Abduction Radiation

A finely curated selection of music, from new releases to gems of the past. Abduction Radiation is an exploration of personal taste. Originally from Los Angeles. Currently based in Brooklyn.

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South London, UK -- A bit late with this one but a mixtape that really took me by storm at the beginning of this year is Time Flies by dexter in the newsagents, which was released November 2025. One of the highlight tracks on the mixtape is "stranger to love," a sweet tune that captures the earnestness in a new love. Spanning just about 2.5 minutes long, "stranger to love" captures the tizzy feelings of wanting the infatuation period to last just a while longer. With a thumping drum and bass beat with honey-dripped lyrics, this song will have you swirling in your feels through Valentine's Day.

Connect with dexter in the newsagent:

Instagram

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Chicago, IL -- Gia Margaret will be releasing her new album Singing on April 24 via Jagjaguwar. Last week, she released the first single "Everyone Around Me Dancing," an introspective work on "...feeling isolated and the comfort found in that isolation,” explains Margaret. “It is for taking a pause, for being in observation of a very scary and loud world and it is for finding stillness in our own inner worlds too.”

After a vocal injury where she lost her voice, Gia Margaret honed her other musical languages - releasing two mostly instrumental albums Mia Gargaret and Romantic Piano. With her new album Singing, she is well...singing. With "Everyone Around Me Dancing," we really get to hear the instrumental ambient layers with her soft vocals, slightly tentative but with a resolve to re-emerge into the world. Needless to say, this is an album I have been looking forward to hearing for a really long time and it feels like releasing to longest exhale of rejuvenation to hear this first single.

“There was a time when I really didn’t know if I would sing again. So once I healed, there was a lot of internal pressure to come back strong,” Margaret says. “I didn’t know who I was anymore. So it felt like beginning again, and reconnecting with these very old, old parts of myself.”

Gia Margaret Tour Dates: Fri. May 1 – New York, NY @ Stone Circle Theatre Sun. May 3 – Baltimore, MD @ Current Space Mon. May 4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ethical Society Thu. May 7 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5 Fri. May 8 – Nashville, TN @ Blue Room Tue. May 12 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall Sat.  June 20 – Seattle, WA @ Fremont Abbey Sun.  June 21 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall Tue.  June 23 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel Fri.  June 26 – Los Angeles, CA @ Sid The Cat Auditorium Sat.  June 27 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s Sun.  June 28 – Tucson, AZ @ La Rosa Tue.  June 30 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf Mon. Sep. 7 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor Tue. Sep. 8 – Manchester, UK @ Halle at St. Michael’s Thu. Sep. 10 – London, UK @ EartH Theatre Fri. Sep. 11 – Utrecht, NL @ Jacobikerk Sat. Sep. 12 – Paris, FR @ L’Archipel Wed. Sep. 16 – Berlin, DE @ Genezarethkirche

Connect with Gia Margaret:

Official Site | Instagram | X

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New York -- El Michels Affair will be releasing his upcoming album 24 Hr Sports on September 5, 2025 via his label Big Crown Records. A couple weeks ago, he shared the second single "Say Goodbye," featuring the incredible Florence Adooni. The track spans just under 3.5 minutes long but it'll have listeners in a hypnotic spell. It is equal parts sassy "flipping my ponytail and strut off" as it is bittersweet "pack my bags and leave". From the funky bass grooves to the punchy percussions, "Say Goodbye" has just the right amount of spunk that'll set the tone of your hip sashay as you walk away.

Pre-order 24 Hr Sports here.

Connect with El Michels Affair:

Facebook | X | Instagram

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Brant, Ontario -- Last week, Kara-Lis Coverdale announced her first album in eight years, From Where You Came which is set to be released on May 9 via Smalltown Supersound. Along with the album announcement, Coverdale shares the stunning second single "Freedom". The track is truly an epic in its own right - spanning nearly 7 minutes long and taking the listener on a cinematic whirlwind. From the lush synth layers to the interspersed textures from other instruments, "Freedom" has an expansiveness to it that feels as deep as the ocean - it's sweeping in a breathtaking way that feels like a full body systems reset.

