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Atlanta Hardcore with a pinch of chaos.

“It’s been just over a year since Dot.s released their sophomore full length, the whimsical and prismatic We Swim, and while the band has kept plenty busy with shows and touring, their musical output has remained noticeably quiet. Today, however, we’re happy to announce the group is finally breaking their silence with “Rose Lens,” a taut and sleek new single that highlights Dot.s penchant for turning bubbling synths and twitching rhythms into art/dance rock of the highest caliber. Recorded with Damon Moon at Standard Electric Recorders Co., the track unfurls in steady waves, each atmospheric pulse and burbling groove striding confidently into the next. Yet, despite its swaggering self-assurance, “Rose Lens” finds the band working in a darker mood than in the past, confronted by the dread of isolation, fallible memories, and the silent voices that keep us awake at night. Still, the vibe here is more meditative than dreary, more coming to terms than a statement of disillusion. Throughout it all, the methodical beat and throbbing ambience thrust inexorably forward, shrouding any thoughts of gloom in a shimmering haze of brooding electropop. Life is still full of wonder, after all, even if it isn’t always pretty.” -Immersive Atlanta

Michika McClinton is back with a video for a new Tantrum song titled “Karma.” It’s the first look at the shape of things to come with her new LP, Ojos, due out this Fall. Details regarding the album are still coming together, but what’s immediately noticeable is the tremendous amount of artistic growth she has undergone since releasing Tantrum’s XYO cassette and CD in November 2014.

The musical palette, the concepts, and the visual presentation all demonstrate an impressive maturity. The song is a collaboration with DAB Bowie. The video was directed by Jamye Luu of Oceanland Studio, and like most time-tested and battle-proven pop songwriting, “Karma” leaves plenty of room to roam around in its survey of exotic locales and the many characters McClinton plays. Is it a cautionary tale? Or is it simply a meditation on the essential balance of the universe? It’s all a matter for the eyes and the ears of the beholder to decide.

Keep an eye out for mere details regarding the album, and a full Q&A with McClinton coming soon.

If Americana outlaws hijacked a nightmare rendition of Alice in Wonderland, you might get something that sounds vaguely like Cold Heart Canyon’s “Go Crazy, Insane.” The track pushes forward with rugged momentum, thanks in large part to the gravelly inflections of Rachael Petit, whose voice flirts easily between whiskey-drowned, sun-beaten growls and fluttering falsettos. Lyrically, this is less the stuff of sunlit, grassy fields and more the warnings of a mental break. Referencing monsters, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and plenty of insanity, this is not a cut from your parents’ Alison Kraus collection.

Instrumentally, the band keeps things simple, and it works in their favor. A straight, propulsive beat courtesy of Colin Agnew keeps the affair grounded at a brisk pace, offering plenty of opportunity for bar seat foot-tapping — maybe even some twisted form of square dancing in the appropriate venue. Likewise, the guitars remain grounded throughout, relying on the group’s sheer melodicism to carry it through. And that’s not a bad thing, especially when Cold Heart Canyon has a penchant for earworm musical phrases. In short, it’s not hard to imagine these guys playing to bigger and bigger crowds down the road.

-Alex Kugaczewski / Immersive Atlanta

Songs about plants, animals, and sometimes minerals