Top New Tracks
5) d’Lovelies – “Great Horizon” (2026)
Local jazz and Americana group d’Lovelies originated in the Longmont Front Range. The group specializes in old time blues and swing with warm jazz vocals for a cozy, nostalgic feel. Though they often add members to expand their sound, the main group consists of vocalist Erin Friedman, songwriter and guitarist Rob Pate, and bassist Duane Webster. d’Lovelies have developed their country Americana style through appearances around Northern Colorado, including farmer’s markets and bluegrass festivals.
“Walking By The River” is downtempo with gently soaring vocals and an easy-going comforting melody.
4) Grocery Bag – “Deadvolt” (2026)
Grocery Bag started in the garage-rock scene of Austin, Texas in 2022. The group began with DIY performances of psychedelia in crowded basements and has continued to channel that high-energy environment with enthusiastic neo-psych. Finding inspiration in fellow Texas rock group Osees and the Australian indie psychedelic band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the four-piece consistently puts an energetic and outspoken twist on the genre.
Heavy riff-driven rock track “Deadvolt” sees vocalist and guitarist Isabella Martinez on her A-game.
3) Mei Semones – “Kurage” (2026)
American jazzy indie pop artist Mei Semones grew up studying a diverse array of music, moving from piano to guitar, to her degree at Berklee College of Music. Childhood visits to Japan to see her grandmother saw Semones following the advice to continue developing her musical abilities. The resulting music product is a meticulously-arranged collection of genre experimentation, moving from indie J-pop to indie rock to jazz improvisation. Her latest EP “Kurage” touches on themes of friendship and nostalgic love.
“Koneko” is a sweet yet deceivingly simple pop track with jazz percussion including brushes and Semones’ vocal scatting.
2) The Noise Who Runs – “Bang Bang” (2026)
The Noise Who Runs is a two-piece electro-rock outfit made up of Sneaker Pimps lyricist and member Ian Pickering and Brazilian-French guitarist Felipe Goes. The two met as coworkers at a language school, where Pickering recruited Goes for a new unnamed project. From his time working with the trip-hop/electronic group Sneaker Pimps, Pickering arranges synths and pianos to expand on the alternative sound of their 2024 EP “Come and Join the Beautiful Army”. “Bang Bang” examines the tactics of fear and division and offers a reply to the constantly evolving dilemmas of humanity.
Lyrics of outrage and exasperation are set to a filtered trip-hop beat on our pick “Bang Bang”.
1) The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis – “Deface the Currency” (2026)
This group resulted from the collaboration between saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and jazz/art punk band The Messthetics. The Messthetics were formed by bassist Joe Lally and later joined by drummer Brendan Canty, both ex-members of the post-punk band Fugazi. Lewis has been releasing jazz music since 2010 and has an educational background in gospel music from Howard University and a PhD in Creativity from Rowan University in Philadelphia. Now here with the much-awaited follow-up to their eponymous 2024 album, “Deface the Currency” sees the eclectic group dive deeper into their free jazz improvisations and progressive rock intonations.
We are highlighting “Rules of the Game” as a standout on the album, with its effortless blend of jazz textures and prog rock percussion.
Top Tracks of the Week
5) Charlotte Day Wilson – “Patchwork” (2026)
Contemporary R&B artist Charlotte Day Wilson hails from Toronto, Canada, where she has worked to shape the city’s sound since her 2012 EP “Palimpsest”. Inspired by classic motown, her childhood piano lessons, and GarageBand, Wilson has largely self-produced her work. Her multi-instrumentalist skills aided her in her collaborations with current R&B and jazz artists, such as Daniel Caesar and BADBADNOTGOOD. Her recent release, “Patchwork” is an EP that features jazzy harmonies and warm piano textures.
“Quiet Day” features Swedish songwriter Yukimi of Little Dragon and is a downtempo, dramatic track led by xylophones and rain sounds.
4) Joyce Manor – “I Used To Go This Bar” (2026)
Since 2008, California-based group Joyce Manor has made a name for themselves in pop punk circles and beyond. Their first release came out in 2011 in the form of a self-titled LP, their live performances across California shaped their sound to include more emo. Joyce Manor has retained two of its members since inception, including lead vocalist Barry Johnson and guitarist Chase Knobbe, adding bassist Matt Ebert and drummer Kurt Walcher in 2009. Walcher was later replaced in 2015 and again in 2017. The group has since released six more albums, including this year’s release, along with seven other EPs.
“After All You Put Me Through” is moody with a pop punk bassline and refrains of longing, culminating in a strong mid-2000s alternative sound.
3) Gnarls Barkley – “Atlanta” (2026)
The chart-topping project Gnarls Barkley was born from the partnership of singer-songwriter and rapper CeeLo Green and record producer Danger Mouse. After their 2006 debut album and ensuing success of the release’s hit single “Crazy”, the duo created a second album in 2008 then took a step back to pursue their independent careers. The two accumulated a number of awards within this short two-year phase, including Best Alternative Album 2006’s “St. Elsewhere” at the Grammy’s and the 2007 BET Award for Best Group. “Atlanta” comes after their sixteen-year hiatus and was cited as their final album, capping off the project’s lifespan with a retrospective view of their sound’s evolution.
We’re highlighting the track “Perfect Time” on Gems this week because of its powerful synths and grandiose, theatrical groove.
2) 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 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, Anoushka Shankar, and Black Thought and pulls inspiration from classical Indian instrumentation. On the album we also see two returning artists who were previously collaborators on “Plastic Beach”: Bobby Womack and Paul Simonon.
A personal favorite, “The Mountain” is our pick for today, opening the album with a triumphant flute and sitar melody and closing with Dennis Hopper’s excerpt from the 2006 Demon Days track “Fire Coming out of the Monkey’s Head”.
1) Yumi Zouma – “No Love Lost to Kindness” (2026)
Hailing from New Zealand, four-piece alternative pop band Yumi Zouma’s sound has greatly evolved with each new iteration. Their first release, a 2014 EP “EP I” was written entirely using file sharing services, as most members of the group had moved abroad. After adding members to create the current lineup, the group released a second EP the next year and toured across North America and Europe with Jamie xx. Their sound originally moved towards more dream pop and synth pop, however their newest record “No Love Lost to Kindness” experiments with a heavier sound.
“Chicago 2am” is more on the bright pop side of the band’s spectrum, using shimmery guitars and energetic percussion.