Kevin Bronson on December 6th, 2024

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Hello, music explorers. It’s the holiday rush. It’s Bandcamp Friday. It’s a veritable blizzard of new music to share with you.

We’ve taken a break from compiling our-year end lists (coming soon to Spotify and the L.A. Buzz Bands Show on 88.5 The SoCal Sound) to unleash Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 318), which somehow is Buzz Bands LA’s deepest weekly playlist this year. Over 40 songs, you will spot names you recognize and names you have no idea about, and that’s the point.

Here are some of both: Miya Folick, Dear Boy, Sea Pipes, Escape Artist Lovers, Maxim Ludwig, Campus Christy, Sky Ferreira, Eric Cannata, Sparkbyrd, Ben Joyner, TOKiMONSTA, Dream Ivory, CROONeR, Luther Russell, Dorothy, THEY., Marinero, Jackson Rau and … well, you get the idea. MILCK provides this week’s playlist-ending cover song. You’ll find our weekly “liner notes” beneath the embedded player.

Catch up with past playlists here. Randomize, it’s fun.

Note: Anita Wills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Sea Pipes, “The Right Through” — Young guitar band Sea Pipes are the brainchild of singer-songwriter Edward Maxam, who displays some excellent chops on their first EP, “The Right Through,” released in September. Live on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at School Night at Bardot.

■ Miya Folick, “Erotica” — Miya Folick reveals a fantasy on the sensual (what else?) new single “Erotica,” which conveniently rhymes with Veronica (the object of said fantasy). The song (here’s the video), her third release of 2024 following “Alaska” and “La Da Da,” introduces Folick’s new album, “Erotica Veronica,” due Feb. 28 via Nettwerk. Of the record, she says: “The album is about being queer within a heteronormative relationship structure and within a heteronormative society, but it’s also just about desire and eroticism in general. I don’t think we give each other enough room to explore freely and figure out our own right paths.”

■ Crooner, “Kick and Snare” — Crooner (stylized CROONeR) actually got its start in the mid-1990s as the brainchild of Christopher Guanlao before his 20-plus year tenure as Silversun Pickups’ drummer. Along with “This Film Had Nothing to Say,” “Kick and Snare” is the second Crooner release of 2024.

■ Escape Artist Lovers, “Fall Easy” — The duo of Kirk Hellie and Rain Phoenix return with an entrancing new Escape Artist Lovers single, their first release since their fuzzy-good EP, “Heavy With Stars,” in May. Escape Artist Lovers perform at a benefit, the Kitchen Sink Festival, on Dec. 15 at the Lodge Room, along with the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Madison Cunningham, Pete Yorn and others.

■ Dear Boy & Hello Seahorse!, “My My” — Dear Boy, the L.A. quartet whose Britpop/New Wave style has shone for more than a decade (especially on their 2022 album “Forever Sometimes”), team up with Mexico City trio Hello Seahorse on the single “My My.” (It won’t appear on Dear Boy’s second LP, which we’ll hear about in the new year.)

■ Sky Ferreira, “Leash” — Sky Ferreira hasn’t released an album since 2013’s buzzy “Night Time, My Time,” but the follow-up, “Masochism,” might finally be nigh. The electro-rocker “Leash” appears in the forthcoming drama “Babygirl,” and you can read all about it your friendly neighborhood newspaper.

■ Dream, Ivory, “Bullet Train” — Genre-mashing brothers Christian and Louie Baello are back with their first Dream, Ivory single in more than a year, the restlessly dreamy “Bullet Train.” Live Feb. 13 at the Moroccan Lounge.

■ THEY., “Straight Up” — THEY., the duo of songwriter Drew Love and producer Dante Jones, keep it typically silky smooth on “Straight Up,” the follow-up to “Diamonds and Pearls” and the single that introduces their new album, “LOVE.JONES,” out Feb. 14.

■ Cryogeyser, “Fortress” — This latest single (video) from Cryogeyser reminds us to remind you that you can satisfy your shoegaze/noise-pop/psych/experimental rock urges by hitting this weekend’s Sway Fest at Non Plus Ultra, where Cryogeyser is playing tonight (along with the likes of Draag, Mo Dotti, MyVeronica and Marguerite) and Saturday’s lineup features Estrada, Bondo, Chokecherry and Fawn, among others.

■ Double Wish, “Soft Skin” — Fresh off releasing their second EP, “Universe Sometimes,” in June, dark-pop duo Double Wish (Adam Sabolick and Philippe Andre) have released “Soft Skin,” the first single from a new EP, “Deeper Ecstasy,” out Feb. 28 via Hit the North Records.

