The band Boyce Avenue from Sarasota just dropped a cover of Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination” on December 15, 2023. You know, the song from Willy Wonka? Yep, that one. The original is from the ’71 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Gene Wilder sang it, and it was written in just one day by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, who did it over the phone.

Boyce Avenue did their version, and they even made a music video for it. You can catch the video debut on December 17, 2023. It’s a cool take on a classic!

Boyce Avenue, was founded by Alejandro Luis Manzano and his brothers Daniel Enrique Manzano and Fabian Rafael Manzano. The band’s name is a nod to the streets they grew up on.

Known for their acoustic roots and melodic rock vibe, Boyce Avenue shares both original tracks and covers of popular songs on YouTube. They’ve collaborated with various YouTube artists and even joined forces with talents from “The X Factor.”

Taking their music worldwide, Boyce Avenue frequently tours across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the European Union, Australia, and Southeast Asia. In April 2016, they dropped their third studio album, “Road Less Traveled,” reaching #15 on the U.S. Heatseekers chart. The album was released under their independent label, 3 Peace Records.

Alanna Patricio releases the infectious track “Density,” reminiscent of Melanie Martinez and Olivia Rodrigo. The track offers nearly three minutes of pure bliss, attitude, and regret.

The track got 10k streams within a week of its release and could fit into Spotify’s indie pop, sad indie, alt pop, and alt nation playlists.

Alanna says, “There have been numerous times where I have felt unheard and there have been double the amount of times I’ve experienced regret of my own actions for not standing up for myself. Density was fueled off of my own regrets of being a people-pleaser. I had always struggled with saying no and I would always dive at the chance to appease others. I wrote Density so I could be heard. Density as a song doesn’t just go out for those who listen to music, but to those who need to hear it’s okay to say no.”

Be sure to keep an eye out for the uptempo indie rock song Delusional by the band DUUNES. Reminiscent of bands like The Killers, The Strokes, Kings Of Leon, and Arctic Monkeys, this song will transport you back to the early 2000s when alternative rock dominated the music scene and filled arenas.

DUUNES’ new song “Delusional” is about wanting a better life in tough times. “I wanted to write a song that said, screw it all, life is hard but I’ll do anything to overcome what stands in my way,” says songwriter Harrison Cohen. “It’s about pushing past the pressure cookers of society, the poisons of screen culture, and wanting to make changes.”

Delusional was made with the duo HEAVY (known for their work with Lovelytheband, Saint Motel, The Unlikely Candidates). It was mixed by Tony Hoffer (who has worked with Beck, The Kooks, Phoenix) and mastered by Howie Weinberg (renowned for his work with Nirvana, The Killers, The Smashing Pumpkins).

You don’t want to miss out on “Bed All Day” by Emma Dilemma. It’s a fantastic track that gives off major vibes of Beck’s hit, “Loser”. If you’re a fan of hip-hop or alternative rock, this song is worth checking out!

Emma says, “Bed All Day’ reflects my playful side; my tendency to take something that’s bringing me down and make fun of it,” says Emma. “When I’m in darker spaces emotionally, I tend to act out with drugs and alcohol which keeps me stuck in bed all day beating myself up, and getting increasingly more anxious about my adult responsibilities that I’m abandoning.”

“This song is me trying to tell myself it’s somehow a good thing that I’m blowing out and trying to make it fun – but ultimately I know I’m doing more harm than good, which is reflected in the middle eight section lyric.”

Emma Dilemma made a splash in Aotearoa’s music scene with her first album, SPIT, in 2022. It got a lot of love, hitting #3 on the NZ Album Charts. Emma’s all about breaking the rules in today’s music world. She mixes music, art, comedy, activism, and politics like it’s no big deal.

Now, she’s teaming up with the legendary Zed for their Aotearoa tour. Emma’s taking the stage in her hometown, Christchurch, on December 8 at The Church. Next, she’ll be in Dunedin at Erriks on December 9, and the tour wraps up in Queenstown at Yonder on December 10

Check out Sultans Court and the new song “No Pressure” by the Berlin band Sultans Court has a cool indie vibe that’s great for the chilly season. The track is the third single from the forthcoming ‘Everything’s Fine EP,’ set to come out January 2024.

In this tune, the band flaunts their creativity with a cool lo-fi style. The drums and guitars bring a light and chill vibe, like a trip down memory lane in a cozy record store. The deliberately simple sound keeps up the band’s retro feel, kinda like Mac DeMarco or Arlo Parks.

The track could find a home on Spotify’s Indie Chill Vibes and Chill Indie Beats.

In “No Pressure,” the band dives into the ups and downs of a relationship that’s going through a tough time. The song captures the desire for happier moments while facing the struggle of trying to make things work. It’s all about wondering if it’s possible to leave behind the worries and fears and find better days together.

The band says, “We usually write quite sad and dark songs, “No Pressure” was made out of a desire to take a different angle than usual. We caught ourselves listening to a lot of Lofi Music to calm us down in hard times; “No Pressure” was made to do just that: even if things might look dire, try to have a look at the bright side.

When Julius Klaus and Konstantin Hennecke, the brains behind Sultans Court, first met in a car in 2015, they didn’t know it would lead to a musical journey. Later, Leander Kohn joined on drums, and Markus Hartung on synths. Their music is a mix of influences like Flume, Foals, and Weval, blending lively analog sounds with digital and sampled elements. After their debut EP, “From Afar,” gained over a million streams, Sultans Court played at festivals like Fuchsbau Festival, Reeperbahn Festival, and Nürnberg Pop.