Nero’s Nods Vol. 01
I Believe In You - Heathers
Over the past few years, Heathers has consistently teased social media snippets of his upcoming LP Awesome, where he showcases himself virtuosically playing every instrument. The influences of his covers that span from Ween to The Beatles have fully materialized themselves in “I Believe In You,” where he carries the energy of those short-form snippets into a catchy, punchy track that captures the off-kilter energy of his sound. with an anthemic chorus that hints at the weight of others’ unwavering belief in his music.
Billboard Style - Meloxicam
Ben Guterl and Dan Howard have long collaborated across many projects and have entered a new era of their partnership with Billboard Style. Dan Howard’s production with Victoryland echoes through this song with melodic, spacey synths underlaying the catchy vocals of Guterl. Lyrics hold the sentiment of the nerves that dominate the initial excitement of meeting someone special, where we all bounce between asking the mundane question of their favorite snack to probing about dreams of dying.
Slow Fiction - turning down flowers
Slow Fiction’s debut album dollhouse is a Frankensteinian work of surrealist poetry, richly layered guitar, and quintessential indie crooning — and the closing track “turning down flowers” is the thread tying every fleshy piece together. It begins as a fairly straightforward garage rock piece, but slowly evolves into something much more expansive. An orchestral-like section emerges from the background, then singer Julia Vassallo’s voice begins to strain in a satisfying, Karen O-esque wail, all culminating in a prayer of the lyrics: “What’s left?” … “Not them” … “Unless.” It’s more theatrical than the album’s other offerings, but a project spanning the sweeping spectrum of indie-rock deserves a grand finale of this caliber.
Spring Breeding - Hoedown at the Mall
Las Vegas based synth punk trio Spring Breeding has a knack for controlling chaos as they pinball between wailing synths and cacophonous drums, all to resolve in a sample of an old noir film dialogue. “Hoedown at the Mall” is an apt name for a song that packs multiple punches, as it stands out as a gem of their recently released project Backflip Soundtrack, where the group’s sound backflips toward reaching its most fully matured state.
Helen - Dead shark II
The once-dormant shoegaze band Helen has jolted awake with their new single, “Dead shark II.” Frontwoman Liz Harris brings with her the esoteric sensibility of Grouper, the ambient project for which she is probably most well known. This, combined with surf rock-y drum fills and strangely upbeat, jangly guitar, makes for a song that feels like the long-searched-for love child of The Beach Boys and My Bloody Valentine. It’s the perfect tune an especially introspective transition out of summer.
Superfan - Apeiron (Fantasy Football)
Superfan is adept at composing beautiful arrangements that paint a complex landscape of instrumentation, with rich guitar and vocals from Kali Flanagan that float over the emotional depth built by cellist Omeed Almassi. While this song came out a year ago, it feels like a creative anchor for their upcoming album My Piledriver Heart, with their recent track “In the Gold Room” containing a similar thematic texture that sets the stage for an exciting release.
Tell Me - Sassy 009 & Blood Orange
Brooding, yet undeniably groovy, Norwegian techno-pop wiz Sassy 009 (Sunniva Lindgård) teams up with the singular Blood Orange (Devonté Hynes) for this track off her 2026 album, Dreamer +. It perfectly encapsulates each artist’s distinct sensibilities: Lindgård’s expansive production, and Hynes’ hypnotizing melodies. It’s a departure from the other, glitchier collaborations on the album, which makes it truly stand out.
