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Sean Haeberman, AKA LV-380, is this week’s Guest Instrumentalist and is a native of the San Fransisco Bay Area. Sean’s music blends cinematic elements with retro electronic sounds and is inspired by his love for film scores, metal music, and video games from the 80’s and 90’s. It’s also really, really cool, no lie.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram
Thanks for the music beds, LV-380!
A joint effort between ELIOT and DJ Silverhook was already a playlisted favorite of mine when Fear of Tigers came along and upped the game with a super sick, super awesome remix. It was cool to see Fear of Tigers do the remix, as they’ve been a playlist artist since 2022.
Eliot:
Spotify | Linktree | Instagram | TwitterX
Silverhook:
Fear of Tigers:
Sweden’s Vogon Poetry ‘Passion’ remix from Erotic Elk was on the list in late 2022 and is awesome, so it’s on the show. Worth checking them out; I’ve also had a mix of ‘Forbidden Land’ playlisted, and it’s great. Vogon Poetry has been playing out recently with another favorite Swedish artist of mine, SCALA, and they’re set to release a joint called ‘Come Home Again’ in early May, so keep an ear open for that.
I’ve had Kerry on my radar for weeks now, so it’s great to finally put ‘Get Me A Doctor’ on the show…the song was featured on a Russian TV show and it’s got some serious Lily Allen vibes which is awesome. She’s been releasing a steady stream of singles and remixes, so check her stuff out.
We recently received an email at NEWHD from Swiss Pop Records – they asked us to put ears on a new release from Synthewomia, the Swiss-American Duo of Nancy Berie and Tess Bright. They have some really fun and interesting tracks, so be sure to take a minute to check them out.
‘I Wanna Know’ is a great track by Train to Spain, a Swedish duo who list their influences as Alphaville, Depeche Mode and Howard Jones. I love all three, and considering that they named their band after a line in a Human League song, it’s no wonder that I dig that track. Good stuff!
I came across Manchester’s Mercury Machinethem a few months back and really dig their throwback synth-goth darkwave sound. …they have a modernized Bauhaus vibe and it’s on display with ‘Vultures’. They’re playing out July 19 in Manchester, so grab yourself a seat and check them out.
NEWHD Featured Artist Whitney Tai will be onstage in Hollywood on May 18th; she’s been promoting her Blaktai project lately, but truth to tell, she’s got an amazing library all her own. ‘Not Have Each Other’ is off of her 2020 release ‘Apogee’ and it’s fantastic.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
‘I Think You’re Beautiful’ is our tip of the hat to Duran Duran, Roxy Music, and Giorgio Moroder. It’s been steadily picking up streams in part because of the awesome extended Club Mix we released on the Maxi-single, and also because the Spotify algo really likes to push the Radio Instrumental to non-English speaking parts of the World, where it’s been received really well (it makes our singer sad, but he’ll get over it).
It seems like every time I turn around, I find another great band out of Dublin, Ireland. This time it’s The Scratch, a 4 piece who like to mash metal and traditional Irish music together and it sounds awesome – just listen to ‘Excuse’. Apparently, the band tears it up on a live stage, and judging by their live album release, it’s not an exaggeration.
This week’s cover is of a favorite and beloved Tears for Fears track called ‘Shout’ as imagined by Trope, an alt-prog rock band that has done a great job touring out and has earned accolades worldwide as a result. They were Staff Pick of the month by Loudwire and have and will be supporting Kings X in 2024. They’re working on a double album for this year, so clearly they’re keeping busy. I did them a lot, so make sure you check the rest of their stuff out.
I’ve been a fan of LV-380 since 2021 and was really excited when Sean dropped a new track called ‘Perfect Score’ earlier this year – it’s a really cool nod to the soundtracks of the 16-bit game consoles of the late 80’s, and it was a perfect closer for the show. Also, I’ll add a huge thank you to Sean for helping out with the bed music; it sounded really great and I really do appreciate the assist.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
Z-GR! Radio overview right from your Host:
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists and and…
Chris Hall, AKA Helsinki Project, is this week’s Guest Instrumentalist and hails from Dublin, Ireland. The timing on the appearance is fantastic, as HP’s latest release, ‘Shadowclaw’ releases on April 26th, a week after the show broadcasts for the first time.
Spotify | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp
Thanks for the music beds, HP!
Austin’s high-energy Trashy Annie is Country Rock done right; this isn’t a band copying Nickelback with an added fiddle and a vocal twang – this is Country with a Rock attitude through and through. I’m still trying to figure out if they’re Country with Rock influences or the other way around; either way, they’re awesome, and I think that once you hear ‘Knock Knock’, you’ll agree.
When I first heard Alabama 3’s ‘Yolanda’, it registered as perhaps the greatest Electronica – Country genre merge I’ve heard, and it just might still be. You’ve probably heard London’s Alabama 3 before – they are best known for supplying the theme song for the Sopranos back in 1997, and their recent releases are really taking off – their latest is a joint with The Crystal Method.
Chroma Cloud is a duo from Columbus Ohio, and they have a big modern retro sound that I think you’ll really dig – they’re just starting to release tracks, and I’m definitely looking forward to what they’ve got coming up. ‘Mine’ is their first release, and it’s awesome.
Electric Palace is bicoastal; Vocalist/Guitarist TJ Rosenthal is out of NYC’s Lower East side, and Joe Zdaa is in LA. ‘No Way Out’ and is off of their 2021 effort, ‘Pretend’ and is a great big sound rock track with cool percussive breaks and a solid vocal hook.. Be sure to check the rest of their stuff out.
I had Nashville’s People of the Parallel on Episode 1 of Z-GR! Radio, but I can never get enough of them, so I’m bringing them back around with another awesome track – this one is called ‘Eyes and See’. It was the first track of theirs to feature on the playlist, and it’s still a favorite of mine.
LookLA is based in London – the duo formed in 2017 and has a bunch of really great tracks. ‘Wondering’ was their last release back in 2022, so it’s been a while and I’m hoping that we’ll get something new from them soon. Also…not sure about the pronunciation with the capped ‘LA’, but I decided to play is safe – apologies if I said it wrong.
You just heard Blondking’s outstanding cover of Joe Jackson’s ‘Stepping Out’. It’s a great version of a great song and I’ve been playing it for everyone I know since I came across it on the Revival Synth website a few months back. Like Z-GR! Radio, that site is big into getting emerging artists into new ears, and they do a great job at it so take a minute to check them out at revivalsynth.com.
