Tuesday Tracks: Your Weekly New Music Discovery – Aug. 11
Every week, there’s a plethora of new music at our fingertips.
Artists on platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp are plentiful, and the radio offers a steady deluge of new singles, but who has time to sort through all that? RIFF does!
We pooled our resources to find some of the best new singles from all genres and backgrounds, so you can find your newest earworm without all the drama. Enjoy this week’s hidden gems.
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snny, “Postmodern Black” — “Postmodern Black,” the first track of Iceland artist snny’s upcoming album Radio Silence is a declaration of self-confidence. The song acts as a manifestation of his reliance in himself. He sees it as a superpower of sorts. “Postmodern Black” has a future-funk feel on lock, with a synthetic bass line rounded off with an indie rock guitar sound. His slick R&B singing make this song truly admirable, as it’s a seldom occurrence for all of these influences to mesh so naturally.
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Sad13, “Oops…!” — If “Oops…!” had come out before “Jennifer’s Body,” its sure-coated dose of the macabre would made it onto that 2009 film’s soundtrack. Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz makes music on her own as Sad13 and wrote the song to process how she reacts to the opinions others have of her. It expands into an examination of her take on toxic masculinity. The track reflects her quick temper and how those around her tend to respond to her. It has an early 2000s mellow indie pop feel to it, with a bit of slow-core mixed in to emphasize the song’s aggressive message.
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Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, “Mr. Prism” — Psychedelic Porn Crumpets provide a reminder of the high-energy band they truly are. This track has a very chaotic energy, with electrifying vocals, growling guitars and rocketing jumps between verses. “Mr. Prism” came to the band’s songwriter Jack McEwan as a fever dream of sorts while he had tonsillitis. This explains the unpredictable, yet catchy sound. The track follows McEwan’s ups and downs during his bouts with numerous illnesses, specifically with how his thought processes are effected while he’s medicated. It’s a really fun listen for anyone still craving summer energy.
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PUP, “A.M. 180” — Toronto punk band PUP made a cover of Grandaddy’s “A.M. 180” as an homage to the pioneering indie rock group. PUP’s drummer, Zack Mykula, has likened the song to a “lily in an otherwise barren valley.” It’s one of these guys’ favorite songs, written by a band they consider to be one of the best, most unique acts out there. The emotive melodies and crunchy riffs embody the protagonist’s yearning for some quality time with a woman with whom he wants to rekindle a relationship.
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Alex Porat, “never say ily again” — Alt-pop artist Alex Porat recounts a failed relationship on “never say ily again.” The song’s upbeat sound and depressing narrative fits her personality, as she uses humor as a coping mechanism. It’s a relatable song about a bad breakup to an end of a relationship that clearly wasn’t working—and the feeling that it was all a waste of time. Within the resulting trust issues, the song’s undercurrent embodies the little hope that the other person is doing worse without you. To that effect, the line “never say ily again” will surely help many heartbroken listeners feel heard and understood.
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Shenna, “Try Another Taste” — “Try Another Taste” is the quintessential pop song by R&B singer-songwriter Shenna. The song captures the feeling of wanting to hold onto the idea of someone, rather than the actual person. “Try Another Taste” deals with the process of reworking the image one has of someone, so it more accurately and healthily resembles them as a human being. It’s a total ear worm, filled with funky guitar licks and an unforgettable beat. Shenna’s powerful voice ties the song together, giving it a unique, addictive sound.
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Vacation Manor, “Apt. 4” — Virginia duo Vacation Manor’s single “Apt. 4” explores the give-and-take of a relationship. Nathan Towles reflects on his marriage—how he hates being away from his wife for extended periods of time and how that creates pressure within the relationship. “Apt. 4” leaves the listeners feeling nostalgic for times when they couldn’t help but crave to be with the person they love. The track has a ’90s acoustic pop-rock feel to it with the bright chords and fluttering melodies.
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Aarushi’s Pick: My favorite for this week is “never say ily again” by Alex Porat. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since I listened to it the first time. It has a very Gen-Z feel to it with lines like “I guess I just have bad taste” and “I heard you’re doing shitty now.” We all fall for the wrong people at times, but there’s some part of you that always wants to make sure you’re doing better than they are. “Never say ily again” is encapsulates the universal issue of bad relationships, along with the feelings of anger after the fact. Mixed with a little bit of superiority, it does a lot to empathize with listeners and make them feel more empowered.
Follow reporter Aarushi Nanda at Instagram.com/aarushi_nanda and at Twitter.com/aarushi_nanda.