Kevin Bronson on April 11th, 2025

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Here’s a big playlist you can sample when you’re not glued to the Coachella live streams or applying sunscreen generously:

Greatest Hits … This Week (Vol. 333) features new music from Alexandra Savior, HLLLYH (The Mae Shi, reborn), Dylan Meek, Lia Braswell, Eyedress, Trousdale, Bob Moses, Kills Birds, Sextile, Shane Alexander, Kylie Rothfield, Royaljag, Death Valley Girls, Lisa Crawley, Genevieve Artadi, Oddnesse and a slew more. Thirty-five songs deep this week, and we probably missed a couple.

Keep up with all our playlists here.

Anita Mills contributed to today’s roundup.

■ Lia Braswell, “Out of Sight” — Lia Braswell has drummed for the likes of A Place To Bury Strangers, Current Joys, TR/ST, She Wants Revenge, Le Butcherettes, Sextile and a bunch more. After releasing some music under the name Lalande a few years back, she’s stepping out in a big way on May 22 with the release of her solo debut album, “Rising.” Laswell has released four singles from the LP so far, ranging from thrumming synth bangers to dreamy goth-pop. We’ll start this playlist with “Out of Sight.”

■ HLLLYH, “Dead Clade” — “HLLLYH” was the title of the final album, in 2008, by beloved L.A. hellraisers the Mae Shi. It’s also the name given the new project from the Mae Shi alumni rounded up by founding member Tim Byron. On Jjune 27, they will release a new album, “URUBURU,” and if you caught the Mae Shi at the Smell, or at a house party, or even (burned in our memory) the Detour Festival, you will like “Dead Clade.”

■ Kills Birds, “Hollows” — Grab your earplugs: “Crave,” the new EP from Kills Birds, is out today. Closing track “Hollow” see-saws from soft to hurts-so-good. Live May 24 at the Echo.

■ Sextile, “Kids” — Sextile follows up “S Is For” with “Kids,” off their upcoming album “Yes, Please” (out May 2). Mel Scaduto of Sextile says: “The song is about being a teenager where you start to figure out who you are and feel misunderstood by your family but the feeling you get of finding your people and music for the first time that is yours.” Watch the high-energy music video here. Catch Sextille at Lights Down Low on May 1 for their record release party.

■ Frankie and the Witch Fingers, “Total Reset” — “Total Reset” is a hard-hitting punk-meets-synth track off Frankie and the Witch Fingers’ upcoming album “Trash Classic” (out June 6). Says the band (whom we think are kidding about one thing, at least): “Writing and recording a song can be such a hassle, so we let AI handle it this time (faster, cheaper, zero complaints). It spat out a nice little doomsday ditty.” Catch Frankie and the Witch Fingers August 2 at the Teragram Ballroom. 

■ Bob Moses, “Time of Your Life” — Just in time for their surprise set tonight at the DoLab at Coachella, electro duo Bob Moses have released “Time of Your Life,” their first new music since 2022’s album “The Silence in Between.”

■ Alexandra Savior, “The Mothership” — Singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior last month released her first single in almost five years, “Unforgivable.” Today she’s back with an equally fetching single, “The Mothership.” It introduces her third full-length, “Beneath the Lilypad,” out May 16.

■ Trousdale, “Lonely Night” — Friendly reminder that L.A. trio Trousdale today released their sophoore album, “Growing Pains,” home to such singles as “Secondhand Smoke,” “Over and Over” and “Want Me Back.” The ’70s-styled “Lonely Night” is icing on the cake. Live June 21 at the El Rey Theatre.

■ Eyedress, “Keeping Score” (feat. Mayer Hawthorne) — For those keeping score, “Stoner” (out today) is Eyedress’ fifth full-length (or mixtape) since 2020, not including four separate collaborative albums. And at 21 tracks, “Stoner” is only the third-longest of those solo efforts, so Eyedress remains as prolific as he is impossible to pigeonhole. The new LP is packed with guests —notably, this weekend’s fellow Coachella performers the Marías on “Separate Ways.” And Mayer Hawthorne on “Keeping Score,” but who’s keeping score?

