Link: www.joannaburns.com

Category: Artist/Songwriter/Producer

For fans of: Fiona Apple, Missy Higgins, Sara Bareilles

Releases: “Music from and Inspired By” , “The Green Year”

Take note:

• Is the composer and music producer for the web series “City of Dreams,” which has been covered by BroadwayWorld.com, Playbill, and USA Today and on which Tony-nominated performer Laura Osnes has guest starred.

• Has worked with producer Dan Romer (“Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Ingrid Michaelson, Jenny Owen Youngs).

• Has opened for Deborah Cox, Fountains of Wayne, Hanson, Harry Connick Jr., Marc Broussard, and Melissa Ferrick, played piano for Phil Bensen when he opened for the Jonas Brothers, performed at Ingrid Michaelson’s Holiday Hip Hop, and performed in a music/comedy show with SNL’s Kate McKinnon.

• Won two Independent Music Awards as a cowriter on Amanda Duncan’s songs “Mistletoe” and “The Cookie Song.”

• Placed third in Ryan Seacrest’s March Music Madness Maroon 5 cover contest with her “Harder to Breathe” cover video.

• Has been covered by AfterEllen.com and OurStage.

• Is currently working on a new album and musical with Justin Anthony Long (one of the creators of “City of Dreams”).

• Will be performing at the Jersey Shore Music Festival on 07/20/13 and hitting the road for a college tour through the northern Great Plains. Visit her official site for more information.

Listen to:

“For You”

Watch:

“Cannonball” (Damien Rice Cover)

“What Makes You Beautiful” (One Direction Cover)

Digital Daggers, which we featured as an unsigned pick in December 2010, has signed an independent record deal with El Camino Media.

El Camino Media is the new venture of Matt Messer. Prior to launching the company, Messer spent nearly two decades working in A&R at EMI Music Publishing, where he signed artists like Augustana, Avenged Sevenfold, and Blink 182. It was also during his tenure at EMI that he played a significant role in the formation of Digital Daggers – members Andrea Wasse and Space were both writers with the publisher, and it was at Messer’s suggestion that the two connected for a writing session. They worked so well together that they decided to take their relationship beyond just songwriting, and Digital Daggers was born.

The band’s new album and first release under El Camino, “Close Your Eyes,” is set to drop on 06/11/13. Until then, enjoy the official lyric video for the album’s lead single, “Out of My Head,” below!

Ayah Marar has released the official music video for “Go Hard.”

Animated by Duwaine Whitfield, the video sees a cartoonized Marar open a can of Powerpuff Girls-esque whoopass on a series of nonhuman antagonists that stand in her way of getting to a show.

Klassik has released the official music video for “ForeverWhatever.”

The video was directed by Xavier Ruffin (Action Bronson, Soulja Boy), who has worked with Klassik in the past, and uses the backdrop of an art museum, slit-scan photography, dance, and a destroyed piano to visually represent the song’s themes of alleviation, artistic freedom, and liberation.

Drop City Yacht Club has released the official music video for “Crickets.”

Directed by Matt Stawski (Cee Lo Green, The Wanted, Train), the playful video features the band fighting for the affection of the fairer sex in a swagger competition.

Title: “Wooden Heart”

Artist: The Kill Van Kulls

Label: Label

Released: 03/18/13

What to know: “Wooden Heart” is The Kill Van Kulls second release. It was produced by Tim Hampton (of Bromheads) and recorded at his studio in Sheffield, England.

Standouts:

• “Wooden Heart”

• “Oceans”

• “Rule the Night”

Title: “Tears You Apart”

Artist: Finish Ticket

Label: Self-released

Released: 02/26/13

What to know: “Tears You Apart” is Finish Ticket’s debut album. It features production from Aaron Hellam (formerly of Picture Atlantic), Dan Whittemore (of Swagger Studios), Greg Camp (of Smash Mouth), and Pierre de Reeder (of Rilo Kiley). De Reeder and Hellam also served as engineers, along with Eddie Caipo. Mixing and mastering responsibilities were taken on by Caipo and Hellam.

Standouts:

• “Numb”

• “Doctor”

• “Catch You on My Way Out”

• “Lying Through Our Teeth”

• “Pockets”

Raheem Cohen has released the official music video for “Simpler.”

Directed by Kiino Villand, the video was shot in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood and features skateboarder Paulo Diaz.

Link: www.thehics.com

Category: Band

For fans of: Jessie Ware, The Invisible, The xx

Releases: Pending

Take note:

• Has received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and NPR’s KCRW.

• Has been covered by NME, among other outlets.

• Was runner-up in the Best Breakthrough Act category at the Worldwide Awards (2013).

• Is currently preparing for the release of its debut EP.

• Will be playing its first show of the year at Hoxton Grill in London on 03/20/13. Visit the band’s official tour page for more information.

Listen to:

“Cold Air”

The Hics – Cold Air by The HICS

Daniela Brooker has released the official music video for “Heartbreaker.”

The video is a throwback to the Jazz Age and serves as a warning to anyone who’s thinking about getting caught up with a player.