Staff Picks: The LANDR Distribution Artists We Loved in March

Thousands of artists trust LANDR Distribution to get their tracks on streaming platforms worldwide. But did you know we listen to every single submission? Here’s a taste of some of the incredible talent that comes through our distribution community.

March comes in like a lion.

If you know the saying, it refers to the biting cold of the early days of the month, tapering off into the calm warmth of spring. The air, rife with new possibilities.

Like September, this month is dedicated to transitions. New music, new (livestreamed) performances—and a fresh start for getting creative!

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Digging through our distribution catalog, we’ve found the perfect set of tracks from artists around the world to reflect this.

From Brighton-based punk rockers to brisk Asian shoegaze, here are our favorites for March.

SHIVVERS – Wrong Side Sally

If “coming in like a lion” isn’t an accurate description of this Brighton-based post-punk rockers latest release, I don’t know what is.

SHIVVERS, with their crunching guitars and catchy dance-pop claps, kicks the door open with “Wrong Side Sally”.

From Brighton-based punk rockers to brisk Asian shoegaze, here are our favorites for March.

Raucous, frenetic—and with a lot of attitude. SHIVVERS manages to say bye-bye to winter with explosive grace.

Sounds like: Thee Oh Sees, Death From Above 1979, Skegss

Baby Combat – Ten Times Fold

If you know me, I’m a big sucker for shoegaze.

Singapore-born and New York-based artist Baby Combat adds layers of introspection with the eponymous hook “Ten Times Fold” catching your ears.

The track is as cold as winter—an aesthetic that you can find in many Eastern European and Russian shoegaze (Blankenberge) acts.

It’s brooding. It’s pure atmosphere.

Baby Combat is able to balance that with the sentimental musings so reminiscent of the Asian Shoegaze scenes, with direct comparisons to Singapore darlings Cosmic Child and Chinese shoegazers RUBUR.

Baby Combat is able to balance that with the sentimental musings so reminiscent of the Asian Shoegaze scenes

Sounds like: Cosmic Child, Blankenberge, RUBUR

Now Salihu – Nur

Much like a good crate-digging session, Now Salihu’s “Nur” is an old release (2018) but nevertheless a gem in our growing distribution catalog.

Now Salihu’s mantric chorus in “Nur” roughly meaning “light” is a great segue into the latter portions of Spring—bringing a dreamlike warmth and optimism to a month so caught up in the in-betweens.

Upon repeated listens, particularly with the production I had immediate callbacks to indie rappers Cities Aviv and Oddisee, both of whom belong to an early-to-mid 2010s era of hip-hop and alternative rap.

Sounds like: Cities Aviv, Oddisee

Elevator Operator – Talk

Another callback to a not-so-distant era of music, Elevator Operator is a warm nostalgia trip into garage and alternative-rock.

Their latest release “Talk” (2020) is three minutes of young adult, angst-ridden goodness.

Elevator Operator reminds me of high-energy all-ages shows in DIY venues and word-of-mouth house concerts (and boy do I miss those).

If anything, “Talk” is a great indicator as to what Elevator Operator can achieve. And, if they can keep the same high-spirited energy, I’m all for it!

Sounds like: Arctic Monkeys, Tokyo Police Club

Parachute Planet – By My Side

The latter half of “March comes in like a lion” is the saying: “and out like a lamb”.

If the initial selection of Staff Picks for March represented the cold biting energy of Winter, Parachute Planet serves as an excellent stand in for the calm warmth of Spring.

With their 2020 release Falling Is Joy, “By My Side” is the standout from a handful of great tracks from Parachute Planet’s recent EP.

Get fast, insightful support and promotional tips, tools and tricks and distribution to 100+ music streaming platforms when you release your tracks with LANDR. Release a track.

Carrying a similar, although more positive sentimentality as Baby Combat’s “Ten Times Fold”, Parachute Planet’s “By My Side” is a great juxtaposition of moods.

Sounds like: Beach House, Wavves

FRogers – Postman

Do you still get mail?

Big question—but all that aside, FRogers latest album All I Ever Wanted caps off our monthly Staff Picks with the opener “Postman”.

The staccato pulse of the drums (think Local Natives) propels “Postman” forward with FRogers delivering a wispy, understated vocal performance that feels like a The National deep cut.

It’s an excellent contrast to the sugar-rush instrumentation interspersed throughout.

Sounds like: Yo La Tengo, The National, Pavement

Learn more about LANDR’s Rising Artist Initiative

We wanted to give back to our distribution community. Every month we choose a deserving LANDR distribution user to be our next Rising Artist.

The winner receives $5000 in Spotify Ad credits, access to premium LANDR tools and coaching on LANDR Network.

The winner receives $5000 in Spotify Ad credits

To win, all you have to do is be a LANDR Distribution user and apply.

Learn more about it on the Rising Artist Initiative page.

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Nikki Celis is a writer and editor at Sticky Rice Magazine. When he’s not writing songs for Calm Lake, he indulges in his hyper-focuses like Malaysian recipes, Muay Thai, and Asian shoegaze.

@Nikki Celis