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Bad Luck Brigade share expansive, dynamic new album ‘NOTHING’

Bad Luck Brigade have shared a new album, titled NOTHING. Out of Salt Lake City, Bad Luck Brigade has carved out a sound that feels deliberate, soulful, and intense. The six-piece outfit approaches hip-hop as a living, breathing form, built not on backing tracks but on the vitality of a full band. Drums snap and swing, basslines rumble, guitar and keys stretch the harmonic edges, and horns cut through with sharp punctuation. At the center, the vocals arrive urgent and unfiltered- lyrically dense and delivered with conviction.

Founded in 2022 by Kilow and Ikaika Meatoga, Bad Luck Brigade quickly earned a reputation for explosive, exhilarating live shows. The band balances gripping energy with tight arrangements that leave room for improvisation, as well as moments of chaos that resolve into precision. It’s jazz-minded in spirit, hip-hop in backbone, and truly their own.

On their latest album NOTHING, Bad Luck Brigade stretch the boundaries of live hip-hop, shaping a project that moves with intention, range, and a clear sense of identity. “A LITTLE” is an immediate statement of intent driven by tight grooves and incisive verses that put the group’s technical precision front and center. “FREE CIGS” follows with a looser, playful spirit, folding rugged textures into a rhythm that swerves confidently across stylistic lines. Midway through, “SHADED” settles into a mellow, soulful pocket, offering a moment of clarity and quiet optimism that deepens the album’s emotional range. “JACKPOT!” leans into spontaneity, channeling elements of free jazz and funk into a fluid, inviting performance that balances finesse with risk. “LOVER FIGHTER” stands out towards the end of the track-list for its sharp musicianship and unfiltered delivery, for a resonant listen.

Their latest album NOTHING captures a group operating with trust in one another and conviction in their sound, translating the urgency of their live show into a record that feels immediate, cohesive, and built to last.

Listen to NOTHING on all platforms HERE.

Connect with Bad Luck Brigade: Instagram

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Blog Roundhouse Features

Maris O’Tierney finds solace and space on Park Hills Circle debut “Sight of the Moon”

Chicago singer-songwriter Maris O’Tierney has introduced her new solo outfit, Park Hills Circle, with the release of her debut single “Sight of the Moon,” which arrived on Dec. 17.

Formerly a co-leader of the indie-folk outfit Maeve & Quinn, O’Tierney’s move into a solo space finds her expanding her sound rather than retreating inward. On “Sight of the Moon,” she marries Midwest emo–tinged guitar work with Americana-influenced string arrangements, quietly complemented by sparse, deliberate percussion.

O’Tierney weaves the storytelling traditions of her Irish heritage with the vast, mountainous atmosphere of her home state of Alaska, while subtly drawing on her background in classical music. The result is a sound that feels both grounded and expansive, intimate yet windswept.

“‘Sight of the Moon’ is a tender unfolding — a return to myself, and a re-awakening to daily wonders, as my perspective slowly shifted through a disorienting period of change,” O’Tierney said. “I was living alone for the first time, understanding my needs and desires, learning to make a home. The song bridges parts of myself: origins in opera and classical guitar, layered with a loop pedal and nested harmonies. I’ve always centered my spirit through quiet walks in the cold night air, as I did growing up in the Alaska mountains. The song began there.”

Her lyrics are soaked in sorrow and quiet reflection. “I still have the leaf you gave me, the autumn that you left / I still have the grief you gave me, but that’s not all I kept,” she sighs, her crisp, legato vocals stretching effortlessly over the song’s nocturnal instrumentation.

“Sight of the Moon” serves as the lead single from Park Hills Circle’s debut album, All of a Sudden, set for release this spring.

Stream “Sight of the Moon” HERE.

(Photo credit/Maren Celest)

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Blog Roundhouse Features

Lil Derik shares soulful new EP ‘Red Dragon’

Lil Derik has shared a fresh EP, titled Red Dragon. From the South Side of St. Louis, Lil Derik moves between two worlds. By day he’s a substitute teacher and basketball coach. By night he’s one of the city’s sharpest independent hip-hop voices. Raised on the words of Rakim, 2Pac, OutKast, and Wayne, he started rapping in high school and formed the collective “More Than Music” with his closest friends.

After graduating and heading to Mizzou, he created Huey vs. Riley: The Mixtape in 2018, a release that quietly became a local cult classic. In the years since, he’s built an impressive body of work with five solo albums, four collaborations, thirteen EPs, and countless singles, all leading to his 2025 studio album Enter The Dragon, released on his twenty-seventh birthday.

The project opened doors. Festivals, co-headlining shows, a Connect The Dots freestyle, and a spot in the 2025 St. Louis Freshmen Class all followed. Now, with momentum at his back, Lil Derik begins the next chapter, starting with Red Dragon, a three-track EP crafted alongside UK producer Brey10.

Lil Derik weaves together potent, poetic lines filled with hard-earned introspection, resting them gently in Brey10’s warm and textured soundscape. His lyricism feels lived-in and honest, soulful without trying to be and focused without ever feeling forced, with a butter-smooth flow that glides across every beat he touches.

The EP opens with “Buick Lesabre,” carried by laid-back, silky loops that feel like a slow drive through familiar streets. Derik’s verses move with a graceful ease, blending memory, reflection, and calm confidence into something intimate and effortless.

“Fall In Love” follows and widens the world of the project. Expansive sampling and organic grooves create a vibrant backdrop for Derik’s raw and engaging flow. He shifts between vulnerability and swagger with natural rhythm, making it one of the project’s standout moments.

The EP closes with “Til Death Do Us Part,” a cathartic finale built on rising, evocative instrumentation. Here, Derik sharpens his pen, offering pensive lines that linger long after the track fades. It is a closer that reaffirms his voice, his craft, and the emotional clarity he brings to every release.

Together, the three tracks form a vivid and soulful snapshot of where Lil Derik stands today: grounded, expressive, and fully locked into his artistry.

Listen to Red Dragon here now on our platform:

Listen to Red Dragon on all platforms HERE.

Connect with Lil Derik: Instagram | X