Stream this week's must-listen releases, hand-picked by our editors.
PinkPantheress' Heaven Knows
Electro-pop princess PinkPantheress releases her debut album Heaven Knows. Filled with her signature dreamy vocals, two-step beats, and y2k stylings this album is a grittier take on her previous releases. Tracks like “Ophelia,” “Nice to meet you” and “Blue” exhibit PinkPantheress’ versatility with their differing soundscapes and samples. Most notably, this album contains some incredibly well-fitting features, with Central Cee, Kelea, Ice Spice, and Rema all creating stellar additions to this album. Compared to the 18-minute run time of her previous project, PinkPantheress truly feeds her fans this week with the 34-minute run time of Heaven Knows. Stream PinkPantheress for all your pretty girl hyperpop needs.
Searows' End of The World
Searows’ sophomore album End of The World is emotionally devastating, haunting and nothing short of beautiful. Filled with echoing vocals, radically open lyricsm and earthy instrumentals, End of The World is a gentle reckoning with the self, your environment and your relationships. Searows' Alec Duckart has this innate ability to make the mundane profound in both his lyricism and choice of instrumentation from gentle acoustic strumming to eerie pedal steel Searows truly builds an all encapsulating soundscape. From top to bottom, this album is enchanting and emotionally eruptive, tracks like “I have more than enough” and "Collector" will have you shellshocked from their sincerity and soul. If you feel like having your heart ripped out of your chest– in all the best ways– I urge you to stream End of The World.
mxmtoon’s plum blossom (revisited)
Soothing, gentle and heartwarming– indie pop sweetheart mxmtoon revisits her debut EP plum blossom that she released when she was 18-years-old. The now 23-year-old breathes fresh new life into this project with her mature and buttery vocals, velvety production and complex instrumentation. “I didn’t have the tools or vocabulary to effectively get every idea I had in my head into song at that point, so the music I was making never quite made it into the form I had envisioned.” the singer shares “Now, at twenty three, I’m so grateful to say I do have the resources to make those dreams come true for my younger self.” For lovers of old school bedroom pop and long time fans of mxmtoon I recommend you let the nostalgia enrapture you this weekend.
Baby Queen’s Quarter Life Crisis
Introspective, honest and a little too relatable Baby Queen has a Quarter Life Crisis this week (don’t we all.) A fusion of hyperpop and bubblegum pop Baby Queen creates music for all of the spiraling 20 somethings who still want to have fun! Cynical lyrics juxtaposed with danceable beats create the perfect recipe for chaos and comedy. Tracks like “every time i get high” and “We Can Be Anything” will have you dancing and overthinking all at once and others like “Die Alone” are introspective piano ballads. Witty and gritty Quarter Life Crisis is a fun listen-through if you want some electro-pop to guide you through the weekend.
Bella Pardo’s "blue"
Bella Pardo releases her bedroom pop debut single “Blue.” The earnest and lighthearted track is filled with twinkling synths, velvety harmonies, and gentle beats. The lovesick track feels like Pardo is reading your journal when you’re crushing on someone with lyrics like “It's silly but I'm safe/ With your arms around me I can feel no pain/ It's all the little moments, stolen every day/ I think you’re perfect until you walk away.” Sweet and bubbly, this track is for lovers of bedroom pop with an edge, old school Clairo, and anyone who wants to lament in all of the little moments.
Noah Kahn and Hozier’s "Northern Attitude"
After performing this pensive and gut-wrenching track together at Austin City Limits festival, these two woodlands-loving, singer-songwriters recorded the track together to truly depress both of their fanbases. Kahan earnestly shares via Instagram, “I used to sit down at the table with my guitar and just try to capture a fraction of the emotion and beauty that Hozier encapsulates in each song he writes. [...] To have one of my heroes performing this song with me is something I’ll tell my grandkids, or at least my next dog.” This folk ballad dissecting childhood traumas and growing pains is only elevated by the intermingling of Kahan’s gravely vocals and Hozier’s booming harmonies. To put it simply, it is one of the most important collaborations to happen for the folk-pop sphere at the moment.
Check back next week for more must-listens.