I’ll be honest, I couldn’t find much info on this next artist. Dubbed VINNY in all caps, I looked for as long as my attention span allowed, and I thought about skipping past, but then the earworm set in, and well…’Chaos’ is a really awesome track, and you’re hearing it here on NEWHD Rock Evolution.
Amy Douglas hit my radar in December of 2021, and I was immediately impressed – at the time, her focus was on a joint project, but when she pushed out on her own things really took off for her which is awesome. It’s well deserved, she has an amazing voice, attitude for days, and I’m hearing that she’s been spinning in the Big Apple lately. ‘Freak At Night’ is a joint with DJ and label owner and Producer JKriv.
Amy Douglas:
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
JKriv:
Sweden’s Red Javelin with ‘Stockholm Parade’. I absolutely love the big disco vibe all the way down to the awesome guitar solo and closeout spoken vocal. – Fun fact and something I learned just now – that track is a nod to Greta Thornburg who began her climate activist journey outside of the Swedish Parliament.
‘Never Ride Alone’ is Zero-G Racetrack’s latest release and perhaps my favorite of our genre-bends – I’ve dubbed it an electro-western due to an musical nod to Leone’s westerns and the throughline guitar that was played by Steve Gomes on a beautiful 1967 hollow body Gretsch Country Gentleman.
Helsinki Project’s Chris Hall supplied the music beds this week – he has a bunch of really cool ambient cinematic synth tracks, and has a new release titled ‘Shadowclaw’ coming out on April 26, 2024. All of HP’s tracks are really cool and worth a listen; I chose higher energy tracks like ‘Andromeda’, ‘Metatron’, and ‘Modular Dreams’ for the beds, which worked out great, and ‘Cyber-Drive’ played the show out.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
Z-GR! Radio overview right from your Host:
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists and and…
This week, I tracked down the Invisible Squirrel, who I’ve had on the playlist multiple times. Fortunately for everyone, he was good to go for a show appearance, and it turned out great! The Squirrel is a producer and remixer, so if you like what you hear, reach out!
Spotify | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp
Good to see you, Squirrel!
Billy Mick’s voice is so remarkably cool and unique that it is absolutely unmistakable, and he uses it to create catchy, fun songs that’ll get you moving and keep you there. A Little More’ has a catchy vocal that’s helped along by slick disco-era guitar riff that really sets the hook. This is a great track accented by Mick’s distinctively guttural howls. Aw, Yeah, indeed.
When we formed Zero-G Racetrack, Bill Williams and I made a bit of a pact around the lyrical content – we didn’t want to be a bummer. The songs can be introspective and thoughtful, but we vowed not to wallow in sadness or remorse. When ‘My Baby Done Left Me’ came along, I came up with a set of lyrics that broke the rule…BUT…the music itself is upbeat and fun. Ultimately, we challenged ourselves to turn an upbeat dance-rock track into a breakup song without bumming everyone out, and judging on the reactions I get when I sing it live, I think we hit the mark. We did throw a nod to the emotive by playing the song out with a SRV blues-style guitar solo, so there is that.
Estella Dawn is awesome on so many levels – she has a truly fantastic voice, wonderful presence and a way with words that makes her songs a ton of fun to listen to. Seriously…her lyrical storytelling skills are amongst the best I’ve heard, and that’s saying something. Add to that an undercurrent of sass and a comfortability with herself and you get one of my favorite artists ever.
Estella is a New Zealander in San Diego by way of Colorado, comes from a musical background and has a great social media presence. The lineup for this show perfectly suits Estella, and ‘Vixen’ is the perfect track for it. Also…Estella has one of the best approaches to Social Media I’ve seen…follow her to see what I mean.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
I’m hoping that VVerevvolf, a SF Bay Area trio, hasn’t completely disbanded. I know that members have gone off to do ‘live your life’ stuff, but they put out some great tracks, including ‘Nope’. I absolutely love everything about that track, including the Eggplant murder artwork they used for the release. The lyrics are clever, the sounds they used are great…I know that it’s been a long minute since they’ve dropped new material, but I’ve got my fingers crossed. Regardless, they have a ton of great songs available, so be sure to check them out.
Silicon Valley’s House of Asha is absolutely fantastic. I met Asha in downtown San Jose at a performance shortly after her album release, and was so immediately impressed that I was already listening to her tracks as she walked offstage. She has a wonderfully smooth, sultry voice that is immediately recognizable in all the best ways. She’s done a few joints with Bay Area Producer Dust Breaks including ‘One Less Lonely Night’, and I’ve got it on good word that she’ll be appearing on a Zero-G Racetrack song later in the year. True story.
This week’s cover song is perfect for the show – Depeche Mode is a legendary SynthPop band and ‘Behind the Wheel’ is a late-80’s fan favorite. Covering the song are NYC natives Whitney Tai and Kelsey Warren, aka Blak Emoji have been collaborating under the name Blaktai since 2018; along the way, Kelsey’s made a name for himself in the Big Apple, and has accolades throughout the industry.
Whitney made the jump to L.A. and has been leaving marks everywhere she goes. She’s won multiple awards including ICMA’s best vocalist in 2021, she’s headlined NAMM which is super cool, and BLAKTAI is the NEWHD Radio Spotlight artist this month, so make sure you check out their feature article on newhdradio.com.
BLAKTAI
Spotify | Linktree | Web | Twitter | NEWHD Feature
Whitney Tai
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Blak Emoji
That was Kamino Royale out of Belfast. The band was born out of the ashes of legendary four piece Saint Sapphire and is the brainchild of Saint Sapphire guitarist and front man Sam Morgan. Sam’s been focused on soundtrack work lately, but I’ve heard that they’re headed in a more retro direction and have new material coming out soon, and I’m looking forward to it.
‘Ghouls’ by Icarus has a great sound (awesome vocal, no lie) that leans into what Icarus describes as a nu-disco/retro electro hybrid. Whatever you call it, it’s really cool – The track is off of 2021’s Dancing in the Darkness album – Icarus, who is out of Stockholm, Sweden has done really well with YouTube and is anticipating a new album release this year.
Unify Separate is a duo of Scottish singer Andrew Montgomery and luminary of Sweden’s legendary synth culture, Leo Josefsson. Montgomery relocated to Sweden, met Josefsson and a bunch of awesome songs are the result. They’ve got a bunch of great tracks, including ‘Embrace the Fear’, so be sure to check them out.
Also – I fear that I mispronounced the name of their band on the show – if so, it was due to time pressure and a TON of things going on (brain overload). If I blew it – sincerest apologies to Andrew and Leo.
