With so much new music coming out every week, it can be hard to know what to listen to first. Every week, we highlight some of our favorite tracks to kick off your weekend. The best way to keep up with our selections is by following our ‘New Music On-Repeat’ playlist on Spotify. This week’s picks include tracks from almost CHVRCHES, BROCKHAMPTON, Remi Wolf, and more!
1. Samia – “Show Up”
Samia has proved to be one of the most exciting new songwriters in indie rock with the release of her 2020 debut album ‘The Baby’. Now she has announced a new EP is on the way with the release of the lead single “Show Up”. This ballad tackles Samia’s coming-of-age, with themes of maturity and community framed by a soft piano before breaking into a crescendo of heavy-hitting drums and distorted guitar.
2. Baby Queen – “American Dream”
Anti-pop trailblazer Baby Queen collaborated with Australian artist MAYA-A to create this new poignant track. “This song compares a childlike infatuation with the idea of the American dream, which in hindsight is a bit of a fallacy, but there were people that did get to experience it and reach the prosperity they’d heard about,” says Baby Queen. The sharp critique of the lyrics is matched with grand atmosphere in the production elements, making this song truly addicting.
3. BROCKHAMPTON – “JEREMIAH”
Self-proclaimed “America’s favorite boy band” BROCKHAMPTON just released the deluxe version of their most recent phenomenal album ‘ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT NEW MACHINE’ featuring this new track “JEREMIAH”. The boys released two versions of the song, with the “RMX” featuring their signature pitched up vocals. The original version feels slightly more grounded than the remix, and perhaps it’s because it’s reminiscent of their earlier work which didn’t incorporate the same experimentation with effects as their recent work. But both tracks maintain the emotional core fans have come to adore from BROCKHAMPTON, and hopefully the release of the deluxe version will tide them over until they release another project.
4. Charmer – “Diamond (Sprinkler)”
Emo rocker Charmer has released a new song “Diamond (Sprinkler)”, coming off the heels of his 2020 album. The song opens with a cheeky sample from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, setting a light, nostalgic tone as we move into the heavy song. The winding guitar riffs and explosive energy of this song really propel it to new heights.
5. Cautious Clay – “Strange Love” ft. Saba
We’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of Cautious Clay’s forthcoming debut album, especially after hearing the sheer quality of the singles he’s been putting out. He’s teamed up with rapper Saba, know for his chilled out, vibrational sound, to create this new song “Strange Love”. This song is sonically complex without being difficult to listen to, incorporating elements of jazz and funk to create a dynamic, hypnotic song.
6. Greentea Peng – “Free My People” ft. SIMMY & Kid Cruise
Psychedelic R&B artist Greentea Peng just released her debut album MAN MADE, featuring timely, radically liberated tracks that wind through various genres and themes to create a wonder-filled project. Perhaps the best example of this is this new track “Free My People”, which tackles the oppression of people of color across the world. Peng takes aim at the war on drugs, the taxation of women’s bodies, and more, slashing down each target with her hypnotic rhythm and poignant critique.
7. Roy Woods – “Touch You”
Canadian rapper, singer and songwriter Roy Woods is back with a new dreamy single “Touch You”. Signed to Drake’s record label OVO, Woods has every resource at his disposal, and is obviously using them well. The production on this song is so lush and distinctly groovy, and Woods’ vocals really shines in all its smooth glory.
8. Jungle – “Talk About It”
Mercury nominated British producer duo Jungle return with the next single from their forthcoming album. “Talk About It” is an immaculately clean dance/RnB track. Jungle leaves room for each individual production element to flourish, creating a crisp dance track that doesn’t wander from the strong core melody.
9. Remi Wolf – “Liz”
Remi Wolf is one of our favorite artists to emerge from the social media sphere during the pandemic. Her song “Photo ID” was an instant viral hit, largely due to Wolf’s electric disco sounds and fascinating voice. Wolf is truly a defining Gen Z artist right now, and this new track Liz shows off her vocal prowess like never before. Remi Wolf’s voice sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before, with a vintage rasp and sharp clarity. This song “Liz” is funky and laid-back, and shows how dynamic the young quirky artist really is.
10. CHVRCHES – “How Not To Drown” ft. Robert Smith
When we heard Scottish indie pop band CHVRCHES released a song with Robert Smith of the Cure, we knew we were in for a treat. You can definitely hear Smith’s influence in the pacing and feel of the instrumentation, and Lauren Mayberry’s striking vocals add a really interesting layer. We cannot wait to hear their fourth studio album ‘Screen Violence’ later this year!
