Within the endless current of new music, it’s difficult for anyone to keep up with all that’s coming out. To combat this ongoing influx of sound, we publish our “Best New Artists of the Month” articles in the hopes that you never miss out on the outstanding new artists emerging in recent times. Vallis Alps [track id="00948938" artist="Vallis Alps" title="Young"][track id="00948939" artist="Vallis Alps" title="Thru"] It's still early in 2015, but with Vallis Alps' debut EP, we've probably one of the better ones we'll hear all year. Quite frankly, they're one of our favourite new acts of the last five years; their music is remarkable, it's full of replay value, and it's endlessly fascinating. Of the four tracks Vallis has released thus far, we've been stuck on "Young" and "Thru" the most. For us, they exemplify what's so great about the duo: gorgeous vocals, endearing lyrics, and elegantly constructed arrangements that dip into traditional (guitar) and modern (electronic) soundscapes. We really can't say enough about this Australian and American-bred duo, and we equally can't wait to hear more from them ahead. - written by Chad Hillard Refs [track id="00949021" artist="Refs" title="Pain Goes Away"] With a debut track as good as "Pain Goes Away", it's prudent to assume that Refs has much, much more up their sleeves. The song feels more like that of a seasoned veteran duo putting out quality material than the alchemic success of a newbie bedroom group who happened upon a winning sound. The way they've structured the track is simply astounding, and their ability to blend Chet Faker-esque levels of production chops with the lead dazzling vocals—and the accessibility of a radio hit—will wow you every time you hear it. We may not know much about Refs right now, but who cares, because we will soon enough as they put out more music and more heads start to turn in their direction. - written by Chris Danks VS [track id="00948956" artist="VS" title="Loner"] When a debut song as phenomenal as "Loner" simply appears out of the brush, we can't help but be a bit skeptical at first. After all, it isn't every day that an entirely new artist releases a song as incredibly distinctive yet as sharply polished as Tim Air's (VS). After a quick exchange with the man, though, all of our doubts were completely washed away. VS is not a major label window display or a new moniker for an already-famous artist; rather, he's just an insanely gifted Perth-based newcomer that we're glad to have music from. As far as VS' talent goes, one listen to "Loner" should give you a pretty good idea, since it doesn't necessarily take a genius to recognize his musical dexterity. Both the production and the vocals on the track are simply stunning, and the work itself has forced us onto the edge of our seats in anticipation for his follow-up. - written by Cole Ryan Day Wave [track id="00948995" artist="Day Wave" title="Total Zombie"][track id="00948502" artist="Day Wave" title="Nothing At All"] For most, the act of growing up can be rife with feelings of angst and inadequacy. As this square-peg-in-a-round-hole mentality bleeds into our 20s, an outlet to work through it ought to be found, and fortunately for us, this is exactly what Jackson Phillips, an Oakland native and half of synth-pop duo Carousel, has provided with his solo project entitled "Day Wave". On the surface, Day's two singles, “Nothing At All” and “Total Zombie”, are playful and bright, which is a total antithesis to the darker themes of self-worth that are explored lyrically. Whether or not the endearing lo-fi surf-pop vibe is a tongue-in-cheek defense mechanism for Phillips isn't important, however. What's important is that the incredible music he's producing is engaging, relatable, and immensely more enjoyable than any therapy session ever could be. - written by Luke Widmer. Slum Sociable [track id="00948984" artist="Slum Sociable" title="Anyway"] With a debut track like "Anyway", Australian newcomers Slum Sociable immediately captured our attention and imagination. There's something to be said about having a completely unique sound, and with their first single, it's safe to say the pair has successfully given us something to get excited about. Their sound is what James Mercer would sound like if him and Danger Mouse went psychedelic, so, needless to say, we can't wait to hear what they cook up next. - written by Chad Hillard Lostboycrow [track id="00948919" artist="Lostboycrow" title="HiyHiy"] Lostboycrow is a new face from Los Angeles, but we'd have no problem betting big on his long-term success in the industry. Already, he's shown he's savvy to the rather tricky realm of online hype fabrication, and his second single capitalized maximally on the buzz his debut track pulled in. With that said, though, not only is LBC a smart artist, but he's extremely talented, too, and his knack for making pop tracks that don't sound overly poppy is truly a breath of fresh air. Right now it seems like all we're given is a choice between Top 40 artists and unabashed indie garage bands and bedroom producers, and while neither of those camps are inherently bad, variety is always welcome, especially when it's executed as well as when LBC does it. - written by Chris Danks Ben Talmi [track id="00949043" artist="Ben Talmi" title="I Know It's True"] Calling Ben Talmi a "new artist" feels somewhat strange, since he's already accomplished a great deal as a musician. However, most of the Brooklyn-based 25-year-old's work has either appeared in others' songs or in film scores. To our great joy, this past month he decided to enter the musical domain more familiar to us with his new single, "I Know It's True", and, quite pleasingly, it hit our tastes excellently with its intriguing blend of indie, folk, pop, and electronic. We're surely going to be keeping an eye out for Talmi's upcoming debut EP, My Art of Almost, as it appears, therefore, because if it contains more tracks as great as "I Know It's True", he'll be steady on his way to major success. - written by Cole Ryan
Best New Artists of the Month