✨ IC Community Weekly #55

ft. a job at Secretly Services, a big sale at Merge, new music from Um, Jennifer? + many more, a new Camera Obscura video, Lemon Twigs and Habibi tour dates, Dolly Parton traumatizing kids, and more!

Hey and welcome to a new, spring-has-sprung edition of IC Community Weekly!

In a week where even BLACKPINK members are going indie (while, at the very same time, staying major - it can be done!), the IC community released a ton of great music, announced jobs, tours, videos, and more!

Keep scrolling for that, but first, the news from IC HQ…

• 🆕 This Week in IC: We squash some bugs, add/update importers for Downtown Neighboring Rights and Secretly Distribution, and answer the frequently asked royalty question: Why are my expenses being split?! I need them recouped in full!

…and the community:

• Merge have a Spring Cleaning Sale with 35% off selected titles. Check out the selection of discounted titles but don’t delay, as quantities of certain formats are limited. Sale runs through April 17th!

• Queer Capita, a diversity development organization that supports over 400+ LGBTQ+ music industry professionals nationwide – announced its inaugural Community Champion Award. The newly founded prize will be awarded to an active LGBTQ+ professional with at least three or more years of music industry experience who has shown exemplary skills and character. Nominations are now being accepted here. They’re also holding a drinks event with our pals A2IM on April 25th in NYC, which is free to attend - RSVP here.

👋 If you’re an IC catalog and you’ve got news, releases, or other fun stuff you want us to include, just reply and let us know - this goes out to 2500+ inboxes every week!

JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY

🧑‍💻 SG Services, Inc., who provide Secretly affiliated companies (like Secretly Group, Secretly Distribution, Ghostly International and The Numero Group) with accounting services, legal services, IT support, tech support and human resource support, are hiring an Accounts Payable Manager. The new hire will provide strong leadership of their accounts payable department and ensure the department runs smoothly. Reporting to the Financial Controller, this role will support the maintenance and ongoing improvement of a fine-tuned and functioning payables process that pays vendors and affiliated partners on a timely and accurate basis. Apply here.

NEW IC CATALOGS

A very warm 🤝 to…

The Control Group, an indie label, founded by Nabil Ayers in Seattle, Washington in 2002, with notable releases since then from El Perro del Mar, Lykke Li, Cate Le Bon, Alice Boman, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Nouela. They are also known for vinyl releases and reissues by Spinal Tap, Grandaddy, The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Giorgio Moroder and PJ Harvey.

Blu Ember Music, a pop/dance label formed by record producer, audio engineer, DJ, and songwriter Jarod Glawe, an imprint of Blue Dot Studios, the label owned by platinum selling trance producer Nicholas Gunn.

NEW RELEASES

ALBUMS

🎧 Final Girl Records unleashed The Girl Class, the debut EP from NYC indie pop duo Um, Jennifer?, “a sharp-witted, psyche-puncturing social statement – and just plain fun collection of songs… an ode to break ups, freak outs, and deep queer longing.” Check out a fun video for one of the highlights from it Cut Me Open here.

🎧 Keeled Scales released Comeback Kid, the new album from Bridget Kearney today. The latest from the Iowa-born and Brooklyn-based songwriter (and founding member of Lake Street Dive) is full of smart, unexpected lyrics and melodies built for a heart-baring dance or an introspective drive: a record that “wishes to encase a night in amber to revive it at will, but ultimately is hip to the bittersweet truth that it will never be the same when you return.”

🎧 Paradise of Bachelors put out All Gist, the latest album from instrumental duo James Elkington and Nathan Salsburg, the long awaited follow-up to 2015's Ambsace. Their latest album of instrumental guitar recordings “…pushes their sinuous compositions into labyrinthine new shapes, interlocking and interlocutory”

🎧 Don Giovanni Records released a new self-titled album from Minneapolis band Bad Bad Hats, which “packs the band’s ebullient sweet-and-sour indie pop chops, playful lyricism and signature sense of humor into every bite”.

🎧 Royal Mountain released Package Pt. 2 the new record by Brooklyn no wave / post-punk band Gustaf, who Clash magazine called “a frenetic delight”. To celebrate, they also shared a Beck-directed video for new single Close.

🎧 Kill Rock Stars (and Jealous Butcher Records) released a new record by Mikaela Davis and Circles Around The Sun. It’s called After Sunrise! and brings together the disco cosmonauts and acclaimed harpist for further musical explorations, following their synergy first showcased on the title track of the 2023 Circles Around the Sun album, Language.

🎧 Get Better released All Heartbeat the new record from Oakland-based multi-instrumentalist experimental pop artist Flung.

