Before you light up the grill this weekend, you have to make a sick playlist, right? Well, fear not, alternative friends. We have new tunes that will set the right mood. From powerful pop-punk via When The Sun Sets and lolitslea with “But What If We Struck Gold?” to flowing, romantic indie via BEL‘s “Party Tricks,” we’ve got your backs.
Looking for even more new music? idobi Radio is the soundtrack of your summer. Download the free idobi App for new music every minute, every hour, every day. Did we mention it’s totally, 100%, always free?
Palette Knife — “Prototype V.2”
Columbus, Ohio’s Palette Knife is back with their first new song of 2025 with “Prototype V.2,” out via Take This To Heart Records. Previously, the band released New Game+ in 2023, featuring fan-favorites “Jelly Boi” and “Damn Son, Dim Sum.” Their new release sees them tap into gritty emo sonics and vocal flourishes, and we’re stoked for the trio’s new era as it unfolds on a high note. They share, “Thanks for sticking around; more music sooner rather than later.” — Maria Serra
Stain The Canvas — “GATTINI”
After being censored for their blood-filled video “Dead Circus,” Stain The Canvas is firing back at artist suppression in “GATTINI”—Italian for “kittens.” The band shares, “This song is an invitation for everyone to always express their thoughts and stand by their beliefs. It addresses the hypocrisy of censorship and online content restriction.” The band adds, “We wanted to be deliberately ironic about the whole situation. That’s why we made a totally blood-free video, added fake flowers to the same masks we used in ‘Dead Circus,’ and set it all in a colorful, confetti-like context—in total contrast with the song’s extreme lyrics.” — Maria Serra
BEL — “Party Tricks”
BEL already gifted us her singles, “I Want” and “Fresh Start,” and now she has some “Party Tricks” up her sleeve. Her ethereal voice will give you the same butterflies your first true love did too, with a dazzling mix of fuzzy guitar sonics and acoustic strums. BEL notes, “‘Party Tricks’ is a manifestation song. I’m visualizing what it’s going to be like when I eventually do meet the right person. I love leaning into the nerves, excitement, and all the romantic things you do early on when you really like someone. I imagined that person getting along with my friends, hosting dinner parties together, being silly and completely obsessed with each other.”
Excitingly, the artist is also gearing up to launch her debut album, Holy Grail, on October 17 via Nettwerk. She shares, “Every song on the album is an archive of my hopes, dreams, joys, sorrows, and self-reflections in my quest for the Holy Grail.” — Maria Serra
Set It Off — “Rotten”
idobi Radio is now playing “Rotten” by Set It Off, a high-octane heavy rock track perfect for BBQ background music. Cody Carson, lead singer, says, “Our new song ’Rotten’ is about the lack of authenticity I see so often out in the world. It’s about people manipulating others just because they want something from them. Then the exploiters get what they want via the synthetic sugar they’re pumping out, but eventually… it’s going to rot out their teeth and those people will see the truth.” — Maria Serra
Kaonashi (featuring Anthony Green) — “J.A.M.I.E.”
Now spinning on idobi Radio in rotation is Kaonashi and Anthony Green’s collab, “J.A.M.I.E.” The two Philadelphia acts came together to craft a haunting Midwest emo-fueled track. Green’s soaring vocals add even more dimension to the unique, experimental approach Kaonashi fans have grown to love from the band. In fact, the final dissonant guitar strums sound like they’re right out of a horror movie. You can catch this track and many others on their new album, I Want To Go Home. — Maria Serra
Vianova — “Uh Yaya”
One of the most polarizing and unpredictable bands in alternative and metal right now, Vianova continues their streak of mind-melting genre fusion with the groove-filled “Uh Yaya.” A soulful 70s-sounding R&B intro turns into explosive downtuned breakdowns and riffage, and that’s just the start of this four-minute rollercoaster. From their raw vocal power that will shake your bones, to the continued chaos of their R&B/metal genre transitions, this track truly has it all and continues an exciting streak of can’t-miss music from this Berlin quartet. — Patrick Walford
When The Sun Sets (featuring lolitslea) — “But What If We Struck Gold?”
Hailing from Chicago, pop-punkers When The Sun Sets just recently dropped an instantly iconic collab with lolitslea, “But What If We Struck Gold?” Frontman Zack Baumgartner shares, “‘But What If We Struck Gold?’ is a love letter to the music industry and the things in your life that try to drive a barrier between you and your dreams. It’s a testament to the ups and downs of doing this, and we truly wouldn’t trade a second for anything.”
Baumgartner adds, “Bringing lolitslea in on this song was a no-brainer because she is one of the hardest-working artists we know. She is grinding in this scene and showing artists that it’s not only okay to be independent, but it is something you should be proud of.”
Additionally, the track is set to appear on their LP, The Cards We’re Dealt, due out this fall. “This album shines a light on some of the happiest times in our lives, and some of the most vulnerable, because we want every listener to know that this life is full of ups and downs,” Baumgartner says. — Maria Serra
Napoleon — “The Storm Comes Crashing In”
One of the brightest up-and-coming post-hardcore bands in Canada, Napoleon, is back with their first new music of 2025 in “The Storm Comes Crashing In.” This fiery anthem, perfectly dropped ahead of their sold-out two-day festival this coming weekend in Ontario, Canada, sees the band bringing the same intensity and urgency felt throughout their standout EP Dear God, this track brings slamming riffs and soaring choruses in a way that will take you back to the heyday of early ’00s. — Patrick Walford
