Kiasmos - "Dazed"

Kiasmos (the duo comprised of Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroese musician Janus Rasmussen) are set to release their second album II in July. One of the first preview tracks is the contemplative "Dazed" with its deceptively simple piano melody, whispered electronics, and subtle beats.

Bad Omens ft. HEALTH & Swarm - "The Drain"

Bad Omens team up with industrial/noise rock outfit HEALTH and electronic artist Swarm on the dark, pulsating track "The Drain" that samples the Bad Omens' track "The Death of Peace of Mind." The song will appear on Bad Omens's upcoming Concrete Jungle (The OST) album. 

Arooj Aftab - "Raat Ki Rani"

Grammy-winning Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab channels her inner Sade on this achingly beautiful song. It will appear on her upcoming album Night Reign. 

Caribou - "Honey"

Caribou (aka Dan Snaith) has released its first new music under that moniker since 2020. "Honey" is a slamming club banger with UK-garage-like beats and jeep-rattling bass.

Local Natives - "Throw It In The Fire"

Gorgeous, melancholy track off Local Natives' latest album But I'll Wait For You. The harmonies are spot on.

Nia Archives - "Blind Devotion"

Nia Archives' debut record Silence Is Loud is the perfect marriage of experimental jungle beats and pop sensibilities. "Blind Devotion" pairs intense, skittering drum programming with forlorn keyboards and Nia's aching vocals.

Mount Kimbie - "Shipwreck"

Languid, guitar-centric track off Mount Kimbie's excellent new record The Sunset Violent features hazy vocals and subtle electronic flourishes.

dj poolboi ft. DJ Cinema Quartier Latin - "know each other so well"

dj poolboi's style, aka Austin, Texas resident Adam Ansley, has been defined as emo house, blu-wave, and music for the bike ride home in the dark. His latest record into blue light definitely lives up to those descriptions. "know each other well" has a late-night, lonely feel. 

Fabiana Palladino - "In The Fire"

Fabiana Palladino, daughter of the legendary bassist Pino Palladino, has worked behind the scenes for a long time, providing backing vocals for artists like Jessie Ware and Jai Paul. Her self-titled debut is out now and is a sleek collection of sophisticated pop songs. "In the Fire" is a smoldering midtempo track that recalls Tin Drum-era Japan. It's lovely. 

+/- (Plus/Minus) - "Borrowed Time"

"Borrowed Time" is the first music from +/- (Plus/Minus) in over 10 years. It's a quirky indie-electro track built around a feature on a Moog Matriarch synthesizer that randomizes octaves so you don’t know where any single note will land. It also features hyperkinetic drumming and dreamy, harmonized vocals.

Ibibio Sound Machine - "Mama Say"

Ibibio Sound Machine's new album Pull The Rope will be released next month. "Mama Say" is an infectious dance track with funky synths and West African vocal inflections; with an ending that takes a Talking Heads Remain In Light-era turn. This record is one of my most highly anticipated of the year

Tatyana - "Down Bad"

Tatyana's debut album It's Over is a strikingly assured collection of avant-pop bangers. "Down Bad" rides squelchy synths over LCD Soundsystem-like dance-punk beats.

King Yosef - "Dredge"

Yosef Pelletier (aka King Yosef) released this latest double single recently. "Mist of Pain" is an intense, Ministry-esque industrial hardcore track, while "Dredge" tones down the aural assault, leaning into more atmospheric territory, like when Deftones channel their inner goth child.

HEALTH - "Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)(Deftones Cover)"

I saw one of my favorite bands, LA industrial noise trio HEALTH, live last night and it was one of their best live performances I have seen. A highlight was their cover of Deftones' classic track "Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)." 

Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus - "II MOST WANTED"

Truly one of the best duets in a long time. 

Vampire Weekend - "Mary Boone"

All of the songs released so far from Vampire Weekend's upcoming album Only God Was Above Us have been excellent, which gives me high hopes it will be another classic. The most recent teaser track "Mary Boone" is my favorite. It starts as a stark, piano/strings-based ballad until the beats (sampled from Soul II Soul's 1989 hit song "Back To Life (However Do You Want Me).") kick in. 

PUSH - "Fader"

Tulsa, OK dream-pop/shoegaze act PUSH's new record Where You Are just came out and I love the song "Fader" with its interplay of atmospheric electric and acoustic guitars and ghostly harmonies. 

