Interpol - "So Rides The Reindeer"

 

Interpol's latest record This Mirror Weighs A Ton is their best work since Antics. All of the songs are amazing, but I am currently enamored with the ghostly track "So Rides The Reindeer."

Tinashe - "Melatonin"

 

Tinashe is taking no prisoners on her latest single "Melatonin." It's a slamming dancefloor ready banger.

Troye Sivan - "She's The Best"

If you aren't doing drag with Nicole Kidman, are you really living?

 

James Ellis Ford - "I Believe In You"

 

Producer extraordinaire James Ellis Ford (Artic Monkeys, Beth Orton, Depeche Mode) and member of Simian Mobile Disco put together his latest record Lost In Another World while being treated for leukemia. It's a ruminative, personal record about his cancer journey. "I Believe In You" is a haunting, atmospheric track.

Beacon - "Blip"

Brooklyn duo Beacon are back after a hiatus with their best record yet, How Drie A Cinder. I honestly would put every song on there, but I will limit it to the wonderfully building two step exploration "Blip."

Arca - "Fxck"

From her brilliant new record XXXXX, Arca returns with the killer footstep/club banger "Fxck."

Rose Gray - "Club To Your Arms"

If I heard this song in the club I would be immediately in ecstasy. This song gives me life; such a banger.

Oscar Farrell - "Birds Fly In"

The title track to London producer Oscar Farrell's new EP is a ghostly two-step track, with pitch shifted vocals and haunting synths. 

Ama - “Different High”

 

From her self-titled album, “Different High” is giving Aaliyah meets Kelis meets Res vibes. I’m so here for it. Intoxicating. 

Kelela ft. PinkPantheress - "the bridge"

 

Future R&B chanteuse Kelela returns with the fantastic new record New Avatar. One of the many highlights is the stuttering two-step track "the bridge," a sleek collaboration with PinkPantheress.

Madonna - "Betrayal"

Madonna returns to form on her infectious new record Confessions II; I've always said that when she collaborates with one producer (Price, Orbit, Mirwais) she's at her best. It's hard to pick a favorite song off the album, as it changes with each listen. Right now, I am hooked on "Betrayal" with its sample of Erik Satie's haunting Gnossienne 1. 

Cara Delevingne - "Need It"

Sleek electronic track from the model/actress Cara Delevingne which was written via text with Fiona Apple. It will appear on her debut album next year.

 

Carly Rae Jepsen - "On Wires"

From her eagerly anticipated double-album Day and Night, "On Wires" is the dramatic first taste. Can't wait to hear the whole album. 

Eartheater - "Crown Jewel"

Experimental electropop star Eartheater's new single "Crown Jewel," from the upcoming record Heavenly Body: If I'm The Bottle You're The Message, is a touching love song to her daughter; imploring her to shine as bright as she can be. 

Interpol - "This Mirror Weighs A Ton"

The title track to Interpol's upcoming record finds them returning to the moody atmospherics and surreal, dreamlike moods of tracks like "Take You On A Cruise" and "Pioneer To The Falls." 

Blackwater Holylight - "Fade"

The LA-based (Portland originated) trio Blackwater Holylight walk a fine balance between shoegaze, black metal, and dream pop on their fantastic record Not Here Not Gone. The perfect example is the track "Fade" that builds to an explosive finale.

Boards of Canada - "Father and Son"

Boards of Canada returns with the monolithic new album Inferno. The album has an underlying air of dread and unease that is most apparent in the super creepy "Father and Son," which utilizes a wide array of disjointed religious samples. 

Lola Young - "From Down Here"

Raw, bittersweet, and soaring, the new single from Lola Young addresses her recent troubles with substance abuse with candor. As always, her amazing voice is front and center. The track was produced by James Blake.

Olof Dreijer - "Iris"

Fabulous dance track from Olof Dreijer (formerly of The Knife) with whiplash percussion and spiky, colorful synths. It appears on his debut record Loud Bloom, out now. 

Hekt ft. Smerz - "Forever"

Danish producer Hekt's album Forever is becoming one of my favorite records of the year. It blends a myriad of styles (EDM, deep house, techno, and hyperpop for examples) but always feels cohesive. For the title track, he teams up with Norwegian duo Smerz for a bouncy and bright house cut.

American Football - "Bad Moons"

Emo legends American Football return with their fourth album LP4, and haunt us with the slowly building track "Bad Moons," which toes the line between post-rock and shoegaze. The ending swell of music is breathtaking. 

Kehlani - "Folded"

Probably the most gentle kiss-off track ever. 

"So can you come pick up your clothes?
I have them folded
Meet me at the door while it's still open
I know it's getting cold out, but it's not frozen
So come pick up your clothes
I have them folded"

Duran Duran ft. Nile Rogers - "Free to Love"

 

Just a total blast of song. They haven't sounded this fresh and fun in a long time.

Boards of Canada - "Tape 05"

IDM legends Boards of Canada returns with the haunting, drone/ambient track "Tape 05." They have lost none of their mysterious adventuresomeness. 

 

Massive Attack ft. Tom Waits - "Boots On The Ground"

 

Massive Attack teams up with the legendary Tom Waits on their first new track in 6 years, the timely "Boots On The Ground." 

Beth Orton - "The Ground Above"

Beth Orton returns after a five-year absence with the gorgeous track "The Ground Above" which highlights her smoky vocals.


