Nikki Silva’s Debut LP “ty, places” Steps Into the Light

NYC-based pop artist Nikki Silva has dropped her debut LP “ty places,” out on all music platforms NOW. Inspired by the common theatre saying, Silva is finally ready to step into the light as a full-fledged artist. Alongside her extensive experience in TV and film, Silva finds deep inspiration in all of the ‘places’ she’s been to. to share a body of work that makes creative light of pain. The release of “ty, places” follows the recent music video drop for her captivating single “manic episode,” which has racked up nearly 100,000 views on YouTube. Utilizing the backdrop of a Brooklyn apartment and a simple songwriting approach (just a microphone), “ty places” is a reflection of work, dedication, and passion - all ethics that Nikki Silva is ready to put the spotlight on. About “ty, places”, she says:

This is my first solo project. I’ve written for other artists, been in a band, but this one is Nikki telling Nikki’s story. Teddy Kumpel and I had the best time making ty, places - laughing and being silly the entire time. All while healing and learning that everything has led me to where I am.



Nikki Silva is a dynamic force in New York City’s creative scene; an actress, singer, director, and activist whose work radiates passion, authenticity, and a bit of delightful eccentricity. On screen, Nikki has captivated audiences with roles in acclaimed series like Law & Order: SVU and Twisted Fiction. Her performance as Susan in the feature film Our Lady of Queens earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 2024 Chelsea Film Festival, and in 2021, she drew attention for her portrayal of Eve in the short film Eve, directed by Wesley Wang.

Alongside her experience in TV and film, Nikki spent seven years as the lead singer and rapper in the reggae-rock band The Big Happy, touring the East coast and sharing stages with Beres Hammond, Slightly Stoopid, and Sublime with Rome. Now stepping into the solo spotlight, she is thrilled to share her debut LP “ty, places,” created in collaboration with producer Teddy Kumpel.

Beyond the stage and screen, Nikki is the co-founder of The Exceptional Pageant, a non-profit beauty pageant for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Now in its 11th year, it offers a platform for joy, confidence, and community.

Whether performing, creating, or advocating, Nikki Silva is a bold, expressive voice reshaping the entertainment landscape - one genre, one story, and one soul at a time.

“ty, places” is out NOW on all music platforms.

Indie Rock Giant Greg Hoy Says Yay For Effort on Solitary New LP

The new LP by eclectic and versatile rocker Greg Hoy, “Yay For Effort”, is now available on Bandcamp, Spotify and all the major services with a planned first single/video “Comfort Vendetta” coming to YouTube soon.

Piano and acoustic themes abound under lyrical reflections about the rapid-fire loss of several close people in his life: his father, a college bandmate, and his career mentor. Quieter, piano pop motifs are supplemented by the occasional drum loop, 80’s sample, or a familiar distorted melodic guitar of past work - yet still reflective of the energy of his live shows. Make no mistake: there's still plenty of both power and pop, even as it's delivered in a more quiet, introspective way.

The closing of San Francisco’s famed indie Tiny Telephone studio - where Hoy first recorded after moving west over a decade ago - allowed his purchase of the studio’s coveted 1970’s Eventide Harmonizer effects unit used on albums by John Vanderslice, Spoon, Sleater-Kinney, John Doe, and countless others. This helped shape an album as varied as the FM-radio comfort food music of his youth which he revisited often over the past years including Eno-era David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, T-Rex, Elvis Costello, and early solo Peter Gabriel.

Greg meticulously wrote, played, recorded, mixed, and mastered the 10 song LP by himself holed up in his California mountain house. The result is all the more impressive considering it was recorded in sessions between floods, fires, pandemics, and while becoming a parent for the first time. The album is also the first to be released under Hoy’s new publishing company Earhopper Songs.



Yay for Effort Summer Tour dates:

6/24 Pacifica CA Winters Tavern

7/08 San Francisco CA Hotel Utah

7/14 Rockville MD Hank Dietle's

7/15 Pittsburgh PA Club Cafe

7/16 Youngstown Westside Bowl

7/18 Brooklyn NY (live recording) Leesta Vall

7/19 New Haven CT Three Sheets

7/20 NYC Arlene’s Grocery

7/21 Philadelphia PA The Fire

7/22 Mechanicsburg PA Metropolis

8/12 Alameda CA The Fireside


East Bay, CA-based songwriter Greg Hoy - who's recorded with Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies), Sylvia Massy (Johnny Cash, Tom Petty), and John Vanderslice (Spoon, Nada Surf) - toured 25 dates across the US in the fall of 2021 supporting his latest vinyl LP release 'Cacophony'. Comparisons to Jack White, Tom Petty, and Brittany Howard aside, the veteran songwriter has been a long time critical favorite. Hip-hop icon Ice-T appeared in his recent music video for 'Can You Take It?' which was nominated for a California Music Video Award. Picked to take part in the 2021 Durango Songwriters Showcase for Film & TV, his songs have been heard on networks such as the CW, HBO, and MTV, as well as in commercials for Pinterest, Adobe, and American Express. Time Out NY says 'Hoy's music is fueled by straight up melodicism.' Red Red Wine on a Sunday says 'Greg's records are deep - like peeling layers off an onion - each song is a revelation!' Broken 8 says his work 'shines with a focused punk rock swagger.'