🎧 Earth Libraries released Aggregator, the sophomore record from DIY art pop band Summer Like The Season.

SINGLES

🎧 Fire Talk released Idea Is Best, the first taste of new music from Mandy, Indiana since the release of their debut album i’ve seen a way - an industrial club-ready track with deep, thumping bass rumbling underneath sweeping synths and the haunting whisper of singer Valentine Caufield echoing throughout.

🎧 Merge dropped Honey the new track from Dan Snaith aka Caribou, his first new music in two years! The eagerly anticipated track has already been lighting up dancefloors worldwide - check out the trippy visualiser for it here.

🎧 Chapter Music released Angels, the new single by Australian pop eccentric Gregor, the second lifted from upcoming fourth album Satanic Lullabies, which will be released on May 10th

🎧 You’ve Changed Records released Everlee the latest single from Baie Verte, New Brunswick singer-songwriter Jon Mckiel (managed by Forward Music Group). It’s lifted from upcoming record Hex, which is available now for pre-order.

🎧 Father/Daughter Records released If There’s No God, the third single from the new S. Raekwon record Steven, which drops May 3rd.

🎧 Final Girl Records dropped a new track from Louisiana native singer/songwriter Noa Jamir called Want To Love, which “draws you in with pearly dreaminess and a hushed confessional.”

🎧 Captured Tracks released How Can I Love Her More? a new single from The Lemon Twigs, which wrestles with love and lost love and is taken from the upcoming new album A Dream Is All We Know, which comes out May 3rd.

🎧 Kill Rock Stars released Do You Want Me Now, the catchy new track by Habibi, which “channels their raw, rebellious spirit while offering a nod to the band’s earlier sound… a spirited reminder of where they came from and how far they’ve journeyed.” Their KRS debut album Dreamachine comes out May 31st.

🎧 KRS also released a Bitch cover of the Olivia Rodrigo track Vampire which is “…charged with their trademark creativity, resilience, and violin magic”

🎧 Get Better put out Cooler Talk, the first track from DC punk band Bacchae in four years.

PRE-ORDERS

🎧 Get Better announced the debut album from L.A. synth-pop duo Pride Month Barbie, All The Girls in the Room Say 'Sorry', will be released June 14th.

🎧 Fire Talk announced the second album from Montreal post-punk band Cola, The Gloss, will come out June 14th. Pre orders are up in a variety of formats including a very special limited two color vinyl package with matte & spot gloss jackets & printed inner sleeve. In the meantime the band also shared a new single called Pallor Tricks and announced a run of tour dates.

VIDEOS

🖥️ Camera Obscura (Merge) released a nostalgic new music video for their single Liberty Print, taken from upcoming record Look to the East, Look to the West, out May 3rd.

INTERVIEWS

🎙️ San Francisco textural pop group Torrey (Slumberland Records) spoke to The Big Takeover about the history of the band, the changing Bay Area scene and their favourite records of all time.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

🖥️ Where I choose a video I love from YouTube’s treasure trove of music videos, live performances and curiosities.

This time: Dolly Parton traumatising a bunch of kids in the 70s with her heart-wrenching folksy story-song Me And Little Andy…

SHOWS, TOURS + EVENTS

🚌 The Lemon Twigs (Captured Tracks) are heading out on tour | TICKETS

🚌 Karima Walker (Keeled Scales) is embarking on an extensive tour of the American Southwest & Pacific Coast in May and June with Advance Base (Orindal Records) | TICKETS

🚌 Habibi (Kill Rock Stars) are doing some East and West Coast dates starting next month | TICKETS

🚌 Pedro The Lion (Polyvinyl) are touring with labelmate Squirrel Flower this summer, with later support from Flock of Dimes (Sub Pop) and Danielle Durack (self-releasing) | TICKETS

📆 UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS

+ check out the 🎟 Events Directory for more conferences, festivals, record fairs, webinars, etc!

Apr 12th - 14th ‣ Coachella Weekend One (Indio, CA, US)

Apr 15th - 19th ‣ TED 2024 (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Apr 19th - 21st ‣ Coachella Weekend Two (Indio, CA, US)

Apr 20th ‣ Record Store Day (Worldwide)

Apr 25th - 28th ‣ Launch Music Conference & Festival (Lancaster, PA, US)

Apr 26th - 28th ‣ Stagecoach Festival (Indio, CA, US)

Apr 26th - May 5th ‣ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest (New Orleans, LA, US)

May 2nd ‣ Music Week Awards (London, UK)

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That’s all for this one! Stay safe and we’ll catch you again next week for more of the same.

- Adam & the Infinite Catalog crew

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