(Cover art by Wilson Zellar) After hearing Precursor , the new EP from Minneapolis's Dad Bod , it's immediately apparent what the best "quarantine album" is (sorry, Taylor Swift). Unexpectedly prevented from recording their forthcoming debut record, the band decided to take advantage of the time they were given. Callie Marino, the band's songwriting mastermind, vocalist, and one of three (!) guitarists, partnered with Wilson Zellar, multi-instrumentalist and engineering wizard, to compose a simple, minimal EP of mostly new songs. The sound of Precursor  will likely come as a shock to anyone who's spent time with Dad Bod's prior singles (" Rot " and " Spirits ") or managed to catch them live in their full-band glory. The haunted emotions of Marino's work provides a throughline from oceanic shoegaze to stripped back dreamscapes. While the contributions of guitarist Noah Topliff and drummer Alex Gray are missed, Zellar and Marino find ...

Bobby Rethwish - "MOONFACE" (self-released)  It's been a while since we've heard from Bobby Rethwish , but that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy. Following the release of his record " LIMBO " last fall, he has faded into the background and brought his singular producing vision to others, most notably on fantastic recent singles from McCall . "MOONFACE," Rethwish's new solo single, picks up exactly where he left off. Glitchy, cordial beats pair elegantly with Rethwish's welcoming vocals. The Bon Iver influence is still very strong; the tune is wrapped in the slightly absurd tonalities found all over 22, A Million  and i,i . Pulsing electronics, horns, and overjoyed melodies interlock like a future-pop networking grid. "MOONFACE" finds humor in the questions it asks. You never get any answers from the titular character, to whom the lyrics are directed. Rethwish's anxieties about his receding hairline show up right alongs...

(Cover design by Erica Eisenberg) The title hurts a little bit. It has been months since any of us have been able to embrace a great deal of our friends and loved ones. The wonderful new EP from Minneapolis' Nat Harvie and Chicago's Brent Penny doesn't so much aim to recapture the lost feeling of arms wrapping around another human being as it does to gently evoke the warmth of those tender moments through music. 4 embraces  was composed and recorded long before separation set in, so I would be remiss to claim that it's some sort of "socially distanced" EP. Harvie and Penny simply understood the necessity of connection - physical, emotional, spiritual - well before anyone realized how much we take it for granted. Their collective understanding isn't presented with lyrics, or even much melody. The duo has created a miniature rumination consisting almost entirely of synthesizers and piano. "first embrace" sets the mood, never rising above an elect...

(Cover art by Maddison Spall ) We haven't heard from Minneapolis shoegazers Marmalade in a while. Other than a re-release of the fantastic "Hollow Head" off a 2018 Bandcamp-only split with Climi , it's been over a year-and-a-half since the quartet has released new music. Fortunately, I'm thrilled to announce that that changes today with "Speak." In case you didn't guess from the word "acoustic" in the song title, this is a different sound palette for Marmalade. Glorious tidal waves of guitar tone have been replaced with washed-out acoustic melodicism. The production ("Speak" was recorded by the band's Jonah Hansen and mixed with Theo Galetka) transfers as much of Marmalade's typical vibe onto the song as it can. Even with the haunted demon baby vocal manipulation during the intro, "Speak" is a sparkling gem of dreaminess. A majority of the track is instrumental, which works perfectly for the simple, double guita...

Minneapolis-based singer/producer booboo is back with her first single since last fall. "U1" is a breezy and slyly psychedelic flex. booboo uses her voice as just another vivid color in her palette. She smears her delivery in effects (she "chipmunks" for a bit) as she spreads melodies over the skittering production. Even as the lyrics are covered in slurry reverb, the vocals' broad smoothness contrasts with a beat that sounds like what Sour Patch Kids taste like. Synths explode in a universe of tiny firecrackers and shuffling hi-hats give "U1" its effervescent momentum. booboo seems fascinated by the diverging rhythms she can create when she mixes her voice with the gleeful instrumental. "U1" is an endlessly listenable song from an artist who refuses to be constrained. Listen below. U1 by booboo