MUSIC

Fresh Music Friday: A Week of Pop Gems in Psychedelic Colors

New singles from Kim Petras, Sleater-Kinney, Mark Ronson, and Camila Cabello. Plus new videos from Charli XCX & Diplo and Rosalia.

We didn't deserve all the new music we got this week.

The last seven days were full of gems from this generation's pop royalty: Kim Petras put out her sixth single in a matter of weeks; Rosalía continued to one-up her music video game; Mark Ronson teamed up with Camila Cabello on a song written by Tame Impala; and Charli XCX met up with Diplo to ride psychedelic dolphins into the cosmos on their reimagined version of a Spice Girls track.

As if that wasn't enough, Sleater-Kinney joined forces with St. Vincent to release their first new music in four years. Plus, Palehound shared the new title track from their upcoming album, Black Friday. Nots and Deb Never put out surreal new visuals for their respective songs, "Persona" and "Ugly." And finally, emerging artists like Miss June and EVRWNDR released promising new tracks. Are you out of breath yet?

Fresh Music Friday is here to give you a breakdown of new singles, EPs, and albums to check out as you make your way into the weekend. Get ready to jam out with some of our favorite up-and-coming artists, plus celebrate new releases from those you already know and love.

Singles

1. Mark Ronson — "Find U Again" (feat. Camila Cabello)

Mark Ronson teamed up with Camila Cabello on a new crying-in-the-club-meets-a-vocoder-type single called "Find U Again," built around a melody written by Tame Impala's Kevin Parker.

2. Sleater-Kinney — "Hurry on Home"

Sleater-Kinney just released their first single in four years, and it's a sonic embodiment of "chaotic good." For some background, S-K recently joined forces with St. Vincent's Annie Clark, who is going to produce the band's forthcoming record (out sometime next year). "Hurry on Home" is the first glimpse of the new album, and it's about as big, brash, urgent, and wholly awesome as what you'd expect from a St. Vincent and Sleater-Kinney crossover. Oh, and the lyric video for "Hurry on Home" is directed by Miranda July, because: of course.

3. Kim Petras — "Do Me"

Kim Petras cannot and will not stop. The reigning pop queen maintains her sparkly status with her SIXTH single in a matter of weeks. "Do Me" is a racy, energetic track that maintains all the poppy glitter and gloss showcased in the bevy of singles she's put out recently: "All I Do Is Cry," "Sweet Spot," "Blow It All," "Got My Number," and "Broken." I'm sweating.


4. Palehound — "Black Friday"

Palehound writes songs that will wreck you, very softly. This week, Ellen Kempner's Boston-based band shared the title track from their upcoming record, Black Friday (due out next week on Polyvinyl). Following the release of the western-tinged single "Killer," Kempner explored a touching story of partnership on "Aaron" and confronted struggles around body image on "Worthy." This fourth single, "Black Friday," is mellow and sincere, but tempered by the tension felt from an unbalanced friendship.

5. Miss June — "Best Girl"

Auckland's punk four-piece, Miss June, have just signed to NYC imprint FrenchKiss records, and they're bringing much of their signature unbridled energy on their raucous new single "Best Girl." On "Best Girl," Miss June channels their post punk/noise-punk roots by pairing a weighty baseline with fast, jagged guitar riffs that erupt into a catchy-as-hell chorus.


6. Kid Bloom —"EVRWNDR"

LA's Kid Bloom makes us long for the glory days of chill wave on his latest psych-tinged single. On "EVRWNDR," Lennon Koser's rich vocals swirl into mellow synths while layers of psych-y instrumentation ripple outwards. Towards the end of the song there's a spacey guitar breakdown. "EVRWNDR" finds Kid Bloom tapping into their lushest, dreamiest potential, to create a track that practically brims over the surface with prismatic color and sound.

