BEST NEW TRACKS
5) Porridge Radio – “Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky” (2022)
This indie rock band comes from Brighton and they formed in 2015. Members include Dana Margolin, Georgie Scott, Sam Yardley, and Dan Hutchins. The band has performed in live sessions for Marc Riley’s show on BBC Radio 6 Music. The group is currently touring to support the release of this album, and on January 15th they sadly announced that the group will be disbanding once the tour concludes.
The highlighted track “Back To The Radio” has passionate vocal delivery with an overall sad sound.
4) ROZET – “EAT” (2024)
This LA based artist wears their influences on their sleeve. Rozet has never shied away from the pride and joy of the genres they take inspiration from including R&B, jazz, and Afro beats. Rozet has also been open about the areas of study that they have dabbled in such as dialectical behavioral therapy, in hopes of earning a degree in psychology. This EP also takes a lot of influence from the queer ballroom scene in both sound and subject matter.
Our highlighted track “Thinking A Lot” has a somber intro before building into an intense, ballroom inspired song.
3) MARINA – “Electra Heart” (2012)
Marina Diamandis exploded onto the scene in 2010 with her debut album “The Family Jewels” under the name Marina and the Diamonds. With its release in 2012, “Electra Heart” became Marina’s first UK chart topper with over 500,000 copies sold. Recently, Marina performed her old and new hits alike at Coachella. The singer brought back some fan favorites like “How to Be a Heartbreaker” and “Bubblegum B****”, along with new singles “Butterfly” and “Cupid’s Girl”.
This week our highlighted track is “Primadonna” is a classic piece of pop music with a glistening sound and impressive vocals to match.
2) Say Lou Lou – “Dust” (2024)
Say Lou Lou are a musical duo consisting of Australian-Swedish twins Anna Miranda and Elektra June. Both of their parents have a musical history, their father being the lead singer of Australian alt-rock band The Church and their mother being a member of Swedish new-wave band Pink Champagne. The sisters have been releasing music together since 2012, originally in Scandinavia, and now their third studio album, “Dust” is available worldwide.
Our highlighted track is called “Waiting For A Boy” is a pop-influenced ballad with a slower tempo and drawn out bass lines.
1) SASAMI – “Blood On the Silver Screen” (2025)
Hailing from New York, Sasami Ashworth got her musical start playing the French horn in middle school before going on to attend a performing arts high school, and later on the Eastman School of Music. It was there that Sasami began working on scores and orchestral arrangements for film, as well as teaching music in LA. She began releasing solo music in 2018 and quickly garnered positive attention from publications like Pitchfork, calling her debut single “Callous” one of the “Best New Songs” of the year. Sasami has taken influence from a variety of sources including Asian, femme protagonists in movies, and Bruce Springsteen’s Americana denim.
The highlighted track, “In Love With A Memory” features Clairo and has some rolling guitars and gentle vocals.
TOP TRACKS OF THE WEEK
5) The Velveteers – “A Million Knives” (2025)
Songs of heartbreak and heart, rock ballads, and indie melodies have been parts of the ever-evolving signature style of The Velveteers. Coming out of Boulder, Colorado, this local group has spent the past decade shaping their energetic punk sound. The trio consists of singer/guitarist Demi Demitro and drummers Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig. Releasing music since 2016, they have pulled inspiration for their rock ‘n roll from The Cramps, Buddy Holly, and Led Zeppelin. Back with their newest album, “A Million Knives”, The Velveteers are currently touring the US.
The highlighted track this week is “Suck The Cherry” has an intense and upbeat sound.
4) Cheekface – “Middle Spoon” (2025)
America’s local band is back with their 5th studio album, “Middle Spoon”. Formed in 2017, Cheekface consists of Greg Katz, Amanda Tannen, and Mark Edwards. The band became known for their sense of humor that permeates all of their songs. The band has described their songwriting efforts as an attempt to make each other laugh, and the biggest successes end up in the final cut. Since gaining traction as an opening act for LA bands, the group has amassed a loyal group of fans thanks to their steady and consistent song output. The band has cited LCD Soundsystem, The B-52’s, and Jeff Rosenstock as influences.
This week we’re highlighting the track “Military Gum” which features McKinley Dixon with an energetic rap verse over some smooth synths.
3) Oklou – “choke enough” (2025)
Earlier this year French musician Oklou released her debut studio album in collaboration with Casey MQ. The album took over two years to finish due to the complex production process and irregularities throughout the project. Oklou got her musical start with classical piano and cello training. Her first EP came out in 2014 which came with a small run of cassette tapes for sale. Since then the artist has gained traction and has worked with musicians like Shygirl, Sega Bodega, and Bladee.
This week’s highlighted track “harvest sky” has a subtle electronic sound with the vocoded vocals.
2) Lucy Dacus – “Forever Is A Feeling” (2025)
Widely known as a member of Boygenius, this isn’t Dacus’ first brush with solo work. The singer/songwriter grew up in a creative household with a piano playing mother and graphic designing father. She began playing guitar in middle school with an Ibanez from Craigslist. After leaving college, Dacus worked as a photo editor and wrote songs that eventually became the tracklist of her debut album, “No Burden”. This latest album was announced earlier this year with a single entitled “Ankles”.
Our highlighted track this week, “Best Guess” is driven by ambient guitars and powerful imagery in the lyrics.
1) Japanese Breakfast – “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)” (2025)
This Philadelphia band formed in 2013 and consists of Michelle Zauner, Craig Hendrix, Peter Bradley, and Deven Craige. The band’s frontwoman is Zauner who got the idea for the band name after seeing a GIF of a literal Japanese breakfast, she thought the name would spark intrigue in American listeners who would want to know what’s in the breakfast. The band’s fourth album follows their most successful album to date, “Jubilee”, and builds off of their simultaneously upbeat and lamenting sound.
The highlighted track, “Picture Window”, has a western feel with an energetic drum beat juxtaposed with sweet and soft vocals.