NYC Scene Report – Nisa, Sammy Rae & The Friends, & Discovery Zone

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Nisa hiding in the “Smokescreen,” Sammy Rae & The Friends singing a “Coming Home Song” as they finish up a tour, and Discovery Zone being “All Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go.”

* Brooklyn-based artist Nisa has announced her debut album, Shapeshifting, will be coming out April 26th via Tender Loving Empire Records, and the opening salvo is the ‘90s alternative tinged single “Smokescreen.”

Describing the inspiration for the song in a statement, Nisa said, “I wrote ‘Smokescreen’ about the dance between seeking closure while being unable to fully let go. I was stuck in a loop of repetitive behavior, and somehow also expecting to feel different, and after a while it started to weigh on me. In order to make a change I had to admit that I was prone to harmful patterns, and this song is about that self-realization.”

Speaking of loops, I’m not exaggerating when I say I played “Smokescreen” four times in a row when I first heard it, and it got better every time. Check out the video, and get excited about Nisa.

* Sammy Rae & The Friends have been on tour since February 9th, and won’t be returning home until after the wrap things up on March 10th. Poetically, their most recently released single is titled “Coming Home Song.”

Off the band’s upcoming full-length debut album, which is due out later this year, if you love the spirit, and energy of Sammy Rae & The Friends’ raucous live shows, “Coming Home Song” gives you that feel-good, dance like no one is watching vibe in a three minute reminder to be kind to yourself.

The message is one that’s necessary for those of us who tend to be hard on ourselves, yours truly included, which is why the lyrics, and the way Sammy Rae delivers them, are the perfect inspiration to practice a little more self-compassion, and treat ourselves like we would a good friend.

The video for “Coming Home Song” features Sammy Rae’s trademark sense of humor, as she navigates her way through an awful day, eventually arriving home to take care of herself, and enjoy her own company.

We could all learn a lesson from Sammy here, so click play, and come home with Sammy Rae & The Friends.

* NYC-based artist Discovery Zone recently released a single titled “All Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go,” and the music video, which features a very cool mash-up of a virtual world, and reality, is an absolute must-see.

Discovery Zone is the experimental pop project of JJ Weihl – not to be confused with the Discovery Zone that was a 1990’s chain of entertainment facilities designed for children – and “All Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go” is off her upcoming album, Quantum Web, which is due out March 8th via RVNG Intl.

The video begins with an angel avatar exploring a virtual world that is bereft of humanity. After going through a flaming portal, suddenly the virtual world becomes real, and the avatar becomes Discovery Zone in the flesh.

The clip was directed and edited by Janosch Pugnaghi, and it’s the perfect visual accompaniment to the ethereal beauty of the song.

Click play on “All Dressed Up With Nowhere to Go,” and discover Discovery Zone.

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