EVRWNDR


Videos

7. Rosalía — "Aute Cuture"

In a stunning display of intricate nail art, hand claps, and Tarantino-approved imagery, Rosalia intoxicates us again in her latest video for new song "Aute Cuture." Rosalia continues to reshape the pop landscape and the standards for music videos with each and every staggering visual she drops, somehow one-upping herself every time. In typical Rosalia fashion, the video for the brassy, headrush of a song features the 25-year-old sensation sporting a series of jaw-dropping outfits that should all be featured in the Met one day.

8. Herve Pagez, Diplo, Charli XCX — "Spicy"

Watch out Kacey Musgraves, there's a new hallucinogenic animated dolphin in the cosmos. Diplo, Charli XCX, and French producer Herve Pagez teamed up to reimagine the Spice Girls' hit "Wannabe" into a psychedelic trip in the video for their new song "Spicy." Literally no one asked for this, but upon watching, it's clear that we all needed to see Charli XCX and Diplo ride dolphins into the space-time continuum.


9. Nots - "Persona"

Memphis powerhouse Nots unveils how easily the fabric of our social perception is frayed through the visuals of their spacey, punky song "Person." Much like the song itself, the video for "Person" (a collaboration with Memphis-based arts collective WWW) has a hallucinatory effect–layering faraway vocals over nervy bass-lines and distorted, post-punk textures.

10. Deb Never - "Ugly"

Deb Never's "Ugly" may be a melancholic look into the end of a relationship, but you wouldn't be able to tell that from the look of her goofy music video. In "Ugly," the L.A.-based artist sports a fuzzy dog onesie as she wistfully sings "You don't want me, I don't want you / You don't want me, but I need you." Along the way, she encounters a whole motley crew of skaters and weird neighbors clad in splashy yellow bathrobes. The video features her group of friends dressed in the same furry attire, including her pal Matt Champion of Brockhampton.

MUSIC

Six New Songs You Should Hear This Week: Musical Mixology

This week's best tracks include new songs from Lizzo, Aisha Badru, Johnyswim, and more.

This week's best new releases combine disparate genres and unexpected sounds to create listening experiences that are alternatively climactic, relaxing, and transportive.

Whether you're seeking a soundtrack for your trip to the beach, a venture out on the town, your next car chase, or a night lounging around in your lingerie, there's something here for you.

1. Saxsyndrum: Up To You

The Canadian trio Saxsyndrum just released their sophomore album, Second Nature, and it's an expansive fusion of dream-pop and luxurious saxophone. Having cut their teeth in the Montreal underground scene, they're ascending to the mainstream with their unique blend of danceable beats, ethereal synthesis, and raw instrumental talent, which all come together to form something both accessible and complex. The album's first track, "Up To You," is a carefully crafted bath of catchy beats, flawless production, and folky vocal lines. All in all, it's a treat for the ears, a swirl of saxophone and rhythmic bass that balances out to create a track that's calming and energizing at the same time.


2. IYVES: Gold

Iyves returned this Friday with a new single, "Gold," a seductive, cinematic track that feels appropriate for a striptease, a James Bond-esque car-chase, or a montage of both. The singer's flawless vocals take center stage, flanked by elegant production and an extravagant chorus backed by a wall of thunderous, gritty basslines. Ultimately, it's a dramatic tribute to opulence and excess, packaged into a gleaming track that seems made for the climax of the next blockbuster.

3. Crimson Apple: Somebody

Hawaii-born, LA-based up-and-comers Crimson Apple just dropped a new single and video, "Somebody." It's a crystalline alt-pop earworm that takes notes from singers like Broods and MARINA, combining alternative edginess with the refined, polished pop sensibilities of LA's top producers. It's a tribute to all-encompassing love that combines the anthemic ecstasy of a hit song with the darkness of edgier influences, which come together to form something as inviting as a path of tall grasses leading towards the ocean.

