Top New Tracks
5) Iron & Wine – “Hen’s Teeth” (2026)
Sam Beam, the artist behind Iron & Wine has been in the folk rock scene since his 2002 debut album “The Creek Drank the Cradle”. His formal education included receiving a Master of Fine Arts from the Florida State University Film School with a focus on painting. Before moving towards creating music, his degree led to a full time professorship in film and cinematography. Learning to play guitar by ear, his decades-long career has consisted of the release of 11 studio albums and features in film and television. His 2007 track ‘“Flightless Bird, American Mouth” was included in the Twilight soundtrack at the behest of Kristen Stewart.
This week’s selected track, “In Your Ocean” is simple and straightforward, with homey and heartfelt acoustic guitars.
4) Ratboys – “Singin’ to an Empty Chair” (2026)
Indie rock group Ratboys started with lead vocalist Julia Steiner and lead guitarist Dave Sagan in 2012 as students on the University of Notre Dame campus. After the release of their first album “AOID” in 2015, they continued touring across the US, honing their sound and performing with artists like Sorority Noise and Pinegrove. Five albums later, the band’s current lineup now includes bassist Sean Neumann and drummer Marcus Nuccio. Now based in Chicago, their latest release mixes pop-punk energy with indie rock instrumentation.
This week’s highlighted track, “The World, So Madly” features delicate harmonies and toned down electric guitars.
3) Jenny on Holiday – “Quicksand Heart” (2026)
Prior to releasing music under the Jenny on Holiday moniker, Jenny Hollingworth was one-half of experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma. After three albums and 13 years with the band, Hollingsworth is here with her debut solo record “Quicksand Heart”. Her songwriting evokes deep emotional connections, with lyricism that is at once brightly pop and shatteringly honest. The focus during production for her was on her vocals and the keys, though the attention to detail can be observed in the punctual basslines and eclectic synths.
This week’s chosen track, “These Streets I Know” is a pop-infused slow build with exuberant vocals and dreamy guitars.
2) Sébastien Tellier – “Kiss the Beast” (2026)
French singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sébastien Tellier has been producing new wave, pop, and electronica that spans across language barriers. He sings in a variety of languages, including his native French, Spanish, English, Italian, and German. His first release was followed by his touring with the French band Air. Tellier’s work has also moved towards the world of film, as he has contributed to soundtracks for multiple motion pictures. He also performed his song “Divine” in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, representing France, though he sang in English.
This week’s highlighted track, “Thrill of the Night” features pop singer Slayyyter and Chic bassist Nile Rodgers in their element with some high-energy 80s synths.
1) Charm School – “Schadenfreude Ploy” (2026)
Post-punk no-wave band Charm School originated from Louisville in 2023 with an EP titled “Finite Jest”. Now based in Los Angeles, their sound has developed into a gritty, bold take on the no-wave genre. In their newest album, named after the concept of finding joy in another’s misfortune, Charm School combines discordant saxophones, rolling drums, and steady expressive guitars.
This week’s selected track, “Schadenfreude Ploy” is chaotic in the best way, with expressive vocals punctuated by sharp saxophone phrases.
Top Tracks of the Week
5) Samm Henshaw – “It Could Be Worse” (2026)
Born and raised in South London, Samm Henshaw’s love for music originated the gospel music that scored his childhood. The son of a reverend, singer- songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Henshaw released his first EP in 2015. His work centers around pop-inspired R&B and soul, his earliest inspirations including Stevie Wonder and D’Angelo. He has supported both Chance the Rapper and Allen Stone on tour and his work has been featured in multiple artistic projects, including the 2022 film Hustle.
This week’s selected track, “Sun and Moon” is a slow quiet storm R&B track with some calming and harmonious background humming.
4) hemlock – “Orange Streak Glow” (2026)
Raised in Louisiana with roots in Chicago, IL, Carolina Chauffe has been releasing music under the name hemlock since 2018. Their musical style blends alternative and folk with a soft DIY edge. Their latest release, “Orange Streak Glow”, is an EP that is host to a spellbinding collection of mellow textures, including the gentle interludes of crickets to imbue the tracks with folksiness. hemlock has also performed alongside an array of contemporary indie and folk artists, including Merce Lemon, Babehoven, and Little Mazarn.
This week’s highlighted track, “In That Number (feat. Babehoven)” is elegant and mellow, listed as “cricket core” on their album listing.
3) Gorillaz – “The Mountain” (2026)
A mainstay in the alternative/hip-hop scene since their self-titled debut in 2001, Gorillaz consist of four cartoon band members. Behind the scenes, the creators of Gorillaz are none other than Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl illustrator and artist Jamie Hewlett. Known for their specialty of scouring far and wide for unique features, this newest release features artists like Sparks, IDLES, Johnny Marr, and two returning artists who were previously collaborators on “Plastic Beach”: Bobby Womack and Paul Simonon.
This week’s chosen track, “The Moon Cave” is danceable and free-spirited, smattered with graceful interludes and featuring previous collaborator Bobby Womack as well as Indian singer Asha Puthli, R&B artist Jalen Ngonda, Dave Jolicoeur of De La Soul and rapper Black Thought.
2) Yin Yin – “Yatta” (2026)
Yin Yin originated in Maastricht, Netherlands in 2017 and has since synthesized four albums worth of psychedelic grooviness. The group released their first full-length album in 2019, “The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers”, which was a Thai-rock inspired collection that featured their hit track “One Inch Punch”. Their musical style combines funk, pop, and Southeastern Asian music in a mellow and instrumentally varied fashion.
This week’s highlighted track, “Elma” utilizes Yin Yin’s 70s disco sensibilities with a groovy and multi-faceted melody and breezily layered instrumentation.
1) Softcult – “Tired” (2026)
Softcult is a grunge duo that hails from Canada and is composed of twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn. Their dreamy blend of shoegaze and Riot Grrl rock is complete with shimmering textures and echoing verses. Softcult calls out injustices through their lyricism, invoking empowerment against misogyny and gender violence. They have listed inspirations classic to the shoegaze scene, including My Bloody Valentine and Deftones.
Our Gem of the Week is “Naive” is serene and ethereal, guitars shifting between grungy and delicate.