Local Music Singles Roundup: September 2026
Local Music Reviews
“This stuff”? You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your Spotify playlist, and you select, I don’t know, some lumpy track you’ve heard over a thousand times. But I’m here to tell you that “this stuff” has been hand-selected from the best in local music… That’s all.
Eldersister
“Triple A’s”
Amusement Co.
Street: 06.18.2026
Eldersister = Waxahatchee’s “Right Back to It” + Big Thief’s “Forgotten Eyes”
Local sister duo Eldersister’s new release “Triple A’s” feels like the soundtrack to an indie coming-of-age film — equally at home in a smoky barroom slow dance or a golden-hour drive through the pines. Built on brooding chords, airy guitars and an unhurried rhythm, the track carries a wistfulness that sounds lived-in rather than manufactured. Its gentle sway evokes a quieter kind of freedom — the feeling of being untethered, if only for a few minutes. Its haunting lyrics —”I was born to ask the question: do you even like the snow?” and “You were speaking in tongues when I opened my eyes / you were scratching the back of my mind” — balance the conversational with the surreal. Layered harmonies and understated percussion leave room for the arrangement to breathe, creating an intimate warmth that feels both familiar and quietly transporting. “Triple A’s” steadily pulls you into its orbit, lingering somewhere between memory and the present long after the final note fades. —Ella BakerSmith
Mexican Hockey
“Airline Food”
Half Caster Records
Street: 05.29.2026
Mexican Hockey = Title Fight + Joyce Manor
Self-proclaimed Mex West emo band Mexican Hockey share strong Midwest emo instrumentals that are joined by all-time audio clips. Both of the band’s songs have lyrics that address loneliness, self-sabotaging behaviors and the overthinking that can come with neuroticism. The instrumentals here are heavier and more driving; they bring the listener along for the range of emotions and behaviors described in the track, especially the echoed screams of “I need help” that are given the mainstage during a break from those heavier instrumentals. In this writer’s opinion, Mexican Hockey are two for two on their released tracks, and I am eagerly awaiting whatever comes next. —Hans Magleby
Number One Babe Team
“Devil’s Plaything”
Self-Released
Street: 12.12.2025
Number One Babe Team = Blink-182 + Olivia Rodrigo
Every millennial knows the iconic emo voice of My Chemical Romance and Avril Lavigne — the same soundtrack playing in the heads of early 2000s angsty teens convinced that smoking a cigarette would prove how cool and misunderstood they were. Number One Babe Team’s “Devil’s Plaything” channels that exact musical style with a passion fierce enough to make you almost want to come of age all over again. Almost. The track follows a classic pop-punk structure, driven by a simple hi-hat-and-snare drum beat, punchy guitar chugging and edgy lyrics about being an outcast in a world of phonies. At the same time, “Devil’s Plaything” stirs the pot by layering in subtle techno elements and synthy melodies reminiscent of the modern pop music of Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish. By marrying the pop of yesterday with the pop of today, Number One Babe Team pays homage to the pop-punk golden era while serving as a gateway drug for Gen Z listeners to dive headfirst into the anthemic world of Green Day and Blink-182. —Hannah Larson
Seeking the Sun
“Hungry Ghosts”
2929440 Records DK
Street: 05.17.2026
Seeking the Sun = Dog Race + Xiu Xiu
Seeking the Sun continues doing incredible work as they release new material of self-proclaimed, “terror funk.” In fact, the four-piece’s latest release might be the most terrifying and funky yet. Bassist Joe McDaniel and guitarist Max Pecora create an all-consuming sonic wall, further layered and made all the more interesting by Sean McDaniel’s drumming that perfectly walks the line between present and unnoticed. Juniper Wolf-Velarde’s vocals, as they do in every other track from the band, are almost Lynchian in how they can say so much, but if the listener doesn’t recognize what’s said, it’s more like the ravings of a lunatic. In this track, her delivery reminded me a lot of David Bowie’s on his final record “Blackstar.” The combination of everything I just listed is, in this writer’s opinion, exactly what makes Seeking the Sun one of Utah’s best local bands. I find the levels that exist within each track from the band fascinating, and it has a similar effect that Death Grips did back in the day where I just want to understand how it’s made, and I cannot get enough. —Hans Magleby
Body-Double
“Around”
Room One Records
Street: 01.31.2026
Around = MJ Lenderman + Johnny Marr
Have you ever woken up with a hangover from a night at The Westerner? Maybe you said some things you wish you hadn’t and can’t quite get them, or the person you said them to, off your mind? Body-Double has fully captured that feeling. “Around” opens with vulnerable vocal melodies and swells into an emotional anthem, with chiming guitar riffs, galloping drums and horns that make your heart ache. The chorus sticks instantly, carried through an extended outro of intricate riffs and haunting melodies. The recording feels three-dimensional without being wet with effects. The guitar tones are toasty and distorted, and the drums have an old-school ‘edges worn off’ feeling that evokes 1970s recording techniques. Overall, there’s a delicious dry heat that coats you like a blanket. It’s a little bit “Tear in My Beer,” with a little bit of jangle pop. Body-Double has landed on a winning combination that you aren’t likely to get out of your head. —JP
MONOGRVM
“Dust and Dreams”
Industry Plant Records
Street: 12.20.2024
MONOGRVM = Pop Smoke + XXXTENTACION + JPEGMAFIA
The world of emo rap is not a familiar one to me. However after I listened to “Dust and Dreams” by the Ukrainian beatmaker MONOGRVM through my wired headphones at Coffee Garden, I realized I desperately wanted to have a pulse on the genre. “Dust and Dreams” is 158 seconds of pure bliss. The track features a heavy bassline and ephemeral background vocals. The lead local track is guttural, punching, like MONOGRVM is reaching into the psyche of his listener. The song seemed to etch itself into my brain, leaving me wanting more. I’ve listened to it ten times today as I write this review, and I plan to listen to it ten times more. I was not familiar with the genre before, but perhaps that is the brilliance of MONOGRVM. He opened the door and allowed me to step right in. —Ulla-Britt Libre
Read more Local Music Singles Roundup:
Local Music Singles Roundup: August 2026
Local Music Singles Roundup: July 2026
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