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.