Teppen’s April 2026 Playlist
A look back at another great month full of releases, ranging from Teppen favs The Tiva, to Modest Mouse, and a collab between David Byrne and Natalia Lafourcade. Like last month we’ve included some albums, some live performances, as well as a bonus at the end. Check it out!
Here’s the full playlist on YouTube (minus one album you should absolutely check out here)
Blurred City Lights – Gekkou: Gorgeous, lush slow building gazer
Hitohira – Departure / See Off (Live): Live footage from a band that seamlessly blends so many different styles, midwest emo, mathy, heavy, and undeniably cool
Hammer Head Shark – Pisces Birthmark / Lakeside Goodbye (Live): A live, two-headed attack from one of the world’s most powerful bands.
Yuusari – 2019: Don’t be fooled by its early, intentional, stumbling moments. “2019” builds into something coherent and powerful.
Miss Grit – Under My Umbrella: Fantastic sophomore record from the immensely creative and utterly undefinable Miss Grit. Shedding a lot of the comparisons from their earlier work and truly finding their own style.
Modest Mouse – Picking Dragon’s Pockets: Has a ton of what makes Modest Mouse such an enduring band over the years. Feels fresh, but with an underlayment that harkens back to their earlier days. From An Eraser And A Maze, out June 5th.
Moon in June – Ever Since The Goodbye: Described as a story about “what comes after goodbye”. A warm, melancholic nostalgia, a crisp guitar jangle, and powerful vocals set the scene perfectly.
Johanna Samuels – Two People, the Moon: Building and honest folk track from one of the best singer-songwriters out there.
Bedouine – Always on Time: Stunning track from one of this generation’s great voices. From her upcoming record Neon Summer Skin out in June.
Lucy Dacus – Planting Tomatoes: Few people have a way with words like Lucy Dacus. No exception here, especially with the lyric video, shot in Tokyo.
IAN SWEET – Criminal Kissing: Dreamy lead single from IAN SWEET’s upcoming Shiverstruck out July 24. Among IAN SWEET’s more poppier tracks until about two-thirds of the way through where it’s unmistakably IAN SWEET.
Maika Loubte – House of Holy Banana: Ultra cool synth pop from the future, Maika in her stage gear looks like a time traveler sharing with us fresh ideas from the next century. Like her music is from 100 years from now and influenced from tunes 50 years from now, we have to catch up.
RAY – MOD: Alternative Idol unit RAY are embracing their new era with “MOD”. More electronic and industrial, it builds into an intense ride. With Shizuku Kotoyama announcing her graduation from the group in September, it truly feels like a new era is on the horizon for RAY.
Show Me The Body – Dance In The USA: Powerful message from post-hardcore icons.
KNEECAP – FENIAN: Title track from KNEECAP’s record of the same title out May 1st. Groovy as hell. Urgent as ever. It’s simple. When KNEECAP speaks, we listen.
Otoboke Beaver – I Don’t Need To Be In Your Strike Zone: Breakneck paced lead single for their upcoming record, Is The New Album Out Yet?. Killer track from one of the best punk bands in Japan and a lead-up to their final record with their long-time (and occasionally viral) drummer Kahokiss.
Jessie Mazin – the man with money in his hands. A brooding folk track that Mazin perfectly describes as “a song about the man with money in his hands”. Who knew? Seriously, it’s a great, important track that encapsulates much of the current political climate. Its closing moments are a complete knockout.
Cass McCombs – Seeing The Elephant: Rumbling folker with a ton of charm. Part of a split 7-inch along with …
Hand Habits – Good Person: Gorgeous track with some fingerpicked guitar, just a sprinkling of piano, eventually joined by lush harmonies, brushed drums, and some brass.
Jesca Hoop – Big Storm: Throwback folk track from a generational songwriter. From upcoming record Long Wave Home.
m/lue. – Planet: A slice of melancholy that builds in intensity like a storm, music for late night walks and introspection.
Emily A. Sprague – Double Moon: Ambient, haunting track with low-key electronics underlining everything.
