Lumi Athena, Banggz, Tinashe, 2hollis And More: Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

cumgirl8 by Charlie Knepper

Also Cools, we’ll cut to the chase: lots of stellar tunes are making the rounds and we’re here to help you find them.

This edition of our Playlist Refresh boasts forward-thinking releases from musicians like Lumi Athena, Banggz, Tinashe, and plenty more. You know what to do – save our regularly updated Playlist Refresh on Spotify today and scroll on to hear our takes.

Banggz via Facebook

Banggz - “1ST THINGS 1ST” 

The sophomore record of Nigerian-born, Ottawa-based Afro-rap vanguard Banggz has been on repeat since it dropped earlier this month. Aptly titled 4 THE BANGGERZ, the anticipated release delivers hit after hit along with a star-studded cast of featured performers, including City Fidelia, Asuquomo, and Jahmeema. 4 THE BANGGERZ sees Banggz ambitiously craft a “sonic escape,” fusing West African rhythms, futuristic soundscapes and energetic anthems of resilience, identity and camaraderie. To celebrate the album’s release, Debaser hosts the 4 THE BANGGERZ live show on Friday, August 23rd at Club SAW. The lineup features special guests Chyme, Queeny, Mo the Pro, and an immersive installation by MvB. 

Get your tickets for the 4 THE BANGGERZ album release show here. 

Veranda Liv by Seren Pritchard-Bland

Veranda Liv - “Mammoth”

2018 Montreal is calling with Veranda Liv’s latest single “Mammoth.” High-energy and always post-punky, the track was originally recorded in 2020 by Val Ignat and brought out of the archives last week with a tease towards 2025 show dates. Throw it on, grab a beer at Bar L’Escogriffe, and reminisce.

Quantum Baby by Tinashe

Tinashe - “When I Get You Alone”

Summer 2024 has been dominated by the meteoric rise of many women in pop, both emerging talents and seasoned tastemakers. Among these chart-toppers is Tinashe, an artist who has long uplifted the scene with her subversive sound and confident lyricism without enjoying recognition from the masses. But with earworm “Nasty” serving as a catalyst for some overdue love, the release of Tinashe’s new album Quantum Baby holds the potential to anchor her in the spotlight.

The whole album sizzles with sensuality, but “When I Get You Alone” flaunts a particular breathiness that’s easy to devour. Its two-part trap-R&B composition keeps you on your toes while showcasing the talent that Tinashe has always delivered.

Ribbon Skirt by Kenza

Ribbon Skirt - “Cellophane”

With the wind in their sails after announcing their new band name, Montreal indie outfit Ribbon Skirt (FKA Love Language) recently shared their latest single “Cellophane.” The track unveils a heavier, haunted tone from the band and offers the first glimpse at their debut full-length. Set to arrive sometime in 2025, Ribbon Skirt’s next release was produced by Scott ‘Monty’ Munro (Preoccupations) and Marlaena Moore, and mixed by Greg Saunier (Deerhoof). 

Jagged and metallic, “Cellophane” hears an ever-poignant delivery from singer Tashiina Buswa. Charting the pain and grief experienced after losing her grandfather, “Cellophane” has Buswa confronting death’s impact on preserving her cultural connection to her Anishinaabe heritage. 

Watch the video for “Cellophane” below.

CHRONOS: XIX 0024 by Lumi Athena

Lumi Athena - “NOIR’S THEME”

Are you going to and/or DJing a vampire rave any time soon? Krushclub sweetheart Lumi Athena has your set covered with his latest album CHRONOS: XIX 0024, with “NOIR’S THEME” acting as an especially cold rave opener. Following his viral hits “ICEWHORE!” (which inspired the mewing trend), and “SMOKE IT OFF!”, the album is a deeper dive into the Lumiverse. It’s best enjoyed early in the morning in an underground venue with all your coolest chronically-online friends.

"trauma" by 2hollis

“trauma” - 2hollis 

New gen internet-core musician 2hollis perfectly captures a pixel-crunched dopamine-inducing sound with his latest single “trauma.” The track follows his 2024 album boy and accompanies his opening slot for Ken Carson’s Chaos Tour. For fans of Snow Strippers, DJmegan23, and Drain Gang, 2hollis hits a sweet spot mixing cloud rap and electro-clash.