Paper Pilots, out of Los Angeles, has been slowly infiltrating LA Radio – they’ve been featured on WXPN and KROQ’s locals only. And their video for ‘The Weather’ was directed by Emmy Winner Joel Knoernschild. Their radio reach has just extended to Z-GR! Radio; this is the Sneakout Remix of ‘The Weather’ right here on NEWHD Rock Evolution.
I came across Özlem via the Spotify algo, believe it or not, and really liked the vibe of ‘One Night’. The video for the song is much darker than the song itself – in reality, ‘One Night’ is an outstanding Pop song, and after hearing it multiple times as I do when I’m putting the show together, I’ve found that I like it more each time I hear it. Özlem’s got some other cool tracks, so be sure to check her stuff out.
I stumbled across Liz Lawrence about a year ago, and really liked her 2021 album ‘The Avalanche’. Since then, Liz has blown up (really blown up, no lie), and is currently prepping her next record for release on Chrysalis this June. This deep cut off of Avalanche is called ‘Heart of Gold’.
I’ve had a multitude of Squirrel’s tracks on the playlist over the past few years, and I’ve enjoyed them all. The Squirrel is outstanding in both production and remixing, so it only made sense to approach him for bed music, and it turned out great. ‘303 Reasons to Like Rock’ was the first of the Squirrel’s tracks to hit my playlist, and it really does rock, so it seemed appropriate to close the show with it.
Spotify | Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram
Thanks again, Squirrel!
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
The Sixth Show Showcases Bufinjer!
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This week, I asked Dave Bulera, AKA Bufinjer, if he was willing to supply the bed music under my vocal musings between songs, and he graciously agreed.
Bufinjer was one of the original 12 artists on the ‘Floating Around the Playlist’ in 2021, so it’s really cool to showcase him on Z-GR! Radio!
THANK YOU, DAVE!
Hanna Rua who also goes by Hanna Nygren, is from Sweden, lives in the UK and emphasizes her Nordic background, and you can hear it in her voice. ‘Don’t Cut Your Angels’ has an modern 70’s pop sound (to my ears you can hear the ABBA-esque tonality in the vocal) and makes for a great week 6 opener. She is also a talented illustrator and it’s worth taking a look at her work on instagram.
The first time I heard ’Two Strangers’ by LAU it struck me as a nearly perfectly crafted pop song. Great story, great melody and a STRONG Chorus vocal hook. LAU’ a singer, songwriter, drummer, producer, creative director out of Barcelona, and she’s a founder of Aztec Records. Aztec is home to perhaps the best collection of Synthwave/ Retrowave artists out there, so head on over to aztecrecords.com for the who’s who.
I’ve said it before – Sweden produces some of the most amazing SynthPop artists in the World, – case in point, Yota was born in Stockholm and later settled in Paris, France. Her solo library dates back to 2010, so she’s got a lot of great music to check out. Admittedly, I’m pretty late to the Yota party, and as I was listening to her 2023 album ‘Room 412’, ‘The Hunger’ really stood out.
One of two returning tracks this week (LAU’s Two Strangers is the other) ‘Soda Pop’ is one of those tracks that went up on the playlist 10 minutes after I heard it for the first time. I love the pacing of this track, and Philadelphia’s Catherine Moan (Angel Jefferson) brings a fantastic wink and a nod to the innuendo-laden vocal. I can’t get enough of this track, no lie. Catherine Moan is a gamer, can be found on Twitch under the username CATHMOAN, and has several videos for her tracks on YouTube, so check them out.
Hamburg’s Benny Braun pinged me on Social media a few years back and told me that his track ‘Break Out’ was worth checking out, so I did, and he was right. The track opens his excellent 2021 effort ‘Aerosols’ and he released a song appropriately titled ‘Are You Still Around?’ in 2022, but I’m hoping we’ll hear some new stuff from him in the near future. Fun Fact: ‘Break Out’ was not the first of his tracks to appear on the playlist; I initially passed on it in favor of an Instrumental off of’ Aerosols’ titled ‘Found Footage of the Second Lost Mission to Titan and ‘The Upcoming’ off of his excellent Instrumental album ‘The Unpredictable Sky’. They’re great, so check them out.
Sloww – Never Surrender
That last track was ‘Never Surrender’ by Sloww – Sloww is the solo project by Paris-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Mathieu Llopart. I really dig the energy of the track – he’s got a new single out and it’s called ‘A Blinking Neon’ which is also very cool, and the video for ‘Never Surrender’ is excellent, so make sure to check out his stuff.
We’re really proud of this track – I really do feel that with ‘Hard To Believe’ we captured the essence of Zero-G Racetrack’s first wave of songs. It sits perfectly in the Modern SynthRock pocket; the guitars rock out without overwhelming (squeals and all), the synths add the perfect flavor and the vocal hook in Chorus really sells the track. Bill Williams’ vocal harmony production is outstanding – Damia Foti’s background singing adds the perfect support to my lead vocal.
Sometimes you hear a rock band that just…rocks, and that’s what happened when I came across the Fiends. They’re an alt-rock outfit out of South Wales, their 2023 EP Mozel Tov is outstanding; they’re gaining steam and truthfully, they have other songs that are doing bigger numbers, but ‘Talk Soon’ remains my favorite of theirs.
12 Below – Farlight
When a band creates a vibe so uniquely their own that you just have to sink into their sound, you want to share it with as many people as you can, and I am to do just that – 12 Below’s ‘Farlight’ is ridiculously cool. ‘Farlight’ hit my radar in early ‘22, and remains a favorite, but there’s a lot to like in their library, so take the time to check it out.
I Am A Rocketship’s ‘Walk With Me’ is really different from most of their material – L E Kippner handles most of the lead vocal duties in their catalog, but Eric Weissinger’s vocal on ‘Walk With Me’ has a…sort of modern Old West vibe (if that makes sense) that really caught my ear. Their last effort, ‘La Cruella’ has a bunch of really great songs that are also well worth a listen. Not sure when or if they’re playing out anytime soon, but I know they were on the bill with Olive Dares the Darkness a few years back and I’d love to see both of them out here on the West Coast.
I feel like I’m on a pretty good run when it comes to bringing awesome cover songs to the show, and this week’s entry is no exception – I’ve heard a lot of covers of Chris Issac’s ‘Wicked Game’, but to my ears, Czech artists The Hitfaker’s version is among if not the the best of them.
Huge THANK YOU to Bufinjer’s Dave Bulera for this week’s music beds – he has a huge library of really great tracks, so make sure to go check them out. Buinger was one of the original 12 artists on the Z-GR! Playlist when it launched in late 2021, and has been a regular ever since, so I’m stoked that he was willing to supply music bed instrumentals for the show, and it’s appropriate that he’s the first to do so.