 

Model/Actriz - "Thank You By Dido"

Although most known for their fierce, aggro-industrial rock songs, Model/Actriz's tender moments are always standouts. From their surprise EP Swan Songs, which were born out of experiments from the Pirouette sessions, "Thank You By Dido," is an emotional, heart-on-sleeve ballad that is strikingly beautiful. 

Failure - "A Way Down"

Alt-rock grunge stalwart Failure returns next month with the new record Location Lost. The second single is "A Way Down" which is an homage to their heroes The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees. It's a dark and foreboding track full of droning, churning guitars.

Two Shell - "The Nightmare"

Mysterious London duo Two Shell want you to rage on the dancefloor with this Euro-trash/rave anthem "The Nightmare." It's brilliantly loopy. 

deary - "Alfie"

London dream pop trio deary will release their debut album Birding next month. The epic eight-minute single "Alfie" will sate those looking for a Cocteau Twins/Slowdive fix.  

Chalk - "Béal Feirste"

Belfast duo Chalk's Crystalpunk combines the best of industrial, darkwave, and dance punk into a juggernaut of a debut record. "Béal Feirste," Irish for Belfast, shows them dipping their toes into breakbeat, with subtle nods to Underworld.

Kim Gordon - "NOT TODAY"

The legendary Kim Gordon shares "NOT TODAY" from her upcoming album Play Me. It's a propulsive, krautrock/shoegaze inspired track.

Jehnny Beth ft. Mike Patton - "Look At Me"

Former Savages frontwoman Jehnny Beth teams up with Faith No More/Mr. Bungle frontman Mike Patton on the searing electro-punk single "Look at Me."

Cardinals - "Big Empty Heart"

Irish quintet Cardinals lean heavy into a Irish gothic rock sound that already sounds arena-ready. From their debut album Masquerade, "Big Empty Heart" leaps from the speakers with roaring guitars, sighing accordion, and moody, introspective vocals. 

Fever Ray - "Wrong Flower (Cinematic)"

Fever Ray has contributed two songs to the upcoming Maggie Gyllenhaal directed film The Bride!  I'm more partial to "The Wrong Flower" with its lurching, Asian-tinted rhythms, and their heavily processed vocals.  It's both sinister and fun.

Nathan Fake - "Slow Yamaha"

Nathan Fake's latest album Evaporator finds the producer in a more pensive, introspective mode. I was particularly drawn to the 9-minute slow burn of "Slow Yamaha," with its undulating synths. It is hypnotic.

hemlocke springs - "moses"

Springing forth from Zeus like the love child of Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Kate Bush, and Robert Smith, North Carolina artist hemlocke springs' debut album The Apple Tree Under The Sea, is a wondrous clash of influences. "moses" is pure break-beat/80s synthpop perfection. 

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - "Sunburned In London"

Aussie jangle-pop rockers Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever return with the sparkling six-minute track "Sunburned In London" that makes you ache for signs of spring.

Mandy, Indiana ft. billy woods - "Sicko!"

 

Industrial post-punks Mandy, Indiana team up with billy woods on the incendiary track "Sicko!" that appears on their new record URGH, out tomorrow.

Joyce Manor - "All My Friends Are So Depressed"

Power-pop-punks Joyce Manor throw on their best The Smiths impersonation on the beguiling and catchy track "All My Friends Are So Depressed." It can be found on their fantastic new record I Used To Go To This Bar.

GUV - "Crash Down Feeling"

If you grew up during the rise of shoegaze, baggy, and Britpop, get prepared for a blast of nostalgia on GUV's fun new record Warmer Than Gold. "Crash Down Feeling" is a pure injection of Stone Roses meets Happy Mondays baggy vibes. 

Jessie Ware - "I Could Get Used To This"

In these trying times sometimes you need some way to find joy in life. Jessie Ware returns with the single "I Could Get Used to This," which is the perfect balm. It's a lush, string-filled disco fantasia.  

Harry Styles - "Aperture"

"Aperture," the first taste of Harry Styles' upcoming record Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, shows Styles leaning into a more dance-centric direction. Borrowing from the LCD Soundsystem playbook, the track starts with a low throb, and slowly builds on more and more layers. It's intriguing, and makes me excited to hear the rest of the album.

James Blake - "Death of Love"

From his forthcoming debut as an independent artist, James Blake presents the brooding track "Death to Love," featured on his new album, Trying Times. The song showcases his signature rumbling bass, atmospheric synthesizers, and his impeccable vocals.

Ulrika Spacek - "Picto"

Ulrika Spacek, the acclaimed UK art-rock band, is set to release their new album EXPO in just a couple of weeks, and their latest single, "Picto," offers a compelling glimpse of what's to come. Drawing on influences such as Sonic Youth, Deerhunter, and My Bloody Valentine, "Picto" stands out as a hyperactive and endearing track that masterfully balances whimsy with substance. The song is both playful and inventive, filled with lively rhythms and experimental guitar work, yet remains grounded by robust instrumentation and a driven momentum. Ulrika Spacek continues to push boundaries within the art-rock genre, making "Picto" an imaginative and energetic preview that heightens anticipation for their forthcoming album.

Sassy 009 ft. yunè pinku - "Mirrors"

Norwegian producer Sassy 009’s debut album, Dreamer+, is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of the year. The album features several notable collaborations, including “Mirrors”—a glitchy and haunting track created in partnership with rising artist yunè pinku.