May Erlewine, courtesy Michael Poehlman.

This week we feature the haunting memories of Mothé, collaborative synth-pop of Dreamer Boy, comforting vocals of May Erlewine, psychedelia of Mt. Joy and Post Animal, and the soul pop of Valerie June.

Mothé, “Terrified” — Spencer Fort previously clocked some time on the indie rock scene as Moth Wings, with songs like “Sex in My Head” and “I Used to Hate Myself.” But as Mothé, Fort is making honest, quieter music like “Terrified” that starts with just their voice and keys. Mothé sings of escaping uncomfortable situations prior to getting sober. The shimmer of strings on the first chorus gives way to synths and angelic backing vocals as Fort sings, “And I felt unforgiven/ When I last saw your brother/ It was the only thing that got to me/And I felt terrified then.”

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Dreamer Boy, “Over Everything” — Nashville artist Zach Taylor, also known as Dreamer Boy, brings us this synth-pop gem, cowritten with his friends Jackson Morgan and Will Taylor of Hovvdy. “I drove an hour on the weekend/ Just to be where you were dreaming,” Taylor wistfully sings over a pulsing beat as he reflects on how good an old relationship of his once was. “Over Everything” manages to be mellow and danceable at the same time, suffused with longing for a golden hour that seems to have slipped away.

May Erlewine, “Easy” — This song kicks off with just piano and a simple beat, and immediately you can tell it’s going to be one of those quiet yet powerful songs. That’s the case even before Erlewine’s beautiful voice comes in. “All the things that I wanted/ And what I didn’t get/ All the dreams that were haunted/ And the past in my head,” she sings. Like the music of Sara Bareilles or Tori Amos, this is a confessional piano ballad with a pop sensibility. “It’s never easy to take a fall,” Erlewine laments with her soothing vocals, like a best friend consoling you.

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Mt. Joy, “Lemon Tree” — Mt. Joy, named after a quiet rural town in southwest Pennsylvania, has been together since 2016. “Lemon Tree” is all about positive energy, and you can hear it in the psych-rock guitar riff that bursts in after every chorus. “We’ll fly into the space between the lies we told/ And find the good in every soul/ Is all connected energy,” frontman Matt Quinn sings. Both the music and the lyrics of this song are uplifting and freeing.

Valerie June, “Use Me” — Another Tennessee artist makes the cut with Memphis-born Valerie June, who interpolates a bit of traditional hymn “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” to create a gentle folk-soul-pop amalgamation of a love song. “Why don’t you use me/ When the world is doing you wrong?” she asks over a chorus of trumpets. “I like the way you use me/ Use me better than anyone before,” she continues, bringing a sweetness to a sentiment that is traditionally negative–using someone–and turning it into a positive.

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Post Animal, “Puppy Dog” — This prog rock quintet from Chicago formed in 2015, and they self-produced, mixed, and engineered their upcoming album. This song reimagines a breakup through the eyes of a dog with separation anxiety. “I want you to want me/ And I want you to stay here/ But I’m feeling it in my bones,” the chorus goes, as the dog realizes the owner is leaving. The song starts with an acoustic intro before eventually devolving into a psych-pop freakout. The members of Post Animal take turns fronting the band, further highlighting the band’s versatility. All of this gives a sense of limitless possibility for where Post Animal can go.

Rachel’s pick: I was just taken with how comforting and nurturing May Erlewine’s voice is. “Easy” is such a simple yet effective song, mixed perfectly by Caleb Parker (Scary Pockets). There’s also some great guitar work from Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck. Erlewine’s upcoming album, Tiny Beautiful Things, is named after the book by Cheryl Strayed and is a collection of songs focused on the power of connection and love.

Follow Rachel Alm at Twitter.com/thouzenfold and Instagram.com/thousandfold.