The following tracks appeared on the show as beds – Bad Hatter, Raise Your Glass, Phat Phreak, It’s Your Plucky Day, Electrify and Voltage.
I closed the show with ‘Qirex – Anti-Gravity, which was released on Project 2097, a tribute to one of my favorite video game series, WipeOut (it’s a Zero-G Racing game played on Zero-G Racetracks…go figure that one out). This track kills the course, no lie – thanks again, Dave.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
The Fifth Show brings the Awesome!
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Citrine’s from Nashville; she’s done well for herself by supplying tracks to TV Networks, specifically the CW, HBO and MTV’s Teen Mom. She’s teamed with Gukko, and I knew that ‘As Long As I Live I’ll Do What I Want (The F*ck I Want)’ would be a show opener as soon as I heard it. I really dig the attitude that sits under a sweet pop vocal tone…she’s got a bunch of other cool tracks dating back to 2071 and they’re all worth checking out.
This is Alexa’s second track to grace Z-GR! Radio (she was in the opening block of week one), and this track is no less awesome than the last – ‘Good Girl’ really kicks into gear at 3:00 mark, and gets better each time you hear it. Alexa’s on the road right now finishing up a cross-country tour that wraps up on the West Coast the first week of Apri 2024, so don’t wait – head to Alexavilla.com and grab yourself a seat or several.
The first time I heard Breathe of My Leaves’ ‘Trepidation’ I was blown away…the strength of the vocal does the fantastic instrumental track justice, making for a power pop anthem worthy of multiple listens. This track opened Week 3, and I’d expect that it’ll be featured on the show again. Don’t sleep on this one, folks.
I love it when I come across a joint with two outstanding artists – the Cats and Dogs Mix’ of ‘Heavy Rain’ by Lithuania’s Alanas Chosnau, who has a great library and clearly a great working relationship with Mark Reeder, a producer out of Berlin who’s call sheet is no less than amazing, is really great. Both Alanas and Mark are worth checking out for sure.
Alanas Chosnau:
Mark Reeder:
Tripnaha, a duo originally from Sweden but now in Berlin, are made up of Elin Johansson and Fredd Jakobsen. Their single ‘Immune’ was used as a podcast theme (great track, BTW) and Elin’s voice sounds fantastic on it. Their last release was late Sept. 2023, so they’re due for another release. Let’s hope it’s sooner than later.
I’ve been a fan of Vancuver’s Pennan Brae for a few years years now; we bumped into each other on Twitter in early 2022 and I’ve been playing his stuff on my playlists ever since, rotating through 6 tracks (so far). I am most definitely part of a much larger fanbase. Pennan Brae has worked with an amazing group of top-flight industry types, and is responsible for 2 Below 0, an independent film shot in Oregon and starring the man himself. You can catch it on Amazon Prime and I recommend doing so ASAP. He’s recently been releasing remastered versions of his back catalog, so go check his stuff out.
‘Enjoy Today’, our second release. The lyrics and vocal came together very quickly on the track, with only minor revisions made to the release version. It’s the only track of the first album lineup that doesn’t have a monster anthemic chorus, so we added the keyboard riff at the last minute, and truth to tell, I an’t imaging the song without it. Producer Bill Williams’ Instrumental hook really is awesome. That song is always well-received when I sing it live, and I have it on good authority that there’s a really cool extended version floating around, so look for that later in the year.
Fuzzle is an excellent SoCal RetroSynth band that hit my radar via Instagram in early 2022 and although I had this track on week 3’s lineup, I’m a big Fuzzle fan, and I wanted more ears on it. Fuzzle definitely carries an 80’s dance pop vibe, but I love that they lean into the rock side of things as often as not, and they do it really, really well. I’ve had six different Fuzzle songs on the playlist, so expect to hear more of them moving forward.
NOTE: It appears that I pronounced Annsofi ‘Annasofi’ on the show, and I feel terrible about it. Sincere apologies to annsofi & me!
Annsofi & Me is a joint between Norway’s Annsofi and JP Paulsen. Anna sofi reached 3rd place on the X-Factor and is an ambassador for Norway’s biggest anti-bullying campaign which I think is awesome. JP has collaborated with several of Norway’s noteables their track, ‘Dancing on the Strip’, is proof positive that everyone in the world speaks fluent Las Vegas.
Formerly known as Pearl the Girl, she’s got a slinky, sultry rock voice and it’s used to really great effect on ‘Month of July’ a track that caught my attention as soon as I heard it. . A voice actor from a young age, and brings experience from myriad genres to her current alt-rock sound.
Missing Persons’ ‘Destination Unknown’ is one of my favorite tracks ever, and truth to tell, I really didn’t think I’d ever hear a truly great cover of it – and then I did. Jaguar Grace and Neon Wolf absolutely nailed this one, bringing the 80’s staple forward with their own touch while remaining true to the vibe of the original. Awesome.
Jaguar Grace
Neon Wolf
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
The Fourth Show Was (And Still Is) …. Freaking GREAT!
Z-GR! Radio overview right from your Host:
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists and and PLEASE share the page out on your Socials! Thanks, and see you next week!
This band is new to me, but I was a fan as soon as I heard them and I think that you will be too – New York City’s Dream Prescription is picking up steam, and their latest, ‘Star Size’ is this week’s opener right here on Z-GR! Radio here on NEWHD Rock Evolution.
The Wretched Pinhead Puppets are one of the most fascinating artists I’ve come across. The songs in the Puppet’s library are wildly divergent, surprisingly cohesive, and I have to say, all of them are really great. They’re out of Phoenix, and the track you just heard, ‘Ghosts Like You’ is an ode to Russ, a founding puppet lost. Tons of cool stuff on their wretchedpuppets Instagram page, so check it out.
London’s Beautiful Machines self describes as ‘Cinematic Electronic Synthwave Rock’, and I think they’re spot on. I absolutely love this track – it’s a stack of amazing synth goodness top to bottom that creates a Wall of big electric audio that is crazy great, and you’re hearing it here on NEWHD Rock Evolution.
I really dig AL1CE a lot. They’re a really cool darkwave / electroprog / synthwave band out of Los Angeles – I spent some time with their entire catalog, and it was tough to pick just one track for the show – ‘For Dead’ got the nod, and now that you’ve heard it, I’m sure that you want to hear more. They’re about to hit the road and are going to cover a lot of ground in the U.S., so swing by their website, ilikealice.com for dates and locations.
