INDISPENSABLE NEW MUSIC PICKS
May 2025
by Kristine England
May 31, 2025 at 4:00:00 PM
Deradoorian
Ready For Heaven
It's hard to characterize Ready for Heaven, Angel Deradoorian's third solo album. There are so many layers and textures of funky, synthy pop to choose from. And what a treat to hear a female vocalist whose voice has a personality. Far Out echoed my sentiments when its noted, the record's "genre grab bag all artfully amount to a pleasing mosaic hop around Deradoorian’s myriad musical fancies."
FEATURED TRACK: "No No Yes Yes"
CDSM
Convertible Hearse
CDSM stands for Celebrity Death Slot Machine, and with a name like that, it stands to reason you're in for something you weren't expecting. A slightly uncomfortable synth sound and vocals a goth might love, the “freakout post-punk group” (Flood), Convertible Hearse is the Atlanta band's first full-length outing. The group described this featured track as "Macabre new wave with a touch of industrial track." It fits.
FEATURED TRACK: "Shockable Rhythm"
Smerz
Big City Life
More electro magnetism as IM checks in with Norwegian duo Smerz. On their second album, Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt explore Big City Life, "where weeping romances are set to moody, minimal ballads and the fuzzy subway ride home is set to a thumping beat under dizzying waves of synths, all chaos—both ecstatic and droll—serves to soundtrack those lapses of memory and the specificity in between. (Paste)
FEATURED TRACK: "Big City Life"
Sparks
MAD!
The incredible longevity of Sparks is a marvel to behold. Formed in 1972, the band is still going strong. MAD! Marks the duo's 26th release, with the brothers Mael delivering another album showcasing their songwriting talents, wit, and inventiveness.
FEATURED TRACK: "Do Things My Own Way"
When Rivers Meet
Addicted to You
This is the month for duos. Husband and wife team Grace and Aaron Bond formed WRM in 2016 and began releasing their blues/rock work in 2017, followed by a series of EPs and albums. Addicted to You expands their sound with some Americana and folk, while keeping the core intact. "Grace’s powerhouse vocals and Aaron’s raw blues/rock guitar are as impressive as ever and you can feel the chemistry in the interplay between them." (Louder Than War)
FEATURED TRACK: "Addicted to You"