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The Cure – “All I Ever Am”
In your feelings today? There’s The Cure for that. The iconic English band just dropped their 14th studio album Songs Of A Lost World. And it’s not a moment too soon because The Cure’s melancholic rock is a perfect pairing for the fall season. This single’s got all their signature sounds: Moody minor-chorded synths, big-boom drums, emotive guitar breaks, and Robert Smith’s singular vocal delivery. The Cure are (still) all they ever were… And then some.
Sea Lemon – “Sweet Anecdote”
Wrap your ears around in this hazy-cool, bedroom-bound single from Seattle’s Sea Lemon — aka the one-human operation of Natalie Lew. Bringing to mind the beep-boop samples and telephone-line vocal quality of artists like Boards of Canada, Sneaker Pimps, Zero 7, and Air — this track is a low-res handheld dreamscape you won’t wanna wake up from.
Lexa Gates – “Stupid”
Lexa Gates has big “about-to-blow-up” energy. After teasing the scene with releases straight out of her bedroom studio and shows from New York to Amsterdam — the NYC vocalist, rapper, and producer released Elite Vessel, her long-awaited debut album, just last month. Gates’ flow is remarkable as she switches deftly between hip-hop verses to an alt R&B-style chorus with thick ‘n’ creamy reverb. Click play to hear it all, plus a sexy video for anyone struggling with the cubicle reality of a return-to-work policy.
Mogwai – “Lion Rumpus”
It wouldn’t be a good-vibes-centric set of track selections without a song about doggos. Long-running Scottish four-top Mogwai are back with this almost entirely instrumental single, a nice hard-post-rock production dedicated to man’s best friend. Click play for searing guitar solos, relentless cymbal crashing, and a deep underlying bassline that’ll grip you right in the heart. And do not miss the video which gives us a heartwarming montage of an NYC dogwalker reveling in the company of his furry charges.
Isik Kural – “Most Beautiful Imaginary Dialogues”
Stay soothed with this meditative track by experimental artist Isik Kural. It opens gently with the sound of cicadas before slowly revealing a unique production style. For instance, the clunking sounds made by a piano’s inner mechanisms are heard alongside the notes it produces. Inclined toward surrender and artfully discordant, this song is a no-destination journey guided by gentle harp strums and Kural’s sweet and poetic lyrics. Click play for a musical mental exercise that resolves in a sonic prism of light.