L.A. Music

Lucas/Heaven: “Every City Has a Rhythm”

Under the handle Heaven the Dude, multi-instrumentalist producer Lucas Gorham’s already gotten some serious love from the electronic/beat crowd. Not too long ago he produced Houston MC Fat Tony’s 10,000 Hours record, making the country-rap concepts a beyond-satisfying reality. But more recently Gorham’s been hankering to tap into something a little more idiosyncratic, leading us to his new solo moniker, Lucas/Heaven. Lucas/Heaven shares his debut LP Blues of the World early next year, covering a ton of sonic territory from acid jazz to cumbia, funk and beyond – all underneath biting societal commentary in the vain of Gil-Scott Heron. Blues of the World is out February 18th, and Lucas/Heaven’s given us a taste of his exalted acoustics with the urban-meets-tropical, yacht-rock-adjacent “Every City Has a Rhythm”,just in time for your Best Of 2021 playlists.

Sunshine Boysclub: “Don’t See Why”

In recent memory, L.A. singer-producer Sam Martin’s occupied a singular role at the helm of indie pop outfit Youngblood Hawke. But just within the last couple months, Martin’s embarked on a refreshing solo venture, Sunshine Boysclub. Martin lives up to the expectations of the handle with a summer-ready youthful energy, lathering up classic disco-funk formulas with modern flairs of psych-pop, first heard on “Patience” last month.

In anticipation of Sunshine Boysclub’s debut album this fall, Martin just unleashed his sophomore single (and music video) “Don’t See Why”, a sweat-inducing booty-shaker ideal for a vacation, workout, or commute playlist!

Palms Station: “I Don’t Know The Way To Your Heart”

Back in the ’90s, L.A.’s Hillel Tigay gained a reputation as ‘Dr. Dreidel’ in the satirical hip-hop group Member of the Tribe. Needless to say, some time has passed and some tastes have changed. Tigay’s since moved up from MC of M.O.T. to Musical Director of L.A.’s IKAR and has even more recently taken a leap further, transitioning into his solo singer-songwriter project Palms Station.

Though Tigay’s only got two tracks out as of yet, Palms Station gives you an instant commute back to the soundscapes of the ’80s and cools you off with modern psych-pop flourishes in the same ilk of Tame Impala or Dear Boy. With a new animated music video for his sophomore single out today, Palms Station is clearly capable of keeping cool in the summertime, so treat yourself to the breeze with “I Don’t Know the Way to Your Heart“!

Sara Niemietz: “Lovely Lies”

You might not recognize the name Sara Niemietz right off the bat, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen her onscreen or heard her voice in a major soundtrack. The Los Angeles-based actress/singer-guitarist launched her career all the way back in 2002 portraying a young Carol Burnett in the pre-Broadway production of Hollywood Arms, and released her debut live LP the following year. Since then Niemietz has skyrocketed into the cultural zeitgeist, lending her eerie vocals to The Exorcism of Emily Rose, CBS’s Under the Dome, and ABC’s Scandal, not to mention long-term collaborations with West Wing composer W.G. Snuffy, adult contemporary icon Melissa Manchester, and yes, even B.J. Thomas.

Between all her endeavors, Niemietz has never stopped bulking up her own discography, building up her reputation as a Renaissance woman with her mastery over genres ranging from gospel and blues to jazz, pop, and rock. And following up last year’s aptly titled LP twentytwenty, Niemietz has kept busy in 2021, having already delivered three studio singles within the past few months, including the seductively smooth “Lovely Lies”!

CAPYAC: “Best Friend”

Whether you’ve been a big fan of that Disclosure-esque blend of deep house instrumentation with sultry R&B grooves OR you were just a frequent participant in the Austin music scene several years back, you’ve already made acquaintances with CAPYAC.

Fully settled into their relatively-new L.A. home base, Potion and P. Sugz have continued to push the envelope with their lyrical content and production choices, a saga that continues today with a tune that defies the typical pronouns you’d hear in genres dominated by heteronormativity. CAPYAC’s on track to drop another record in 2021, and previews it today with the album’s slinky and seductive sophomore single, whose visual counterpart comes out a week from today, “Best Friend”!