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. Turn up, tune in, and tune out.
Koffee, a.k.a. the Grammy kid, as those online have started affectionately calling her, has returned with a quarantine-inspired jam. It's starting to seem like her music is unable to not bring joy and good vibes into whatever space it lands. "Lockdown," with its jubilant beat and lyrics about falling in love over FaceTime is pure optimism, like starting your day on the right side of things. So of course, we opened this week's Soundcheck with Koffee before delving into the rest: The Chicks, Troye Sivan, beabadoobee, and more.
"Lockdown" - Koffee
Jamaica's resident reggae genius delivers another irresistible bop about quarantine crushing.
"Hope It's Something Good" - The Chicks
The Chicks contemplate a past relationship on this bittersweet, banjo-led ballad.
"Easy" - Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan's latest sounds like if hellogoodbye made music in the '80s — which is to say it's really good.
"Rascal (Superstar)" - Tinashe
Another unassuming, but quietly captivating banger from Tinashe.
"Care" - beabadoobee
London's beabadoobee goes grungy garage rock for her latest, and it's like the '90s never left.
"Maybe We Could"- Kllo
A hypnosis-inducing dance cut from the Montreal electronic-pop duo's latest album.
"Lylz" - Helena Deland
A gritty new track from Montreal's Helena Deland, whose smoky vocals is on full display.
"After The Rain" - Dream Wife
The London-based band gets vulnerable in this powerful piano-led ballad on the intimate process of deciding to get an abortion.
"Kitten Heel" - Isabella Lovestory
The Montreal-based reggaeton singer and rapper waxes poetic about her kitten heels: "Get out of the way, I'm with my kitten heels," she commands.
"My Way Out" - daine
Wistful emo-pop from Charli XCX-cosigned artist, daine.