Meltt

Life cycles through birth, death, and rebirth. Flames reduce objects to dust only for the wind to sweep them into the ether in another eternal form altogether. Meltt’s music resembles this natural sequence. The hum of distorted guitars dissolves into bright melodies carried by shimmering synths and soaring vocals. The Vancouver band—Chris Smith [lead vocals, guitar, bass, keys], Jamie Turner [drums, percussion], James Porter [guitar, keys, bass, vocals] and Ian Winkler [bass, keys, guitar]—enable rock, alternative and psychedelia to coexist in one ecosystem with airtight instrumentation and deft songcraft on their second album, Eternal Embers [Nettwerk].

In the wake of the 2017 Visions EP, the group spiritually and sonically aligned on their full-length debut Swim Slowly, which yielded “Love Again,” “On Your Own” and “Fool Of You.” Then, throughout the pandemic, the band wrote what would become Eternal Embers in sessions, formulating ideas separately. Eventually, they spent a month in a remote cabin where they wrote and shored up the foundation of the record. They shared five tracks as part of the 2023 Another Quiet Sunday EP that would only contribute to a larger statement on the new LP.

“We want you to go on a journey with this album,” Jamie concludes. “Even though we deal with darker themes, it ends on a positive note. I’d like for you to have this big cinematic ride but end in a positive place. There’s always light at the end.”

Junaco is a Los Angeles based indie rock band with influences from folk, psych, and bossa nova. The trio is comprised of Shahana Jaffer, Joey LaRosa, and Tejas Leier Heyden. After a southwest tour in 2022, the trio embarked to upstate New York to record their first full length LP; a reflection on identity, change, and the irony of life. The LP is to be released fall 2023.