Watch the official video below (CW: flashing lights).

cumgirl8 by Charlie Knepper

cumgirl8 - “Karma Police”

As documented fans of Manhattan punks cumgirl8, the Also Cools can’t begin to describe the depths of our excitement for their debut album the 8th cumming. cumgirl8’s glittery extraterrestrial edge is both hard to explain and easy to understand; they scale absurdism and materiality with mesmerizing agility and feminist gumption. Their lead single “Karma Police” recounts a tour date gone awry, depicting burglary and mental fatigue. The darkwave stylings of “Karma Police” pulsate with intensity, ping-ponging you from the airport terminal to the pit and somewhere in between.

Watch the self-directed music video below.

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Le Tigre & cumgirl8 Captivate Montreal With Feminist Punk Power

cumgirl8 by Malaika Astorga

The collective Also Cool teenage dream was fulfilled last week at Le Tigre and cumgirl8's show at Olympia in Montreal. We've been longtime fans of Kathleen Hanna's projects and couldn't wait to see cumgirl8 live after including them in a recent Playlist Refresh.

The line to get into the show represented every aspect of Montreal's feminist punk community, ranging from cool-looking parents and their children wearing Bikini Kill shirts to excited 19-year-olds sporting local bands' merch. Across the board, everyone shared a collective glow, looking forward finally to seeing the legendary trio onstage.

The merch was also in line with the feminist spirit of the show. A printed sign reminded attendees that "the best way to support your favourite artist is to buy merch at their show - get off the Internet." We at Also Cool agree - the best way to support artists is to show up for your local scene IRL and support your friends' creative projects. 

For those new to the world of cumgirl8, the NYC-based group met in a sex chat 8000 years ago in another metaverse. Made up of Lida Fox (bass), Veronika Vilim (guitar), Chase Lombardo (drums), and Avishag Rodrigues (guitar), the band started as an art collective in 2019. As reflected in their name, cumgirl8's work pushes against the status quo by satirizing themes in popular culture surrounding femme objectification, social media sensationalism, and capitalism. 

Onstage, cumgirl8 embodied the coolest punk girl energy, with all the members decked out in incredible outfits featuring mesh, corsets, glitter and ripped tights. Chase (the drummer) also seemed to play the entire set in heels, which is incredibly admirable. Their sound was hot and heavy, exuding it-girl confidence. 

Le Tigre was up next with incredible visuals and included lyrics for all their songs at the top of the screen, a sweet touch that made the show-going experience more accessible for everyone. They opened with "The the Empty" and followed with tracks spanning their entire discography. 

Their performance also highlighted intersectional feminist discourse, sharing the backstories of many tracks and starting meaningful conversations around topics like reproductive rights, trans politics, PTSD recovery, and more. The show concluded with playful choreography that ramped up into "Deceptacon," which was received by a joyful and cheering crowd. 

Keep an eye out for cumgirl8's upcoming EP phantasea pharm, which is set to be released on August 18th via 4AD. 

Malaika Astorga is the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.

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Isabella Lovestory, Dry Cleaning, Dune Rats and Pony Girl - Also Cool's Playlist Refresh

Pony Girl via Bandcamp

The first official weekend of summer is here, and Also Cool HQ’s Playlist Refresh will help you celebrate. Soak up our latest selection of the finest tunes on the block.

In need of some fiery new tunes to pump you up for a night out? Montreal sweetheart and pop star Isabella Lovestory has released her latest track “Cherry Bomb.” It’s a song for city girlies to hype each other up with, and perfect to get nasty to on the dance floor. Produced by Chicken, the swanky reggaeton single flaunts Lovestory’s prowess with a sugar-coated rush. Lovestory’s glossy self-directed music video complements the new single – watch it below.

Shallowhalo, NYC’s resident sparkly synth royalty, recently released their no-skip album No Fun — and “Yesterday’s Toy” has been on repeat since the drop. For fans of Strawberry Switchblade, Kate Bush, and Cleaners from Venus, the track is a shimmering cascade of sound perfect for your summer playlist.

