discovering and sharing the music that moves us

Author: Ambur Masen

Ambur Masen is a freelance writer whose "Breaking Waves" column aims to document wave music history as it unfolds. She is also a Hudson Valley local who loves nothing more than driving up and down the Thruway with her windows down, blasting the latest & greatest from the electronic underground. She is currently publishing with MendoWerks, Lightwood, The Electric Hawk, and others.
Wave Nation: ADE 2023 Lineup Announced
Events, Features, Music

Wave Nation: ADE 2023 Lineup Announced

Welcome to Wave Nation: Amsterdam, the 2nd annual wave music event presented during ADE--this year, featuring artists like Skeler, REMNANT.exe, and more. Read on to find all the need-to-know details about the show, and why this one's particularly special to us here at MendoWerks. If you are planning on heading to the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2023, trust us when we say that this is the show to add to your schedule if you want to understand what's hot in underground electronic music right now. Buyer beware-- the first two ticket tiers are already sold out! Wave Nation: ADE lineup, featuring Skeler, REMNANT.exe, and... Welcome to Wave Nation: Amsterdam, the 2nd annual wave music event presented during ADE by some familiar faces. This year, the wave scene is hosted by Wave...
Meet mvrina, the Wave Artist Whose Music We’ve Been ‘searching’ For. [exclusive interview]
Features, Interviews

Meet mvrina, the Wave Artist Whose Music We’ve Been ‘searching’ For. [exclusive interview]

"Wave, to me, is about expressing yourself and showing a different, emotional side of yourself that most people wouldn’t usually see."-mvrina In this issue of "Breaking Waves," we connected with North Carolina-based wave artist, mvrina, to chat about her music, what it's like to be a working artist, birthday traditions, and more. mvrina is someone we've been keeping our eye on for a while now, and we're so excited to have gotten a chance to chat with her! To refresh your memory, mvrina is one of the artists featured in this list of some of the best music that's been coming from the wave scene lately. In particular, the music that she makes has a certain gentleness to it that we just can't get enough of. It's perfect for the times where you need to take a deep breath and be a littl...
Trust Us, “What U Want” is to Get to Know shxde & Ivoryghost. [exclusive interview]
Features, Interviews

Trust Us, “What U Want” is to Get to Know shxde & Ivoryghost. [exclusive interview]

Have you ever seen a song announcement on social media, and had to scroll back up to read it again, just to make sure you read it right?--to make sure that you weren't dreaming? Well, that was us when shxde and Ivoryghost teased "What U Want" for the first time. For us, there was a genuine moment of shock involved in that reveal-- because in our case, "What U Want" is exactly what we wanted. Even better, we got to connect with both producers for a quick chat about the collaboration, what brought them together for it, and more. Read on for details. Listen to shxde x Ivoryghost - "What U Want" on Spotify: This is one of those songs where you will get sucked in within seconds, but will want to hang on through to the very last beat. While you listen, you're going to get hit with...
10 Wave Songs to Listen To Right Now
Features, Music

10 Wave Songs to Listen To Right Now

So, it appears that we've abandoned the monthly format we once used for these "Wave Wrapped" posts after approximately two months... whoops-- But, hey-- good news! That just means that now we get to introduce you to double the songs as we usually do while we catch you up on all the hidden gems coming from the wave scene lately. Given all of the recent big news--the compilations, the tours, the festival appearances, and what-have-you--it's easy to miss some really great songs. So let's dive in! 10 Wave Songs to Add to Your Library: If you like gentle, delicate wave music that's going to transport you to a dreamlike, yet restorative place… then check out: mvrina – “dreams of u” If you like hugely emotional music that ends in a much different place than i...
What to Watch Tonight: Brought To You by MendoWerks
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What to Watch Tonight: Brought To You by MendoWerks

Picture this: you just got home from work, and it's finally time to relax. You pick up the remote, but terror strikes, leaving you paralyzed. Your freshly-microwaved leftover spaghetti gets cold in your lap. You're drawing a blank. The television is staring just as blankly back at you as you both realize that last night, you finished the latest re-watch of your favorite mid-2010's sitcom... and now... You have absolutely no idea what to watch tonight. Don't panic. Take a deep breath; take a bite of your spaghetti. It's okay--we've all been there. We have some good news for you. Every month, our in-house film critic, Matt Shiverdecker, curates a special list of all the best current and upcoming content that's coming out across streaming channels, just for our MendoWerks...
King Leer Takes Us Back to “The Garden”
Features, Music