The first time I heard ’Two Strangers’ by LAU it struck me as a nearly perfectly crafted pop song. Great story, great melody and a STRONG Chorus vocal hook. LAU’ a singer, songwriter, drummer, producer, creative director out of Barcelona, and she’s a founder of Aztec Records, the leading label of all things Synthwave / SynthPop / Retrowave. If you’re into the scene at all, you definitely know her work and If you don’t, here’s your chance.
It’s no secret that I am the lead singer for Zero-G Racetrack – this week, I’ve included our most popular song ‘I Think You’re Beautiful’. We released a 6 track EP in December of 2022 and collectively, the song has hit the 85k mark as of now. Interestingly, it’s the radio Instrumental version that got picked up by Spotify’s Autoplay, and it’s leading all versions in streams. Go figure!
Fun fact: the alto sax part was performed live and captured by Producer Bill WIlliams during a holiday gathering, and it’s pretty cool when you can get your family members involved in your SynthPop anthems. The art used for the cover was the catalyst for the cover art style we’ve used throughout the first wave of singles, and I won’t say that she’s the best of the Z-GR girls, but she just might be.
To say that Swedish Synthpop holds prominence in the electronic dance scene might be an understatement because it’s an understatement; Sweden’s Unroyal proves the point yet again/ I took ‘Adulthood’ from their 2019 album, ‘Mainstream’, which has become a favorite of mine,. Take a spin through it when you can.
Stas Mishchenko goes by the moniker ‘Mr Robokov’ and that was ‘Wonderful’. Stas is in Germany by way of Ukraine; he had some surgeries go sideways that damaged his singing voice – from where I’m sitting he seems to have found a way to get a vocal tone that is both interesting and cool. Well done.
I really like Portland’s Forty Feet Tall – these guys have a nicely polished bar band sound which tracks since everything I’ve read indicates that if you get in a room with them, they’ll stick a guitar or two in your ear. This week’s recall track, ‘Crash and Burn’ does nothing to counter the notion…this is a banging track that should sound awesome live. If you’re in the Austin or the Dallas/Fort Worth area in May, you’ll get the chance to hear for yourself. Hit their website at fortyfeettall.com for the details.
Last played was a band out of Wales. They call themselves ‘The Strary Pursuit’, and the track you heard is called ‘Let It Be Known’. I really like their high octane ‘90’s rock vibe and rumor has it that they really like to tear stages up. They just finished a string of shows, but check thestraypursuit.com for dates as they come up.
Sandra Cretu’s take on the Hooter’s ‘All You Zombies’ (one of my favorite songs of all time), is everything a cover track should be – true to the original, and original to the artist. Cretu, who is known mononymously as Sandra, is a huge star and has been for several decades, and as a matter of fact, she is the wonderful voice heard on Enigma’s ‘Return To Innocence’. Awesome.
Omnimar’s ‘Out of My Life’, this week’s closer, is long, catchy and has a mean hook. Out in 2016, I was waaaaay late to the party, and the song was already north of 500k streams when I first heard it. I liked it so much I put in on the playlist anyway, and at this point, the song has over 1.5 streams and counting. When you hear it, you’ll know why. Awesome.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
The Third Show Was Awesome!!
Quick overview:
ALSO – You can hear an On-Demand replay of this Episode on the NEWHD Radio Mobile App – go to either the NY or LA station and use the menu to navigate to the On-Demand section.
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists and and PLEASE share the page out on your Socials! Thanks, and see you next week!
Breathe of My Leaves is a project by Stephano Barberis, who is known most notably for creating and winning awards for music and concert videos and vocalist Jordan Gant, who’s performance on ‘Trepidation!’ is fantastic. I’ve had this one on repeat lately, and it’s a great track to kick things off – it’s big, it’s catchy and it sets the perfect tone for the show.
Danz CM is a favorite of mine – I’ve been a fan since she was going by the ‘Computer Magic’ moniker, and I had ‘Fuzz’ on the playlist when it was still sub-100k streams; it’s now just shy of 2 million. Awesome and deserved. For the show, I selected Danz CM’s ‘I Don’t Need a Hero’ as remixed by Cody Crump because I love great lyrical storytelling, and the straightforward rebuff of Danz’s potential long-term lover is well told and interesting. I went with Cody’s remix because it sounds a bit more aggressive/interesting than the album version, and with nearly double the streams, it seems that I’m not alone in my preference.
She’s indicated that she has some new Danzy material on the way, and I am looking forward to it.
Danz CM:
Cody Crump:
RJ Thompson is another recent ‘discovery’ of mine, though he’s charted #1 in the UK for downloads and hit the UK Top 40. I can understand why; he has a great big modern rock sound that hits the Rock Evolution tag square on the head. I included ‘Rescue You’ off of his ‘Yearbook’ album for the show.
I really, really dig Martin Prahl’s ‘I Want More’. The track has a bunch of cool musical moments throughout and interesting fills on multiple instruments that keep things interesting. I really like his modern take on late 80’s indie rock; he has this really cool 80’s Pop Prog-Rock meets Peter Murphy vibe going and I’m here for it.
Full disclosure – I’m Zero-G Racetrack’s singer/lyricist, so I have some insights into this week’s Z-GR! Track, ‘Sexy Pretty Thing’. Bill Williams, the better half of Z-GR! had the idea to re-imagine a post-punk short and sweet power guitar track as an Electronic Rock song. He tightened everything up, locking the guitars to the grid as one would a synth track and saturating them with interesting distortion and wah effects.
For the vocal, I was looking to create a big, memorable hook that was pure, stupid Rock and Roll while keeping my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. I kept the verses simple by re-using words rather than adding ones for the sake of rhyme, and did the opposite in the Bridge by moving to a conversational sing-song replete with unnecessarily multisyllabic words (see what I did there?). The chorus leaves all nuance behind and just gets right to the point – the point being that when it comes to verbalizing sexual attraction, everyone has a different idea as to what to say and how to say it.
An old and dear friend pointed me at SoCal’s Rickety Cliffs. ‘Different Eyes’ is a standout of theirs – the transition from old school punk to a 70’s arena rock guitar solo and back is a lot of fun, and the percussion used as the tempo slows really caught my attention. Good choices on the sounds, for sure. I noticed that there’s quite a cool music scene going on in San Diego and North County; it’s been a long minute since I lived in South California, but I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled that Punk Rock is alive, doing well and kicking it in the San Diego sun.
I really like Portland’s Forty Feet Tall – these guys have a nicely polished bar band sound which tracks since everything I’ve read indicates that if you get in a room with them, they’ll stick a guitar or two in your ear. ‘Crash and Burn’ does nothing to counter the notion…this is a banging track that should sound awesome live. If you’re in the Austin or the Dallas/Fort Worth area in May, you’ll get the chance to hear for yourself. Hit their website at fortyfeettall.com for the details.
