NYC Scene Report – Oceanator, Local Nomad, & Michael Beharie

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Oceanator feeling “Stuck,” Local Nomad with a twist on being treated “Like a Child,” and Michael Beharie seeing a “Ghost.”

* Oceanator has a huge spring and summer coming up, and if the single “Stuck” is any indicator, her audience will have grown by leaps and bounds by the fall.

With her sophomore LP, Nothing’s Ever Fine, due out April 8th on Polyvinyl Record Co., and a tour planned from April 5th through June 18th, Oceanator’s music is about to be everywhere, starting with the aforementioned single “Stuck.”

Describing the blistering indie rock song in a statement, the Brooklyn-based artist said, “‘Stuck’ is about that feeling of all your collective traumas, disappointments, and general sadness just accumulating over the years and weighing you down more and more. I wrote this song the very first day I got my new baritone guitar. (Producers) Bartees (Strange) and Mike (Okusami) really helped me bring out the heaviness I was looking for with it in the studio, really helping me dial in a great guitar tone. We borrowed a double kick pedal for this song, and Andrew Whitehurst nailed the drums. Eva Lawitts did the bass remote, and I think the bass line is perfect.”

“Stuck” is the kind of song you feel in your guts, and when you click play I think you’ll find that’s pretty awesome.

* Long Island indie/alt artist Local Nomad is ready to tackle the definition of masculinity with his new single “Like a Child.”

Off his upcoming EP, Stranger in My Hometown, which is due out tomorrow, Local Nomad discussed the song in a statement, saying, “This is another song I redid from my past that took on a new meaning. Parents teach boys that they have to be tough, rugged, and emotionally complacent. I think many guys have their own idea of what being a man really means. As a straight guy I never fit into this mold. I was mostly raised by my mother, and learned at an early age that it is okay to talk about your emotions. She taught me about emotional intelligence. Growing up I was looked at as an outsider, or called sensitive, when in reality I was just expressing my true self.”

Yes, Local Nomad is “in his feelings,” and no, that doesn’t make him any less of a man. Check out “Like a Child,” and hear how good having feelings can sound.

* If you think you’ve seen a ghost … well, you should probably call those Ghost Hunters folks, but if you think you’ve heard a ghost, perhaps it’s because you clicked play on improviser and composer Michael Beharie’s latest single.

The opening salvo from Beharie’s upcoming album, Promise, which is due out May 8th, “Ghost” features the Peruvian string instrument the Charango, and additional vocals from Charlotte Mundy.

Musing on the song, Beharie said, “‘Ghost’ is about early experiences of heartbreak. Maybe the wordless melodies, sung by Charlotte Mundy, represent the heartbreaker. The thuddy 808s supporting the bright stacks of guitars and flutes felt like a good world for this story.”

A gorgeous, unique piece for NYC’s indie music scene, click play on this supernatural treat. You’ll be happy to have heard a “Ghost.”

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.