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.
“OK!” - NCT
SM Entertainment’s behemoth boy band NCT swap playful, exuberant verses on this eclectic rap standout from their latest album, Universe.
“Second Nature” - Bon Iver
Bon Iver’s “Second Nature” sounds beautiful, even as it’s taking a bitter, satirical look at climate change: “Is this our first? or second nature?/ When’s that Rapture…will there be merch?”
“Dolly” - Tierra Whack
Singing over folksy banjo, Tierra Whack channels the spirit of Dolly Parton with her own eclectic twist.
“Spud Infinity” - Big Thief
Silvery fiddle, Adrianne Lenker’s wiry voice, and what sounds like a duck’s quack make up Big Thief’s exuberant and lively single “Spud Infinity.”
“Candy Drip” - Lucky Daye
R&B sensation Lucky Daye captures a sticky-sweet melody on his latest bedroom-ready track, “Candy Drip.”
“Faultline” - Girlpool
Eight years in, Avery Tucker and Harmony Tividad are still spinning magic as Girlpool. “Faultline” is a revelation, examining the hardships of love over sensuous and impossibly plush production.
“Popular” - Pom Pom Squad
Pom Pom Squad’s cover of Nada Surf’s grungy classic “Popular” adds new dimension to the song’s dark lyrics of living up to high school standards of perfection.
“The Door” - Chloe George
Those who may know Chloe George from her first viral TikTok song will be pleased to hear that her buoyant, anthemic pop continues to captivate on her latest single, “The Door.”
“Back To You” - Flower Face
This blue-hued guitar song from Canadian singer and songwriter Ruby McKinnon has sharp edges: “Don't you make the same mistakes your father did/ You are not him,” she sings over its gentle melody.