From the angular pop stylings of SAVAK to the revamp of third wave ska with The Slacker’s latest here is all of the new noise you may have missed from this week.

SAVAK – Human Error / Human Delight (Ernest Jenning Recording Co)

SAVAK have carved the path for angular pop music. You rarely hear bands don’t lean entirely into their angular post-punk or indie pop inspiration these days, but SAVAK manage to sound like something simultaneously in between and transcending both at the same time.

There are catchy pop hooks, hypnotic grooves, scratchy guitars, warbly synths, and so much more to be found here. It’s a real potpourri of the sounds from the underground. You can hear the inspiration of a group like Suicide on one track and be totally blown away when the next sounds like Pavement.

Human Error / Human Delight is out on Ernest Jenning Recording Co.

Find out more about SAVAK here.

joyride! – Miracle Question (Salinas Records)

Having emerged from the early 2010s when ramshackle indie bands were a dime a dozen, joyride! are one of the few groups to still be around pushing the envelope on their own sound. This is a delightfully high-energy record. It’s both pretty and serene while still packing the same punch that a punk record brings.

Lead singer Jenna Marx gives one of the best performances of any of the band’s records. The constant existential dread and fast paced thrill of this record is constantly pushed forward by Marx’s lyrics and vocals.

Miracle Question is out on Salinas Records.

Find out more about joyride! here.

Greyhaven – This Bright and Beautiful World (Equal Vision Records)

Coming out of Louisville Greyhaven are single handedly carrying the post-hardcore scene right now. Their catchy but undoubtedly aggressive tunes feel a little out of time. I have no doubt that this group would have been kings in the ’90s.

If you’re looking for extremes of emotion, pummeling grooves, melodic hardcore, basically just an overall pulverizing experience then this is about as good as it gets.

This Bright and Beautiful World is out on Equal Vision Records.

Find out more about Greyhaven here.

The Slackers – Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya (Pirate Press Records)

The Slackers have been around since the early ’90s and have build a reputation as ska icons. They are undoubtedly one of the most important groups to have come out of the third wave of ska. When you hear third wave ska, your mind might wander to the sounds of punk and ska melding, but The Slackers are uniquely very much so not punk in any shape or form.

Instead, the band pulls a lot more from jazz, classic rock ‘n’ roll, and soul, but hey, what’s more punk the being the only band in the punk scene that doesn’t play punk? This is the group’s first record in a while and it’s nothing that you wouldn’t expect. Same sound, same vibes. Absolutely brilliant time.

Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya is out on Pirate Press Records.

Find out more about The Slackers here.

Cover image courtesy of SAVAK