CRIMSON APPLE - Somebodywww.youtube.com

4. Aisha Badru: Enough

Aisha Badru has steadily been crafting some of the best dream folk out there, and her acoustic rendition of "Enough" continues this tradition. Like most of her songs, it manages to be a complex bundle of emotions that doesn't shy away from the truth, but maintains a sense of hope and faith in something greater than the self. "We're made to rise above," she sings. "Don't be afraid to love." In another artist's hands these lyrics could sound trite, but Badru's mix of lamentation and quiet optimism manages to be believable and uplifting without veering into the territory of disingenuity. "Maybe loneliness brings us closer to ourselves," she muses. Starting from quiet introspectiveness, the song builds up to a luminous chorus; and combined with her soft, lush vocals, it's an easy-listening piece of sonic magic.

Aisha Badru - Enough (Acoustic)youtu.be

5. Johnnyswim: Souvenir

On "Souvenir," the husband-and-wife duo mix genres into a balanced confection of alternative rock, pop, and folk, forming a buoyant medley of voices and sounds that's beachy and melancholic at the same time. This song, off their LP Moonlight, has the makings of a sleeper hit; quietly optimistic, light and unassuming but with enough drive to dance along to, it's a collage of instruments and textures that fits together like a puzzle. It helps that Amanda Sudano's voice sounds uncannily similar to Kimbra's, and combined with its bouncy synth motif, the duet evokes memories of "Somebody That I Used to Know," but with more ambient, atmospheric leanings.

Moonlight - Souvenir (Official Stream)www.youtube.com

6. Lizzo: Lingerie

No list of the best new songs out this week would be complete without the gift of Lizzo's new album, Cuz I Love You. Mostly a collection of uncontainably joyful, electric hip hop, the final track, "Lingerie," has more of a laid-back, classic R&B feel, with Lizzo's incredible vocals soaring above a punchy guitar line. Beginning quietly, it quickly becomes a hybrid of soul, alternative, and pop; and when it all comes together, the whole thing kind of feels like lying down to paint your nails cherry red after you've cleaned your whole place, completed your self-care routine, and lit incense. The bittersweet chorus, with its growling guitars and dreamy violins, evokes the vague romance of a 50's standard, but the verses showcase Lizzo's mastery of hyper-modern rhythms. She's a master at conjuring sensation and evoking emotions through her tunes, and this one is no exception.

Lizzo - Lingerie (Official Audio)www.youtube.com


Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City. Follow me on Twitter @edenarielmusic.


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Music Features

7 New Songs You Should Hear This Week: Music for New Beginnings

New songs from Lizzo, Weyes Blood, Jai Wolf and more. Made for falling in love, dancing the night away, and welcoming spring at last.

Spring is finally here, and this week's selection of new music is all about fresh starts. Whether they're celebrating newfound freedom after the end of a confining relationship or relishing early sparks of new love, these songs are made for dancing and free-falling into the bright blankness of the future.

"Gardener in Rain" compares music-making to gardening, while Lizzo wants you to celebrate no matter your size; but all of these songs radiate the kind of light and energy that's sure to propel you through the home stretch of winter, straight into whatever's coming next.

1. Slow Dakota — "Gardener in Rain"


Slow Dakota - "Canticle 69"www.youtube.com

Indiana native P.J. Saurteig has been releasing some of the best baroque-pop around for years now. His newest music—starting with "Canticle 69," the earworm about pornography ruining sex and/or how we're all living in the simulationhas been leaning more towards pop, but it never sacrifices Slow Dakota's characteristic lyrical integrity and existential rigor. "Gardener in Rain" shimmers with plucked keys and playful rhythms, which rise up with all the color and life of a garden in the heart of an April shower. It's a beautiful and triumphant composition about how making music or art of any kind may seem like shots in the dark, but just like a gardener knows he can't kill every weed, still, the daily process of crafting and creating soothes some of life's tribulations.

