Stream this week's must-listen releases, hand-picked by our editors.
The Moss' "The Place That Makes You Happy"
Oahu-formed and Utah-based indie rock band, The Moss, make their return from a seven-month break with their feel-good single “The Place That Makes You Happy.” The four person indie rock powerhouse have been making waves since their breakthrough single “Insomnia” and have only continued to carefully cultivate their vibrant and evocative grunge sound. This track is an earthy, dance rock ode to the quartet's love for nature. Filled with tongue and cheek lyrics like “Swimming in the river, smoking bud in the bushes/ Making love underwater like a couple of fishes” and groove-filled guitar hooks, “The Place That Makes You Happy” should be in your queue now!
Laufey's Bewitched
Anyone who loves whimsy, jazz and unadulterated talent has heard Laufey’s beautiful romantic ballads that feature rich and diverse instrumentation paired with her buttery and ethereal vocals. Filled to the brim with vivid stories of yearning, heartache and growth the singer-composer sophomore album Bewitched is nothing short of breathtaking. The fourteen-track LP is Laufey at her best, from the gentle, swelling string pieces in the title track “Bewitched” to her heavenly harmonies in “Second Best," the album feels like watching golden hour through the haze of a curtain in your childhood home; full of bittersweet memories and tenderness.
JAWNY's "Boy Scout"
Jacob Sullenger, better known as his alt-pop personal JAWNY, has released his vampy new single “Boy Scout.” Jam-packed with pulsing kick drums, pop punk cheekiness, and head-bang-worthy guitar riffs the 3 minute long track keeps you wanting more. The track not only features energetic instrumentation but also clever lyricism; the artist sings, “Your heart in park/ Take your clothes out of the trunk/ And I get nose bleeds/ ‘Cause the pressure’s takin’ all the wind out of my lungs” as we hear the singer gasp. Moments of humor are a staple of JAWNY’s discography and will leave you giggling to yourself long after the song has finished. If you need a song to jump around to this weekend, you’ve found the right one.
The Hails' What’s Your Motive
The Hails released their highly anticipated, effervescent, and groovy debut album, What’s Your Motive. Hailing from Miami, the five-person alt-rock collective consisting of Robbie Kingsley, Franco Solari, Dylan McCue, Andre Escobar, and Zach Levy create a unique blend of R&B beats with buzzing electronic production. Manifesting in a ten-track LP, the band takes listeners through a transcendent journey through stories of love, heartache, and twenty-something growing pains. This brand-new era for the band is full to the brim with genre fusions, danceable beats, and hooks that will have you singing along for weeks.
Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS
The wait is over for Olivia Rodrigo’s highly anticipated sophomore album, GUTS. ‘Twenty-year-old teenage girls’ everywhere let out a sigh of relief when they heard Rodrigo was returning to spill her guts to us one more. Opening with her acoustic turned pop-rock track “all american bitch” to grueling introspection and self-doubt in “making the bed” to her female rage anthem “get him back!” Rodrigo has done the unthinkable, creating two no-skip albums in a row and exploring the complexities of dating in your twenties, self-discovery, and heart-wrenching emotional turmoil. Sophomore albums are so telling of an artist's trajectory and I can only see hall-of-fame stardom in Rodrigo's future.
Check back next week for more must-listens.