WillJack is a Canadian father/son band, and I originally knew them as Doctor Zee – I discovered ‘End of the World’ on a very cool compilation released to raise funds for planetary awareness called ‘Minds Behind the Music’. I fell in love with the song but hadn’t heard much from them in a while, so I reached out to find out what they were up to and am happy to report that they have new material coming this summer. Looking forward, for sure.
Fuzzle is an excellent SoCal RetroSynth band that hit my radar via Instagram in early 2022 and I’ve been a fan ever since. They definitely carry an 80’s dance pop vibe, but I love that they lean into the rock side of things as often as not, and they do it really really well. I’ve had six different Fuzzle on the playlist, but 2021’s ‘Waste Your Time’ just might be my favorite. I really do suggest spending time with their catalog – you won’t be disappointed.
Inadvertently, this week’s show ended up laden with artists out of Sweden – not surprising, as I really do believe that there is a magic something in Sweden’s water supply that makes people automatically create awesome synthpop. Red Cell’s ‘Only Night’ is a perfect example and you would do well to spend some time checking them out.
It’s true that Gunship doesn’t need my help getting the word out; they have a huge following and deservedly so – this week ‘s cover is Gunship’s take on Australian band Real Life’s 1983 hit ‘Send Me An Angel’. It’s truly amazing as anyone who is familiar with Gunship’s music would expect. Simply put, this is a great version of a classic 80’s pop anthem and shouldn’t be missed.
Sweet Tempest’s ‘Giving It Up’ was a standout from last week’s show – I think it’s fantastic, and I wanted to make sure that you heard it if you missed it last week. I’ll add this – the more I listen to this track, the more impressed I am with it. You definitely owe it to yourself to check out the rest of their stuff.
Another band out of Sweden (Stockholm, to be precise), Social Ambitions has been around in various iterations for nearly 20 years, but their current lineup, headed up by founding members Anders Karlsson and Mikael Arborelious, is absolutely killing it. Known for blending classic synthpop with indie pop, techno, rock and new wave to great effect, Social Ambitions’ ‘Heaven’ off of 2020’s ‘A New Frontier’ is bouncy and it’s fun.
I don’t remember where I came across Sweden’s (yes, THAT Sweden :-)) O+HER (pronounced ‘Other’), but they knocked me out with ‘Virus Meadow’. It has one of the most potent earworm melodies I’ve encountered, which is saying something. I figured that you need it stuck in your head like I do, so…you’re welcome.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
Here We Go Again!! The Second Episode of the Show is Out!!
My name is Scot Apathy, and I’ve spent a few years curating an emerging artists playlist on Spotify and YouTube. It’s called ‘Floating Around the Racetrack’ and I’ve been given the opportunity to expand the reach of that playlist to a Radio Show on NEWHD Rock Evolution. Pretty cool, right? For Z-GR! Radio, I pull from the playlist archive of nearly 500 tracks for the show, but I also include newer finds that I’m excited to share but may not have put on the playlist yet.
I do a post like this each week to help you find out more about the artists you heard on this week’s show and to make it easy to do so.
Why the effort? Well, I’m part of the group of emerging artists that I represent (I’m the lead singer for Zero-G Racetrack), and aside from getting our songs heard, I’m interested in expanding my group of artist friendships and I can’t think of a better way to do that than to put them on a radio show so that they can develop new fans. The fact that the station is part of Sophia’s Mission and all the positive energy that it represents is a huge bonus to boot. Awesome.
Also – I’ll share news bits every now and again for the artist community, and here’s the first – Ruel Smith, who runs the Synthwave Covers playlist, has left TwitterX due to excessive activity from bad actors, and can be found on Threads under the name ruelwsmith. He dropped a ton of followers on the exit, so head to threads to keep up to date on the best collection of covers out there.
Have fun with the list below, enjoy theartists and and PLEASE share the page out on your Socials! Thanks, and see you next week!
This week’s opener is one of those tracks that went up on the playlist 10 minutes after I heard it for the first time. I love the pacing of this track, and Philadelphia’s Catherine Moan (Angel Jefferson) brings a fantastic wink and a nod to the innuendo-laden vocal. I can’t get enough of this track, no lie. Catherine Moan is a gamer, can be found on Twitch under the username CATHMOAN, and has several videos for her tracks on YouTube, so check them out.
I came across Fulvio through a remix he did for another Aztec Records artists and Months later, I swapped in another collab track of his after it showed up in my Release Radar Spotify playlist. ‘Follow You’ is great – the guitar solo mid track kicks everything up a notch to my ears. He’s signed with Aztec Records, which means that he remixes and collaborates with a who’s who list of the SynthPop / Synthwave community, including many artists that will be showing up on this show.
Last week’s show opener got a ton of positive feedback, and both Ralphy and B.O.N. have been super supportive as we’ve been getting the show started. Most importantly, I love this track and want to get some more listeners on it.
Ralph Grey is a fantastic German producer who creates amazing Synth/Retro/Pop and who collaborates regularly with singers from all over the world. In this case, it’s Zurich’s B.O.N.; the duo create a decidedly modern take on 80’s synth pop – a galloping bass groove under sparkling keys gives B.O.N. a nice vocal playground to sing over, resulting in a favorite track of mine. B.O.N. (pronounced ‘Bahn’ – Yes, I asked) has relocated from Switzerland to L.A. to get herself into the Music Biz action, and I’m hoping we’ll see some live shows pop up throughout the states.
Ralphy Grey Links:
Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
B.O.N. Links:
The question wasn’t IF Sweet Tempest would be on the show; the question was ‘which track?’. After some brief hand-wringing, I opted for ‘Giving It Up’, mostly because I like the way the song enters big but lays back during Julian Winding’s verse vocal only to tighten up for Luna Kira’s chorus. ‘Going Down Dancing’, their debut album is fantastic and worth spending some time with.
When I first found Ruel Smith’s Synthwave Covers playlist, I tripped right over Parralox’ cover of the Sisters of Mercy’s ‘Lucretia My Reflection’. Hiding in the shadow of the Sisters’ ‘This Corrosion’, ‘Lucretia’ is the gem of the ‘Floodland’ record for its infectiously droning bass line supporting Eldrich’s baritone vocal. Parralox nails the vibe in the transition to synthwave; the vocal brightens Eldrich’s darkness, but it’s an interesting change, and matches the tone of the re-imagined track. Parralox, out of Australia has an interesting history detailed on Wiki, and it’s worth checking out.