Lysistrata - "Artifice"

 

French trio Lysistrata toe the line between Sonic Youth-like noise rock and At The Drive-In-like post-hardcore. Their latest record Veil documents this push and pull expertly. "Artiface" is one of my favorite tracks, its tightly coiled opening bleeding into an unhinged finale of blazing guitars.

Peel - "Cycle"

LA duo Peel (Sean Cimino and Isom Innis from Foster the People) will soon release their debut album Acid Star. "Cycle" is the fifth preview of the album and is a languid, spacy track that calls to mind Tame Impala in all their glory.

Empress Of - "Lorelei"

Lorley Rodriguez's latest album as Empress Of, For Your Consideration, is her finest work so far; there are no bad songs on it. "Lorelei" is a spiky electro-pop track with intricate drum programming and a warm vocal turn.

Matte Blvck - "Vows"

"Vows," the latest single from San Diego synthpop act Matte Blvck, is giving serious Depeche Mode vibes, and I am here for it. 

Cold Cave - "She Reigns Down"

Ultra-dark goth synthpop duo Cold Cave returns after a three-year absence with their new single "She Reigns Down," a fantastic dance track with dark keyboards, pounding beats, and Wes Eisold's brooding vocals.

Two Shell ft. FKA twigs - "Talk To Me"

Enigmatic UK dance duo Two Shell teams up with FKA twigs on "Talk to Me," a hyperactive dancefloor filler.

Ariana Grande - "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"

 

The second single from Ariana Grande's album Eternal Sunshine is either a song about leaving her ex or about her relationship with the media. At any rate, it is a glistening synthpop track that knowingly echoes Robyn's anthem "Dancing On My Own."

Gouge Away - "Spaced Out"

"Spaced Out" is a pure rager on Florida post-hardcore band Gouge Away's new album Deep Sage.

 

Mannequin Pussy - "Sometimes"

Philly indie punk band Mannequin Pussy's latest album I Got Heaven is riding a huge wave of buzz and critical acclaim. I really love the pop-punk rush of their single "Sometimes." 

DIIV - "Soul-net"

DIIV's latest single is the slow-burning track "Soul-net" which features The Bends-era Radiohead-like guitars that carefully wrap around one another. It will feature on the band's upcoming full-length Frog In Boiling Water.

Smerz/Allina - "Dangerous"

Norwegian duo Smerz (aka Henriette Motzfeldt and Catharina Stoltenberg) created a fictional pop star called Allina (in collaboration with the French womenswear line All-in Studio) and released an EP that chronicles Allina's rise and fall. "Dangerous" is a slinky, sexy Aaliyah-esque future R&B stunner.

Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches) - "Change Shapes"

Chvrches's lead singer Lauren Mayberry has slowly been releasing solo material over the past few months (and even headlining a fun solo tour in the process). Her latest single "Change Shapes" is a 90's electro-pop showcase that is super catchy and fun. 

Kim Gordon - "I Don't Miss My Mind"

Sonic Youth legend and icon Kim Gordon's new solo album is an intense set of industrial trap pop that is constantly intriguing. "I Don't Miss My Mind" mixes scuzzy, Vivisect VI-era Skinny Puppy beats with industrial electronics.

Lesser Care - "Intuition"

El Paso, Texas post-punk act Lesser Care shares the single "Intuition," which is propelled by thunderous drums, oceanic basslines, and chiming guitars.

Whitelands - "Now Here's The Weather"

London shoegaze quartet Whitelands recently released their record Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day and, if you like the sweet spot between Slowdive's Just For A Day and Souvlaki, you will adore this record. I love the closing track "Now Here's The Weather" which tackles the heady subject of racism over a rush of raging guitars and a monolithic bassline.

Amiture - "Cocaine"

Armiture's first record The Beach was a synthpop/dark wave lover's dream, full of sexy beats and dark synths. Their sophomore record Mother Engine goes deeper and darker into almost Portishead-like trip-hop. The haunting track "Cocaine" is one of the most evocative songs on the record, with singer Jack Whitescarver comparing his lover to the titular drug over a languid beat and noir guitars.

Charli XCX - "Von Dutch"

"Von Dutch," the first single from Charli XCX's upcoming 6th album Brat, is a hyperactive club banger.

