ROLE MODEL: For The People In The Back

Premiering on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 show, “For The People In The Back” by ROLE MODEL (aka Tucker Pillsbury) is an ode to independence, a notion that’s emphasized through the chorus, “I don’t need / No, no, nobody.” Throughout the rest of the track, ROLE MODEL reverts to the rap-sing style he favored on previous releases. In his second to last verse, he comes to …

Becky and the Birds: Paris

Gentle and meditative, “Paris” by Becky and the Birds (aka singer/songwriter/producer Thea Gustafsson) was written in a hotel in the French capital, as Gustafsson couldn’t escape thoughts about a person back home in Sweden. The atmospheric tune, with distorted vocals drifting over it, appears on Gustafsson’s upcoming EP, Trasslig, which is out next month.

machinegum: Kubes

machinegum (the artist collective that counts Strokes drummer Fab Moretti, Ian Devaney and Martin Bonventre as members) crowdsourced scenes of everyday routines for their “Kubes” music video. Justin Bartha directed the work after the band put out instructions for submission on their website back in February, a prescient move. The track first appeared on their debut album, Conduit, released last year on French Kiss Records. A …