Now Hear This: #006 – The Almas, Wild Black, Isadora Eden & Lost Film

Now Hear This! This week’s selections of must-hear music from the realm of “this ain’t getting the attention it should deserves,” includes The Almas, Wild Black, Isadora Eden, and Lost Film. These under-the-radar and largely unnoticed new releases will, hopefully, satisfy your hunger for flavoursome music.

We’ll bring you a new post each week, songs from which will regularly be added to our accompanying “Now Hear This” Spotify playlist.

The Almas – “Crowns”

Recently signed to Wake Up! Music Rocks, the label run by Pepper Gomez, nu-rock outfit The Almas unveils their new single/lyric video, “Crowns,” a track saturated in primal guitars as well as transforming melodic refinement.

Based in New Munster, Wisconsin, perhaps not the first place that comes to mind when talking about heavyweight rock, The Almas consists of Crystal Teigland (lead vocals), Frank Slifka (lead guitar), Josh Sukowski (guitar), and Andrew Ehredt (drums).

Vaguely analogous to Hayley Williams, only with the tonal nuances of Julia Fordham, Teigland’s cogent vocals differentiate The Almas from your run-of-the-mill bands. It’s one of those voices that provides its own pièces justificatives.

Wild Black – “Stay Dreamin’”

Toronto-based singer-songwriter Wild Black releases a new single/music video, “Stay Dreamin’,” blending elements s of disco, ’80s and ’90s pop, dance, rock, and R&B. The song is Wild Black’s debut release on Next Door Records.

Talking about the track, Wild Black says:

“This song was created out of a necessity to heal and grow, to give myself permission to be bold and courageous, to live unapologetically, and to always Stay Dreamin’.”

She goes on, adding, “Sonically, ‘Stay Dreamin’’ is equal parts dark, dreamy and dancey. It begins with a more subdued melancholic tone and sense of yearning, exploring themes of heartache, inner conflict, expansion, rebirth, and self-love, and evolves into a celebratory explosion of hopefulness, liberation, and joy.”

Dreamy and silky-smooth, Wild Black’s vocals decorate the lyrics with swanky timbres, creating a posh, graceful atmosphere with beaucoup buoyance.

Isadora Eden – forget what makes it glow

Isadora Eden’s latest album, forget what makes it glow, merges flavours of indie-rock, shoegaze, and gothic fold into what Eden and her collaborator Sumner Erhard call “fuzz folk.”

Talking about working with Erhard, Eden shares:

“I like really sad music a lot more than Sumner does, and I think that’s what makes it a nice balance. I love sad music, but I don’t want to write a full album that’s just slow, sad and relentless. I think writing with Sumner he brings a little bit more upbeat elements. Between the two of us, it balances out so we’re not writing super-sad music all the time.”

Encompassing 11 tracks, speaking subjectively, two tracks stand out: “Haunted” and “Still,” but the entire album deserves repeated listening as Eden’s shadowy vocals continuously reveal subtle hues and distinctions.

Lost Film – “Little Things Forever”

Dream pop artist Lost Film, aka Jim Hewitt, recently released “Little Things Forever,” a track lifted from the upcoming album, Keep It Together, slated to drop on September 16.

Says Hewitt:

“I’ve been really into textures lately; whether it’s textile materials (i.e.: the Amish quilt cover art) or adding layers of barely audible synthesizers under a track, it makes a huge difference to an overall mood.”

He adds, “It’s definitely the most honest record I’ve ever made. Whether it’s getting older and not having as many walls up, or caring less, or a combination of both – the album looks back at the decisions I’ve made with my life and who I am now. For this time out, I made a lot of conscious decisions to not play it safe.”

Brimming with jangly guitars atop a relaxed, tight rhythm, Hewitt’s vocals imbue the lyrics with luscious, sartorial savors, both sensitive and introspective.