Muzi, courtesy.

This week we’ve got house-inflected South African rhythms by Muzi, dark pop by Isabel LaRosa, groovy dance beats by Shay Lia and VOXMANA, soul by Resavoir and alt-pop by Absofacto.

Resavoir featuring Elton Aura and Whitney, “Sunday Morning” – Resavoir is a Chicago jazz collective led by producer and composer Will Miller. This subtly radiant track features Chicago MC Elton Aura and rock band Whitney. It has a sunny and breezy soul-jazz sound. The expressive flute playing is bright beneath bedroom beats.

“Thinking about the way he used to/ Blow the smoke out the window,” Aura raps in a buttery voice. The ending moves as slow as stirred honey and perfectly captures that sensation when a Sunday morning turns into a lazy afternoon. This song is Resavoir’s self-titled album, out Nov. 3.

Shay Lia, “On the Low” – This groovy tune is the latest single from Shay Lia’s upcoming LP, FACETS. Lia’s alluring vocals, atop a winding bass line, will lure you in and have your hips swaying. Frequent collaborator Kaytranada produced the track. The result is a dance-floor-ready song with plenty of melodic flourishes.

“Say you want me/ But your actions don’t align,” Lia sings about her frustrations with inconsistent love. After the chorus, her soothing voice loses its cool and the song’s temperature rises: “On the low, low, low, low, low/ I’m tired of this shit!” FACETS is due out Oct. 20.

VOXMANA, “La Marea” – Written on the shores of Tulum in the Yucatan peninsula, this track was inspired by the vastness of the ocean and explores themes of expansion and surrender. Argentine singer-songwriter and DJ Natalia Clavier provides the vocals and the track was produced by Andrei Matorin, who’s also a violist. The two comprise VOXMANA, which here incorporate elements from electronica, Argentine folk and Brazilian música popular brasileira into this genre-defying track.

“Sube la marea” (the tide is rising), Clavier sings in the chorus. The overall effect is exhilarating. I hope to hear more from them! 

Isabel LaRosa, “Older” – Isabel LaRosa’s hypnotic new alt-pop single is addictive. The rising pop star’s vocals are icy and breathy over ominous-sounding instrumentation. She sounds like she’s on the verge of realization each time she repeats the refrain—“Think I need someone older.” The song ends too soon; it’s only two minutes long. There’s even a sped-up version premade for TikTok. Hopefully she’s got more of this moody dark pop on the way. 

Absofacto, “I Just Think About You” – This track has an iridescent quality to it, like seashell nacre or the transparent wings of a dragonfly. Though Absofacto doesn’t, at least not to my knowledge, list Owl City as an influence, I can’t help but hear similarities between them. Both have undercurrents of indietronica and synth-pop. Both have tracks with this sort of transient energy. Angeleno Jonathan Visger was inspired to write about his longtime crush, collaborator Jacqueline Kulla, whom he later wed. The lyrics are romantic and the overall mood is hopeful. Glad it worked out for the two of them!

Muzi, “Light”  – This track feels like freedom. Muzi mixes house-inflected South African rhythms with a jaunty hip-wiggling bass line. Muzi praises familial values as he transitions between Zulu and English throughout the track. His soulful vocals exude confidence and sound cool over shiny synths. I can’t get enough of this spirited, ear-catching track with its catchy percussive progressions and a dope melody. It’s off Muzi’s forthcoming album, uMUZI, due Oct. 13 on Fool’s Gold Records.

Sery’s pick: No question about it, my pick of the week is Muzi. “Light” offers a distinctive listening experience as Muzi masterfully infused house music with Zulu influences (specifically Mas-kandi, Kwaito and Iscathamiya). It’s unpredictable and without ostentation. It’s also pure fun.