2. Lizzo feat. Missy Elliot— "Tempo"

Lizzo - Tempo (feat. Missy Elliott) [Official Audio]www.youtube.com

Lizzo deserves every bit of press and praise she's ever gotten, so here's another mention—this time about her newest single, "Tempo," an exuberant and uncontainable ode to limitless self-love. If you haven't heard it yet, turn the volume up, put the disco ball on, forget every bit of insecurity you've ever felt, and embrace your extraordinary ability to move. Lizzo and Elliot speak and belt their truths over an intoxicating beat, intricate synthesizers, and electric sirens, making this a track that's both intense and effervescent, perfect for dancing yourself into a sweat, leaving you uplifted and ready to plunge fearlessly into the future.

3. Weyes Blood — "Something to Believe"

Weyes Blood | “Something to Believe" | Midwinter 2019www.youtube.com

NPR just premiered Weyes Blood's new album, Titanic Rising,and it's an impressive follow-up to 2016's Front Row Seat to Earth. The Los Angeles singer-songwriter takes inspiration from everything from climate change to Jim Carrey, winding it all together to craft a musically innovative tribute to toughing it out in a world that seems to make less and less sense. On "Something to Believe," she continues her tradition of delivering songs that walk the line between humor and elegance, eloquence and sarcasm, abstract poetry and cultural commentary. A driving beat and euphoric, almost 1980s-power-ballad-esque guitar motif guide the song to its ecstatic chorus, making this the perfect track to blast on a long car ride or to listen to on your best headphones, drinking in the cacophony of sounds and lyrics that blend together to form an anthem for our modern era.

4. August Eve — "You Already Know"

August Eve - You Already Know (Official Visuals)www.youtube.com

An LA native like Weyes Blood, August Eve's rich, velvety vocals set her apart from the bevy of other artists creating similar dream-pop dirges. This song is a dizzying ode to words unsaid, to the secret little signs of love that weave their way between people like smoke through an underground club. "It's better in my mind / somewhere in my dreams / felt you look at me," she sings—lines that encapsulate a longing all-too-relatable to anyone who's ever temporarily fallen for a stranger, or who's experienced the brief, electric friction of new, unspoken affection. Near the end, the song rises out of its hazy gloom as lightly plucked violins escalate along with Eve's voice, evoking images of sunrises, open roads, and the possibilities of a new day.

5. Mathew V — "Catching Feelings"

Catching Feelingswww.youtube.com

London-grown and Vancouver-based artist, Mathew V, just released his shamelessly danceable single "Catching Feelings," and it's the perfect song to get you tapping your feet at any time of day or night. This saccharine track glitters with life and vibrancy. The beat is just the right speed to match the rhythm of strutting down New York City streets, feeling the soft rays of early spring light, heading towards new possibilities. It's a bit formulaic, but in the best way; it feels simultaneously familiar and fresh, and marks the emergence of a formidable new talent in the dance-pop realm. Where the artist's previous releases have stayed more in the folk-pop sphere, this is an earnest, refreshing celebration of love, that most tumultuous, wonderful, and chaotic of emotions.

6. Jai Wolf — "Better Apart" (feat. Dresage)

Jai Wolf - "Better Apart" [feat. Dresage] (Official Audio)www.youtube.com

Jai Wolf's newest release may be one of the most exuberant songs about a breakup ever written. It's expansive enough to fill stadiums, catchy and easy enough on the ears to make it suitable for everything from lying around on a summer afternoon to smiling wryly in the last frame of a movie as your jet plane sails away from everyone and everything that's been holding you back. Jai Wolf's honeyed voice soars above the uncontainable beat and windswept synths, winding together to form a pop song that feels like the best kind of liberation—a promise that every ending is just a beginning.


Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City. Follow her on Twitter @edenarielmusic.