King Leer Takes Us Back to “The Garden”

New Jersey-based indie singer-songwriter, King Leer, is back with a new sickly-sweet tune, “The Garden.”  Always full of gorgeous contradiction, this artist is definitely one to check out if you’re feeling all mixed up about something…or someone. Or, if you like to have a soundtrack while you get in your feelings-- King Leer's music is a good outlet for that, too. In addition, King Leer commemorated the release of "The Garden" with an immersive new music video, which is now available to stream on YouTube. It's honestly quite beautiful and worth checking out. Go ahead-- go get lost in 'The Garden' for a while: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw5KwyK-s7s The music video for this new King Leer song is a gorgeous, kaleidoscopic scrapbook. It combines the intimacy of a pho...
New Music Video: Explosive Windwaker Anthem “SIRENS”
Events, Features, Music

New Music Video: Explosive Windwaker Anthem “SIRENS”

It's rare for a new band to make me immediately feel nostalgic towards their music--but that's exactly what Windwaker did with their anthemic new single, "SIRENS". Listening to Windwaker's music for the first time made me feel like I was sixteen again, but in all the best ways. It's almost as if they took everything that I loved about a typical Warped Tour lineup and distilled it down, yet still made it sound fresh somehow. See for yourself-- Catch the video for "SIRENS" by Windwaker on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZr1Vr7TvZw There's something deliciously melodic about "SIRENS" that I can't get enough of. However, don't let the contagious melodies fool you--this song is just as hard and in-your-face as others within metalcore-and-related spaces. Spe...
Taking Back Sunday Returns in 2023 with “The One”
Events, Features, Music

Taking Back Sunday Returns in 2023 with “The One”

Emo kids everywhere can rejoice: Taking Back Sunday has released new music--yes, new music in 2023! The new single, titled "The One," marks the band's first new track in four years--and it comes with a new music video, too. The wait may have been long, but the genre-defining rockers are back. What are you waiting for? Go stream that shit. Check out "The One" by Taking Back Sunday on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7JmnFOR3DUiRTkEybOlDqh?autoplay=true Speaking on the song's deeper meaning, the legendary '00s emo band explains, "This song came from a riff that Shaun Cooper wrote the day he lost his grandmother while she was in a nursing home at the start of the Covid pandemic. Devastated with overpowering sadness, he found comfort in writing music and initially ...
The Frst is Bringing the Heat this Summer with “Bruce Lee,” ft. Kellin Quinn & Bronnie (INTERVIEW)
Features, Interviews

The Frst is Bringing the Heat this Summer with “Bruce Lee,” ft. Kellin Quinn & Bronnie (INTERVIEW)

Our favorite Nashville-based alt rockers, The Frst, are back again this summer with another banger: “Bruce Lee." This latest song is a collaboration with pop punk legend, Kellin Quinn (Sleeping with Sirens), and British pop-rock queen, Bronnie. This song serves as further proof that The Frst can tackle guitar music from any genre-defying angle they choose--including going as far as dropping 'producer tags' in the opening few beats. The result is always fun. See for yourself-- Check out "Bruce Lee" on Spotify, below. https://open.spotify.com/album/2HJsL2fH2nuMGmEEs9HdvN?si=fjkG7AlAS72LnqrpIa3nUw&nd=1 A Collaboration of Epic Proportions This song is the result of some epic collaborators coming together, so we took some time to get together with singer...
The Revolutions Live Tour: Find Shinedown, Papa Roach & Spiritbox in a City Near You.
Events, Features, Music

The Revolutions Live Tour: Find Shinedown, Papa Roach & Spiritbox in a City Near You.

Our earliest live music experiences can also be some of the most transformative, foundational experiences of our lives. For some, these experiences might have been with local children's entertainment groups, or seeing early pop favorites--but for me, those experiences were dominated by Shinedown, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace, and other hard rock/nu-metal acts of the 2000's. As an teenager, I would always look at my favorite bands' tour announcements, even if I knew there wasn't a chance in Hell that I'd make it to a show--the daydreams were worth it.As an adult, I still find myself drawn to their tour announcements--even if the announcement is from a band I stopped following as closely as I did when I was younger, like in the case of Shinedown and their Revolutions Live Tour. After al...