Ted Sablay You’ll Be Back Here Soon
The pandemic might have postponed The Killers’ latest world tour, but it also gave touring guitarist Ted Sablay the momentum he needed to finish his first full-length solo album. On You’ll Be Back Here Soon, Sablay, who has performed with The Killers for the past 15 years, steps wholly into his own musical identity here, presenting strong, harmonious vocals and catchy, can’t-get-them-out-of-your-head hooks. Sablay holds nothing back on this 10-track LP, oscillating between regret, sadness and love like a swinging pendulum of catharsis. It’s an impressive debut that warrants immediate, repeated plays. tedsablay.com
XXYYZZ Waxed Pulp
From The Mad Caps to The Magic Family to Inhuman Again, singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Ted Rader has proven time and again that he’s a musical world-builder worthy of our attention. He recently launched electronic project XXYYZZ with Magic Family mate Jose Torres—also known for his work with Vegas acts Leather Lungs and The Acid Sisters—and the pair recently released debut EP Waxed Pulp. “Jose and I have been getting together for about a year experimenting with hardware synthesizers and sequencers,” Rader says. “The inspiration was really to make music with just those tools and to avoid the use of computers.” Rader and Torres accomplish it with expert precision. Whispery vocals drown in distortion under synthesized dance beats, while wobbly waves of sound reverberate. It plays like an evening out in space, a lift off from the gravity of our lives into something far more infinite and free. linktr.ee/theexxyyzz
Kat Kalling “Wish U the Best”
Singer-songwriter Kat Kalling finds clarity on this emotional ballad, supported by simple keys and a steady, throbbing beat. She reigns listeners in with powerful storytelling and an even greater lesson in self-care, as her voice coasts through the chorus like a skipped pebble, creating something of an echo—and an earworm. She exhibits just the right amount of vocal control here, equal parts vulnerability and strength. linktr.ee/katkalling
Neon “No Smoke”
The latest single from this Vegas artist, whose influences include Solange, Erykah Badu and Missy Elliot, demands your attention—and your presence on the dancefloor. “No Smoke,” featuring local MC Kenyadda, plays like a fresh, ’70s-inspired classic. At its essence, the song is an anthemic plea to remain drama-free. “Just keep it cool/Don’t act like a lame/Keep it a bop/I’ll do the same,” Neon sings over funky guitar licks, breezing through the dance-driven pop number with style, soul and substance worthy of her muses. linktr.ee/neon1
Theo “Swing in Peace” & “Chose Violence”
The North Las Vegas rapper with the fleet-footed flow returns with two singles produced by locals QuixkMadeIt and Noize. “With ‘Swing in Peace’ I wanted to capture a feeling that lets you escape reality for a few minutes,” Theo says. “We created a whole bounce vibe that lets you close your eyes and be a superhero.” Throughout the track, Theo rapidly burns through bars about Spider-Man, building energy and desire to just “swing in peace.” Meanwhile, on “Chose Violence,” the rapper unloads pent-up aggression with Vegas battle-rap master Miles Low. Both tracks are well-produced and indicative, Theo says, of more music to come. Theonlvmusic.com
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