Wiki (Don’t sleep on this!) | Spotify | TwitterX | Instagram | Web
Apathy here: I’ll share some insight on this track – I wrote the vocal as I was transitioning out of a long-term relationship, and realized that I had boxed up several things that I liked most about myself to accommodate the relationship. The track is about self-realization within the context of a personal reboot, and making sure that you don’t go sideways during the process. Among the most personally insightful lyrics of the Zero-G Racetrack songs, I get great response to this track when I sing it live.
V-Transmission’s ‘No More Lights’ was a day one add to the playlist when I kicked it off in 2021; they are a Z-GR! label-mate on Royale Music, and I really like their music a lot. Over time, I’ve had several of their songs on the list, but I felt that ‘No More Lights’ was the perfect track to kick into the second half of the show, where I dropped in some guitar heavy post-punk goodness.
A friend turned me on to Dan, and I’m glad he did – Dan’s got a great punk vibe to his track ‘Stepping Stone’, and the track gets better and better the more I hear it. His history speaks to his ability – he’s been featured in Guitar Player and Electronic Musician magazines, and he was a fixture in the L.A. metal scene of the ‘80’s. Head over to his Spotify profile to hear some really interesting symphonic guitar work.
I really didn’t think that this would happen so soon, but Colin Christian’s ‘Storm of Ice’ is so awesome that I put it on the show before he hit the playlist. The track grabs immediately, stacking interesting tones one after another in quick succession, building a killer groove. It’s short, sweet and really, really cool.
Disco in Sochi’s ‘Cherry7Up’ is just….freaking great. It’s one of those tracks that sneaks up on you, slaps you across the face, and then says….’You’re Welcome”. When the beat kicks in, you know you’re in for it, and the uniquely cool vocal tone really helps set the earworm. This is easily one of my favorite tracks, so check it out (loudly) and follow the links to dig in to the rest of their stuff.
2DCAT, out of Washington D.C., caught my ear over the Summer 2023. They landed on the playlist in October with ‘I’m On My Own’, but I’ve chosen a different track for the Z-GR! Radio appearance; ‘Magic’ opens with so much sonic torque that I really felt that it works well at the tail end of the show. I also notice that 2DCAT has some shows scheduled for April 2024 in the D.C. area, so if you can, go check them out.
It’s been a while since ‘Glass’ was on the playlist, but I’ve never really ‘forgotten’ about it…every once in a while it pops up in my favorite songs list and I’m reminded just how great a song it is. I originally found Imperative Reaction (Ted Phelps) through another band on the playlist and was immediately taken with the tone of his voice, the quality of the production, and that awesome two step drop that is the real earworm that’ll stick with you long after the track is over.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
The First Z-GR! Radio Show is in the can!!
Before diving into details on the first airing of my NEWHD Specialty Broadcast Show, Z-GR! Radio, I’ll drop a big THANK YOU to Zach Martin for the opportunity. I really can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be part of the NEWHD Radio Network, especially since Zach’s giving me the freedom to design my show and on-air playlist to my specs. Super Cool, no lie, and the fact that the station is part of Sophia’s Mission and all the positive energy that it represents is a huge bonus to boot. Awesome.
After a few years of curating an emerging artists playlist on Spotify (I’ll detail the history in another post), I’ve spent hundreds of hours looking for new artists, listening and promoting their music as a fellow artist and fan, and watching them grow from a few thousand streams to 100k or more as their fan base grows. Pretty cool. This show is an extension of that effort, and I’ll be pulling from the playlist for favorites as well as introducing new tracks that I come across. I’m also looking forward to expanding my relationships with the artists involved through interviews and other avenues with the goal of getting ears on as many artists as I can.
Also… I try to elevate playlists that I know of and use to find new artists as well, as I believe that there is no such thing as too much competition in this arena. I’ll highlight those playlists as I go as well, starting with Ruel Smith, who goes by the handle ‘MetroVeteran’ and runs the Synthwave Covers playlist on Spotify. Ruel graciously included our cover of ‘Bad Romance’ when we released it, and that playlist consistently generates streams for us due to the absolutely insanely great covers that make up the list. With nearly 900(!) tracks listed, you’re sure to find a cool version of your favorite song(s). Check it out for sure.
I needed a standout track for the show opener, and ‘I’m a Rebel’ by Ralph Grey and .B.O.N. is it. Ralph Grey is a fantastic German producer who creates amazing Synth/Retro/Pop and who collaborates regularly with singers from all over the world. In this case, it’s Zurich’s B.O.N.; the duo create a decidedly modern take on 80’s synth pop – a galloping bass groove under sparkling keys gives B.O.N. a nice vocal playground to sing over, resulting in a favorite track of mine. B.O.N. (pronounced ‘Bahn’ – yes, I asked) has relocated from Switzerland to L.A. to get herself into the Music Biz action, and I’m hoping we’ll see some live shows pop up throughout the states.
Ralphy Grey Links:
Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
B.O.N. Links:
Apathy here: As the lead mouthpiece for Silicon Valley’s Zero-G Racetrack, I can honestly say that we never expected and are always completely humbled by the positive response we continue to receive for our take on Lady Gaga’s monster hit. We did get a bit lucky; we released the track just as the PR machine for Gaga’s ‘House of Gucci’ kicked into gear, and the cover has been well received by Gaga’s fanbase.
Fun factoid – the track opens with the German translation of ‘More Cowbell’ just prior to…more cowbell.
Orange County Death March stopped by the Z-GR feed one day and asked me check out a track. It was fantastic, and I’ve had them on the playlist ever since. ‘Blood Runs Red (OCDM Remix)’ is an awesome anthemic electronic rocker, and OCDM’s usual outstanding production values seal the deal for their remix of 78rpm’s already amazing track.
From OCDM:
“This song is about being in jail, filled with the determination to escape and to fight for justice. “
OCDC Links:
78rpm Links:
Justin Michael Tallman is the founder of Let’s Get the Word Out, a social media community dedicated to helping artists to grow their audiences. He releases music under the name The People of the Parallel; ‘The Way Love Goes’ from 2019 is an infectious groove leaning hard into an off-beat clap that supports a feel-good and hook-filled vocal; the excellent production values seal the deal.
The first time I heard this track, it felt like I was hearing what Bon Scott would sound like in the modern age. Super cool. These guys are out of Scotland, have a great Classic Rock sound, and a catalog that is well worth checking out.
Self described as:
“We are a four-piece-band, formed in Glasgow. Our music could loosely be described as Rock, however we draw on many different styles such as Folk, Blues, Dance, soul etc…
Where our initial tracks were inspired in the main by world events, our latest releases have been of a more personal nature. We hope to continue to produce a mix of topical and personal tracks with a Rock and Classic Rock feel for our future releases.”
