Coldplay - "Day 'N' Nite (Kid Cudi Cover)"

Coldplay's best tracks always come out of left field. Case in point, this surprising cover of the Kid Cudi classic "Day 'N' Nite," turning it into a beautiful, melancholy ballad.

Rosalía - "Chicken Teriyaki"

Next month, Spanish pop star Rosalía returns with MOTOMAMI, the follow-up to her breakout album El Mal Querer. The latest single from the project is the ridiculously fun reggaeton track "Chicken Teriyaki," which finds Rosalía singing about visiting New York and spending lots of money. The track was co-written by her with El Guincho, Sky Rompiendo, Rauw Alejandro, and the legendary Q-Tip.

Weval - "Minute By Minute"

                                                                            Photo by Nick Helderman
 

Amsterdam electronic duo Weval (Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers) have released a new single called "Minute By Minute." It weaves complex synth patterns with atmospheric vocals and intricate drum programming. The song builds to a whirlpool of electronic bliss.

Sally Shapiro - "Million Ways"

Swedish duo Shally Shapiro returns after a six-year absence with their thrilling new album Sad Cities. My favorite track on the album is the euphoric piano-house rave-up called "Million Ways." 

Alice Glass - "Love Is Violence"

Alice Glass, formerly of Crystal Castles, has released her debut solo album, the brutally honest PREY//IV. "Love Is Violence" is about the intersection of affection and violence in an abusive relationship. It's an intense track with harrowing lyrics like "You taste like rotten meat/Sips of spoiled milk/I know that I won't give it up."

ALICE GLASS - LOVE IS VIOLENCE (Official Music Video) from BRYAN M. FERGUSON on Vimeo.

Karima Walker - "Reconstellated"

 

Tucson artist Karmia Walker's new record Waking The Dreaming Body captures the emotions and sensations of the tenuous bridge between sleep and being awake. "Reconstellated" impressionistically details how we try so hard to be in control of what we feel and think and, yet, in dreams it all falls apart. I love this lyric: "Every day is filled with endings/Thinking things I can't erase/Can't be mended, can't be painted/Trapped inside a framed landscape/And I'm so careful, what I let in/What I'd do to feel nothin." The music perfectly captures this with twinkling synths, ambient guitar, and her soft, angelic vocals.

Broods ft. Tove Lo - "I Keep"

Broods and Tove Lo join forces on this sleek pop track from Broods' exquisite new record Space Island. I saw Broods open for Tove Lo on their last tour right before COVID and they were amazing (Tove Lo too). Worth seeing out. 

Trentemøller - "Like A Daydream"

 

Trentemøller's new record Memoria is one of his most solid releases. It's a careful mixture of shoegaze, dream-pop, and goth rock. One of my favorite songs is the Slowdive-esque "Like A Daydream" with its blanket of starry guitars and languid vocals from Lisbet Fritze.

Fred Again.. - "Catrin (The City)

Melancholy track from the always impressive Fred Again.. The haunting lines "I fell in love with the city/As I fell out of love with you" channel the heart of the song, which features stark piano chords and warm synths over a shuffling beat. 

Animal Collective - "Cherokee"

Animal Collective's latest album Time Skiffs is a resolute return to form for the band. Centerpiece track "Cherokee" is a surreal journey through pillowy synths, atmospheric guitars, and delicate percussion. 

Beacon - "Our House (Madness Cover)"

Brooklyn duo Beacon shares their cover of Madness' classic track "Our House." They jettison the peppy force of the original for a hushed lullaby interpretation. It is quite lovely.

Röyksopp ft. Alison Goldfrapp - "Impossible"

Last year, Röyksopp announced their latest non-album format project called Profound Mysteries and previewed it with two instrumentals. The latest from that series is a collaboration with Alison Goldfrapp, who lends her enigmatic vocals over a squelchy, groovy beat.

Samuel Organ ft. BABii - "Kindness"

Bristol-based producer Samuel Organ's new record is the mesmerizing A Safe Place In Cyberspace which hits on a lot of electronic touchpoints, from ambient, IDM, bass, trip-hop, and trap. I was drawn to the playful ambient/IDM of "Kindness" which reminds me a lot of the work of Iceland's Múm. It features childlike vocals and a mix of textures.

Zola Blood - "It Never Goes"

After a two-year hiatus, Zola Blood returns with the evocative single "It Never Goes." With fluttery trip-hop beats, moody synths, and a driving bassline, this track is a nice appetizer while we wait for their second record to drop. If you like bands like RÜFÜS DU SOL and Bob Moses, you will definitely be a fan of Zola Blood.