■ Eric Cannata, “There You Go Again”— “There You Go Again” (video here) is the second single off of Eric Cannata’s debut solo album “Holding Onto the Holy,” set for release Jan. 25. The founding member of Young the Giant gets croon-tastic vocally to complement heavy piano keys and a vintage guitar. Live Jan. 31 at the Moroccan Lounge.

■ Debbii Dawson, “The Great Magician” — Following a successful run participating on the TV show “America’s Got Talent,” Debbii Dawson was signed to RCA records. Her new single “The Great Magician” is a powerful ’80s-sounding anthem with clever lyrics, “Into thin air I disappear / But nobody knows that I’m missing / No one to say / Cheers to The Great Magician.”

■ Marinero, “Cruz” — As a follow up to “Taquero,” Marinero (led by Jess Sylvester) drops “Cruz,” off his new album “La La La,” out Feb. 14. The song, half sung in Spanish, pays homage to retro soul music often played in the Chicano cinema movement of the ’90s, a key inspiration behind Sylvester’s work.

■ Julia Holter, “The Laugh Is in the Eyes” — The alluring “The Laugh Is In the Eyes” is a post-album single — that album being the equally mesmerizing “Something in the Room She Moves,” which was released to deserved acclaim in March.

■ Jackson Rau, “Your Wish” — Jackson Rau describes his new single “Your Wish” as “dark and weird,” and certainly it’s a departure from the less-is-more songs on the EP he released earlier this fall, “God Cursed the Artist With Eyes.” Here, his added production flourishes are seductive.

■ Serious Face, “Elephant” — Serious Face combines the talents of Gerry Doot (ex-drummer for Valley Queen), Daniel Gonzalez, Juan Pablo Grado and Idania Moran. The band formed during the pandemic, cut loose on their debut EP “Perfect Little Mess” and continue to fly the flag of riffy, high-energy rock on their latest single, “Elephant.”

■ Heaven Proper, “Natural Born Machine” — “Natural Born Machine” is the second single from singer-songwriter Lexie Papilion since she shifted from the moniker Bloodboy to Heaven Proper.

■ Maxim Ludwig, “Make Believe You Love Me” — The indie label Jagjaguwar today released the Angel Olsen-curated double-LP “Cosmic Waves Volume 1” (makes a mighty fine Bandcamp Friday purchase, in our opinion). Side A of the LP features new originals by five artists; Side B features Olsen herself covering songs by those five artists. We shared Poppy Jean Crawford’s “Glamorous” last month, so here’s the Maxim Ludwig ballad “Make Believe You Love Me.” And here’s what he says about it.

■ Campus Christy, “Generator” — And speaking of most interesting releases, Campus Christy, the collaboration between Chris Manak (aka Peanut butter Wolf) and Brian Ellis, today released their self-titled album. The record consists of reinterpretations of obscure tracks dating from the 1960s to the ’80s — kind of a cratediggers’ delight. We previously noted “Very Complex” and “Horizon,” and here’s “Generator,” a remake of the 1978 song “Generator (Laserbeam)” by synth wizard Tim Blake (Gong, Hawkwind), from his solo LP “Blake’s New Jerusalem.”

■ The Little Wars,  “The L.A. Fear” — The Little Wars follow up “Gravity” with a dancey, dark synth-pop tune called “The L.A. Fear.” You can watch the bizarre music video here.

■ Chase Petra, “Centrifugal Force” — Indie-rock trio Chase Petra’s “Centrifugal Force,” out via Wax Bodega, confronts the harsh realities of DIY musicianship at an adult age, “I’m starting to wonder if this is really going to make me happy or if it’s going to tear me apart,” bandleader Hunter Allen says. Watch the video for the unique pop-punk song here. Catch Chase Petra on March 28 at at the Parish at House of Blues Anaheim and on April 26 at the Roxy.

■ Tin Angel, “Crystalline” — There could hardly be a better titled song to introduce Tin Angel, the new folk trio combining the talents of Taylor Sackson, Gal Musette (Grace Freeman) and Daisy Abrams. Their self-titled EP came out in September and was made with producer Jon O’Brien.

■ Luther Russell, “Wanna Be Your Lover” — “Wanna Be Your Lover,” the follow-up to October’s single “Downtown Girls,” is the second taste of Luther Russell’s forthcoming album “Happiness for Beginners,” out Jan 17. None other than Jason Falkner joins Russell on guitar and backing vocals on this one.

■ Samantha Gongol, “Planes Are Low” — As a follow-up to “Flash In The Pan,” Samantha Gongol (of the duo Marian Hill) releases her indie-pop single “Planes Are Low,” off of her upcoming debut EP. You can watch the music video here.

