The must-hear new songs by Phoenix musicians of May 2023

Sure, Phoenix is mostly known for our robust punk and metal scenes. But as this month's list of best new music once more demonstrates, there's also great hip-hop, pop and even experimental music coming from the Valley. It's a multifaceted scene that exists because these artists share a few fundamental features. Like, a dedication to individuality and being as loud as possible. And the freedom to explore the sonic depths with equal parts passion and playfulness. The end result is always the same regardless of the chosen genre: great music that informs and enriches our weird and wonderful city.


Afterbirth Cartoons, 'Fever Dream'

If you want to capture people's ears, you've got to begin with a truly great band name. Admittedly, we wouldn't necessarily call Afterbirth Cartoons a "great name" by any measure, but it's certainly inspired and attention-grabbing (and a tad unsettling to boot). Still, once you get past that business, there's really something to this band that describes their music as a "steady explosion of sardonic beat punk." Case in point: their latest single, "Fever Dream," a slightly funky, mostly frenetic jam that would make for a catchy theme song for a truly weird Saturday morning cartoon. Regardless, there's no doubt you'll ever forget Afterbirth Cartoons — no matter how much you might try.

Nikes, 'Change Up'

Back in March, we told you about Nikes, the Phoenix-based producer/DJ who began life playing in a skull-bashing hardcore metal band. Since then, Nikes has remained decidedly busy, releasing two EPs in May in the form of "Bangers!" and "Heaters." Both mini-sized projects more than live up to their respective names, although we're a tad bit partial to the former over the latter. More specifically, a song like "Change Up." Because where else are you going to get a song that blends hard-edged dubstep influences with light and breezy tropical samples and sounds into this truly bizarre, utterly unshakable club banger? The answer is nowhere, and that's why Nikes is such a compelling new talent.

Anomalous Materials, 'Entanglement'

And speaking of using semi-experimental devices/approaches to making weird music, we have Phoenix's own Anomalous Materials. The electronic outfit, whose interest span from ambient to deep house, used a groovebox called Model:Cycles to explore "FM synthesis" across their new six-track tape entitled Frequency Modulation. As with Weston Smith, try not to get too wrapped up in the technical jargon of it all, and just let the music speak for itself. That includes the standout, "Entanglement," a minimalist cut whose steady, slightly winding percussion does a lot to set a mood in a rather short amount of time. Maybe the more technical the approach, the bigger the grooves?
Grim Moses, 'Drop/Trip'

It's not just that Grim Moses is a talented rapper with a sharp ear for compelling, hard-hitting rhymes and production. It's also that he builds these solid narratives around his many releases that help form and influence the songs within. That's certainly the case for his latest, the 12-track LEMON CITRIC ACID, which he describes as a "hallucination of sound and experience." If you really want to take a trip, you need only listen to "Drop/Trip." As its name suggests, Moses' impassioned verses over hazy, slow-melting production will either have you tripping entirely or feeling like you just got dropped into a psychedelic hip-hop club. Either way, it's an experience as much as it is a song.
Dorsten, 'Sea Salt'

There's something magical about brother-sister musical duos. Dating back to Donny and Marie, it's a sound centered on earnest emotions and good vibes. That long tradition continues with Dorsten, the Phoenix-based siblings (Sophie and Alex Dorsten) who make compelling indie-folk. The pair recently released London Sessions, which was recorded in part at the famed Abbey Road Studios in March 2022. "Sea Salt," the opener of the six-track effort, is among the duo's first songs from 2020 and encapsulates the EP. This version specifically is a stirring and poignant ballad, with the minimalist of soundscapes supporting Sophie Dorsten's beguiling vocals. Learn the name Dorsten now and save yourself the time later.
Bodynet, 'Overcrowded Internet Cafe'

The best labels all have a proper identity — a thing fans can cling to when they're seeking out new music. That holds true for Phoenix's own IDS Recordings, who have already released a steady slate of off-kilter and inventive electronic music that pushes boundaries and fosters deep emotions. The label's latest release comes from the outfit Bodynet, whose seven-track, epically-titled Dawn To Dusk Under The Burning Sun is a true gem among the IDS catalog. For a small preview, be sure to spin "Overcrowded Internet Cafe," a five-minute sound experiment that will have you feeling just as uneasy and nervous as you are downright hypnotized. And that's only the beginning for a powerful and confrontational tape.
Fixed Reaction, 'Per My Last Email'

If you follow their Facebook, Fixed Reaction seemed to have started up in mid-2019 — only to go dark until spring 2022. That timeline clearly makes sense given COVID, and even if it's not the case and there's something else to explain the gap in their CV, we should be thankful they've been steadily playing and recording for the last year or so. Because based on "Per My Last Email," one of four-tracks from what appears to be their self-titled debut EP, Fixed Reaction could be an entertaining, newish entry to our local Phoenix punk scene. It's an oversized, extra riotous jam that feels drawn from a distinctly early '90s tradition without ever feeling stale or outdated. Fixed Reaction? Nah, Great Reaction.
Nooses, 'Schadenfreude'

Nooses clearly care only about the simple things in life, like "riffs and mosh pits," per their Bandcamp page. But from that simple approach to music and life there comes a decidedly deep well of musical insight and freedom, as the Phoenix death metal outfit demonstrate on their new six-track EP, A Pearl Wasted on a Swine. There's a few solid contenders here for standout track — which mostly proves their M.O.'s effectiveness — but the clear winner has to be "Schadenfreude." Named after the concept of deriving pleasure from someone else's pain/discomfort, it's a more than apt title for a song that assaults the senses with smashing guitars and snarling vocals aligned for maximum destructiveness.
smokey64, 'Delta'

There's this rampant sense of nostalgia that permeates a lot of pop culture. It seems like the worst things get (global pandemic, economic downturn, etc.), the more people look to the past for joy and entertainment. Were we to dig deeper, there's probably some unseen downside, but instead it's hard not to lean into the trend with artists like smokey64. The local producer, who makes '90s-adjacent EDM with a "laboratory of synthesizers," recently released the eight-track Downforce that hums with joyous nostalgia. That's doubly true for "Delta," a dreamy slice of DnB made for both a night out dancing and playing a Gran Turismo knockoff. Either way, let the old-school vibes wash over you en masse.