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Wardell’s Sasha & Theo Spielberg | The Siblings Redefining Shuffle Pop

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The long-awaited follow-up to their debut record, Impossible Falcon, was just released by Theo and Sasha Spielberg, better known as Wardell. The band was in limbo after the success of their debut album, Love/Idleness, in 2015 as they awaited a producer who eventually fell through. They were stuck for weeks during the waiting time but did not let that stop them from pursuing their love of music. They kept touring and focusing on their projects until they could locate the ideal producer to work on their second album.

Their self-described genre of “shuffle pop.” is continued on the seven-track, just over the 20-minute long record. The duo has skillfully merged various styles and genres to produce a distinctive sound that sticks out from the competition. In a recent interview with Flaunt, they discussed the challenges they encountered while recording their album while living on different coasts. Despite the difficulties, they made it work because of their prior communication through audio notes, even when they were neighbors just a few doors apart.

Impossible Falcon is the record’s name, inspired by a poem about Autumn that Sasha sent to Theo as he was en route to see a friend’s performance. When they came across the phrase “Impossible Falcon” in the poem, they realized it was the ideal album title. The title, they explained in the interview, symbolized the challenge of launching the record. They experienced many halts and oscillations while creating the record, but they excelled once they found their groove.

A Breakup Album with a Rebirth

The album is a type of breakup album, reflecting the painful splits that both Theo and Sasha went through. They did add that the record also symbolizes a rebirth. They developed a new respect for their music and sibling relationship due to the challenges they encountered during the recording process. The album signifies a fresh start for the group, a new commencement, and new optimism for the future.

Influences and Musical Background

Wardell has a distinctive musical heritage thanks to their parents, who are well-known in the movie business. While they were growing up, their father, the renowned director Steven Spielberg, would play movie scores, which influenced their passion for music. Their grandmother Lee was a talented pianist, and their mother, the actress Kate Capshaw, also had a fine voice. Even Lee’s father, their great-grandpa, was a fantastic guitarist.

Wardell always understood that their parents’ true passion lay in music despite their successful careers in the film industry. Sasha began acting in high school and continued through college, but her love for singing always came first. She earned a degree in literature and screenplay and created a TV program that ABC purchased. But she knew that her love of music was her only real passion. Before starting Wardell with his sister, Theo worked as an audio curator for Saturday Night Live.

Sibling Rivalry and Chemistry

Theo and Sasha are not your usual brother-sister team. Although they don’t always sound the same and don’t always appear the same, they have an undeniable chemistry on stage. When questioned about sibling rivalry, they admitted that because they shared many interests and were so close in age, it frequently felt like they were on the same side. It was more of an alliance between them than much of a competition because they would cooperate at family events.

The band’s moniker, Wardell, is a tribute to their grandfather, a jazz musician in the professional sense. Waddy Wardell was his name, and they chose to take on The band Wardell released their second album, “Impossible Falcon,” in late February despite having a busy timetable. The album showcases the duo’s musical versatility with various styles and sounds.

In an interview with Flaunt, the siblings revealed that the record was a breakup album, and they were both going through difficult breakups during the writing process. They persevered in the face of obstacles and eventually produced a document symbolizing endings and rebirth.

The duo has discovered what works for them in their songwriting process, which entails exchanging voice notes and ideas. They chose to be divided by a wall, even in the same city, so that they could concentrate on their creative processes.

Sasha and Theo are engaged in other musical projects besides their work with Wardell. Theo has worked as a musical curator for Saturday Night Live, whereas Sasha has her solo endeavor called Buzzy Lee. Both siblings deeply love music, even though their parents are employed in the film business. Sasha even mentioned how she struggled with stage anxiety in high school but overcame it by performing in school plays.

Even though their parents, Steven Spielberg, and Kate Capshaw, are well-known personalities in Hollywood, Wardell’s music has barely been influenced by them. However, the siblings have drawn influence from their father’s enthusiasm for The Beatles and his capacity for musical recognition.

Wardell intends to keep collaborating with other musicians and discovering new musical styles in the future. It is evident from the “Impossible Falcon” achievement that the brother-sister team has discovered a formula for success.

Theo and Sasha, Spielberg of Wardell, may not have the most well-known names in the music business, but there is no denying their skill and originality. They stand out from other sibling groups thanks to their distinctive style and songwriting process and keep pushing the envelope with their music. Wardell has cemented their position in the music industry with “Impossible Falcon,” and their admirers can’t wait for their next release.

