas City, MO @ Warehouse on Broadway
Mar-29 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
Mar-31 – Cincinnati, OH @ The Ballroom at The Taft
