(Samedi Records, digital) Mood and aesthetics are especially important considerations for young new artists trying to find their audience. And since 21st-century singer-songwriters are expected to be sentient PR campaigns, catering to potential listeners with a never-ending torrent of content, the sights that accompany the sounds are a huge part of the package. I suppose it s always been this way to some extent, but branding has never been more prevalent in music than now. The video for Black Fly s Sign 2, a percolating dance jam from the Richmond resident s debut LP,
Black Fly 01, shows off his personality and physicality. Real name Joseph Rittling, the electro-pop artist proves to be quite the limber, quirky dancer. Animated by the track s sharp cracks and plunging synths, he jerks his body in delightful ways through warehouses, dark country lanes, rolling hills and windy moors. For a presumably low-budget video, it packs quite a punch.
Just because live music is mostly shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t mean the music stops. Vermont musicians in 2021 have been releasing or will soon be issuing new music, from singles to mini-albums to full-length recordings. Here’s a look at some of that music ready to hit your ears.
Out now: Longtime Vermont musician
Peg Tassey released the single “Winter Comes” – “my first new music in 17 years,” she told the Burlington Free Press in a recent email – on Feb. 5. She plans to release an album titled “Queen of Flowers” later this year. Website: www.pegtassey.com.
Out now: West Glover-based