The seemingly endless stream of summer releases continues and we’ve got another round of tracks hitting our Playlist Refresh mix. This week’s additions highlight the latest from Joey Vaence & Brae, Fox Academy, Alex G and more to keep your listening selections varied and up-to-speed with what we think is Also Cool.

Follow our accompanying playlist on Spotify - refreshed every other week!

It's been a while since we've heard anyone emulate The Beastie Boys successfully, but 22-year-old Joey Valence and Braedan Lugue give the genre a new life with a punk-inspired twist.

Gaining popularity through their single, "Punk Tactics," which blew up on TikTok earlier this year, they have continued to grow, even securing their own world tour.

Their latest track, "Watch Yo Step," continues to draw from their old-school hip-hop and video game influences. Accompanied by a 90s-inspired music video, the track draws on drum & bass, punk, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack for sonic inspiration. Keep an eye our for these two punks coming to a city near you.

Our favourite Seattle-based synthy duo Chinese American Bear have returned with their self-titled debut album (out via Modern Sky in China). The album features some Also Cool favs like "Hao Ma," and some newfound treasures like "Boba Tea."

Chinese American Bear's quirky mandopop is lighthearted, endearing, and the perfect soundtrack for a summer day. Listen to the album below and check out our last interview with them in 2021.

Our favourite lo-fi indie group Fox Academy has released yet another sadboy banger, "laughing screaming." With simple yet cryptic lyrics layered over a simple beat, Fox Academy once again achieves a perfect balance of simple yet pleasantly confusing. "Foam on your mouth; Angel number check-in; Look to the left; Hundred dollars on the nightstand."

Based in Portland, Oregon, Fox Academy has quietly become a cult classic in many corners of the Internet. Fans of Alex G, Fog Lake, and the Orchid Tapes group will find comfort in Fox Academy's wonderfully disjointed and melancholic discography. Other projects of note from the group include the 2015 EP Elsie and side project, Richie Woods.

Last week, we covered Eliza Niemi’s brand new LP Staying Mellow Blows. In conversation with Also Cool, Niemi shared how her songs were passed through the hands of 19 collaborators to realize her poignant, contemplative album. Out now on Vain Mina and Tin Angel Records, Staying Mellow Blows gracefully tills heavy emotions with a playful tinge. Niemi’s songs extend company on a long August night—inviting a moment of stillness when the need to ground ourselves is too loud to ignore.

This album is adored top-to-bottom by us here at Also Cool HQ, but the essence of Niemi’s fusion of candour and quirk is ever-present on the track “Trust Me”.

In the year 2022, we are excited to report that a new Alex G record is on the rise. The Philadelphia-based indie singer-songwriter and producer announced that his ninth studio album, God Save the Animals, will be out September 23rd, 2022 via Domino. Whenever G gets crafting, it brings us back to our early days of DIY warehouse shows and endlessly replaying tracks from our favourite artists to and from after school jobs. While G remains faithful to his imaginative, alternative soundscapes, teaser singles like “Blessing” have us eager to hear an edgier attack from the beloved lo-fi artist.

Watch the aesthetic-bending video for “Blessing” below!

Rounding off July, U.S. Girls shared their new single “So Typically Now”. Out on 4D, the punchy dance track oozes a cross of the pop electricity found on Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster with the rhythmic hypnosis of Ladytron’s Light & Magic—making for a signature sound-system buster. “So Typically Now” features backup vocals from Kyle Kidd, and marks a promising venture for the group since their 2020 Polaris Prize-nominated LP Heavy Light.

Our Playlist Refresh series is available in full on Spotify, refreshed every other week.

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