Alfa Mist (left) and Bongeziwe Mabandla.

We traipse through human emotions this week. Angry anthems by MisterWives, BERRIES and The Gulps contrast morose musings by Sondre Lerche, Charlotte Lawrence and Alfa Mist with Bongeziwe Mabandla. Finally, a sunny single from OTR helps us find light in all the darkness.

MisterWives, “Out of Your Mind” — An angry anthem from alt-poppers MisterWives kicks off this week’s list with a bang. Starting with a rock-inspired guitar riff, the song immediately launches into lyrics layered with heavy, electronic vocal effects. “You got a mouth full of white lies/ Tie it up with a bow so it looks nice,” a jaded Mandy lee asserts. During the bridge, there’s a transition from the heavy strokes of Marc Campbell’s guitar to a disco-like beat. Lee’s vocals also change here to a smoother tone that ends in a furious scream by the time the chorus kicks in. The energy in the song is unmatched, and it’s a frustrated energy rejecting the confines to which Lee is being subjected. MisterWives make it clear they’re moving on from their technicolor Superbloom phase.

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The Gulps, “Surrender” — Lightning-fast drumming and a punk-ish guitar riff yank us into a world of frustration and fear of aging and isolation in the latest single by this Camden, U.K. band. This song is sung in both English and French. Vocalist Javier Sola and guitarist Juan Carlos Ruiz are from Spain. Bassist Simon Mouchard is from France, rhythm guitarist Francesco Antonio Buffone from Italy and drummer Raoul Khayat from Lebanon. The Gulps deliver on this energetic high-energy alt-rock track with vocals ranging from upbeat and melodic to outright rage screaming. The marriage of styles is pulled off effortlessly.

Sondre Lerche, “The Most Savage Joke” — This song takes a turn toward a downtempo melancholic mood. Starting off with lyrics that immediately evoke moodier musings, it’s about how people can be both uplifting and savagely disappointing, which can feel like a cruel joke. The song is artfully arranged, filled with orchestral strings and horns. It calls to mind the epic songs of Queen and Led Zeppelin. The 40-year-old Norwegian’s new album, Avatars of the Night, dropped Friday and includes new tracks with some reworked versions from last year’s Avatars of Love.

Sondre Lerche is not only making music, but producing a line of natural wines, and starring in a run of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” in Norway. Oh, and he’s on tour, playing at The Chapel in San Francisco on May 24.

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Charlotte Lawrence, “Bodybag” — We follow the downward spiral with the latest song by Charlotte Lawrence. The song is featured in Apple TV series “Shrinking” (with Jason Segel and Harrison Ford) and the lyrics stay on theme. “Calm me down with ketamine/ It’s better than you holding me,” Lawrence sings in the most beautifully mournful voice, alongside simple acoustic piano chords. Her voice is ethereal, sailing over the melody, at times a mournful wail and at others a breathy whisper. The music slowly builds to a crescendo, adding guitar, drums and backing vocals.

Alfa Mist featuring Bongeziwe Mabandla, “Apho” — The strumming of a Spanish-sounding electric guitar starts off this jazzy track from London MC, musician, songwriter and producer Alfa Mist. The mid-tempo track is rich with sound, highlighted by the inspired vocals of South African musician Bongeziwe Mabandla. The guitar riff loops the same chords repetitively while Mabandla’s crisp, melodic falsetto sails over the cello and percussion, create the dynamics and movement within the song. The track is the latest single off of Alfa Mist’s upcoming album, Variables, dropping April 21. Mabandla’s upcoming album, amaXesha, follows in May. The South African artist calls his music “Afro-indie,” and it sounds nothing like the ever-popular Afrobeat or South African traditional music. Alfa Mist plays August Hall in San Francisco on May 5.

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BERRIES, “Control” — Continue the rage, now reflecting inward, with this rock entry from BERRIES. The guitar-heavy song adds a punk and metal influence with melodic, staccato bass and in-the-pocket drumming. It could easily be from the ’90s with lyrics—almost a mantra—urging listeners to maintain self-control in the midst of triggering stimuli. It’s relatable subject matter touting a lesson well-learned by all. This is their first music from the London childhood friends since their debut album, How We Function, last year.

OTR featuring JONES, “Heat of the Sun” — The next single is as sunny as its title suggests, and it’s a well-deserved remedy from the darkness of the preceding entries. Cincinnati aerospace-engineer-student-turned-music-producer OTR (Ryan Chadwick) has described this song as a cure for sadness. This listener agrees. OTR teamed up with U.K. singer Jones (Cherie Jones-Mattie) for a fun, up-tempo new-disco track that pairs Jones’ airy mezzo soprano vocals with his energetic, beat-heavy synth arrangement. It’ll induce dreams of an approaching summer.

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Mel’s pick: The level of melancholy in the beautifully crafted track by Alfa Mist is balanced with the sweet voice of Bongeziwe Mabandla while the arrangement could easily stand strong on its own in the world of jazz.

Follow Mel Bowman at Twitter.com/melmichel.