Three Track Week #9
- Editorial Staff
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
From Cosmic Soul to Punk Protest and Dreamy Pop – This Week in Three Track Week 9
This week’s selections move across contrasting emotional and sonic spaces. Orlando collective The Sh-Booms expand soul traditions into psychedelic territory, Las Vegas trio Crimson Riot channel political urgency into a sharp punk anthem, and NYC singer-songwriter Ren Genevieve captures the fragile anticipation of a first encounter. Together, these releases show how independent artists continue to translate personal experience and social tension into distinct musical forms.
The Sh-Booms - Cosmic Soul Meets Psychedelic Groove
Orlando soul-psych-funk collective The Sh-Booms return with “This Is a Test”, their first new release since 2019 and the title track from an upcoming EP of the same name. Clocking in at over six minutes, the single expands the band’s soul foundations into a cinematic hybrid of funk, post-punk groove and space-rock atmosphere. The track introduces a narrative built around two astronauts drifting through the “cosmic ocean,” where romance, uncertainty and danger collide: an allegory that reflects both the emotional intensity of new love and the precariousness of the present moment.
Sound / Mood
“This Is a Test” unfolds slowly, building from tight rhythm-section lock-grooves into expansive arrangements that blend vocoder-driven funk passages with swirling psychedelic textures. The result feels both grounded and otherworldly: dancefloor energy anchored in classic soul instrumentation but stretched toward cosmic scale.
Why this matters
The Sh-Booms illustrate how contemporary soul revival can move beyond retro aesthetics. Instead of simply recreating vintage sounds, the band treats soul as a flexible framework — colliding funk, New Wave and post-punk elements while maintaining the genre’s emphasis on physical connection and collective movement.
Context
Founded by bassist and bandleader Alfred Ruiz, the Orlando nonet emerged from local garage-punk scenes before evolving into a rhythm-driven soul ensemble built around live energy and communal release. The addition of vocalist Brenda Radney in 2015 expanded the band’s reach, leading to festival appearances and shared stages with artists such as The Roots and The B-52’s. The forthcoming EP This Is a Test marks the group’s first release since the disruptions of 2020, reflecting a period of experimentation and creative recalibration shaped in collaboration with producer Alan Armitage at his Snake Arcade studio in Orlando.
Crimson Riot - Punk as Confrontation and Moral Clarity
Las Vegas punk trio Crimson Riot return with “State Of Despair”, a fast, confrontational single from their upcoming album Third Time’s A Charm (Leg Lamp Records). Released earlier than planned in response to current political tensions in the United States, the track channels frustration into a direct and uncompromising statement against division, discrimination, and authoritarian rhetoric. Rather than softening its message, the song positions punk as a vehicle for moral clarity, insisting that silence in moments of political tension is itself a form of complicity.
Sound / Mood
Driven by rapid-fire drums, sharp guitar riffs, and chant-ready hooks, “State Of Despair” combines classic melodic punk urgency with a modern sense of immediacy. The arrangement moves at full throttle while maintaining a strong sense of melodic structure, allowing the band’s message to cut through the intensity.
Why this matters
Punk has historically functioned as a platform for dissent and social critique. In a media environment often dominated by ambiguity and polarization, Crimson Riot’s approach reflects a tradition of direct political expression, where music becomes a means of articulating ethical positions as much as emotional ones.
Context
Formed in 2017, Crimson Riot is made up of vocalist and guitarist Roxy Gunn, bassist Chris Reject, and drummer Ryan J. Despite the band’s relatively recent formation, the trio’s shared history extends over more than fifteen years of playing together, resulting in a tightly synchronized live dynamic. Their forthcoming album Third Time’s A Charm, due March 20 via Leg Lamp Records, represents the band’s third full-length release and their first vinyl pressing. The record features guest appearances from members of Buck-O-Nine and Lo(u)ser while continuing the group’s blend of high-speed punk energy and melodic songwriting.
Ren Genevieve – Pop Intimacy and the Myth of First Encounters
NYC-based singer-songwriter Ren Genevieve returns with “Museum”, the second single from her upcoming EP Everything I Never Said. The track explores the quiet intensity of a first encounter, the moment when recognition arrives before a relationship has even begun.
Framed through imagery of fate and coincidence, “Museum” reflects on how early emotional impressions can feel suspended in time, like artifacts preserved before their meaning fully unfolds.
Sound / Mood
Built around shimmering guitar lines and soft, spacious production, “Museum” unfolds with a dreamlike atmosphere that balances pop immediacy with introspective restraint. Genevieve’s vocal delivery remains warm and controlled, allowing the song’s reflective tone to emerge gradually rather than through dramatic shifts.
Why this matters
In recent years, independent pop has increasingly turned toward small emotional moments rather than grand narratives. Songs like “Museum” highlight how contemporary singer-songwriters frame intimacy through subtle observation — focusing less on relationship drama and more on the fragile anticipation that precedes it.
Context
Born in Boston and raised between New York, Michigan, and Bermuda, Ren Genevieve combines classical vocal training from the Manhattan School of Music’s Pre-College Program with musical theatre studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her songwriting blends contemporary pop sensibilities with a narrative approach shaped by singer-songwriter traditions.
“Museum,” produced alongside Joshua Monroy, continues the rollout of her upcoming EP Everything I Never Said, which expands on Genevieve’s interest in capturing emotional transitions through melodic storytelling.
Independent music is not a genre - it is a practice.
Across psychedelic soul experimentation, direct punk protest, and intimate pop reflection, this week’s artists illustrate how independent music continues to function as a space for expression, confrontation, and emotional clarity. Each track offers a different entry point into the cultural ecosystems where contemporary scenes evolve.
Explore our latest Artist Features for deeper perspectives on new releases.
Dive into Scene Reflections: Berlin for observations from the city’s local music culture.
Visit For Artists for resources supporting sustainable independent practice.
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