LISTEN: New Music Roundup 3/19 – Top Ten Tracks

With so much new music coming out every week, it can be hard to know what to listen to first. Every week, we highlight some of our favorite tracks to kick off your weekend. The best way to keep up with our selections is by following our ‘New Music On-Repeat’ playlist on Spotify. This was a great week of releases, and a top 10 list can hardly capture all of the great new music that we received! Nonetheless, this week’s picks include tracks from 347aidan, Joywave, Adam Melchor, and more!

1. 347aidan “WHEN THE DEVIL CRIES”
17-year old Aidan Fuller, aka 347aidan, was first shot into the mainstream when his song “Dancing in my Room” became a viral sound on TikTok in 2020. Currently, “Dancing in my Room” has over 95 million streams on Spotify, and the artist is poised to reach 6 million monthly listeners very soon. Since then, Fuller has maintained that initial momentum of his career, pursuing music full time and releasing a string of singles, the latest being “WHEN THE DEVIL CRIES”. This track features Fuller’s signature croaking vocals with an easygoing trap beat as he sings about love, sobriety, anxiety, and the tribulations of modern adolescence.

2. Lola Young – “Ruin My Makeup”
South-London born singer-songwriter Lola Young’s new single “Ruin My Makeup” transforms the pain, turmoil, and rage of a love gone wrong into an epic ballad. The track opens with a simple acoustic guitar loop, and when Young’s smoky voice, with a distinct accent, comes in we begin to feel the emotional weight of the song. Young incorporates a spoken word style in her verses which adds an unmistakable swagger and rhythm to the song. When her soaring vocals come through on the chorus, it’s a magical experience.

3. Drax Project – “Over It”
Drax project is a four-piece pop band hailing from New Zealand, releasing their new track “Over It” just off the heels of “Tukituki Te Manawa” released in December. “Over It” was actually written in October of 2019 and has been kept in the band’s song bank for almost 2 years. Unmistakably catchy and utterly danceable, this track captures the essence of a quintessential pop banger.

4. Hayden James, Gorgon City, Nat Dunn – “Foolproof”
Australian producer Hayden James’ first single of 2021 is a very collaborative endeavor, teaming up with London duo Gorgon City and singer-songwriter Natt Dunn. Dunn’s vocals add such life to the track, which would still be a strong release if it were simply instrumental because of the expertly produced deep bass and twinkling synths. It seems as though artists across the globe are gearing up for summer, and hopefully for more concerts where we can gather and dance along to these stellar tracks.

5. Joywave – “After Coffee”
The indie rock band Joywave is comprised of Daniel Armbruster, Joseph Morinelli, Benjamin Bailey, and Paul Brenner, who have been making electric indie dance music together since 2010. This new song “After Coffee” showcases what the band does best, bringing feel-good tracks with phenomenal chemistry to their listeners. The hook of this song is sure to stick in your head, but the detailed instrumental flourishes will keep you coming back for more.

6. reggie, Kenny Beats, Monte Booker – “AIN’T GON STOP ME”
Houston Rap n’ B artist reggie released two phenomenal singles last year, “Southside Fade” and the heart wrenching “I Don’t Want To Feel No More”, in preparation for an album expected to drop this summer. On this new track, reggie collaborates with the already legendary producer Kenny Beats and Monte Booker to create an uplifting hip-hop track. The main melodic thread in this track is a sample of a gospel choir, which adds to the optimism and life of the song. reggie’s exceptional flow combined with the talent of his collaborators makes this one you will not want to miss.

7. Amy Shark – “Baby Steps”
“Baby Steps” is the latest single from Australian indie-rocker Amy Shark’s forthcoming album ‘Cry Forever’, which is set to debut April 30th. Shark sings about a breakup in a raw, unflinching manner, detailing the baby steps we take as we begin the treacherous journey of getting over a lover. Despite the melancholy subject matter, Shark injects an unmistakable sunshine into the song that frames the emotional core within ecstatic instrumentation and raucous energy.

8. Alice Phoebe Lou – “Only When I”
South African singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou’s voice is truly haunting in a way that instantly strikes the listener. Her songs stick with you, with powerful lyrics often rooted in female empowerment and embodiment. Her new record ‘Glow’ was just released, and the opening track “Only When I” is truly a standout. Lou’s voice oozes with dynamic texture, floating from a crisp breathy line up to her taut upper register. The bass flows across this track, giving it the feel of a smoky jazz club, where you can almost see Lou glittering on stage as she croons. Alice Phoebe Lou is quite possibly one of the most underrated artists right now, as each body of work she releases taps into some deeper mysticism.

9. The Maine – “Sticky”
“Sticky like the song in my head,” sings The Maine’s lead vocalist John O’Callaghan in the chorus of their new track. This lyric is definitely fitting, with the band’s first new single since 2019 tapping into their signature indie-pop/rock catchiness. This is the first single from their upcoming album ‘XOXO: From Love And Anxiety In Real Time’, set to release July 9th.

10. Adam Melchor – “Start Forgetting Death”
Los Angeles singer-songwriter and musician Adam Melchor just released his new album ‘Melchor Lullaby Hotline Vol. 1’, which was born from his Adam Melchor Hotline, where fans who texted him would receive a new song every week. The collection of indie folk lullabies wraps the listener in its rosy, quaint songs. The sonic softness of this project does not compromise on its lyricism, which is definitely demonstrated on the track “Start Forgetting Death”, where Melchor sings about someone who can begin to make you forget the inevitability of your own mortality.

Be sure to follow our ‘New Music On-Repeat’ Playlist to stay up to date with all of the best new music coming out every week!