BEST NEW SONGS OF THE WEEK
Second Sleep, Magdalena Bay
Closing out their Imaginal Disk era, Magdalena Bay have released “Second Sleep” alongside b-side “Star Eyes.” The psychedelic pop they perfected on Disk now has even more of a 1970’s energy to it with the groovy keyboards and electric harmonies; I’m anticipating the full visual album version of Disk even more if this is what the deluxe edition entails.
Cobra, Geese
Geese are one of the most exciting rock bands of the decade, with their album Getting Killed instantly becoming one of my favorites of the year upon release. “Cobra” adds a twang of country and bossa nova to their brass-inspired classic rock sound. Cameron Winter’s voice is genuinely powerful to hear, and I cannot wait to hear how Geese develops later.
AAAHH MEN!, Doja Cat
Personally, Doja Cat’s Friday release was somewhat disappointing; Doja thrives when making the unhinged rap that made Scarlet and CLAUDE so intriguing (“ACKNOWLEDGE ME” and “URRRGE” are her best songs, point blank), so a return to mellow 80’s inspired pop is underwhelming. However, “AAAHH MEN!” combines those two worlds perfectly, with a glittery beat sampling the theme to Knight Rider (courtesy of Jack Antonoff) and some of Doja’s most energetic bars on the album.
HEELSTOMPER, six impala
Hyperpop supergroup six impala have returned with single “HELLSTOMPER”, combining their trademark vocaloid leads with a digital cumbia beat. The transition from a high-energy and speedy beat into the slowed down and glitchy final minute is so catchy.
Dracula, Tame Impala
Tame Impala’s recent singles have been incredibly polarizing to say the least. The dance inspired “End Of Summer” garnered a ton of controversy for abandoning lead singer Kevin Parker’s psych-rock roots, and “Loser” was just plain boring. However, “Dracula” is the most rocky song he’s released since The Slow Rush with a genuinely incredible hook. If the rest of the album sounds like this and “End Of Summer”’s glittery b-side “Ethereal Connection,” Deadbeat might not be as much of a lost cause as the disappointed Redditors bemoaning Kevin’s pivot to dance would have you believe.
Starburst, Danny Brown
Danny Brown has been circling glitch-pop circles for about a year, with features for artists like Jane Remover, underscores, and 8485. Stardust seems to be his first full foray to this album, with a pseudo-title track releasing this Friday. Coming directly after getting sober, “Starburst” is genuinely a marvel to behold. The minimal glitchy beats suit Danny really well, and if this album conveys the unhinged energy of his feature run last year, Danny could have a good shot at releasing one of the albums of the year.
Lockdown, Miley Cyrus & David Byrne
One of the most surprising moments of the year was Miley Cyrus releasing her most inventive and atmospheric album of her storied 15 year career. A deluxe edition released this Friday, with the clear standout being “Lockdown”: a near-fourteen minute collaboration with David Byrne with several atmospheric ambient and rock sections. Miley has never been one of my favorite artists particularly, but her new pivot to rock suits her incredibly well.