In this image released on December 31, 2023, Renee Rapp arrives at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' E...

SOUNDCHECK

Renee Rapp’s Regina George Solo & 9 Other New Songs Out This Week

K-pop group RIIZE goes Y2K, and Sleater-Kinney shares a bruising anthem.

by Steffanee Wang

Every week, we bring you SOUNDCHECK — your destination for the best new music that hit the web over the course of the week. Because you should always be prepared when someone passes you that AUX cord. This week's roundup features 10 of our favorite emerging and established artists.

“Love 119” - RIIZE

With its swooning lyrics and R&B-pop beat, the latest release from RIIZE, one of K-pop’s most hyped fifth generation boy bands, feels like a soundtrack to a 2000s romance drama.

“World Burn” - Renee Rapp, Cast of Mean Girls

Renee Rapp’s first Regina George solo — a fiery, defiant kiss off to Cady Heron — is here, and the vocals *are* vocaling!

“Untidy Creature” - Sleater-Kinney

All the cracks and crevices in Corin Tuckers’ imperfect belts bolster the palpably turbulent core of Sleater Kinney’s latest single.

“Mr. Vampire” - ITZY

I’m obsessed with this squirmy, whistling sound effect on ITZY’s “Mr. Vampire,” a quirky, out-of-the-box K-pop song that succeeds without sounding cringe.

“Hand To Hand” - Katy Kirby

I’m not 100% sure what Katy Kirby’s new song is about, but its devastating lyrics make up for any opaqueness: “What I can’t remember won’t hurt me/ thank god in advance, I’m already forgetting.”

“Beauty Opens Doors” - Buck Meek

Buck Meek, better known as Big Thief’s guitarist, is also an achingly great solo musician whose songs capture fleeing moments of intimacy.

“iiwannabe” - bad snacks

Lo-fi hip hop beats DJ and producer bad snacks hammers out a cosmic house reverie that has nothing lo-fi (or hip hop) about it.

“My Golden Years” - The Lemon Twigs

The Lemon Twigs’ latest is easy bait for anyone who still pines for the good ol’ days of The Beatles, but, overlooking that, it’s a genuinely good song, with passionate vocals that lean more custom than copycat.

“Miss Kosovo” - Astrit Ismaili, Mykki Blanco

Astrit Ismaili is a performance artist from Kosovo whose latest song — a ballroom-ready track made for whacking — turns the political details of his birth into something to dance to.

“Brussels Sprouts” - Essence Martin

With songwriting sensibilities remniscent of Billie Eilish or Lucy Dacus, Essence Martin crafts a tender and sweet ode to her sister.

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