Every week, we bring you SOUNDCHECK — your destination for the best new music that just hit the web. Because you should always be prepared when someone passes you that AUX cord. This week's roundup features 15 of our favorite emerging and established artists.
“Lost Boys” by Phoebe Bridgers
Welcome back, Phoebe Bridgers. As one of the only people in the whole of New York City who didn’t get to go to Bridgers’ no-phones-allowed MSG show last month, I’m surprised by how uptempo this track is, though it suits the themes of Peter Pan syndrome really well.
“Wink Wink” by Charli xcx
We need to retroactively add this song into a coming-of-age film from the early 2000s, stat. It’s not quite rock music, but it’s certainly a nod to the pop-rock sound that many of us grew up on.
“Look At My Life” by Gracie Abrams
It’s easy for outsiders to assume that Gracie Abrams lives a life of luxury, fortune, and fame, but those things don’t always amount to blessings, and they sure as hell don’t equal happiness. If you think she’s being whiny and ungrateful on this song, clearly you weren’t listening to the lyrics close enough.
“My Body Isn’t Ready” by Sombr
One thing about Sombr: He sure knows how to write a chorus. His voice soars over this one, the pain in his vocal delivery palpable with every syllable.
“Is It Cool?” by Steve Lacy ft. SZA
SZA over a Steve Lacy beat — I used to pray for times like this.
“Saturday Night” by Ravyn Lenae
The melody in the chorus is so instantly memorable that I;m still not fully convinced it’s not a sample or an interpolation (extremely complimentary).
“Sweet Fortune” by Ryan Beatty
You don’t even have to pay attention to the lyrics to be moved to tears by this song. Another great entry in the Ryan Beatty and Clairo canon, “Sweet Fortune” is infused with a wistful romanticism that immediately makes your heart ache upon impact.
“Sun Has Set” by beabadoobee
Is Beabadoobee making rock music now? The girls online are fighting about whether this track is a new direction or a return to form, meanwhile I’m just glad it exists.
“Violins” by Blondshell
Another win for women in rock! With a title track this good, we can’t wait to see what Blondshell has in store for us on her new album.
“Satellites” by Frost Children
The dance floor might be dead, but the club is still very much alive.
“Wo, Man” by Peggy Gou ft. Ayra Starr
See above.
“Sign From God” by Cobrah & Grimes
They’re not exactly cut from the same cloth, yet the chemistry between the Swedish provocateur and the Canadian experimentalist is undeniable, with the final product living somewhere in Cobrah’s industrial dark-pop world and Grimes’ avant-garde otherworldly soundscape.
“Molly In The Club” by Sophia Stel
Is it possible for a song to sound blurry? Murky, hazy, or fuzzy would also be acceptable adjectives.
“Great” by Power Snatch & Tiberius B
Very unsettling, very unnerving. It’s not going to be for everyone, but the ones that get it, get it.
“Maybe I Still Love You” by Love Spells
Easy listening at its finest. It’s romantic, it’s melancholic, and, like all great soul music, it’s timeless.
