Dabda - "Choo Choo"

By -

Photo by Jinny Park

South Korea's Dabda are back with a new single from their upcoming album, and have announced a North American tour! "Choo Choo" is a delightfully chaotic single that isn't quite like anything we've heard before. This one is more along the lines of indie rock, but with plenty of their unique pop focused sound. The song is all over the place, and is absolutely epic in scope. Dabda have packed more than you can imagine in a four and a half minute song, and at times you'll want to bop along, and at others you'll be banging your head. At times you'll wonder if this should be a ten minute jam and is just playing at too fast of a speed. As someone who listens to a lot of (probably too much) new music, it's a delight finding a song like "Choo Choo" than continues to surprise and remind you of why you love music so much.

Vocalist Jiae Kim says of the band's latest single:

“When I can’t stop reflecting on myself, I feel like I’ve become a runaway locomotive gone off the rails. Ignoring all the beautiful scenery around me, I hear a greeting roaring like a thunderous noise from the end of the tracks. How many cruel things did you say to yourself today?” 

You can listen to "Choo Choo" below. ON(百) is due out September 17 on Electric Muse. For more on Dabda, check out the band on Instagram and Facebook. Upcoming tour dates are below the song and include November 12 at Deep Cuts in Medford, MA.


Southeast Asia

23 Aug 2026 LaLaLa Festival 2026, Jakarta, ID

3 Sept 2026 Blueprint Livehouse, Bangkok, TH

4 Sept 2026 Muan More Space, Chiang Mai, TH

6 Sept 2026 Baybeats, Singapore, SG

 

Japan

6 Oct 2026 Fever, Tokyo, JP

7 Oct 2026 Rock'n Roll, Nagoya, JP

9 Oct 2026 Conpass, Osaka, JP

 

North America

5 Nov Vera Project, Seattle, US

6 Nov Holocene, Portland, US

9 Nov Cornerstone, Berkeley, US

10 Nov The Echo, Los Angeles, US

12 Nov Deep Cuts, Boston, US

15 Mercury Lounge, New York City, US

16 Nov Milkboy, Philadelphia, US

18 Nov Schubas, Chicago, US

21 Nov Monarch Tavern, Toronto, CA

22 Nov Cabaret Foufs, Montreal, CA

On Repeat...

Hiding Places - "Waiting"

By -
Image
Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
Read more

Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

By -
Image
Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
Read more

Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

By -
Image
Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
Read more