New Jersey’s Hodera spent 2015 bubbling gently under the surface, a character trait mimicked in their sound. ‘United By Birdcalls’, the band’s debut full-length, arrived to a muted fanfare yet welcomed acclaim. Built around stellar songwriting with a folk (dare I say it) troubadour aesthetic, the sound is gentle yet frank. It’s downbeat but reassuring, both a soundtrack to a mellow evening and to emotional turmoil. For Hodera, and on ‘United By Birdcalls’, bubbling under the surface is the new black.

Hear the full record on their BandCamp.