Riley is an Indie-Rock artist located in Silicon Valley, California. I met him fairly recently and knew he’d be a standout on the list. His unique voice is amazingly expressive and he is a really great live performer. I love good lyrical storytelling, and ‘Despite Your Eyes’ has become a favorite of mine.
I asked Riley about the song:
“I think the song really has a unique feel and almost a genre switch from verse to chorus. I’m really proud of the overall production; I still don’t feel like I’m a solid producer but caught lightning in a bottle with this track. The ending bridge is my favorite part. The initial verse and chorus tell of a character’s thoughts as he creates the fantasy of having a caring, deep relationship with a girl whom he simply has a passing glance at. This anxious energy in the chorus is then met with the resolution and acceptance at the bridge.”
Andy Carhart hit the playlist early on, and has had no fewer than 5 tracks appear on the list. ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’ was the first, has a permanent spot on the list, and to this day remains one of my favorites. Days of the New meets Everlast with a killer acoustic guitar solo? Yes, please.
Italian electronic rock artist -Cobalto+ has been on the playlist nearly since I started it in late 2021. ‘Shine’ was the first of their tracks included, and the excellent Davide Romani remix made an appearance as well. The band released their album ‘Something Beautiful’ last year, and I’ve included the album cut of ‘Shine on the show.
ODD has a really unique sound that really grows on you. They recently released their second album which has some standout tracks, but I went with ‘All Right Now’, the opener on their first record, for their first appearance on the show. Based out of South Carolina, they play out fairly regularly and based on the live tracks I’ve heard, they’re worth checking out if you get the chance.
From ODD:
“Weaving powerful vocals with heavy guitar riffs and eighties synth beats, Olive Dares the Darkness has evolved into a progressive art collective that seeks to bring new sounds to the shores of Charleston, South Carolina. The band features Becca Darling on vocals and keyboard, Mike Baum on guitar, Danielle Carlson on drums and Mr. Minister on bass. “
They also have a radio show, appropriately called ‘The ODDcast’; you can find it on SLERadio.com.
JJ Lovegrove is a fantastic storyteller / musician and was one of the original 12 artists on the list back in 2021. Her voice is captivating, her live performances (try to catch her live streams if you can) are wonderful, and her videos are excellent. She recently released her first full-length album, ‘The Lines We Leave Behind’. ‘Trouble’, which features a guitar solo by her musical partner in crime, Minus Cube, is fantastic.
JJ Lovegrove Links:
Minus Cube Links:
‘Eyes of Orion’ by Austin Texas’ Weird Wolves brings it right from the go. Great sound design is the name of this game, starting with a pulsating synth, swirling guitars and a haunting vocal by Ava Gore, who reminds us that ‘Revenge Comes with Inflation’. Oh, and then there’s that bass guitar. Don’t sleep on the Wolves, kids.
A fantastic Italo Disco duo out NYC – Abigail Gordon and Mary Hanley form Bunny X, easily one of my favorite artists in the synthwave / retrowave scene; what I love about their music is the sincerity and vulnerability in their lyrics and the vocal performances that keeps their music really grounded and authentic. I’m reaching back to their 2021 retrowave album ‘Young & in Love’ for ‘Head Rush’. They’ve just released an Instrumental version of the complete album and have a remix version as well that includes a track that features Kim Wilde. Yes…THAT Kim Wilde.
Australia’s Black Cab is, simply put, awesome. So awesome, in fact, that they landed a coveted opening slot for none other than The Crystal Method back in 2022. Recently, they’ve put a TON of their back catalog on Spotify, dating back to 2005; it turns out I was VERY late to the Black Cab party in 2021, but I try to make up for it by bringing as many ears to their music as I can. They’re seeing a big jump in streams, so you know that people are catching the wave, and ‘Hanna’ which was a B-Side to ‘Rostler’s Rules’ back in 2021 is a favorite of mine.
Sophia’s Mission, in collaboration with NEWHD Media, spearheads initiatives to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Through dynamic digital campaigns, community outreach events, and strategic media partnerships, they provide vital resources and foster open conversations. Their joint efforts aim to destigmatize mental illness, empower individuals to seek help, and advocate for policy changes. Visit Sophia’s Mission and NEWHD Media to learn more about their impactful work in saving lives and promoting mental wellness through innovative approaches in media and community engagement.
New York, New York – NEWHD Media is thrilled to unveil ‘Z-GR! Radio’, a groundbreaking weekly radio show dedicated to showcasing the brightest emerging artists across diverse music genres. Premiering on March 1st, the show will air on NEWHD Los Angeles at 7 PM PST and will enjoy a re-broadcast on its sister station, NEWHD New York, the following evening at 9 PM EST.
Scot Apathy, front man of the electronic rock outfit Zero-G Racetrack and the creative mind behind the ‘Floating Around the Racetrack!’ playlist, will host the show. Apathy’s deep connection with the music scene, coupled with his firsthand experience of the challenges new artists face, positions him uniquely to lead ‘Z-GR! Radio’. His initiative in using social media platforms to promote and connect with early-stage artists has already made significant waves.
Reflecting on the journey from playlist curator to radio show host, Apathy shares, “Our first single’s release showed us the stark need for artist feedback and community support. ‘Z-GR! Radio’ is our next step in building that supportive ecosystem for artists who are just starting out.”
Zach Martin, the visionary founder of NEWHD Media, expressed his enthusiasm for the new show, “When I heard the pilot episode of Z-GR! Radio, I immediately recognized its potential to transform the synth-pop genre. It underscored the need for a robust platform to support these artists. At NEWHD and through our partnership with Sophia’s Mission, we believe in the power of music to heal and unite. ‘Z-GR! Radio’ is a testament to our commitment to creating a better world for the people we serve.”

‘Z-GR! Radio’ is more than just a platform for music discovery; it is a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of collaboration and support in the arts community. NEWHD Media and Sophia’s Mission continue their dedication to inclusivity and the provision of opportunities within the media industry for autistic individuals, those with disabilities, and veterans. This show embodies their mission to entertain, support, and promote the talents of emerging artists, making the music industry a more accessible and nurturing space for all.
About NEWHD Media:
NEWHD Media, founded by Zach Martin, is an innovator in the streaming radio sector, committed to inclusivity and creating employment opportunities for individuals on the autistic spectrum, those with disabilities, and veterans. With a diverse array of dynamic radio stations, NEWHD Media leverages music as a catalyst for social engagement and community building. For more details, please visit NEWHD Media and Sophia’s Mission. Information on Zero-G Racetrack can be found here.
Contact: contact@newhdradio.com