Soaring Tortoise – Stijl Useful: Piece for thirteen dead 9-volt batteries, three keyboards, and lap steel guitar: A wonderful composition utilizing a pile of dead 9 volt batteries to hold down keys on synths and haunting lapsteel. Soaring Tortoise is a cool Youtube channel that features all types of homespun electronics from a true experimental composer and master of wordplay..
Spencer Krug – Berserker Mode: Beautiful piano-led track from Wolf Parade’s Spencer Krug, featuring Elbow Kiss. From Same Fangs, out in mid-May.
Aldous Harding – Venus in the Zinnia: There’s no one quite like Aldous Harding out there. Her music, and live performance range from the ethereal to the surreal. “Venus In The Zinnia” features H. Hawkline.
Beth Orton – Waiting: As expected, a gorgeous track with Orton’s trademark voice front and center. Accompanied with some great instrumentation. From upcoming The Ground Above, out June 26th
Kacey Musgraves – Middle of Nowhere: Musgraves returns to the musical style where she truly thrives. Low-key country that’ll get her back on the map. With the distinctive lyrical wit only Musgraves achieves. The title track from her upcoming record, out May 1st.
Kevin Morby – Badlands: What a fucking track. Powerful lyrically and musically. Slow build, channeling the unrestrained power of nature’s strongest forces. From Morby’s upcoming record Little Wide Open.
Futurebirds – Sleepless in the Cage: One of a handful of tracks dropped from the indie-folk/alt-country band ahead of the release of Far Out Country, a two-parter out in June and then complete in September.
Kurt Vile – Chance to Bleed: Kurt Vile’s upcoming record has a title that rings true to me (Rich). Philadelphia’s been good to me. It’s a laid back rocker we’d expect from Vile, with a music video that doubles as a love-letter to the Philly scene.
Deer Tick – Everything Born: Live version of a great track from Providence’s twang rockers Deer Tick. Ian O’Neil takes lead vocals on this one.
Gregory Alan Isakov & Sylvan Esso – Fade Into You: Gorgeous cover of the Mazzy Star classic. Two iconic voices intertwined, with Amelia Randall Meath’s parts particularly breathtaking.
yamo° – nostos: Momose Yasunaga with her yamo° (yamo degree) project has a 6 six track ep out. Momose with a guitar and clear vocals walks you through a beautiful field. 3 tracks are remixes from frequent collaborator TsuruSwing (Toshiyuki Tsuraha) who brings his nature inspired electronics expanding the world Momose crafted.
Mina Tindle – Ladies: Beautiful fingerpicked guitar track from Mina Tindle. Slowly builds steam, but never enough to overpower Tindle’s voice. Arranged brilliantly by her husband Bryce Dessner. Part of an expanded version of her 2025 record Compass Rosa.
Widowspeak – No Driver: Gorgeous, piano-laden track with some wonderful bass and Molly Hamilton’s inviting voice. Also some great guitar interjections from Robert Earl Thomas. From their upcoming record Roses, out June 5th
Nina Winder-Lind – This is our Life: Solo release from folk-punkers The New Eves’ member Nina Winder-Lind. It’s an absolute great ride that just explodes with joy.
Lowertown – Worst Friend: Grungy, honest track from the duo’s upcoming LP Ugly Duckling Union, out May 22nd.
Rhakka – afterglow: Great record full of rippers, one of the best rhythm sections out there.
Teen Suicide – Nude descending staircase, headless: Teen Suicide’s first proper studio recording after 15+ years. Some really fantastic tracks on this one, and our playlist features “Suffering (Mike’s Way)”.
of Montreal – When: It’s been a while since I (Rich) has truly dug anything from of Montreal, but “When” kicks all kind of ass, honest in a way only Kevin Barnes can achieve convincingly, with a hell of an edge thanks to its distorted guitar.
villagerrr – Carousel: Title track from villagerrr’s upcoming record. Gritty intro, layered vocals, and some really interesting, engaging sounds throughout. “No clout. Just sound.”
