Sludge, System Exclusive, Lauren Lakis

Sludge cut surf rock riffs with the bratty intonation of Molly Masson, who smirks in “Greg Abbott’s Maxi Pad” – “I wake up every morning and I sprinkle fetuses into my Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” Pasadena’s System Exclusive dole out more melodic synth-pop, but they’re not afraid to get weird, either: Recent single “Party All the Time” offers a faithful rendition of Eddie Murphy’s novelty classic, bolstered with an army march edge. L.A. transplant Lauren Lakis, meanwhile, envelops her ethereal croon in moody shoegaze. – Carys Anderson