Don’t let the shorter days get you down – our latest Playlist Refresh is here to shake things up.

The Also Cool team has compiled some recent treats from the likes of Shower Curtain, Chinese American Bear, Sunflower Bean, and other artists. As always, we encourage you to add our regularly updated Playlist Refresh on Spotify to stream along.

Now let’s get to it!

Sunflower Bean - “Teach Me To Be Bad”

NYC indie rock veterans Sunflower Bean return to their roots on “Teach Me To Be Bad.” The self-recorded and produced single is the trio’s second offering off their forthcoming EP SHAKE, out September 27th via Lucky Number. Exploring “a chance meeting with a special person [that] can change your life forever,” “Teach Me To Be Bad” is just as heavy-hitting as SHAKE’s self-titled lead single. With a delivery reminiscent of The Runaways, singer Julia Cumming growls atop grungy riffs and headbanging percussion, courtesy of bandmates Nick Kivlen and Olive Faber. Following the band’s 2022 pop-leaning record Headful of Sugar, the sonic direction of “Teach Me To Be Bad” nods to Sunflower Bean’s psych-rock coming-of-age, this time with a newfound maturity after a decade of gigging worldwide side by side.

Watch the Isaac Roberts-directed music video below.

Shunk - “Goblin”

Towing the line between playful and unruly, Montreal punk band Shunk has released their first single “Goblin.” The anticipated debut comes after a year of the band cutting their teeth in the underground music scene, making their mark with energetic live sets. A pulpy hint of what’s to come with a self-titled LP on the horizon, “Goblin” entrances with cutting vocals, zigzagging riffs and ostentatious lyrics inspired by Christina Rossetti’s poem “Goblin Market.”

Molchat Doma - “Ty Zhe Znaesh Kto Ya”

Post-punk outfit Molchat Doma has shared the 90s-EBM inspired track “Ty Zhe Znaesh Kto Ya,” off their upcoming album Belaya Polosa (out on Sacred Bones September 6th). A starkly-upbeat contrast from the rest of the album, “Ty Zhe Znaesh Kto Ya” is accompanied by a surrealist black and white music video. The main character becomes overtaken by an infectious urge to dance at a dive bar, quickly acquiring an audience and a companion with an alien-looking infection.

“[This single] explores the pain and despair of feeling misunderstood by a loved one,” the band explains, “and the endless guilt that ensues, even though you don’t realize how you yourself contribute to this pain.”

The band has announced North American tour dates for 2025, following their extensive European announcement earlier this year, so be sure to catch them in a city near you. Watch the music video (directed by Maxim Kelly) below.

Coco & Clair Clair - “Kate Spade”

Shortly before the release of their latest album Girl, alternative rap baddies Coco & Clair Clair dropped “Kate Spade” to tease the masses. This spunky two-minute track makes a strong impression with its sharp wordplay and cloud-rap stylings. “Write a hit song then I read a big book / I'm all about the lovin', you can call me Bell Hooks” sighs Clair Clair, impossibly chic yet amusingly inspiring. Coco & Clair Clair might be riding their own high, but they invite you to sit shotgun.

Take a peep at the “Kate Spade” visualizer below.

Shower Curtain - “wish u well”

Shower Curtain, the four-piece NYC band led by Brazilian-American artist Victoria Winter, recently released “wish u well.” This track will be featured on their upcoming debut album words from a wishing well, set to drop October 11th via Angel Tapes/Fire Talk Records. The track is accompanied by a music video that captures the sonically-swirling but complex echo chamber of early adulthood through a saturated digicam world.

On creating the video, director Trevor Scholl says: “It’s an ode to the mentally healing aspect of going for a walk and how stepping out invites the unexplainable. I wanted to capture the sense of exploration found in fantasy films while capturing places we frequent and not relying on overtly ‘magical’ props.”

Chinese American Bear - “Take Me To Beijing (一起回北京)”

C-pop group Chinese American Bear have commanded our playlists all summer long, as they share snippets of their bubbly forthcoming album Wah!!! (out October 18th via Moshi Moshi Records). On their latest single, “Take Me To Beijing (一起回北京),” musicians Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten conjure up colourful memories from the summers of Tong’s youth. Her soft inflections add to the hazy appeal of Barsten’s synth-laden production, embodying a warmth that complements Wah!!!’s message of cross-cultural joy and longing.

Get lost in the imagery of “Take Me To Beijing (一起回北京)”’s music video (directed by Barsten) below.

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