■ Cheekface, “Hard Mode” — The follow-up to “Flies” and their fourth album “It’s Sorted,” “Hard Mode” is the latest dose of musical raillery from indie trio Cheekface.

■ Ben Joyner, “Audrey (Nice Name)” — North Carolina native Ben Joyner is a musician/filmmaker who last month released “Audrey (Nice Name),” the third single from his forthcoming album, “Got My Drums Back.” Nice name, nice song.

■ Sparkbyrd, “Starlight Cowboy” — Another gem from the collaboration between Lauren Willow White and Chelsea Davis (also check out: “Burn,” “Ruby Red Clementine” and “Arrow”),  “Starlight Cowboy” is true to its title, a Western-tinged paean worthy of a film soundtrack.

■ Cole DeGenova, “Sweet Medicine” (feat. DJ Stepmom) — Keyboardist for Gallant, Neal Francis and others, Cole DeGenova dispenses mellow in varying doses, and “Sweet Medicine” is just that. The single features Joe Paris Christensen, aka DJ Stepmom, from Stones Throw Records luminaries King Pari. Live Saturday at the Love Song Bar.

■ TOKiMONSTA, “For You” (feat. Kaelin Ellis) — TOKiMONSTA’s new album “Eternal Reverie,” originally scheduled for a November release, was pushed back to next year in the wake of the passing of close friend Regina Biondo. After the August release of “For Sum” (featuring Anderson .Paak and Rae Khalil), TOKiMONSTA today unveiled the instrumental track “For You,” a collaboration with Kaelin Ellis.

■ Tremours, “Circulation Sound” — Singer-guitarist Lauren Andino and drummer Glenn Fryatt craft often-hypnotic ambient dream-pop. “Circulation Sound” is the first single from their debut full-length, “Fragments,” out Feb. 7. Live Feb. 5 at Zebulon, with Lauren Lakis, High Tatras and Izzy Outerspace.

■ Elle Belle, “Stranger” — Songwriter Christopher Pappas wrestles with that empty feeling of disconnectedness on his new Elle Belle single, “Stranger in a Strange Land,” and how, he says, “in the sea of darkness, you find someone who makes you feel like they’re standing right next to you holding your hand.”

■ Sisters of Black Mountain, “Amdusias” — Cecilia Enriquez (Saint Cecilia) gets the band — Sisters of Black Mountain — back together for their first release in more than a year, “Amdusias.”

■ Orion Shoals, “Childhood Home” — Going home for the holidays? The outsized classic rocker “Childhood Home” might speak to you. It’s the third single this year from Orion Shoals, the duo of Joe Olney and Floyd Kellogg.

■ Erin Greider,  “Heartbreak Hangover” — Pop-rocker Erin Greider credits Lindsey Lohan’s punk persona in the 2003 film “Freaky Friday” for sparking her interest in music. Greider’s new single, “Heartbreak Hangover,” is a bass-heavy power-pop song about how the pain of heartbreak, “always comes back in the morning.”

■ The Two Tens, “Centered” — Friendly reminder that “T Mac,” the first EP in four years from the Two Tens’ Adam Bones and Rikki Styxx, is out now, including “We Believe You” and other blasts of OG punk/garage-rock. Live tonight at Permanent Records Roadhouse.

■ Syante, “Downhill”— Syante recently left her life as a software engineer in her native India to become a rock ’n’ roller in L.A. Her dynamic song, “Downhill,” is just her second single.

■ Dorothy, “The Devil I Know” — More than two years since their third full-length, Dorothy — the band fronted by vocal powerhouse Dorothy Martin — continues to unleash a bevy of heavy. The follow-up to “Mud” and this year’s collaborations with Slash, Staind and Scott Stapp, “The Devil I Know” is her latest hard hitter.

■ Grave Secrets,  “S2L” — “S2L” is a new single out on Graveboy Records by four-piece band Grave Secrets. The song is a perfect blend of hardcore and pop-punk with powerful vocals by Vinny Morales.

■ Marco Luka, “Need You Now” — “Need You Now” is the latest single to come off of Marco Luka’s “Insomnia” EP, out next year. Luka’s heartfelt slow jam “Need You Now” showcases his impressive vocal range. Then, in a surprising twist, the song’s final 30 seconds erupts into a bluegrass jam that fades away.

■ MILCK, “Such Great Heights” — We’ll bring this week’s playlist in for a soft landing with a cover of the Postal Service’s debut single, “Such Great Heights,” which Connie Lim, aka MILCK, recorded for Netflix’s “Uglies.”