OK, wow, we can’t get enough of the fresh tracks coming from Sofar artists this month.
July’s New Music Alert is packed with new albums, new singles, and fresh takes on old emotions. From jam band blues rock songs to downtempo pop ballads, these new releases by Sofar artists speak to longing for someone, missing old times, and feeling your way through the in-between.
It’s your July New Music Alert.
Dafna | THE PARADOX OF CHOICE
If you’ve been a regular reader of our editorial content, you’ve already heard of Dafna. She appeared in our “5 Sofar Artists to Have On Your Radar in 2024” at the top of the year and we covered her WINDOW SHOPPING EP in our March New Music Alert.
Now the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter returns with her fourth studio album, THE PARADOX OF CHOICE: an eclectic mix of indie rock love songs for the modern age. The album’s thirteen tracks all deal with heartache, relationships, and breakups – well-trod territory that Dafna explores with freshness and Caroline Rose-esque turns of phrase.
The electronic, neo-psychedelic lead single “I WANNA FEEL” gets proceedings underway with high energy and existential dread mixed in throughout. “OH NO!” plays like a revelation when you realize your partner isn’t “the one”. “LOVE BOMB” is an 80s synthwave romp about being overwhelmed by your love for a crush:
Bronze Avery | HEATWAVE
Released right in the middle of Pride Month, HEATWAVE is packed with empowering LGBTQ+ messages. This is Bronze Avery’s followup to 2022’s SOFTMETAL, and it’s at once more energetic than his earlier work. Track after track of club energy and summer vibes, HEATWAVE doesn’t waste any time getting started. The opening track “HEATWAVE” describes a summer crush that Avery ditches for greener pastures. “Imma do what I want, Imma do it my way,” sings Avery over a high tempo beat, a theme of independence that appears all over the album. It’s a sexy track, with an even steamier video to match.
Other standout moments include the Britney Spears-infused dancefloor track “SCAN AND COPY” and the synthy jam “SPRING BREAK”. We featured Avery’s track “CHAOTIC RIDE” in our June Artist News, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of bangers on this record.
Zevia | DON’T MIND MY MIND
Another artist we featured in the June Sofar Artist News, Zevia’s work is beautifully tender and vulnerable. “surrender” may have caught our attention first, but the whole album is worth covering too. DON’T MIND MY MIND is a moving collection of songs that tackle mental health struggles, self-sabotage, and existentialism. It plays like a companion to Zevia’s first full-length, 2022’s we’re all sad here – showcasing how wise-beyond-her-years the young artist is.
Highlights include album opener “amnesia” – a downtempo song with flavors of Olivia Rodrigo, about wanting to forget your past – and “poison”, which describes how Zevia is her own worst enemy, her own “poison”.
The Moon City Masters | The Moon City Masters EP
Let’s shift gears to some jam band blues rock, shall we? The Moon City Masters are twin brothers Jordan and Talor Steinberg from Brooklyn, NY, who play a distinct brand of neo-classic rock, with touches of soul and funk. Their latest EP, The Moon City Masters, is a feel-good collection of catchy guitar-forward songs, perfect for a sunny day or a long drive up the coast.
We love the EP’s five tracks which are all upbeat and clearly showcase the twins’ penchant for songcraft. In addition to the music, their colorful cowboy aesthetic is super unique. Catch them opening for Moon Walker in August, with some special Sofar VIP packages available.
Check out the video for their single, “Stuck On You”, to see what we mean:
The Greeting Committee | Everyone’s Gone And I Know I’m The Cause
The Greeting Committee’s new album Everyone’s Gone And I Know I’m The Cause is a synthy reflection on jealousy and the pursuit of fame, money, and success. We covered their single “Cyclical” in the June Artist News; now we’re touting the entire record, which is packed with great pop tracks. The band conjures millennial dread with the chilled out and eerie hooks of “Where’d All MY Friends Go?”, while “popmoneyhits” tackles ennui in the music industry, with musicians wanting “everything and nothing all at once”.
The band has announced a big North America tour, with some great Sofar VIP packages. This is your chance to meet them and get a pre-show acoustic performance.
Evangeline | When Demigods Go… EP
Few contemporary artists capture the great expanse and sunshine of Southern California better than Evangeline. The L.A.-based singer-songwriter has that Laurel Canyon sound, but with a modern twist of synths and a little country twang. Her new EP, When Demigods Go…, is a solid collection of songs of longing – both sad (“The Last Song”) and upbeat, almost optimistic (“I Wanna Be There”).
We played “Letting Things Go”, Evangeline’s collab with Vulfmon, A LOT back in January (and another gem just dropped here). We’re stoked to get more Evangeline with her latest EP.
Mt. Joy | “Highway Queen”
Although released in March, we’re still spinning the new Mt. Joy track, “Highway Queen”, all these months later. It showcases the unique “new-folk” sound that Mt. Joy has harnessed over three albums, including 2022’s Orange Blood. The band also released a few live tracks from last year’s Salt Shed show. If you missed that gig, don’t fear: they’re returning to the legendary Chicago venue in October, on a massive North America tour that features excellent Sofar VIP packages which get you an exclusive in-person Q&A with the band.
Pomme | “weird”
Lyon’s Pomme returns to our New Music Alert with her new single “weird”. Although its run-time is rather short, the song feels expansive, thanks to its layers of harmony and stillness.
It’s an existentialist reflection, lullaby-like in its simplicity, with the singer-songwriter singing “All of this is weird, all of this is scary and unknown.”
Abigail Osborn | “I Just Miss You”
Rounding out our New Music Alert for this month is another frequent flier, Abigail Osborn. Her new single “I Just Miss You” is a cathartic pop track about the high stakes of love, with high production and lyrics that playfully paint a picture of a couple that hurt each other, but can’t seem to stay away from each other.
Catch these incredible artists and so many more just like them at a Sofar show near you!
