Local Music Singles Roundup: April 2023

Our April Local Music Singles Roundup is here! From SLC punk to subtle pop, there’s something for every listener. Featuring artists from around the valley, our Roundup is a great way to find new faves. Plug in, press play and discover what the Salt Lake City music scene has to offer!

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Beeson
“Everybody’s Baby”

Self-Released
Street: 04.07
Beeson = Lorde x King Princess

If I’m going to indulge in a heartbreak track, it’s likely by Jane Beeson. In her newest single, “Everybody’s Baby,” Beeson infuses each word of broken longing with her signature dewdrop energy—glimmering, catching the light and reflecting back the listener’s unique memories through every bar. “I’m so sick of seeing your face / And I missed you at my birthday party,” Beeson sings atop a catchy bassline to the faceless betrayer, the one that instantaneously morphs into anyone’s unrequited love or estranged best friend. Time passes, seasons come and go without closure; the faceless betrayer is beloved by all. Bittersweet guitar riffs and an upbeat, earworm melody carry the listener—and Beeson—all the while. “I’ll never know what I did / I’ll never get to fix this,” she laments through the song’s bridge. While that may be true for many of us, listening to this single on repeat might at least provide some solace. –Mekenna Malan

 

Gavanni
“Dangerous”

Self-Released 
Street: 12.08.22
Gavanni = Lil Peep + Jaden Smith + Sleepy Hallow 

It’s great to hear some trap/ R&B to make some diversity in our salty punk scene. “Dangerous” rhymes over a classic synth beat about an intoxicating girl that wants all the benefits of being a girlfriend while still holding onto her freedom—I believe the term is situationships, like the trial period before the trial period that is dating. “You’d be the death of me / Gave you everything that you need,” Gavannis’s first line into the song that is harmonized with string instruments. It’s a bop when the beat drops; can’t help but get down with it when he says, “The way she buss it down / Back it up / Make me want to give all my bitches up.” Although the beat is not entirely unique, Gavanni has signature, R&B vocals that complement his trap tendencies and the track’s sci-fi animated video. – Teddy Ray

 

HASHA
“Close Enough”

Self-Released
Street: 03.06
HASHA = Alicia Keys + Amy Winehouse + Daniel Caesar

HASHA’s “Close Enough” is a soulful love song that blends indie pop and R&B. Upon closer listening, subtle details stand out, including the fluttering keyboard, a jazzy saxophone and changes in chord progression and melodies that make for a more dynamic sound. Marie Hopoate’s emotive voice and the surrounding instrumentation achieve a natural groove and live-band feel. Hopoate delivers introspective lyrics that fall into comforting cliches, exploring the ways in which she communicates love as a shy person beyond words. She likens the feeling of being pulled into intimate love that requires dangerous vulnerability to an ocean: “Won’t you take me in your arms / Cover me like an ocean.” As the first HASHA track without collaborating artists, “Close Enough” proves that the five-piece band is more than capable of using their influences to create catchy and unique music. –Andrew Christiansen

 

Le Dad
“Sweeter”

Niños Records
Street: 03.22
Le Dad = Lauv x LANY

Le Dad’s new single, “Sweeter,” is a romantic song powered by reverence and subtle pop production throughout, similar to artists such as Lauv. Le Dad’s soulful singing complements the production perfectly, layering the track in a manner that gives way to the elevated sounds later on in the song, particularly the electric guitar riffs. The song’s overall sentiment and bright vibe makes it a perfect listen for heading into the spring and summer. While the lyrics might seem repetitive and simple, it’s the exact thing needed for the song: “Life is so much sweeter when you’re in love,” Le Dad sings. The chorus, an echo of “I’m in love” is similar to Lauv’s “I Like Me Better,” where the repetition of one line gets across the message in a sonically affective way. “Sweeter” is a colorful song that fits perfectly into your upcoming summer playlist. –Palak Jayswal

 

P.S. Destroy This
“PBR” 

Self-Released
Street: 02.18
P.S. Destroy This = Dream Wife + Wolf Alice

In their third single as a part of the Teddy Unchained EP, P.S. Destroy This give a hot take of the world’s “pretty boys” by debunking their beer of choice: Pabst Blue Ribbon. Lyrically, “PBR” is a simple chant, one that’s enraged, bitchy and absurdly vile. Their take is that PBR in its truest form actually stands for “pretty boy rape.” It’s the hardest, most genuine I’ve heard femme-ish people scream on a studio recording  (the only other time I’d really heard anything like it is from my own temper tantrums, and I loved that). It’s a grunge-y, messy, metal-tinged anthem for really anyone. Let’s just call it like it is—everyone knows a rapey pretty boy, and you can get angry about it for a minute and 20 seconds of tenacious, blood-curdling rants. When was there ever a better pastime? –Mary Culbertson

 

Roses on the Moon
“Feelin You”

Moon Gang
Street: 02.27
Roses on the Moon = Drake + LIVE.LOVE.A$AP

“Feelin You,” the lead single from Roses on the Moon’s self-titled debut album, opens with a beat, vocal melody and lyrical passage that so closely resembles Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” it’ll make your head spin. The familiarity melts away with each second as “Feelin You” develops its own identity. First you notice the slinking, back-room bass around 20 seconds in; at just shy of a minute, a second vocalist enters with a more nasally, slurred delivery. The rap verse that occupies much of the track’s second half stands apart with its overt energy: Where the sung vocals offer tender, softboi pleas, the second verse expounds bitterness and boasts of promiscuity. “Feelin You” progresses from the familiar to the novel. Many artists evolve by first aping their influences before resculpting those traits into a unique identity—Roses on the Moon undergo this transformation in less than three minutes. –Audrey Lockie

Read more Local Music Singles Roundup:
Local Music Singles Roundup: January 2023
Local Music Singles Roundup: December 2022