Ryan Chernin Packs Brilliant Indie-Rock, Alt-Focused Tunes in Latest “You Know Who You Are” LP

Following the release of the single and video “Ash Tray Kisses”, Singer/Songwriter Ryan Chernin recently dropped his Debut LP “You Know Who You Are” via Inhuman Records. Packed with “mature songs, personal lyrics, and intricate instrumentals” its being called “more like an exploration of self than a combination of songs”. And for the NY based Chernin, it seems likely only more positive feedback is headed his way!

Singer/songwriter Ryan Chernin showed an inclination for music at an astoundingly young age.

“My mom has this one story – my grandmother swore by it too – that at three or four months old they were talking to me in my crib and I apparently gave them their exact intonation back,” Chernin recalls, laughing. “According to my mom, that was my introduction to music.” He insists that his real introduction was the Yellow Submarine tape she’d play for him in the car, and the piano lessons he begged his parents to sign him up for as a child.

Over the years Chernin’s parents continued to encourage his love for music and his passion for performing, knowing even back then that it was more than just a phase.




In college Chernin studied film, and as an accomplished actor, spent much of his time in and around theaters. However the spotlight is something the soft-spoken artist has never been entirely comfortable with. The reason, according to him, is simple: “Every time I got on stage and did musical theater, I was always a character. I was very much about throwing myself into those characters.” That disconnect is something Chernin struggled to overcome as he began working on his latest LP, “You Know Who You Are”. “It’s me up there. It’s my pain, my happiness. It’s all out there and it’s very vulnerable.”

You Know Who You Are is the culmination of a year’s worth of work in and out of the studio, a sultry collection of songs about life, love, and loss. “What was most important to us was to take our time with it and really make sure it was perfect every step of the way,” Chernin explains. “It was about selecting the right people.” That list of people includes producer John Eugenio, mixer Chris Davies, and SNL guitarist Jared Scharff. The result is a maturity and depth that takes most artists years to capture, with Chernin’s quick wit and caustic sense of humor complimenting his raw indie rock sound.

For More Information on Ryan, VISIT:

www.RyanChernin.com

Shock Radar Release Brand New “Innovations” LP

With 2018 in full swing, NYC-based Shock Radar recently released their latest full length studio album “Innovations” produced over a five year period, tracked and mixed in the most illustrious recording studios in the world!

Singer/Songwriter- Lee J Diamond worked on this material for an extended amount of time, as the band felt rushed in the past to release more content on a high-speed frequent schedule.  "Innovations" is a kaleidoscopic audio journey through many different styles of music from art-pop new wave singles to atmospheric soundtrack landscapes.  This was a labor of love for Diamond since the beginning.  Shock Radar is notorious for their chaotic live performances and metal-riff inspired rock songs.  Various musicians from different backgrounds were assembled to create something uniquely different from the previous releases.  Diamond not only composed the music, but played a variety of obscure instruments including vintage analog synths, banjo, sitar and Moog.

"I wanted to break out of the wall-to-wall guitar rock my band is known for and explore new ground.  I had been working on soundtrack and film scoring material while writing these songs and felt like a schizophrenic New York City rock opera of sorts was brewing.  If I threw away the typical guidelines most bands follow in making a record, I knew I could create something extraordinary.” says Diamond. He continues “Having years off to record in different studios with a large group of multi-talented musicians added to the unknown result of what this album would become. I worked with different lead singers for the first time on this one to come up with a whole new sound, reinventing myself as a composer. Within this psychotropic journey, there are still elements of the original band- feel good rockers, sing-along choruses, but mostly it is an experimental album, organized and compiled like a movie soundtrack."

The eccentric styling of Shock Radar’s 'Post-Rock' songs are fresh and unique. Born and raised in New York where he worked at several record stores until attending Boston's Berklee College of Music on scholarship, and further studying art and journalism at New School University, Lee J Diamond has climbed his way to the top, simply doing what he does best- mixing and playing all styles from around the world.

"Innovations" was mixed and produced at Mozart Street Studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn by Ryan Howe.