Between an on-campus student-run record label (Hoot/Wisdom Records) and our Owl Radio station, music at FAU is something that’ll stick to you quicker than the heat. As an aspiring music journalist, I think the local scene is something to be spoken about.

Here are five South Florida bands you should be listening to on your walk to class:

Smith Sundy

Smith Sundy’s music bounces between paralleling contemporaries like shoegaze band DIIV and Woods – who have a niche in creating elongated, improvised, neo-psychedelic music – to referencing classic, dynamic albums such as Miles Davis’ “Get Up With It,” post-punk novelties like This Heat’s self-titled debut and a general tinge towards the krautrock band Can. Songs such as “Hamemonium” provide the same choppy and progressive sound. However, with “Growing Pains,” their song recorded for a compilation album released by Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, they maneuver towards an indie rock sound with a bit more formality.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmithSundy

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/smithsundy

Plastic Pinks

The dance moves from the lead singer, paired with the zeal that the rest of the band provides, raises its self-proclaimed “sticky pop” from the ashes of hyperactive ’70s punk. Audiences instantly catch this infectious vibe, helping the band create a set that makes your head spin for days. With an EP released this June via Burger Records, a handful of bookings at this past South By Southwest music and film festival in Austin and an opening slot for national act the Black Lips at the Culture Room, a forecast of mass Pink hysteria is looming. Look out for these dudes.

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/plasticpinks

Bandcamp: https://plasticpinks.bandcamp.com/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/plastic-pinks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/plasticpinks

Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/plasticpinks

Everymen

When you’re at an Everymen show there are two things you will most likely see: beards and pool noodles – you have to go to understand. More importantly, Everymen provides spunk with their jangly punk that pushes you into a spiral of sweat and fiery movement. Don’t be surprised by guest appearances in the pit from band members thrashing their instruments, devoid of a mishap or flaw, as you limbo underneath. Everymen frequents Lake Worth, but is constantly playing across the tri-county area and plans to tour Europe later this year.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EVERYMEN.MUSIC?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/everymenband

Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/everymen

Wastelands

Listening to Wastelands is like a flail to the face, waking you up. At local Miami shows the band appears, shedding your skin, striking you with that sound to shake your brain into corners of the South Florida scene that you didn’t think existed. With heavy guitar solos and bass lines that droop out of Wastelands’ amps like radioactive righteousness, its bluesy punk music magnetizes you. Its live shows are mind-boggling and if you find yourself in the same venue, do not miss out on this.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/WastelandsMusic

Bandcamp: http://wastelandsmiami.bandcamp.com/releases

Milk Spot

Like the reckless child of post-punk rock knocking down the treehouse built by its forefathers, Milk Spot attempts to nail its jumpy sound into the ears of the world. Its raspily vocalized, amicable music seems to be the currently unknown successor of experimental acts such as Half Japanese and R. Stevie Moore. The most recent resurfacing of lo-fi music puts more emphasis on the dream pop bandwagon of acts such as Ariel Pink. The band frequents Fort Lauderdale as well as in the halls of FAU, since their bass player is a student here.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Milk-Spot/305021173328

Bandcamp: https://milkspot.bandcamp.com/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/milk-spot-music