Clockwise from top left: Alexa Villa, Stereo Jane, Boy In Space, KAMAUU, Emily Lind and Loote.

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.

***

KAMAUU, “Absinthe” — KAMAUU completes the visuals for his EP, TheKAMAUU-CASSETTE: MíXD GRēēNS, with the new video for “Absinthe.” A sort of fuzzy glow enfolds the video, mimicking his vision while under the influence of the aforementioned hallucinogen. It’s provocative, which works swimmingly with KAMAUU’s unique avant-soul approach.

***

Alexa Villa, “Own It” — “Own It” is a self-love anthem in the truest sense. Alexa Villa wrote the song about how attitude means everything. Its confident ’80s pop-metal style drives home the idea of getting people to believe in you by acting like you know what you’re doing—even if you might not have it all together. “Own It” epitomizes the glam rock golden age with the punchy bass line and powerful vocals.

***

Emily Lind, “Castles” — Emily Lind laments the “Castles” in the sky with her debut single. She tries to let go of the pain and hardships that she burdens herself with to make space for happier memories. The song’s unique blend of alt-soul and contemporary R&B brings banging beats, ghostly melodies and well-placed harmonies. Fans of pop’s current infatuation with trap production will appreciate her triplet flows, but her melodies and vocal chops sport much more attention to detail than the AutoTune crooners.

***

Boy In Space featuring SHY Martin, “On A Prayer” — Boy In Space and SHY Martin show what falling out of love feels like with “On A Prayer.” The video’s vintage filter gives an old-world charm to the romance it depicts, using a warm tone to emphasize the good times. In contrast, the scenes where they’re coming to terms with the fact that they’re no longer in love have a jarringly cool tone.

The surprising musical dynamics follow these visual shifts, from ethereal beats in the verses to swelling synths in the chorus. All of the elements serve to cue the audience into the human emotions felt at both extremes, providing something more complex than just a sad love song.

***

Loote, “All the Fucking Time” — Loote incubates nostalgia for early-2000s post-grunge with the aesthetic of its video for “All the Fucking Time.” The song itself is essentially a pop tune centered on a desire for the person you’re with to want you the same way you want them. Its hooky vibes may sound more like Red-era Taylor Swift than Puddle of Mud, but it provides a vital message of striving to be heard and receive reciprocation for your feelings. The throwback video lets this theme pop in all the right places, even insofar as its reminiscence of older pop songs.

***

Stereo Jane, “Real World” — Stereo Jane’s video for “Real World” feels like a behind-the-scenes peek at an editorial column. Its vlog-like quality pushes the narrative of the real world being messy and unclear compared to the painted picture often presented on social media. As the girls in the video act in complete disregard of how others might react, the song’s 2014 pop sound becomes an ode to the carefree life girls are often deprived of because of societal expectations.

***

Aarushi’s Pick: My favorite song this week is “Real World” by Stereo Jane. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and the chaotic energy deployed in the video captures the feeling of being a teenager. The explosive pop-rock song becomes a soundtrack for riding around in shopping carts and hanging out at the beach. Stereo Jane stays in its own groove and rolls with the punches.

Follow reporter Aarushi Nanda at Instagram.com/aarushi_nanda and at Twitter.com/aarushi_nanda.