Local Music Singles Roundup: July 2026
Local Music Reviews
Do you smell that fresh air? Nope, it’s the choking hazard of smog! Are you feeling tranquility from the blissful sound of bird chirping? Nope, because all we hear is the distant honking and idling from the Spaghetti Bowl. SLUG is here to help you leave this world behind, as we bring you the best of local music in this edition of Local Music Singles Roundup!
Cardinal Bloom
“Nice to See You”
Self-Released
Street: 08.26.2025
Cardinal Bloom = Summer Salt + The Backseat Lovers + Wallows
Picture this: it’s a summer in the 70s/80s, and you’re driving to the coast, ready for a beach day. No plans, thoughts or ambitions for the day except soaking up the sun with friends. The single by Cardinal Bloom, “Nice to See You,” takes you right to the ocean. This indie, beach-rock song reminds me of the sand in my toes, running away from the waves on the shoreline and finding any chance I could to return. The energy from the song and the layering of instruments is contagious, especially with the upbeat drums and velvety guitar that melt together. The track is reminiscent of Vista Kicks with their free-spirited tone and effortless melodies. The catchy lyricism, contrary to a sea oasis, is about reminiscing and reconnecting. All good vibes – and the lyrics reflect that, along with the carefree moments shared with past connections. It’s the kind of nostalgia that doesn’t weigh on you, but it inspires you to keep creating new memories and rekindle old ones. –India Bown
Cathode
“Neon Above”
Self-Released
Street: 3.20.2026
Cathode = Vince Clarke + The Midnight
Cathode is a synthwave artist known for blending live analog glitch-style visuals, vaporwave beats and infectious vocals in a shiny, high‑energy style. The project is active in the Salt Lake City scene, having done the rounds at Kilby, Area 51 and with Craft Lake City. Cathode appears to be a dynamic act with a rather cloak-and-dagger disguise via no public record of their actual moniker or provenance other than being a homegrown effort. “Neon Above” is indeed as vaporwave as any single comes. In a 3:43 runtime, this track is about as celebratory and energetic as synthpop can aspire to be. If your upcoming summer is seeking a canonical soundtrack for hot nights, bright lights and sweaty dancefloors, this song may just be your new anthem. Prepare to spin this one on repeat, while you spill your mocktail in visceral celebration of another spicy season in yet another interminably strange year. Maybe this single is the perfect sound for a techno-feudalist pseudo-apocalypse. —Paige Zuckerman
Lunar Twin
“Disappear Into the Earth”
Tropical Depression
Street: 05.05.2026
Lunar Twin = Mareux + Boy Harsher + Lebanon Hanover
If you’re feeling moody and want to lean into it, listening to darkwave could be just what the doctor ordered. “Disappear Into the Earth” by Lunar Twin fits that situation perfectly! This synth-heavy single combines melancholic synth lines and soft, brooding vocals with the driving energy of electronic drums. Despite the somber harmonies and textures, the unrelenting pulse of the beat (especially the four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern) feels like it’s encouraging me to push right through whatever nonsense might have me down in the dumps. Lyrics such as “Gonna cross these border walls / Gonna smash these border walls” and “We can be anything that we dream” support that sentiment. The song’s infectious energy is also enhanced by classic ‘80s toms and a persistent backbeat snare. If you connect to the emotional core of this track, you may end up leaving feeling refreshed and determined. Lunar Twin: come for the brooding, but stay for the empowerment! —Jacob Huff
Morgen Call
“Stay Here”
Self-Released
Street: 05.30.2025
Morgen Call = Adele + Sam Smith
A silk sheet slipping into a puddle on the ground. Beads of rain trembling on a car window. A string of pearls breaking from their clasp. These intimate moments flash behind my eyes as the honeyed voice of Morgen Call holds my hand through her latest single, “Stay Here.” As heartbreaking as it is soothing, the song is a caress, as if each rich, controlled note is gently wiping a cheek free of tears. With a hint of gospel tone, a vibrato like a choked sob, soft ivory-toned piano — every layer of sound conveys the song’s meaning better than lyrics ever could. “Can you stay here for a minute / Before we say goodbye forever,” Call’s voice sinks to an almost whisper in the chorus. In one moment it’s the devastation of a breakup, two people simultaneously each other’s comfort and pain. In another, it’s any kind of loss, a storm cloud of grief, that universal hurt. But it’s also a relief — the feeling of closing tear-swollen eyes, letting your face relax and finally rest. —Katie Hatzfeld
Nellie & The Yardswillers
“Old John Thornton”
Self-Released
Street: 04.18.2025
Nellie & The Yardswillers = Meg Myers + The Cranberries x Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
I’ve been feeling a bit pissy lately with the anxious state of the world. Between malicious mortars and mental health, deep state and data centers, I needed something to melt away into. However, when I stepped in front of the oncoming traffic that is the music submission form, I was completely careened by this saucy little number. Indie quartet Nellie & The Yardswillers spins a tweedish tale of self-alienation and compliance toxicity centered around a grumpy Charles Bukowski archetype named “Old John Thornton.” The track may start off as melancholic bleakness, but as the gears grease up, the chorus chugs in a locomotive fashion, uplifting listeners with a “you can’t stop us” message. It’s a quiet sleeper, but if you listen really carefully, you’ll hear a roaring call-to-action. Those who want to run everything must first deal with those who run away…or in some cases, run against the grain. —Alton Barnhart
The Jugs
“JUGS”
Self-Released
Street 02.27.2026
The Jugs = Dead Kennedys + Circle Jerks
Are you tired of being a bland, drab and stuck-up adult who has to pretend that jokes about boobs aren’t funny? Do you also miss the type of punk rock that sounds like it came from a suburban house’s garage and makes you want to crash through a wall? If you find yourself answering, “YES! I CRAVE HUMOR AND MOSHING!” then is this the band for you! This band is founded by three boys — nah, dare I say, MEN. Griffin Gallagher, Jajue Gibson and Salem Hendriksen are bursting out and onto the scene from Logan with this absolute show stopper of a single that sprints, thrashes and slams with so much punk ferocity and technical skill to the point where they only let up for a brief moment to sound like they just threw up. And then, right after that, they get right back into it, going even harder while saying how much they love everyone’s jugs, including your dads. —Connor Kraus
Read more Local Music Single Roundup:
Local Music Singles Roundup: June 2026
Local Music Singles Roundup: May 2026
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