The Tiva – Goodbye and Say Hi: Long-awaited by one of Japan’s most important, yet underappreciated bands. The duo of guitarist Maya Akechi and drummer Sachi bare their hearts throughout the record, with some fantastic tracks that range from grunge to folk to midwest Emo. We’ve chosen to feature an untitled track, which is the powerful centerpiece of the record.
American Football – No Feeling: Haunting new track off the upcoming 4th LP from Midwest Emo icons American Football, featuring Brendan Yates of Turnstile. It is accompanied with an equally haunting music video.
she’s green – paper thin: dreamy, lush track that serves as the lead single for their upcoming EP Swallowtail. Don’t call it shoegaze, call it “moss music”.
Plantcell – Evergreen Road (version 2026): If any other band could be considered “moss music mistaken for shoegaze” it’d absolutely be Japan’s Plantcell. A new version of “Evergreen Road” featuring a Music Video shot at a recent Total Feedback showcase gives us all the excuses we need to include this track in our playlist.
Hanayoi – Harumin (Spring Sleep): Powerful, gazey J-pop track with great harmonies and a fantastic guitar solo jammed in the middle. They describe the track as symbolizing complex feelings as they enter a season of rebirth and regrowth.
ITAZURA STORE – Haru no Uta (Song of Spring): Wonderful upbeat track to celebrate a season of rebirth and growth.
the telephones – My Robot: Disco rockers the telephones blend some great chiptune music, guitar shreddage, infectious rhythms and PEDRO’s Ayuni-D’s voice into a fantastic, immensely danceable track.
David Byrne, Natalia Lafourcade & Mexican Institute of Sound – “¿Cuál Es La Razón?”. Byrne and Lafourcade are an absolute dream team. With the backing of Mexican Institute of Sound, it really lets both of them do their thing, and they do it brilliantly.
Ålborg – Like Her: There’s probably no more inviting track on this playlist than “Like Her”. Some guitar and brass opens things up so warmly. Just wonderful all the way through.
Mei Semones – Kurage: Hits right where Mei Semones is at her best. Floaty vocals over some warm and wonderful guitar. Seamlessly switching between English and Japanese. Featuring Semones’ father, Don, on euphonium.
Dana and Alden – Lee’s Greenhouse: Jazzy and inviting from the drop. Mei Semones is also featured, and voice and guitarwork are the centerpiece, while everyone holds it down beautifully. Keyboardist Ebba Dankel shreds on the back half of the track.
Bellows – Fung Wah Bus: Part of a set of four tracks released ahead of Bellows’ upcoming Que Bello!, out June 12th. Kalb’s lyricism is as on-point as ever, with lyrics that honestly, hit pretty close to home here.
I was alive for the death of blogs
i knew a guy who used to write for one
he said he wrote about a hundred thousand songs
normal for a music blog
perhaps a drop in the deep blue sea
this little thing that had belonged to me
John Andrews & The Yawns – STREETSWEEPER: A wonderful record from John Andrews & The Yawns that pushes the boundaries of folk. The dreamy “What’s Good” scores a spot on our list with its reverbed guitars and warm harmonies.
youbet – Undefined: Immersive dreamscape from their upcoming self-titled LP, out May 1st.
Chanel Beads – Song for the Messenger: Genre-defiant track from Australia’s Chanel Beads, project of Shane Lavers. From their upcoming record Your Day Will Come. Which, is a follow-up to their 2024 record, Your Day Will Come. (Yes, you read that correctly)
Homecomings – COSMOS Session: It’s become tradition (we’re only on list 2, but…) to include a longer live performance at the end of these lists, and Homecomings’ COSMOS session dropped towards the end of April, and it’s wonderful, featuring “Every Breath”, “US”, “Lapse”, and “Angel Near You”. Lots of great Homecomings’ live offerings out there, with The aquarium of illumination and night glare and this session now out there.
cephalo – gloaming point: Okay that tradition did not last long as we’re ending things with the full short film gloaming point that was shown at theirshow of the same name that we attended in February, now featuring English subtitles. It’s a powerful film, made even more impactful by cephalo’s soundtrack.
Note: Featured photo from recent trip to Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, NY. of Mon Perè, Mon Perè, 1973-1975 by Mark di Suvero.