Clockwise from top left: Wreck and Reference, Lingua Ignota, Knocked Loose, Daydream Masi, Jordan Klassen and Shenseea.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of music on the internet.

Don’t get me wrong; I love how platforms like YouTube, Bandcamp and Soundcloud have opened the floodgates of independent artists. But navigating the flood is easier said than done.

That’s where RIFF steps in. We do the heavy lifting for you, scouring the sea of sound with ears perked for choice listens.

Enjoy this week’s memorable tunes!

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Knocked Loose, “…And Still I Wander South” — These Oldham County upstarts have become one of beatdown hardcore’s biggest exports. Even though “…And Still I Wander South” continues the band’s more riff-oriented sound, but Bryan Garris’ ferral, unfiltered voice keeps the Knocked Loose sound primitive and angry. Considering the band’s well-tread stylistic path, it makes sense that its upcoming album, A Different Shade of Blue, would be released on the revivalist label Pure Noise. Still, make no mistake that Knocked Loose remains tight and lethal.

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Lingua Ignota, “Butcher of the World” — After taking the underground by storm with her debut 2017 LP, All Bitches Die, Rhode Island’s Lingua Ignota is now ready to release Caligula. With “Butcher of the World,” it’s clear that Kristin Hayter’s project has built on its blend of industrial, chamber music and choral singing in every conceivable way. The song’s jump-scare dynamic changes stab without warning through eerie ambiance into soul-rending shrieks, but an elegant through-line informs its harshest and most nuanced moments. Over what’s essentially a power electronics opera, Hayter’s arresting storytelling remains deeply cathartic and strikingly vivid. Her grating screams and haunting singing navigate a dark, sinister world with a steadfast motto—”No more kindness.”

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Shenseea, “Blessed” featuring Tyga — Having recently signed to Interscope Records, the “Jamaican dancehall princess” Shenseea is quick to acknowledge her blessings on this new song. With help from Jamaican producer Rvssian, she gives her style a healthy dose of reverence to Jah. Written both in gratitude to God and her fans, the song’s reggaeton beat drives a message of humbling triumph. Tyga’s feature spotlights a carefree vibe, but at its core the song subverts the braggadocios mentality of Shenseea’s contemporaries.

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Wreck and Reference, “Mirror” — To say Los Angeles duo Wreck and Reference was ever a metal band is up for debate. The band’s incorporation of drone, noise and electronic music into the mix was weird enough, but “Mirror” is an entirely different animal. It has more influence from lo-fi, trip-hop or post-rock than anything remotely related to metal. Wreck and Reference has always had left-field tendencies, so a shift this drastic is well within its grasp. Luckily, the brooding atmosphere, nuanced eletro-acoustics and post-punkish baritone go over quite well.

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Daydream Masi, “Stardust” — This 21-year-old producer, rapper and songwriter has a surprisingly mature sound, as seen in this genre-bending cut. You could liken his Auto-Tuned melodies and triplet flows to the trap chart-toppers, but his musicality reaches into the realm of minimalist psych-pop. In this way, his voice becomes the driving force of the track. His evolving flows and inventive hooks make “Stardust” as thoughtful as it is catchy, giving a major leg up from the sea of hip-hop and R&B crossovers.

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Jordan Klassen, “Virtuous Circle” — With a contrast between drifting chord progressions and propulsive drums, soft rock and folk, songwriter Jordan Klassen contends with the reality of death on “Virtuous Circle.” His soothing voice gives a gentler touch to the heavy subject matter as strings and piano glide over smooth rhythm transitions. The result sounds sombre, yet hopeful. Klassen doesn’t ignore mortality, instead choosing to sort through it on his own terms.

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Max’s Choice: “Butcher of the World” essentially takes everything great about Lingua Ignota’s previous work, and inflates it to overwhelming proportions. From blasting synth fanfares and demonic wretches to spectral harmonies and regal piano chords, Hayter has set herself up to close out the decade with a genre-defining release. By giving noise, industrial and avant-metal a solid backbone of modern classical, she gives her uncompromising, highly personal themes the perfect platform. Never has the underground experienced anything like this.