TTSSFU - "I Hope You Die"

Manchester-based artist TTSSFU (a.k.a. Tasmin Stephens) is a self-proclaimed DIY-shoegazer, and she channels that into the dreamy track "I Hope You Die" which sounds like Mazzy Star if they were a Krautrock band. It appears on her new EP Me Jed & Andy, which is inspired by the 12-year love affair between Andy Warhol and Jed Johnson.

St. Vincent - "Broken Man"

St. Vincent enters the Nine Inch Nails phase of her career with the stunning industrial guitar rager "Broken Man." This is the heaviest thing she has ever done and I, for one, am here for it.

serpentwithteeth - "Spades"

 serpentwithteeth's (a.k.a. Josiah Wise) latest record GRIP is a paean to Black queer relationships. "Spades" is a lovely midtempo ballad about holding on to the memories of a former love.

Erika de Casier ft. Shygirl - "Ex-Girlfriend"

Danish singer Erika de Casier teams up with Shygirl for this slow-burning future R&B jam, their voices coiling around each other seductively. It can be found on de Casier's latest record Still.

 

DSRT MTHR - "Save Yourself"

San Francisco electronic duo DSRT MTHR's latest single "Save Yourself" is gorgeous synthpop, with singer Beth Garber's angelic vocals taking a strong lead.  

ULTRA SUNN - "Some Ghost Could Follow"

Brussels EBM/dark wave duo ULTRA SUNN released a new single, the hard-charging club filler "Some Ghost Could Follow." It sounds as if Clan of Xymox and Nitzer Ebb joined forces; in other words, it hits a big sweet spot.

Caroline Polachek - "Coma"

This mesmerizing jungle track from Caroline Polachek appears on the Everasking Edition of her excellent record Desire, I Want To Turn Into You. 

Night Drive - "I Wanna Be Adored (Stone Roses Cover)"

Houston/Austin synthpop duo Night Drive covers the classic Stone Roses track "I Wanna Be Adored."

 

Chelsea Wolfe - "Tunnel Lights"

Chelsea Wolfe teams up with TV on the Radio member/producer Dave Sitek on her new record She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She. One of the standout tracks to me is the Portishead by way of NIN leaning "Tunnel Lights."  It burns slowly from a haunting trip-hop beginning into an industrial whirlwind at the end.

Olof Dreijer - "Coral"

March will see the release of a three-track EP from The Knife's Olof Dreijer. The title track "Coral" is an 8-and-a-half-minute, subtly morphing instrumental that wanders from ambient, angelic keys to a Caribbean-flavored outro with disorienting, industrial synth blasts.

topographies - "1959"

San Francisco post-punk trio topographies recently released their sophomore album Interior Spring. I really like the track "1959" with its echoing guitars, bright keyboards, and deep bassline. If you detect any Cure-esque elements it must be noted that one of the band members, Gray Tolhurst, is the son of former Cure keyboardist Lol Tolhurst.
 

Swervedriver - "You've Sealed My Fate"

Shoegaze legends Swervedriver got caught up in major label asshattery in the late 90s and their fourth album 99th Dream was a casualty in the process and was self-released to little fanfare. Fortunately, the album is being re-released and it holds up surprisingly well. I really love the majestic, cinematic track "You've Sealed My Fate." 

Burial - "Dreamfear"

Burial is back with two new tracks, "Dreamfear" and "Boy Sent From Above." "Dreamfear" is a twelve-minute sonic odyssey that veers from industrial DnB, hip-hop-inflected electro, to Berlin techno. 

The Smile - "Read The Room"

From Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood's side-project The Smile, "Read The Room" is a twisty guitar rocker that unfurls from a jazzy/prog-rock beginning to a krautrock freakout. 

Militarie Gun ft. Manchester Orchestra - "My Friends Are Having A Hard Time"

Hardcore act Militarie Gun's fantastic record Life Under The Gun came out last year, and they follow it up with a companion EP, Life Under The Sun, which features reimagined versions of songs from the LP. My favorite of the new versions is the piano and synth reworking of "My Friends Are Having A  Hard Time" in which they are joined by Manchester Orchestra.

Squarepusher - "Wendorlan"

 

Squarepusher, aka Tom Jenkinson, returns to his vintage roots on the intricate, electro-freakout track "Wendorlan." The programming is punishing and unrelenting. It will feature on the upcoming album Dostrotime.