Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format. Albums, singles, videos, and live sets. Check back each Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Volena – “Summer of Roses”
Volena, the Brooklyn-based music project of Maddie Grandusky-Howe, released an accompanying music video for their single “Summer of Roses” off their forthcoming self-titled EP, out in April through nothing to exist records. The video captures the awe of a cross-country road trip—pastel sunsets, deep canyons, and sprawling mountains, while the song narrates the same of a relationship. The full vocals describe the quick way people fall in love, how it feels like slow and fast, all at once.
Ryleigh Wann | @wannderfullll
Emily Hines – “Cowgirl Suit”
Emily Hines’ “Cowgirl Suit” is a wonderful simmering slow burn. The observation of an old man sparking up at a redlight that starts the song gives way to admissions like “I’m sorry if I’ve crossed a line / I’m still learning how to draw mine” overtop of the steady acoustic strum that naturally builds as the tune makes its way to the final thought of “Don’t wait for me / Don’t wait for me to change / Don’t pray for me / I’m as safe as can be.”
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
Humilitarian – Intra
Philly power pop band Humilitarian just dropped their debut full-length Intra, a record three years in the making. Since 2022, they’ve been honing their sound—layering harmonic guitars (Brendan Clarke & Charlie D’Ardenne), syncopated drums (Eli Glovas-Kurtz), strong melodic bass (Tucker Pendleton), and Kira Capello’s transcendent vocals to tie it all together. Recorded across multiple Philly studios with contributions from Chance Cypress, Nick Cislak, and Parker Drew, Intra is a true labor of love, and you can hear it in every note.
Mol White | @molemanmedia | @holymoleman.bsky.social
Milledenials – It’s Terrifying and It’s a Shame
Milledenials’ new EP It’s Terrifying and It’s a Shame is a tremendous step forward for the Indonesian emo-pop band. The four songs here are a perfect soundtrack for the warm spell we’ve been having in Jersey, perfect for basking in the sun; single “Daisies” finds the band at the darkest and most brooding, and closer “ASMR” is the polar opposite—Milledenials at their brightest and most fun, fans of Beach Bunny will certainly want to give that one a spin.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Youth Lagoon – Rarely Do I Dream
Youth Lagoon is back again with Rarely Do I Dream which is overlaid with audio clips, fuzzy beats, and light sprinkles of piano, especially in “Neighborhood Scene” which introduces the record. My favorite track by far is “Speed Freak,” a song that really sucks you in and invites you to rock your head.
Ryleigh Wann | @wannderfullll
Catbite – “Die in Denver”
A gem in the crown of modern ska music, Catbite announced a new EP Doom Garden this week with the release of pepped-up single “Die in Denver.” The band sounds as on as ever here with some slick guitar work, a playful yet tight rhythm section, the infectious repetition of the title, and an upward spiraling sci-fi synth solo that caps the tune off.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
KulfiGirls – Divinity
KulfiGirls just dropped their debut album Divinity, blending their signature Carnatic rock sound with sonic influences from alternative rock, pop, and South Indian roots. It’s a slow-burning, meditative record—soaring gāyaki-inspired vocals from Abi Natesh (also performing on the Saraswati veena), intricate guitar work from Joan Natesh and Steph Bruning, rhythmic layers of tabla (Roshni Samlal) and drums (Ade Ogunleye), plus touches of sax (Ryan Barry) that pull everything together. Recorded at The Gradwell House in NJ and Brian Chase’s studio in PA, Divinity is hypnotic, dynamic, and impossible to put in any box—I’m officially obsessed.
Mol White | @molemanmedia | @holymoleman.bsky.social
The Casper Fight Scene – The Casper Fight Scene
The Casper Fight Scene’s self-titled debut has been a long time coming—and it was worth the wait. For as good as the Michigan four-piece’s previous two EPs were, The Casper Fight Scene pushes outward in every direction of the band’s sound, kicking off with a run of bracing emo rippers immediately eclipse anything they’d done before. They aren’t afraid gets a little more atmospheric, though: “Flesh Wound” and “Digital Spliff” borrow from the spacey tension-and-release of post-rock, and the the swelling “Geezer” puts a funereal spin on their normal party-ready singalong sound. The current crop of bands in this lane—Tiny Voices, Swimming, Ben Quad, red sun—have been making emo that called back to the sorts of stuff that defined the genre in the 2010s; with their LP positioning them to lead the pack, it’s fair to say now that The Casper Fight Scene, along with the aforementioned, are dragging emo into the 2020s.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
ther – “a comet’s tail”
ther’s newish “a comet’s tail” is a beautifully written song with tender vocals and soft acoustics. It daydreams about a kinder world (which feels apt when the world feels particularly hellish) and a final, shared moment before a departure—and marvels at how grand a feeling it is to miss someone.
Ryleigh Wann | @wannderfullll
I Swallow Ghosts – “Penjamin Frankhit”
“Penjamin Frankhit,” I Swallow Ghosts’ new ode to twenty-first century THC, has a significantly bouncier sound than you might expect from a quick scan of the lyrics. The guitars wind and riff underneath the dread of a quarter-life crisis, but the Pittsburgh emo group is here to rock, not wallow, as attested by the exuberant “woo!” just barely preceded by “I’m having a crisis” near the end of the song.
Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week we compile a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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