AP&R new songs august 30
[Photos by: mxmtoon/Nicole Busch, Seas Of Conflict, Sløtface/Jonathan Vivaas Kise, Friends at the Falls/ Darby Hogan]

AP&R: Flirty alt-rock, SoundCloud rap-rock and Weezer on acid

You’re welcome: We’ve made finding new songs by rising bands easy. Each week, we’re gathering the best from the underground and offering it to you in one concise AP&R list. Scroll below and check out our Spotify Discover playlist, featuring these tracks and more!

In return, we want to hear your favorite. Let us know what track you’ll be spinning for the rest of the week in the comments or anything you want to see on the next AP&R!

Read more: Spotify reportedly testing in-app podcast creation for its users

1. VALLEYS – “Fragile Minds” (feat. Garrett Russell)

“Fragile Minds” (feat. Garrett Russell of Silent Planet) is the second single off VALLEYS upcoming album, Fearless. The powerful track is a call to their peers to refuse to turn a blind eye to the social and political dissolution that’s wreaking havoc on our society. VALLEYS are striving to send a positive message to fans to remind them to believe in themselves and fight for equality for all. Fearless is out Oct. 11 via Tragic Hero and is available for preorder here.

2. GARZI – “Higher”

Following his Capitol Records signing, GARZI released a new rap-rock track, “Higher.” What he describes as “alternative 808s,” the song distinguishes him from fellow SoundCloud rappers. GARZI is prepping his Capitol debut EP and collaborating with alternative icons such as John Feldmann (Good Charlotte, Panic! At The Disco) and Travis Barker. Check out the new track here.

3. mxmtoon – “dream of you”

19-year-old rising indie artist mxmtoon just released a new track today titled “dream of you” off her forthcoming debut album, the masquerade. The song follows the singer-songwriter trying to hold it together after having a dream of a failed romance. At the end, she finally admits to breaking down singing, “I had a dream about you last night/And you said your last goodbye/Woke up to wipe my tears/Although I said I’d never cry.” the masquerade is scheduled for a Sept. 17 release. Check out the track here and catch mxmtoon on tour this fall.

4. The Anchor – “Through Rose”

“Through Rose” is taken from the Anchor’s upcoming full-length, Breathe, set to release in October. Frontwoman Linzey Rae of Metal Kitchen fame leads the band through a hardcore epic with a passionate and raspy chorus. The Anchor are currently out on a North American headline tour with A War Within.

5. Red Arms – “Ran Away”

From their upcoming full-length debut, Critical State, Red Arms’ “Ran Away” and its accompanying video feature fragmentation and image distortion, reflecting the song’s themes of isolation, running away and suicide. Red Arms will be releasing their first record via Yeah Right! Records Sept. 13.

6. Friends At The Falls – “You Don’t Have To Be Alone”

Straight out of Mahopac, New York, Friends At The Falls unveiled their new track, “You Don’t Have To Be Alone.” The flirty, upbeat song is reminiscent of the 1975’s “The Sound” with hints of Walk The Moon. This release joins their two EPs, 2018’s Wild In Our Ways and 2016’s We Are Friends.

7. Selfish Things – “Blood” (feat. Andy Leo of Crown The Empire)

Selfish Things dropped a visceral music video for their brand-new single, “Blood” featuring Crown The Empire’s Andy Leo. “My grandma was dying,” frontman Alex Biro shares. “She had a white blood cell count of 40,000 which is—if my memory serves me correctly—10 times what it should be for a normal person. WZRD BLD and one of our friends KJ had the chorus pretty much set in stone, and the band and I took it from there. Definitely one of my favorite songs on the album, although birthed from a difficult moment in my life.” Selfish Things’ full-length debut, Logos, is due out Sept. 20 via Pure Noise Records. Grab a copy here and catch them on the road with Microwave and Heart Attack Man this fall.

8. Sløtface – “Stuff”

Hailing from Norway, Sløtface released a new song, “Stuff.” Known for relatable storytelling and infectious hooks, “Stuff” is an honest breakup song that looks at the emotional memory and attachment to the physical items left behind. The band will head out on tour supporting PUP this fall.

9. PHONY – “Dr. Ayahuasca”

Neil Berthier’s new project PHONY is a departure from his indie-rock band Donovan Wolfington. “Musically, the song is supposed to emulate if Rivers Cuomo from Weezer took acid and how that would affect their pop-rock formula,” Berthier explains. “Lyrically, it’s about a time an ex-lover and I took psychedelics during Mardi Gras a few years ago.” PHONY’s debut album, Songs You’ll Never Sing, drops Oct. 18 via Smartpunk and can be purchased here.

10. Seas Of Conflict – “Prometheus”

Seas Of Conflict returned with their brand-new single, “Prometheus,” a sequel to their modern metalcore banger, “Eventide.” While the earlier track demonstrated an ability to weave technicality with melody, “Prometheus” hits back with a relentless explosion of groove, aggression and a fiery narrative of raw emotion. “Prometheus” is out today, and it’s available for purchase here.