■ Oddnesse, “God With the Windows Open” — Rebeca Arango continues to tease her debut album (see also: “Unicorn”) with a new single, “God With the Windows Open.”

■ Dylan Meek, “Be Your Man” — Texas-born Dylan Meek displays his full embrace of classic soul music on “Be Your Man,” the first single from his forthcoming album, “Love Languages.” This one will simply give you the chills.

■ Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker & Adam Miller, “The Veil” — Dream-pop siren Ruth Radelet has teamed up with fellow former Chromatics mates Nat Walker and Adam Miller on four tracks that will appear on the soundtrack album to the narrative video game “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage” (from the creators of the “Life is Strange” series). It follows the story of four teenage girls who kept a secret for 27 years, with gameplay alternating between present day and 1995. Music plays a central role in both the narrative and gameplay. Recommended: The Super 8 video for “The Veil.”

■ Shane Alexander, “Ballad of the Troubadour” — Friendly reminder that “Forever Songs,” the seventh album from singer-songwriter Shane Alexander, is out now. And “Ballad of the Troubadour” embodies what the long-running L.A. favorite is all about.

■ Black Polish, “Be With You” — “Be With You” is the first single from Black Polish (aka Jayden Binnix) since last year’s album “Forest,” and the first since her signing to BMG. Watch the Gus Black-directed video.

■ Elle Belle, “Train to Kyoto” — Dating back to last year, songwriter Christopher Pappas has released monthly Elle Belle singles, subtly shifting in styles like coastal weather patterns. “Train to Kyoto” is beautifully hazy indie-pop, a daydream perhaps viewed through a raindrop-sprinkled window. “I took the train to Kyoto and I never woke up,” Pappas sings, and that’s about as explanatory as he gets.

■ Kylie Rothfield, “Where the Diamonds Hide” (feat. The Rare Occasions) — Singer-songwriter Kylie Rothfield teams up with power-pop heavy hitters the Rare Occasions on the punch-the-sky sing-along “Where the Diamonds Hide.” Rothfield’s new album, “Lover Like That,” arrives May 9.

■ Royaljag, “These Days” — Friendly reminder that Royaljag (twins Jay and Roland Garcia, along with David Ajoku) this week released their new EP, “Designer,” featuring the single “Circles.” Warm as the oncoming summer nights.

■ Genevieve Artadi with Norrbotten Big Band, “Life Exploder” — Last month, the wildly talented Genevieve Artadi posted to Instagram of her standing by a road holding a sign that reads “Honk If You Love Big Band Music.” Her enthusiasm is equally evident on the album “Another Leaf,” made while she was composer-in-residence with the 17-piece Norrbotten Big Band in Sweden. The album was released today via Brainfeeder.

■ Cola Boyy, “Walk Again” — The follow-up to “Babylon,” “Walk Again” is the latest single from “Quit to Play Chess” (out May 23), the posthumous sophomore album from Oxnard wunderkind Matthew Urango.

■ Brandon, “Seeing Stars” — As a follow-up to “September,” “Seeing Stars” is an R&B love song off his debut album “Before You Go” (out May 9). Brandon’s music videos continue to use the art of lighting to tell the story; check it out here.

■ The Manic Standstill, “Reasons Why” — L.A. trio the Manic Standstill is the new project from singer-guitarist Adam Bones, known in local circles as the lightning to Rikki Styx’s thunder in the duo the Two Tens. (Bones has also been filling in for Betty Cisneros in Go Betty Go the past couple of years). “Reasons Why” (video) is the project’s first single, and GBG drummer Aixa Vilar and bassist Michelle Rangel play on the track, with Prima Donna’s Kevin Preston serving up background vocals. They play their first show opening for Lords of Altamont on April 18 at the Echo.

■ Pearl Charles, “Middle of the Night” — “Middle of the Night” is the latest single from Pearl Charles’ sophomore album, “Desert Queen,” out later this month. Live April 25 at Gold-Diggers.