On the new single, Coverdale explains: “Freedom: How do we get it? Where does it come from? What does it feel like? How do we overcome? Merging ongoing work in mediated musical systems and a deep-rooted spiritual quest, modular hornpipes lead in interpolated sequences while the underneath tectonically cracks and whirls, illustrating changing matter in unfathomable and irreversible proportion. It’s so grand it swallows itself, re-emerging within a black hole of levity, transcendence, and birth. This work is of universal natural phenomenon, as if watching a planetary body break itself apart, tectonic or geologic change, or perhaps, watching a star being born, emerging anew from immense pressure.”

Kara-Lis Coverdale Live Dates  Thu. May 1 - Toronto, ON @ Standard Time *  Sat. May 31 - Lublin, PL @ Labirynt (Codes Festival) Fri. June 13 - Toronto, ON @ 918 Bathurst Fri. June 20 - Calgary, AB @ Central United Church (Sled Island Music & Arts Festival)  Mon. June 30 - Montreal, QC @ Sainte-Thérèse-de-l'Enfant-Jésus (Suoni Per il Popolo) ^ Mon. Sep. 15 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

* = Album listening party & DJ set ^ = Organ set

Connect with Kara-Lis Coverdale:

Website | X | Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

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Oslo, Norway-- This week, Norwegian duo Smerz released their newest single "Feisty," from their upcoming album Big city life. The punchy track comes just under 3 minutes, where Smerz sings about partying after a break-up. The sultry looseness of the vocals laid on top of the brassy hi-hat perfectly capture the essence of the dizzying blur when the fog machine hits at the club. The lyrics are fun and flirty, coaxing listeners to let go and succumb into the desires of the night.

Big city life is due May 23 via Escho.

Big city life by Smerz

Connect with Smerz:

Instagram

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Brighten up your day with Bodysync (the electronic duo project of Ryan Hemsworth and Giraffage) and Dazy (Richmond, VA-based indie rocker James Goodson) newest collaboration "Back Of My Mind." This exuberant track spans just about 2.5 minutes long but its pulse will have you walking with an extra pep in your step. At first glance, it seems like an unlikely pairing with each respective artists' typical sound but "Back Of My Mind" captures the beauty of collaboration. Bodysync and Dazy come together to bring a serotonin-boosting single that melds dance-y drum machine rhythms and with a tint of hazy indie rock bliss. It's the perfect sun-soaked track to welcome spring.

Connect with Bodysync:

Official Site | X | Instagram

Connect with Dazy:

X | Instagram

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Los Angeles, CA -- Jessica Pratt will be releasing her new album Here In The Pitch on May 3 via Mexican Summer. Earlier this week, she released the second single titled "World On A String," along with a music video directed by Kate Bollinger. The soft track spans just about 3 minutes long and its vintage pop sheen will have you in a sun-filled daze. From Pratt's lower register to the glittery hooks, "World On A String" is filled with possibilities and a child-like wonder for life. There's a hypnotic lull to the track that'll have you in mesmerized sway.

“On this track I was influenced by the swaying, naive brilliance of 'lost' teenage garage rock bands, as well as enduring loves like The Nazz and Guided By Voices,” Pratt says. "Record the song moments after you've learned it on an instrument you've just picked up. Oftentimes, that's all you need.” 

Jessica Pratt Tour Dates: Fri. May 31 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Sun. June 2 - Paris, FR @ L’Alhambra * Mon. June 3 - Brussels, BE @ AB Theater * Tue. June 4 – Amsterdam, NL @ Zonnehuis * Thu. June 6 – London, UK @ Union Chapel * [SOLD OUT] Fri. June 7 – London, UK @ Earth Theatre ~ Tue. June 18 - San Diego, CA @ Lou Lous % Thu. June 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom % [SOLD OUT] Fri. June 21 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy + Harriet’s (Outside) % Sat. June 22 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club % [SOLD OUT] Tue. June 25 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret % Wed. June 26 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos % Thu. June 27 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom % Sat. June 29 - Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu % Thu. July 18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line ^ Fri. July 19 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre ^ Sun. July 21 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival Mon. July 22 - Cleveland, OH @ The Roxy ^ Wed. July 24 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ^ [SOLD OUT] Thu. July 25 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom # [SOLD OUT] Fri. July 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live # Sat. July 27 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair # Mon. July 29 - Washington, DC @ The Howard Theatre # Tue. July 30 - Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom # Fri. Aug. 2 - Nashville, TN @ Basement East # Sat. Aug. 3 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West # * = with Joanna Sternberg ~ = with Astrid Sonne % =  with Tony Molina ^ = with June McDoom  # = with @

