indie spotlight Archives

philojain Releases New Song “Riff Raff”

Mar 3, 2026Mar 3, 2026 Barrington

I wasn’t expecting much when I hit play on philojain’s new track “Riff Raff.” Solo projects can go either way. But about three seconds in, my speakers started doing things I wasn’t prepared for, and I just kind of sat there. Amit Jain is the whole operation here. Every instrument, every production decision, all him. And you can feel that in the music. There’s something about it that doesn’t sound like it was made by committee, no compromises, no one telling him to pull back on the low end. Because…

Ervin Munir Is Back With “When I Think”

Feb 19, 2026Feb 19, 2026 Barrington

Ervin Munir’s third studio album *When I Think* is out now. It might just be his most complete work to date. The Norfolk singer-songwriter has always had a way with honest, reflective songwriting, but this record feels sharper, braver and more emotionally open than anything he’s released before. The album opens with “Lifeline,” immediately setting the tone with its gentle piano lines and quietly intense atmosphere. From there, the 11-track collection unfolds naturally. It moves between stripped-back folk moments and fuller arrangements where the guitars carry a bit more bite.…

Sam Blasucci Announces Double LP Physical Dream, Shares “Delicadeza” and Preps La Miel EP

Feb 13, 2026Feb 13, 2026 MIConnected

Ojai, California-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Sam Blasucci has announced his fourth record and first double LP, Physical Dream, set for release on April 17 and available to pre-save now. Alongside the announcement, Blasucci has shared “Delicadeza,” a gentle, mixed-language single that highlights his nuanced songwriting and sonic range. The arrival of Physical Dream is accompanied by the upcoming EP La Miel, due out February 27, featuring the guitar-driven track “CHANCEZ.” Blasucci describes the EP as “the honey to the largely wounded inner world of this record,” drawing inspiration from…

Marsha Swanson Releases “Waltz For Life”

Feb 6, 2026Feb 6, 2026 Barrington

“Waltz for Life” by Marsha Swanson keeps pulling me back. When I first heard that Marsha Swanson wrote this piece at just 14 years old, it made perfect sense. There’s an innocence in it, but also this unexpected depth that feels way beyond those years.aThe track runs barely over a minute, which seems almost too brief at first. But honestly, that’s part of what makes it work. Swanson chose to open her album “Near Life Experience” with this waltz, and now she’s closing the album’s two year run by releasing…

Brunio Who Releases New Album “Brunio’s Mind”

Jan 6, 2026Jan 6, 2026 Barrington

Bruno Gugliano’s Brunio Who project is a real treat! The Buenos Aires musician frames this 16 track collection as the first season of a musical sitcom, which could easily come across as gimmicky. Instead, it mostly delivers on that ambitious premise. The concept is straightforward: each song functions as an episode in a larger narrative. What makes this interesting is how Gugliano commits to the idea without forcing it. The tracks move through different moods and styles because the story demands it, not because he’s showing off his range. You…

Von Venn Makes Sense of Growing Up

Dec 19, 2025Dec 19, 2025 Barrington

Gary Cox’s second album under the Von Venn name landed on my desk at exactly the right moment. I’d been scrolling through news feeds feeling that familiar knot in my stomach, the one that comes from watching the world bend itself into increasingly absurd shapes. Then “Still Falling” came through my speakers and I thought, oh good, someone else gets it. “Forgetting the Fall” is the sound of someone who believed the adults had everything under control, then grew up and realized nobody really does. Cox doesn’t dress this up…

Indie Spotlight: Logan LNXK

Dec 16, 2025Dec 16, 2025 MIConnected

Logan LNXK doesn’t just blur genre lines — he erases them. At 23, this southern-raised storyteller moves like a country boy with city-boy confidence, blending hip-hop swagger, heartfelt lyrics, and country soul into something entirely his own — and it’s the heartbeat of Logan LNXK, a group that takes that same fearless energy and expands it across country, pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Together, they’ve built a sound that hits where the mud meets the neon — 808s under twangy guitars, honesty under attitude, harmony under heat. Every verse feels lived-in.…

Ervin Munir and Kate Swanson Team Up For “Lifeline”

Dec 15, 2025Dec 15, 2025 Barrington

There’s a sincerity to “Lifeline” that hits deep wit Ervin Munir teaming up for this new with Kate Swanson. The track opens with piano, then Kate Swanson’s voice comes in, and it’s the kind of vocal performance that makes you stop what you’re doing and actually listen. There’s a calmness to it, but also real strength underneath. When Ervin joins her for the chorus, their voices work together in a way that feels smooth, like they’ve been singing together for years rather than this being their first collaboration. It starts…

The Here And Now’s “Riptide” Hits Hard

Dec 15, 2025Dec 15, 2025 Barrington

The Here And Now aren’t trying to ease you into anything with “Riptide”. This thing comes out swinging from the first second, and Cherry Terzza’s vocals make sure you’re paying attention whether you planned to or not. What really works here is the directness. The metaphor is right there in the title, and the band leans into it with confidence. We’ve all had that person or habit or situation that we know is bad news, but we keep going back anyway. The track captures that feeling without getting preachy about…