With their second LP Stumpwork slated for October via 4AD, UK post-punkers Dry Cleaning give us a taste of the wonderful malaise to come with their latest release “Don’t Press Me.” Against the apathetic strut of vocalist Florence Shaw, the minimal and disjointed melody illustrates the pleasure of gaming and the enjoyment of intense and short-lived guilt-free experiences.

Shaw elaborates, “The words in the chorus came about because I was trying to write a song to sing to my own brain: ‘You are always fighting me / You are always stressing me out.'”

Watch the accompanying music video, animated by Peter Millard, below.

Hailing from Australia’s indie scene, the garage-punk vibrations of Dune Rats will pluck your heartstrings well into the weekend. Their latest single “Melted Into Two” sets a sunny scene for upcoming album Real Rare Whale, out next month via Ratbag Records / BMG. “Melted Into Two” was penned by Dune Rats along with DZ Deathrays’ Shane Parsons, and showcases some new thematic waters within a healthy dose of infectious melody. When asked about “Melted Into Two”, the rockers shared: 

"This song is the closest thing to a love song we've written. It grew from meeting a young couple at a bar who talked about a time when they were on acid and believed if they tried hard enough, they could melt into each other, creating one person. We reckon you can meet people throughout life, whether it be romantic or not, that you become so close too and in tune with, that you become one.”

To make you swoon a little harder, the music video beautifully interpolates the romance of Kelly Jansch—sister to bassist Brett Jansch—and her partner Ellie. Fall in love with “Melted Into Two” below!

NYC’s cumgirl8 have whipped up a fresh batch of angular electroclash, and it fits perfectly with that Saturday night stomp you’re bound to take. Enlisted as part of Suicide Squeeze Records’ Pinks and Purples series, the dance-punk group have responded with “dumb bitch.”

Emerging from a sinister bass underbelly, the track launches into an anthemic rebellion that pulsates with purpose. Bassist Lida Fox explains that “dumb bitch” was written to “...[explore] the space between romance, masochism, pleasure, narcissism, and the balance of how much we give and take in our relationships”. Its biting commentary skates across the gothic beat with ease, hooking listeners until the last drop. Stream the single below.

On National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Toronto-based experimental shoegaze act Zoon (Daniel Monkman) shared their new EP Big Pharma. The album marks Monkman’s first release since their 2020 debut as Zoon, and features a star-studded list of collaborators that includes the likes of Leanne Betasamosake-Simpson, Cadence Weapon, and up-and-coming Ottawa-based artist Jasmine Trails. Leaning heavily into Zoon’s masterful musical world-building, Big Pharma also makes room for vulnerability from the artist between atmospherics. 

On Big Pharma, Zoon shares: 

“‘Big Pharma’ is about me trying to bring awareness about the pharmaceutical industry and their lies,” Monkman explains. “I talk about how they destroyed my community of Selkirk, Manitoba and many more small towns and cities. A whole generation completely changed in just a matter of five years, Families torn apart and loved ones lost to addiction and overdoses. Our treaty card ensures that our medical insurance is covered but a lot of the time the only medication that’s available for free is the stuff that’s most addictive. I found this alarming and made me connect the dots linked to an underlying form on genocide happening right under our noses.”

Stream “OopeeUm (feat. Jasmine Trails)” below.

Hull-based pop outfit Pony Girl kicked off the month with their new single “Age of Anxious”,  teasing their to-be-released album Enny One Will Love You out on Paper Bag Records October 14th, 2022. “Age of Anxious” is a glossy trip-hop lament to the woes of young adult life, laden with catchy hooks and Easter eggs throughout (including a saxophone solo!). Watch the music video below.

Central Frontenac’s Caylie Runciman—AKA Boyhood— has recently shared “Stroke It”, the second single from her upcoming album My Dread. Complete with Runciman’s signature contemplative instrumentation and frank delivery, “Stroke It” indicates a deepened confidence in her artistic stride. Runciman will be playing on the Saturday lineup of Ottawa’s DIY music festival Side By Side Weekend on July 30th at Club SAW. My Dread releases November 2022 and is available for pre-order here. Watch the official music video below.

Our Playlist Refresh series is available in full on Spotify – click below to stream the catalogue!

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