Connect with Jessica Pratt:

Facebook | X | Instagram

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London, UK -- Bat For Lashes, the project of Natasha Khan, will be releasing her sixth studio album The Dream of Delphi on May 31 via Mercury KX. Last week, she shared the newest single lifted from the record "Letter To My Daughter." Along with the single comes a video, the second chapter of her album film, produced in collaboration with creative director and choreographer Alexandra Green and directed by Freddie Leyden.

The stunning track spans just about 2.5 minutes long and begins with polyphonic electronic synths, reminiscent of 70s science documentaries. The whimsicality of the synths bring a layer of awe and nurture to lush orchestral swells. "Letter To My Daughter" emits a motherly tenderness in its majestic sonic swirls. There's an immensity to the instrumental fullness, amplified by the strings and piano, that creates the warmest embrace.

On the track, Khan shares: "This title is pretty self-explanatory. If I was on my deathbed, it’s what I’d say to Delphi to give her some sense of being at home in the world, the galaxy, the universe we live in. Before Delphi was born I started writing her a book of letters, inspired by Maya Angelou’s book of the same name, Letter To My Daughter. It documents a very strange but magical year, full of special memories and historic worldly moments. This ride of life is always continuing and we’re all just energy moving from one form into another, always. She’s also just part of an echo, ancestral line or spiral in the cosmos, like the spiral that I saw in her soft hair when she was a baby. She is part of something much greater than any of us individually; she comes from the past and she comes from the future."

Bat For Lashes Tour Dates:

12-Jun O2 Academy 2, Oxford UK 18-Jun Town Hall, Birmingham, UK 19-Jun Beacon, Bristol, UK 24-Jun Barbican, London, UK 25-Jun Bexhill De La Warr Pavillion, UK 27-Jun Aviva Studios, Manchester, UK 6-Jul Beauregard Festival, France 29-Jun Siren's Call Festival, Luxembourg 18-Jul Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic 23-Aug Edinburgh International Festival, UK

Connect with Bat For Lashes:

Official Site | Facebook | X | Instagram

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Los Angeles, CA -- Harpist Mary Lattimore and instrumentalist Walt McClements collaborate on a new album titled Rain On The Road, that is set to release on May 10 via Thrill Jockey. This week, the duo gives fans and listeners a taste with the first single "Nest of Earrings". This luscious track spans 6.5 minutes long and the mosaic of sounds will have you submersed in a fantastical sonic world. The layers of Lattimore's harp with the river of strings interweave beautifully. "Nest of Earrings" is the pinnacle of collaboration - you can hear Lattimore and McClements' friendship blossom throughout the song.

Rain on the Road by Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements

Connect with Mary Lattimore:

Official Site | Instagram

Connect with Walt McClements:

Official Site | X | Instagram

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London, UK -- Merry Lamb Lamb (HK), Miso Extra (HK born, Japanese), and aimei 媚 (Chinese-British) are a rising trio of London based Asian artists that is taking the world by storm. Last month, the trio released their first collab titled "Better," a song birthed from a 3-day writing camp over the summer. The bouncy techno beat creates a hypnotizing base that'll have you transported to a misty club. aimei 媚's r&b-laced vocals blended with Miso Extra's smooth verses and Merry Lamb Lamb's impeccable production make "Better" a kaleidoscopic amalgamation of their sound and style.

The writing camp stemmed from Platoon’s ’She Runs The Boards’ writing camp in partnership with ESEA Music and creative organisation shesaid.so

Follow the artists on Instagram:

Merry Lamb Lamb | Miso Extra | aimei 媚

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Montreal, Quebec -- TOPS' Jane Penny will be releasing her debut solo EP Surfacing on April 5 via Luminelle Recordings. This week, she shares the second single "Wear You Out". Jane Penny envelopes all your senses with the lushness of the layers and her seductively soft vocals. The melodic instrumentation with the gentle touch of the synths give "Wear You Out" a vintage touch that feels timeless. It's the perfect track that captures the quiet storm of swooning.

