Week 18 - June 28, 2024
EPISODE 18 of Z-GR! Radio
Z-GR! Radio overview right from your Host:
- My name is Scot Apathy – I’m the lead singer for Zero-G Racetrack, and I curate the ‘Floating Around the Racetrack’ Spotify/YouTube playlist. It’s not a pay for play list; I personally choose what’s on it based on what I hear. True story.
- For Z-GR! Radio, I pull from tracks/artists on the playlist (current and archived) and include newer finds that might not be on the list yet (but likely will be).
- The artists included come from myriad genres, geographical locations and stage of growth. I stay away from mainstream established artists, but I will play artists that I’ve followed as they grow. I love it when emerging artists gain traction, and I like to celebrate it.
- I include a cover song each week, and highly recommend checking out MetroVeteran’s (Ruel Smith) ‘Synthwave Covers’ Spotify playlist. There are 900+ great tracks on that list.
- I post a page 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.
- I’m working with NEWHD on a Featured Artist program, and I’ll note those artists as they appear.
Have fun with the list below, enjoy the artists/music and…
PLEASE share the page out on your Socials!
Andy Carhart
Andy was an early add to my playlist, and has been a mainstay since. He has reciprocated any social media attention I’ve thrown at him and is a huge advocate for emerging artists from all genres.
He and I sat down for our first virtual chat this week, and coincidentally, it’s Z-GR! Radio’s first NEWHD Take 5 Interview. Cool, no?
Andy’s got a new track out, and it’s on this episode, so make sure you check it out along with the rest of his fantastic library.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Latest Track – All Those Times
Episode Eighteen - On Demand
Z-GR! Radio Episode Eighteen Lineup
Slashers / Konrad Berger / Matt Pop - Sex on Fire (Matt Pop Edit)
I know, I know – this is not the ‘Cover of the Week’ and Kings of Leon are most certainly worthy; I already had a killer cover in the lineup, but this take of ‘Sex on Fire’ is awesome and it’s a perfect way to open this week’s show.
Slashers is interesting – they expanded a one-off album to an ongoing project with revolving members and self-describes as a virtual headquarters where artists come and go. It’s effective, and for this track they teamed with Matt Pop, who’s client list includes none other than Erasure, Kim Wilde and Ace of Base.
Slashers
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Matt Pop
Keli Holiday - Up All Night
Zero-G Racetrack - Hard to Believe
Alexa Villa - Call Me Crazy
JJ Lovegrove - Trouble
JJ Lovegrove’s 2023 album ‘The Lines We Leave Behind’ is full of outstanding tracks, and ‘Trouble’ is a favorite of mine. JJ has a wonderful voice that captivates in whatever setting she chooses, and she was recently named Female Vocalist of the Year by Radio Wigwam and deservedly so. She’s been out and about lately, so keep an ear open for more dates and see her if you can.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Black Nail Cabaret - Darkness Is a Friend
As happens, I found Hungarian Dark Pop duo Black Nail Cabaret 4 bands in after falling down a darksynth rabbit hole, and was rewarded with ‘Darkness is A Friend’ off of 2024’s Chrysanthemum album. I love the bass driven vibe and the vocal is fantastic – not to be missed, this is just a great track off of a great album.
Sulfurized Inhabitants of the Matchbook (si) - F=ma
I came across Sulfurized Inhabitants of the Matchbook in 2022 and totally dug their sound straight away – I ‘ve had half an eye open looking for a new release, but honestly, I thought they’d disbanded, so when I saw a social post a few weeks back, I knew it was time to get them on the show. The Bowie/Ronson vibe is on clear display, and I’m here for it. Also, they have some really great videos, so make sure you check them out.
Spotify | Reverb Nation | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
WillJack / Doctor Zee - End Of The World
Episode Three’s WillJack is a Canadian father/son band – originally known as Doctor Zee, I came across ‘End of the World’ on a very cool compilation released to raise funds for planetary awareness called ‘Minds Behind the Music’. I just love the song and am looking forward to new material from them – last I heard, they have some new stuff coming out this summer, and I’m looking forward to it.
Pennan Brae - Crashland
Vancuver’s Pennan Brae is straight up cool – not only does he release a ton of really fun, really great tracks, he’s a filmmaker who writes and stars in really fun, really great movies. ‘Crashland’ is off of the soundtrack for ‘Astronot’, Astronot is his 2018 film and though I’ve always put the remix of the track first, I have suddenly become enamored with the album version.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
TripleXMen / Ronja - Jolene
Dolly Parton’s arguably most famous song has been covered by some of the most famous artists on the planet with varied results – I usually just listen to Dolly’s original, but then I heard TripleXMen’s joint with Ronja and to my ears, this is the best cover of the track out, no lie. This collaboration has some great covers out there, but in my opinion, their take on ‘Jolene’ is their shining star.
TripleXMen
Ronja
Trashy Annie - Nuclear Meltdown
I really love Trashy Annie – they’re is back on the show, and while Episode 8 Opener ‘Knock Knock’ can be described punk rock country, ‘Nuclear Meltdown’ is all about Annie laying down her rules for emotional engagement and while not as bombastic, the track is every bit a powerful and a whole lot of fun.
Riley Smith - Heart Full of Gold
Andy Carhart - All Those Times
Colorado’s Andy Carhart is an outstanding guitar player who’s been on the show a few times now – I met Andy on socials a few years back and his track ‘Don’t Lose Your Head’ is a favorite of mine – when I saw that he had a new track releasing today, I wanted to make sure I got it on the show right away. The track has a definite country vibe to it and interestingly, Andy used a guitar bow which adds some really nice depth to the track.
Spotify | Linktree | Bandcamp | Instagram | TwitterX | Facebook
Stray Pursuit - Let It Be Known
Sophia's Mission-newhd
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.