■ IAMEVE, “My Head My Heart My Hands” — Electro-acoustic pop explorer Tiff Randol, aka IAMEVE, returned today with a new EP, “My Head My Heart My Hands.” It continues the ethereal, emotionally charged theatrics the songwriter displayed on 2021’s “Archetype” EP.

■ Dream Bodies, “Eclipse” — Dream Bodies is the solo project of Steven Fleet and just two singles old. For a long, warm bath of atmospheric goth-rock, try “Eclipse.”

■ Molly Moore, “Pretty! Reckless!” — Following up the well-timed banger “American Girl,” pop changeling Molly Moore rocks out (again) on her new single, “Pretty! Reckless!”

■ Walter the Producer, “I’d Know” — The follow-up to “Tell Me Again” and “Little Lies,” the disco ditty “I’d Know” is the latest blast from Walter the Producer, who has a “new project” (album? EP?) on the way. Stay tuned.

■ Lisa Crawley, “The Gatekeeper” — L.A.-based New Zealand native Lisa Crawley will release a fresh EP, “New Girl Syndrome,” on April 25. As with her March release “What You Can Do,” “The Gatekeeper” is a slice of sharp, insightful pop. Watch the video, which features actor-musician Paul Adelstein.

■ Andrew Stogel, “The Way I Want You” — Andrew Stogel, who previously issued music under the names War Strings and LOVEYOU, unveils the first release under his own name. He sounds deep in his own head on the captivating new single “The Way I Want You.”

■ Julia Wolf, “Jennifer’s Body” — Julia Wolf is a DIY solo artist and pianist. Her new single, “Jennifer’s Body,” is an alt-pop tune with impressive vocals from her forthcoming album “Pressure,” out May 23 via AWAL. Catch Wolf at The Parish at House of Blues Anaheim on June 3.  Watch the music video here.

■ Max Look, “Cruise” — Max Look is a Cleveland-born alt-country artist. His new stand-alone single “Cruise,” is a power-pop tune featuring his backing band, The Tomorrow Band. Catch Max Look  April 17 & 24 at The Goldfish.

■ My Name Is Ann, “Tease” — My Name Is Ann is the solo project of L.A.-based Czech producer-composer Lenka Morávková, who later this year will release a new album, “Radical Valentine.” She calls the emotion-charged “Tease” a “tribute to unfinished romances” and to her friend, the late electronic artist Stefan Pruett (aka The Guidance).

■ Death Valley Girls, “Fire and Brimstone” — Spooky? Bonnie Bloomgarden lost her home in the L.A. wildfires in January. Before that, though, the Death Valley Girls lead singer and her band had recorded two cover songs for a 7-inch, including a version of Link Wray’s “Fire and Brimstone” (1971). Along with the A-side, a cover of Fleetwod Mac’s “Sisters of the Moon,” it’s out now.

■ Emi Grace, “Heart in a Cage” — Emi Grace is a young vocalist and guitarist who has already opened artists like Fitz & the Tantrums, Winnetka Bowling League and K.Flay. Her debut single “Heart in a Cage,” produced by Matt Squire, showcases her powerful vocals. Emi Grace plays the Roxy on June 14.

■ Ember Knight, “Footprints on the Sands of Time” — Ember Knight is the creator of Adult Swim’s “Ember’s Etiquette,” and her new lead single “Footprints on the Sands of Time” is an experimental low-fi track off her new EP “Ember Sings the Dr. Bronner Soap Label.” This concept album features only text found on the packaging of cult cosmetic Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap. Watch Ember take a bath in a public fountain in the music video here. 

■ Katie Gavin, “Aftertaste” (MUNA remix) — OK, MUNA’s Katie Gavin has MUNA remix a single (“Aftertaste”) from the Katie Gavin solo album, “What a Relief.” Got that? By the way< the remix could not be more radically different. Gavin opens for Lucy Dacus on May 14 and May 15 at the Greek Theatre.