Keep up to date and connect with Sasha and Theo on instagram, here.

This article contains branded content provided by a third party. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the content creator or sponsor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or editorial stance of Popular Hustle.

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Eyal Erlich: Indie Rocker. Balladeer. Storyteller.

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Eyal Erlich

When I first discovered Eyal Erlich on Spotify, I was immediately drawn to the immediacy and sincerity of his music. Hailing from Tel Aviv, Erlich is one of those rare singer-songwriters who keeps his songs simple, authentic, and emotionally resonant. His tracks breathe, flow, and carry a depth that makes you stop and truly listen. What defines him isn’t just catchy indie rock hooks or soulful melodies — it’s honesty. Every lyric feels lived-in, and every guitar line seems to emerge naturally from his voice.

Scrolling through his catalog, certain songs stand out. Tracks like Mourning Love and All in All reveal his melodic instincts, pairing raw emotion with thoughtful arrangements. Meanwhile, the reflective Already In makes listeners feel as if they’re sharing the moment with him live. The intimacy of his music is undeniable, and it’s available across platforms — YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram — where fans can follow his journey and see videos, updates, and glimpses of his process.

Erlich’s style exists at the intersection of indie rock and singer-songwriter storytelling. His guitar-driven arrangements feel free and organic, while his lyrics explore universal themes of longing, connection, and self-discovery. They are integral to the music, never ornamental, and they resonate deeply with listeners. It’s no surprise that his audience continues to grow — people crave music that feels authentic, and Erlich delivers without ever sounding forced.

To truly experience Erlich’s artistry, his live performances are essential. Tracks like All in All capture a raw energy that only surfaces in concert settings, where he carefully builds dynamics from simmering verses to fully realized choruses. Jenny, a personal favorite, blends nostalgia with present-tense emotion, creating a shared experience that lingers long after the song ends. Already In showcases his versatility, shifting between meditative reflection and intense crescendos that feel earned, not staged. Finally, I Wish I Knew closes the set beautifully, highlighting the emotional depth of his lyrics and the power of stripped-back, immersive performances.

The coming years are shaping up to be pivotal for him. International tours and his long-awaited debut full-length album are on the horizon, and his steadily growing community of listeners is ready to follow him across stages and platforms. What sets him apart is his approach: he treats growth as opportunity, not pressure, steadily releasing singles and videos while building a community that feels like participants in his musical journey.

Unlike many indie acts that burn bright and fade fast, Erlich combines vulnerability with confidence, crafting songs that resonate both in intimate venues and at large festivals. His work promises longevity, emotional depth, and a connection that keeps fans coming back.

For anyone seeking an artist who writes from the heart, performs with intensity, and is poised for a breakthrough, Eyal Erlich is one to follow. Keep up with him on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook — this is just the beginning of an exciting journey.

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Magdalena Bay Returns with Surprise Double Single “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes”

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Magdalena Bay

There’s something quietly rebellious about dropping new music without warning on a random Friday, especially when you’re fresh off supporting Billie Eilish at the O2 Arena and have just wrapped two sold-out cemetery shows over the weekend. But that’s exactly what Magdalena Bay did, releasing “Second Sleep / Star Eyes“—their first tracks since last year’s Imaginal Disk sent critics scrambling for superlatives.

The timing feels deliberate rather than impulsive. Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin have spent months on the road, watching audiences connect with their progressive-pop experiments night after night. This past weekend at Hollywood Forever Cemetery—where LA’s music obsessives gather among tombstones for some of the city’s most surreal concert experiences—they gave fans something new to chew on.

Second Sleep” arrives as the functional A-side, complete with a music video directed by Amalia Irons. The track unfolds like a controlled explosion across five minutes, starting with deceptive calm before drum fills and synthesizer squeals take over. There’s an unexpected left turn into funky R&B during a finger-snap breakdown that somehow makes perfect sense within the chaos. It’s restless music for restless minds.

The companion piece, “Star Eyes,” operates on different frequencies entirely. Where “Second Sleep” builds tension through disorder, this one floats through theatrical jazz-influenced dreamscapes. When the beat finally drops and symphonic strings sweep through, the emotional payoff feels earned rather than manufactured.

“Second Sleep / Star Eyes” by Magdalena Bay

According to the duo, these tracks emerged naturally from the same creative headspace that produced Imaginal Disk. “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes” are two songs we made around the end of Imaginal Disk—both a sort of spiritual successor to the album’s mood and emotional arc,” they explained. “We like how they complement each other, so here they are as a pair.”