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MUSIC

Lo Lo shows off her Sweater Collection

Plus new music from Sarah Potenza, Ravens & Chimes, Lydia Halloway and more.

onestowatch.com

RELEASE RADAR is here to give you the breakdown of the top singles, albums, and videos of the week, so you can head into your weekend with a new list of killer tunes.

SINGLES

Lo Lo | "Sweater Collection"

Lo Lo has been charming listeners with infectious pop since 2018. Ahead of her debut EP, the Toronto pop sweetheart revealed the cheeky title track. "[In] Sweater Collection, I talk about how every old sweater in the back of my closet represents a failed/missed connection," said Lo Lo. "Each song in the album is about those specific connections, so I thought it was only fitting to name the entire album Sweater Collection. My collection of sweaters is in direct correlation with my collection of songs on the EP."

You Might Also Like: Pusher, laye, Claire Ridgely

Follow Lo Lo on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________

Ravens & Chimes | "Irreplaceable Artifacts"

New York City's Ravens & Chimes have been consistently making waves in the indie rock world since 2005. Along with success comes mounting pressure, and their latest track reveals the group's struggle to keep pushing. "I wrote this song to stay upbeat about finding the things that are important (friends, family, making good work) and not letting the static get in the way," said vocalist Asher Lack. "It's a lot to ask of a song, but I'm happy with how it turned out and it's one of the rare times when the music actually came out better than it was in my head!

You Might Also Like: Spaceman Spiff, Get Well Soon, Hundreds

Follow Ravens & Chimes on Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

____________________________________________________________________________

Lydia Halloway | "Dancing to You"

The debut single from the rising pop queen, Lydia Halloway, pairs infectious dance beats with classic pop hooks. "['Dancing to You'] is about two things at once. It's about wanting someone's attention. But it's also about music itself," said Halloway. "If you listen to the chorus, it's really about how sharing music with someone — dancing with them — can feel like the closest you can ever get. This song is about trying to hold on to that moment."

You Might Also Like:Charlotte Lawrence, Madison Beer, Carlie Hanson

Follow Lydia Halloway on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________

Belaver | "Swimmer"

New York City's experimental folk artist Belaver teases his upcoming album with another single. The lo-fi indie rock track "Swimmer" creates a wash of beats in which to drift away.

You Might Also Like: Tobias Carshey, VARLEY, Andrew Marcia

Follow Belaver on Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________

VIDEOS

La'Britney | Never Fold

Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star La'Britney embraces her inner beauty in her latest video. "I wanted to create a balance in the visual by showing a very feminine, sensual, yet raw performance," she told Billboard. "Real hair, minimal makeup, simple style, raw emotions and dancing."

You Might Also Like: Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Kehlani

Follow La'Britney on Spotify | Twitter | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________

Jake Miller | Wait For You

Singer-songwriter Jake Miller teamed up with Edgar Esteves to create the bold visuals for his latest track, "Wait For You," the lead single off his forthcoming EP.

You Might Also Like: Cam Meekins, Luke Christopher, Austin Mahone

Follow Jake Miller on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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ALBUMS/EPS

Sarah Potenza | Road To Rome

Sarah Potenza's second solo EP is a feminist battle cry — appropriately released on International Women's Day. Potenza fuses bluesy vocals and a rock n' roll attitude to create her most powerful sound to date.

You Might Also Like: Alabama Shakes, Adele, St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Follow Sarah Potenza on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

____________________________________________________________________________

Kat Saul | ...from Unit 408

Kat Saul named her highly anticipated debut EP after her Nashville apartment number. "These songs are all about situations that kept me up at night pacing around my apartment," Kat explains. "The physical location of Unit 408 is the genesis for this entire project. I want people to feel at home with it."

You Might Also Like:Krysten Simone, Deza, Stela Cole

Follow Kat Saul on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram


Allie Delyanis is an award-winning and losing freelance journalist based in New York City. She likes bands, books, breakfast food, and would love to be David Sedaris when she grows up. You can find more of her work on www.delyanis.com.


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