Zora is a new voice from Minneapolis who’s got it all — she raps, sings, produces, and wants to bring down unjust systems of economic exploitation. Take “Runnitup,” the lead single from her upcoming debut LP, Z1, out May 20 on Philly punk label Get Better Records. Listen once and …
Read More »Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa Concoct a Powerful Melange on 'Sweetest Pie'
In their first collaboration, Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa put a saccharine spin on Miami bass that can supercharge weary winter feet for a jubilant spring. “Sweetest Pie” is equal parts Megan’s relentless flow and Dua’s pristine vocals, with the two leaders of their respective scenes making a powerful …
Read More »Joshua Bassett's 'Doppelgänger' Plays Like a Heartbroken Anthem About a Famous Ex
Joshua Bassett isn’t as over his ex as he thought he was. And he’s OK admitting that. On his brand-new song “Doppelgänger,” Bassett sings about seeing his former lover’s lookalike in public as he continues to long for a lost love. He’s done keeping his guard up, and he’s a …
Read More »Song You Need To Know: Rauw Alejandro and Ankhal, 'Wuepa'
Rauw Alejandro has been teasing Trap Cake Vol. 2 for months, promising to build on the sludgy, trap-soul sounds from his first iteration of the project, which he released back in 2019. The EP finally dropped last night and while it’s a quick, 33-minute ride, it refuses to be limited …
Read More »Elvie Shane's Coming-of-Age Anthem 'County Roads' Delivers With Distorted Guitar and a Sneer
Aside from maybe cold beer and hot wings, or blue jeans and work boots, few things pair as well together as a distorted riff and a sneering lyric. Elvie Shane knows this and wisely uses the one-two punch to announce his new single. Remember the first time you heard Eric …
Read More »Immolation's Pitch-Black Death Metal Matures Like Fine Wine on 'The Age of No Light'
Death metal started out in the mid-Eighties as a mad sprint: a scrappy cohort of underground acts each looking to push the limits of speed and shock value. But for many in that first generation, it’s turned out to be a marathon. Of the bands that helped to cement the …
Read More »Father John Misty Cruises Back into View With a Zany, Romantic Ballad
“For once your timing wasn’t great/I must have missed you by a day.” This is quite a statement coming from the guy who’s waited four years to give us another Father John Misty album. Somehow the world that Josh Tillman described in “Bored in the USA” has become even bleaker, …
Read More »Mitski Cuts Sharp and Sure With 'Working for the Knife'
In September 2019, Mitski played a final show in Central Park (with Lucy Dacus as an opener, no less) before embarking on an extended hiatus and going completely dark on social media. Two years, 26 days, and a global pandemic later, she’s returned with “Working For the Knife,” a track …
Read More »Song You Need to Know: Gray, 'Party for the Night'
Korean rapper and producer Gray has returned last month with the release ofGrayground. Although it’s his first full-length album, Gray has been a prolific artist and dominant force in Korean hip-hop. The album boasts 11 tracks, and “Party for the Night” encapsulates his trademark sound, which modernizes beats and melodies …
Read More »Muna and Phoebe Bridgers Team Up for a Bright, Buoyant, Very Gay Indie-Pop Anthem
Spoiler alert: This song is addictive. From the minute Katie Gavin delivers a line about cherry lipstick across summery acoustic guitar, “Silk Chiffon” ignites a blast of bubblegum indie pop in your brain with no intention of burning out. Like an endless sparkler on the Fourth of July, you just …
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