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It could be the plot for a character-driven seventies film. Bouncing between states, “indie soul” singer and songwriter Arum Rae went from performing on any stage possible— including dive bars, mental hospitals, and organic produce markets—to landing a high-profile placement on ABC’s Nashville, touring with the likes of Gary Clark, Jr. and B.B. King, and independently releasing her 2014 Warranted Queen EP acclaimed by Noisey, Spin, Paste, and more. On that road, she came face-to-face with addiction, loss, heartbreak, and everything in between. Inspired by a diverse musical palette including Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Outkast, Bill Withers and Hank Williams, Sr., her story comes into focus on 2016’s Loners EP and forthcoming full-length debut for Secret Road Records.

Kalbells on Facebook | Kalbells on Instagram | Kalbells on Twitter

Kalbells is the solo work of Kalmia Traver (Rubblebucket). The debut album Ten Flowers is cosmic bedroom pop written in Vermont in the dead of winter directly after a successful battle with ovarian cancer. It’s lyrics deal with joy, self-affirmation and dream healing, and sonically it is a kaleidoscopic desert scape of blips and bells, whistles, synthesizers, layered vocals and woodwinds. Co-produced by Ryan Power, it comes out July 14th, 2017 on NNA Tapes.

Gordi on Tumblr | Gordi on Facebook | Gordi on Twitter | Gordi on Soundcloud

Sydney folktronica songstress Gordi caused a stir in the latter part of 2014, and returns to further fuel anticipation around the release of her upcoming EP. In late 2014, Gordi (Sophie Payten) attracted attention with her track “Nothing’s As It Seems”, a luminous pop track which drew comparisons ranging from Angel Olson, Asgeir, Joni Mitchell and Tallest Man On Earth. The 22 year-old artist was quickly added to rotation on triple j and community radio around Australia and named triple j’s Unearthed Feature Artist earlier this year. With an ethereal, worldly vocal punctuated by wonderful arrangement, her follow up singles “Taken Blame” and “Can We Work It Out” serve as further offerings of what should be a busy 2015-16 for Gordi, which included break-out showcase sets at BIGSOUND in Brisbane and CMJ in New York as well as being named the recipient of the APRA Josh Pyke Partnership award, receiving a nomination for a triple j J Award and 2 nominations for FBi Radio SMAC Awards. Stereogum wrapped up 2015 by naming “Can We Work It Out” in its best tracks of the year.

Premiered online by Neon Gold, Gordi’s latest single “Can We Work It Out” had over 150,000 plays on Spotify in its first two weeks, reached number 3 on the Hype Machine charts and was added to rotation on triple j shortly after Zan Rowe gave the track its world radio premiere. “Nothing’s As It Seems” peaked at no. 5 on the Spotify Viral Chart, no. 6 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart, top 40 Shazam charts (with over 20,000 Shazams to date), no. 17 on the Hype Machine Charts and was the 8th most added track to radio around Australia two weeks after release – all independently.

After a stint writing and working in Tanzania, Gordi (pronounced with a hard ‘G’) relocated from her hometown Canowindra to Sydney to pursue her musical career. Gordi transformed the shells of demos recorded in her university dorm room in Sydney’s Newtown into dynamic and full-bodied indie-folk songs with the help of Melbourne producer Benjamin McCarthy.

Gordi’s musical instincts began on the ivory at an early age by virtue of her piano teacher mother. Like so many of her musical heroes, she was later drawn to the earthiness of the steel string – a useful piece of armoury to have growing up on a farming property in central western New South Wales. But the craft in her songwriting is found partly in the emotional spectrum that her tracks span – from wistful aching to spirited celebration, her lyrical journeys take us places in our memories and imaginations that belie her 22 years. The candour in Gordi’s songs is matched by a vocal tone that is at once fractured and brimming with richness. Combining vintage vocal layering and earthy guitar textures with delicate modern electronic production, Gordi’s sonic palette is one she can call her own.

A Deer A Horse on Facebook | A Deer A Horse on Instagram | A Deer A Horse on Soundcloud | A Deer A Horse on Bandcamp

Dark, heavy, and full of tension, A Deer A Horse’s music is a rare breed in Brooklyn’s DIY scene. Comprised of Rebecca Satellite (vocals/guitar), Angela Phillips (bass/backing vocals), and Dylan Teggart (drums), the trio have embraced the raw and dirty aspects of their city and created something simultaneously urgent, sludgy, and cathartic with their upcoming EP, Backswimmer, set for release on March 10th via Custom Made Music.

“moody, searing guitar rock” – Village Voice

“ADAH shatters the prehistoric notions of living, demanding something present and conscious in the now.” – Impose Magazine

“Their worming guitar licks exist in dark, cavernous places, an occasional light swinging over to take the edge off.” – Culture Collide

Photo Credit: Lauren Galloway