That connection runs deeper than chronology. The band has been teasing an album movie to mark Imaginal Disk‘s one-year anniversary, with director Amanda Kramer collaborating while Tenenbaum and Lewin handle writing and editing. Anyone who caught the narrative threads in their videos for “Death & Romance,” “Image,” and “That’s My Floor”—or their Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance—knows these aren’t artists who treat visuals as afterthoughts.

Their trajectory keeps climbing. Following this weekend’s cemetery performances, they’ll return to the UK and Europe in early 2026, including their largest London show yet at O2 Academy Brixton. It’s quite the leap from their Miami beginnings and early LA club shows, though they’ve maintained the same DIY sensibility that made their early-2000s internet-inspired visuals feel both nostalgic and alien.

The duo initially caught attention through TikTok videos demystifying music industry mechanics, but these new tracks prove they’re more interested in creating mysteries than solving them. Their blend of progressive rock, shoegaze, and disco continues evolving into something increasingly difficult to pin down—which might be the point.

What’s compelling about “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes” isn’t just that they extend Imaginal Disk‘s sonic universe. It’s that they arrived unannounced, like messages from artists who understand that sometimes the best way to maintain momentum is to disrupt it entirely. This past weekend, when they took the stage among the headstones, these songs weren’t surprises anymore. They’d already become part of the mythology.

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Giuseppe Bonaccorso Unveils Experimental Epic ‘L’Ombra della Terra’

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Giuseppe Bonaccorso

Giuseppe Bonaccorso isn’t interested in making music you can half-listen to while scrolling your phone. His latest single, “L’Ombra della Terra” (The Shadow of the Earth), asks for your full attention across its four minutes and eleven seconds—this isn’t background music by any stretch.

Released September 1st, this track comes on the heels of “Playground in Gaza,” which already had critics taking notice of the Italian composer’s refusal to play by anyone else’s rules. But where that previous single sparked conversations, “L’Ombra della Terra” feels like Giuseppe Bonaccorso throwing down a gauntlet. The track now has an official music video on YouTube that adds another visual layer to the already complex sonic experience.

The song opens with this slow-building atmosphere that’s almost cinematic—layers of synthesizers and ambient sounds that pull you in before a driving rhythm kicks everything into gear. What’s striking is Bonaccorso’s vocal approach. He’s not really singing in any traditional sense; it’s more like he’s delivering poetry over this shifting musical backdrop. Distorted guitars weave through the mix, keeping things grounded even when the experimental elements threaten to float away entirely.

‘L’Ombra della Terra’ by Giuseppe Bonaccorso

The Italian lyrics paint a vivid picture that’s both mystical and rebellious. Bonaccorso writes about shamans with glass skin, eyes being dragged far away, and a world that’s fallen asleep and turned upside down. There’s imagery of prayers dissolving like smoke rings, references to automatons with maps and compasses trying to figure out the world’s geometry. The narrative voice addresses a father figure, talking about sin and debt, invoking Charon (the mythological ferryman) and thirty pieces of silver. The whole thing culminates with the narrator seeing their reflection in Earth’s shadow—which gives the track its title.

What makes these lyrics fascinating is how they blend classical mythology with modern disillusionment. You’ve got ancient references sitting next to images of mechanical beings, creating this temporal collision that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary. The recurring theme seems to be about breaking free from imposed guilt and spiritual debt, rejecting the idea that we owe something to powers that claim authority over us.

This release makes more sense when you know Bonaccorso’s background. The guy’s not just a musician—he’s a published poet with actual awards, started out doing ceramic sculpture as a kid in Caltagirone (a Sicilian town known for its artists), and has studied both computer science and philosophy. That multidisciplinary approach shows up in how layered his compositions are.

What’s refreshing about Giuseppe Bonaccorso is his complete disinterest in chasing streaming numbers or viral moments. He’s been releasing music since July 2024, starting with “Roaming in a wood,” then “On a solitary beach” in August. His interpretation of “Ave Maria” did pull in over 50,000 Spotify streams, which shows people are paying attention, but you get the sense he’d be making this music regardless.

“L’Ombra della Terra” isn’t background music for your workout playlist. It’s the kind of track that asks you to sit down, put on decent headphones, and actually listen. In an era where most music feels designed to be consumed and forgotten, there’s something almost defiant about creating something this deliberately challenging.

The single and its official music video are available worldwide on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

For more from Giuseppe Bonaccorso, visit his website, follow him on X, or check out his Instagram.

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