Listening to Faerybabyy's freshly-dropped sophomore album made me realize something: I used to listen to a lot more surf music. Hell, I went to a Wavves show on crutches my Freshman year of college. Perhaps at a certain point the scene seemed a bit too male-centered and lost some of its appeal (with notable exceptions such as Best Coast). Rumpelstiltskin reminded me why I loved the energy of surf rock in the first place, balancing jangling guitar riffs with Faerybabyy's androgynous, detached...

One of the most exciting pop releases in recent memory is the album Everyday, Everything Is At Stake from Beirut-born, L.A.-based rising star Thoom. Thoom makes stadium pop songs and just released her debut bilingual album with songs in English and Arabic to wide acclaim from fellow artists ranging from Arca to Kim Petras. I was instantly enamored with numerous elements of the work, from the hypnotic composition to the lyrics that continually kept me guessing to her distinctive vocals. The...

Tricky FM is a DIY electronica artist quickly gaining attention in the Bay Area underground scene. I first saw her perform at 924 Gilman with Joey Cash and most recently at Rickshaw Stop with Norwegian pop star Otha. I was immediately drawn to her mix of computer-based sampling, live vocal modulations, and crowd-captivating candor, all backed by a punchy drum kit. Her new self-produced album, Twin Star Fantasy, will be dropping soon with Oakland-based label Cherub Dream Records, but you can...