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 week’s picks include tracks from Jazmine Sullivan, Still Woozy, Mick Jenkins, and more!
1. Christian French – “avalanche”
Indiana born singer-songwriter Christian French’s rise is a perfect example of the power the internet holds. He learned how to play piano in high school by watching YouTube tutorials, going on to post song covers on SoundCloud. You may be familiar with his hit song “head first” off his 2019 EP, which has amassed over 97 million streams globally. Now he returns with a new single “avalanche”, a raucous pop jam with a funky bass line at its core. The democratization of access to music resources has given us a new generation of artists, who taught themselves instruments and have hit albums on SoundCloud by the time they’re teenagers. It’s upon hearing artists like Christian French that we really appreciate the power those tools offer.
2. Finn Askew – “Paranoia”
Trap-rock has become the latest musical trend to take over the world. The mixture of heavy hitting 808s with exalted pop-rock melodies take us back in time to the early 2000s, while framing that nostalgia within the modern trap aesthetic. UK artist Finn Askew taps into this exciting sound on this new track “Paranoia”, bending genre to create a rousing summer party hit.
3. VARLEY – “The Pressure”
We’ve all been in a group and suddenly felt the sinking feeling of self-doubt creep up. Your chest tightens, your breath quickens, and your mind races. “I just shouldn’t speak” sings VARLEY’s Claire-Ann, “I feel the pressure”. VARLEY takes that sudden onset of dread and reimagines it, offering a release from that pressure. Instead of conveying that self-doubt sonically, this song is breezy and upbeat. As I listen, I imagine myself getting ready to go out with friends, brushing off my anxiety as the Berlin trio winds through this jubilant anthem of awkwardness.
4. Yung Gravy – “wussup” ft. bbno$
Yung Gravy is the most unlikely sex symbol in music. His song “oops!” was a TikTok staple last year, but Yung Gravy has built his devoted following off the platform as well. Yung Gravy fans are a particularly thirsty bunch, but it’s easy to see how they have become so endeared to him, with his ironic quirky aesthetic and golden-retriever personality. Gravy is able to inject his verses with that personality in such an exceptional way. This ability shines through on the grooving love letter that is “wussup”. It’s a down-right fun song that lets us tap into a loveable sleaze-ball energy.
5. Dylan Fraser – “Nightmare”
![Dylan Fraser - Nightmare [Official Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sSue9Ccirkw/0.jpg)
Scottish newcomer Dylan Fraser just announced his new EP ‘The World Isn’t Big When You Know How It Works’. This song “Nightmare” is the second single from the project, coming after the release of his luminous track “I’d Rather Be Here”. “Nightmare” opens with an eerie wind before the distortion and muffled belting give way to the soaring pop ballad. Fraser incorporates just the right amount of tension in the verses while still maintaining his pop sensibilities.
6. Mick Jenkins – “Truffles”
Mick Jenkins is honestly one of my favorite hip-hop artists right now. His voice has a remarkable depth to say the least. The tone of his delivery is so textured and rich, as if his voice comes from mystical well he’s tapped into. Perhaps that’s just authenticity combined with a deep gravelly tone, but I think he carries a unique energy into the studio, where you can almost hear the trance he falls into while delivering his flows. “Truffles” is another track that I will be putting on my rotation, with Jenkins’ magic on full display.
7. Jazmine Sullivan – “Tragic”
Jazmine Sullivan’s ‘Heaux Tales’ is already one of my favorite albums of this year. Sullivan has such a gorgeous voice, and she knows how to use it to its full potential, when to break at the perfect moment, when to add a soul crushing run, and how to make us feel every single word. This new song “Tragic” builds upon the work of ‘Heaux Tales’, as Sullivan tells her lover everywhere he falls short. It’s an empowering fuck you of a song to say the least.
8. Sarcastic Sounds – “Closure” ft. Birdy & Mishaal
Vocalist and producer Sarcastic Sounds put together a fantastic group of creatives to create this new song “Closure”. He co-wrote this new track with Noah Cyrus, PJ Harding, and Mishaal, and enlisted the help of singer-songwriter Birdy for vocals. What results is a melancholy song about trying to move on from a relationship with a sharp lyrical perspective.
9. LANY – “dancing in the kitchen”
LANY is back with this new laid-back single. The trio is known for their atmospheric pop tracks that always transcend initial expectations. This song is a welcome return from them, with incredibly clean production and a carefree vibe that makes you feel unavoidably alive. It’s a song about enjoyment in its purest form, something we could all use right about now.
10. Still Woozy – “That’s Life”
We are so excited for Still Woozy’s full length debut ‘If This Isn’t Nice, I Don’t Know What Is’ in August, and with each new single he releases, that excitement only builds. This new lovesick song has the most classic Still Woozy sound of the singles he’s released so far. Incorporating an easy-going funk into the indie framing, Woozy knows how to create a pure vibe.