On the track, Penny shares: “I wanted to make something poppy and cute but also a bit sinister and weird, sensual and witty. Lots of wordplay, a bit dirty, I think the video represents the song well. Sometimes the greatest passion and the most intense love is slightly destructive and I wanted to explore that in a fun way.”

Solo performances:

Wednesday, 5/29 - Toronto, ON - The Baby G Saturday, 6/1 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub Thursday, 6/6 - Montreal, QC - Casa del Popolo Thursday, 6/13 - Los Angeles, CA - Gold Diggers

Connect with Jane Penny:

Facebook | X | Instagram

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Los Angeles, CA -- Hana Vu will be releasing her new album Romanticism on May 3 via Ghostly International. Last week, she released the first single from the record titled "Care". The track spans just over 4.5 minutes long and Vu's songwriting really shines through on this track. This single in particular touches on the self-consciousness of what we care about and what other people care about. "Care" is a deeply introspective track that leaves listeners wondering: what if people cared more, what if I cared less, what if...ultimately, none of this matters.

Of “Care,” Vu comments, “I wrote this song while staring out the window wondering if everyone considered things as much or more or less than I do. Also ruminating on whether or not it mattered. Thoughts and feelings might be an eternally individual experience.”

Romanticism by hana vu

Connect with Hana Vu:

Official Site | Facebook | X | Instagram

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New York, NY -- Jharis Yokley will be releasing his debut album Sometimes, Late At Night on May 3 via LA's Rainbow Blonde Records. Last week, he shared the first single from the upcoming release "Move On," a song that defies the boundaries of a singular genre. The hefty track spans just about 4 minutes long with thumping hi-hats, hefty blown out drums, and otherworldly synths. "Move On" is a track that ruminates on a past relationship, trying to let go of someone but simply unable to do so. The instrumental layers create a stirring rumbling that feels ready to burst at any moment, like you're right on the verge of a catalytic scream.

Sometimes, Late at Night by Jharis Yokley

Live:

May 17 - New York, NY - Nublu 151

Connect with Jharis Yokley:

Official Site | Facebook | Instagram

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New York City, NY -- Last week, rei brown released his newest single "Get Me Out." an energetic track that speaks on mental health. The punchy track spans just over 2 minutes long and is accompanies by a short film, written and directed by Daniel Antebi. The intensity of the instrumentation adds an urgency that doubles as cathartic, especially with ruminating verses that are interspersed throughout the track. rei brown's lyrics are refreshingly honest, making "Get Me Out" the type of song you want to blast repeatedly when you get trapped in mental tunnel.

rei brown · Get Me Out

On the track, rei brown shares “Get Me Out" was one of the first songs I made after Xeno. I had just gotten off of a series of tours, one of which, I had an episode of psychosis/derealization. Unfortunately it’s not a new experience for me either, I’ve had a bunch of ‘episodes’ or incidents for the past 10 years. It was impossible to communicate what I was going through to my friends, and worst of all, I still had to go on stage and perform most nights. I kind of went to sleep wondering how I even get through it all… As always it kind of just eventually got better, but I think when I was writing the chorus, I subconsciously just drew from that recent experience.”

Connect with rei brown:

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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British Columbia -- Loving will be releasing their new album Any Light on February 9 via Last Gang Records/MNRKI. This week, the duo (Jesse Henderson and David Parry) released the third single "No Mast." The shimmery track spans just about 3 minutes long and will have listeners in a warm tizzy. From the melodic strums of the guitar to the soft murmurs of the vocals, "No Mast" has a grounding sway that'll warm you up like hot cup of tea in the middle of winter. The song comes to us from Henderson's reading of James Hollis’ The Eden Project: In Search of the Magical Other. “I found this book all beat up and tucked under the couch in the studio,” explains Henderson. “It offers an insightful critique of romantic love and the psychological forces that shape the way we love, or fail to. I guess the song just stumbled along afterwards as kind of a reflection on it.”

