Making (Sound) Waves: September 2022

Lots going on as always in the D.C. music scene, so we’re here to help keep you abreast of the best and brightest new tracks from local musicians. We’ve got a little bit of everything this month: a debut single from an up-and-coming R&B hitmaker, the long-awaited return of a DIY supergroup and an intriguing cover heralding a new chapter for a local indie rock band.

The Casual Dots: “The Frequency of Fear”

This is the sort of D.C. DIY punk history that we live for: The Casual Dots are back with a new album for the first time in almost two decades. The group, which features Christina Billotte from Slant 6, Kathi Wilcox from Bikini Kill and Julie Ruin and Steve Door who’s collaborated with Thurston Moore, will drop the follow-up to their 2004 self-titled debut later this month. The album’s debut single and opening track, “The Frequency of Fear,” is exactly the kind of propulsive, paranoid indie rock track that perfectly captures the low hum of despair that threatens to overwhelm any progressive-minded individual struggling to live ethically under late capitalism. It’s also a just a killer jam. thecasualdots.bandcamp.com

 

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Jru Anthony: “Greenlight”

D.C. native Jru Anthony’s single has already gained radio attention and amassed over 13,000 streams on Spotify since its release a few weeks ago, and it’s not hard to understand why. The propulsive, soulful track, self-produced by Anthony, is a densely textured psychedelic soul jam that feels both modern and timeless, full of deeply felt emotion and romantic longing, punctuated by a dynamic guest verse from Sokka. Despite being just 19 years old, Anthony’s aesthetic feels fully-formed, as seen in the vibrant, charmingly artificial music video for “Greenlight.” The track is the first taste of his forthcoming debut LP, “Life For Now,” out September 23. If “Greenlight” has you hooked and you need more as soon as possible, you’ve got the chance to be among the first to get a taste of “Life For Now” at the official album release party at Songbyrd on September 20. jruanthony.com // @jruanthony

Flowerbomb: “One of Three”

“One of Three” is the first we’ve heard from D.C.-based bubblegrunge band Flowerbomb since the release of their debut album “pretty dark” in December 2020. The track finds the band in great shape, immersed in electronic textures and washes of shimmering shoegaze guitar, building to a climactic chorus that brings to mind the dynamic, theatrical indie/emo bands of the early 2000s. Between the delicate touches of piano and synthesizers and vocalist Rachel Kline’s dramatic delivery, Flowerbomb imagines a world where Straylight Run was once the biggest band in the world. The band recently expanded from a two-piece to a quartet, ensuring that big things are in the works. flowerbomb.bandcamp.com // @flowerbombband

 

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Matt Byrne