Any Light by LOVING

Tour Dates:

02/23/24 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern ^ 02/24/24 - Portland, OR - Polaris Hall ^ 02/26/24 - Sacramento, CA - Hawlow’s ^  02/27/24 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall ^  02/28/24 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz ^ 03/02/24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent ^  03/04/24 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up ^ 03/05/24 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar ^ 03/06/24 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace ^  03/08/24 - Austin, TX - Far Out ^ 03/09/24 - Dallas, TX - Tulips ^ 03/15/24 - Atlanta, GA - The Loft ^ 03/16/24 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle ^  03/17/24 - Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall ^ 03/19/24 - Washington, DC - DC9 ^ 03/20/24 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA ^ 03/21/24 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge ^ 03/22/24 - Boston, MA - Armory ^ 03/23/24 - Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques ^ 03/25/24 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern ^ 03/26/24 - Detroit, MI - Pike Room ^ 03/27/24 - Chicago, IL - Schubas ^ 03/28/24 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club ^ 03/29/24 - Minneapolis, MN - Turf Club ^ 03/30/24 - Des Moines, IA - xBk ^ 04/01/24 - Denver, CO - Meow Wolf ^ 04/03/24 - Salt Lake City, UT - Soundwell ^ 04/04/24 - Boise, ID - Neurolux ^ 04/06/24 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre ^

^/ Fog Lake supporting

Connect with Loving:

Official Site | Facebook | Instagram

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Kaohsiung, Taiwan -- Elephant Gym 大象體操 will be releasing their 10 year anniversary album World on December 14 via Topshelf Records. Last week, the trio released two tracks from the upcoming record "Happy Prince ft. YILE LIN" and an orchestral rework of their 2013 song "夜洋風景 Ocean In The Night," featuring Hom Shenhao (of punk act Touming Magazine) on vocals.

Hearing the orchestra version of "夜洋風景 Ocean In The Night" left me breathless. Having listened to the band over the last 5 years, it's incredible to hear how they've developed their sound throughout the years. Both "Happy Prince" and "夜洋風景 Ocean In The Night" show an evolution in their style while still maintaining an unique vibe. The added brass and woodwind instruments add another dimension to Elephant Gym 大象體操 that is even more full-bodied and lush. Truly hoping they have more tracks like this in the future.

World by Elephant Gym

Connect with Elephant Gym:

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Akini Jing will be releasing her new album Villain in early 2024 via 88rising. Last week, she shared the newest look into the record with new single "Black Widow". The sleek track spans just under 2.5 minutes long and captures mood shifts seamlessly.

Speaking about the new single ‘Black Widow’ and video, Akini Jing said: “Black Widow is the second character I am introducing from my new wuxia concept album "VILLAIN." She is a fierce, eccentric antagonist with an innocent inner nature, despite her reputation for cruelty.   As I crafted this character, I underwent rich internal changes, constantly sensing her emotional shifts. In terms of music production, this song is entirely original, without reference or rules, and I thoroughly enjoyed the creative process.”

There's a lot of textures in the track that add to the complexity that lies at the heart of the song. Whether you're a villain, princess, or hero - the reality is that everyone contains multitudes. "Black Widow" is the amalgamation of each and every shade of mood and emotion people feel. This song is as cutthroat as it is sentimental.

On her upcoming album, Akini Jing shares “‘all the songs on my VILLAIN album are heavily inspired by the Chinese genre of Wuxia. The aesthetic influence is obvious, but what really drew me to Wuxia is the nature of the characters - they are people who are devoted to, and live by, very high ideals. But at the same time, they are constantly limited by their own humanness. For one reason or another, both heroes and villains find themselves falling short or getting distracted from their goals. Aren't we the same? Our spirit may be high but our lives can be low. This is the essence of ‘jianghu’, which is a Chinese word that describes people on the fringe of society, who live by their own code. I was fascinated by this tension between ideals and reality, and wanted to find a way to express this centuries-old genre in a new way. The result is an interesting combination of traditional Chinese instruments with electronic sub genres such as techno, two-step and deconstructed club, which I think represents the Chinese underground scene as it is today.”

Connect with Akini Jing:

Twitter | Instagram