Our recurring Songs of the Week column highlights one of the best new tracks from the final seven days. Discover our new favorites on our Prime Songs playlist, and for extra nice songs from rising artists, hearken to our New Sounds playlist. This week, we’re listening to tunes from Softcult, hemlocke springs, and others.
Amand Hammer and The Alchemist — “Calypso Gene” (Feat. Silka and Cleo Reed)
The second single from Amand Hammer and The Alchemist’s upcoming collaborative LP, Mercy, “Calypso Gene” is yet one more hard-hitting, jazz-tinged, smoky hip-hop monitor that manages to really feel pressing regardless of its laid-back vibe. After billy woods and E L U C I D commerce verses over spicy piano chords and shuffling percussion, Silka and Cleo Reed sing a closing chorus because the monitor takes a psychedelic flip. It’s as efficient as it’s fantastic on the ears. — Jonah Krueger
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Dazy — “I Don’t Wanna Suppose In regards to the Cash”
Earlier this week, Dazy, the Richmond-based indie rock venture of James Goodson, shock dropped a model new EP, Unhealthy Penny. That includes seven extra helpings of his hooky energy pop, Unhealthy Penny is 21 minutes of pure guitar-driven enjoyable. Midway into the tracklist lies maybe the catchiest tune of the bunch, “I Don’t Wanna Suppose In regards to the Cash,” which just about appears like what a mid-2000s Rivers Cuomo tune might need gone for if Pinkerton didn’t flop (and, in case it wasn’t clear, I imply that as a excessive praise). — J. Krueger
Ekko Astral — “horseglue”
The newest from Washington D.C. punkers Ekko Astral, “horseglue,” is perhaps their most abrasive providing but. The tune is 2 minutes of buzzing guitars, clipping tracks, crashing cymbals, and, properly, noise. Throw within the deadpan lead vocals and an abrupt-as-hell ending, and it virtually looks like Ekko Astral has gone full no wave. If that’s the case, they put on the style fairly properly. — J. Krueger
hemlocke springs — “heads, shoulders, knees and ankles”
Simply in time for Halloween, hemlocke springs is again with a dramatic, completely chaotic new tune, “heads, shoulders, knees and ankles.” What you have to learn about hemlocke springs is she is totally unafraid to take jarring dangers and put her character over perfectionism. Her piercing vocals and yelping excessive finish are extremely severe whereas additionally being unapologetically foolish. The vocal harmonies are very akin to the chaotic choirs present in The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas; the urgency and desperation that she conjures in simply two minutes is sufficient to make you are feeling such as you’re arriving within the middle of a twister, within the crux of a novel’s climax. Then, she dissembles your complete tune and croons over a piano, offering an interesting reprieve from the nightmare. Along with her long-awaited debut coming in February, hemlocke springs is in for an enormous 2026. — Paolo Ragusa
Softcult — “She Mentioned, He Mentioned”
After their terrific single “16/25,” Softcult are again with one other livid new monitor, “She Mentioned, He Mentioned.” Taking intention at “good” males who stress and finally assault girls, “She Mentioned, He Mentioned” factors out how hypocritical these males — and the system that protects them — are. With spoken phrase passages that rise in depth and fury, the tune drives and combusts, accented by a swallowing bassline and heat harmonies. When Softcult get significantly dreamy, it’s straightforward to soften away into their lush sound. However once they open up and roar, like they do on “She Mentioned, He Mentioned,” they’re a drive to be reckoned with. — P. Ragusa
Y — “Skipper”
London group Y have supplied a punchy new single “Skipper,” and it’s a terrific primer for the collective’s moody post-punk odysseys. Sophie Coppin’s impassioned vocals have all of the drama and attract mandatory, holding your focus earlier than a howling saxophone comes flying in seconds later. The band has no downside leaning into campier modes, and their confidence is fairly infectious — I’ve by no means seen them dwell, however this one sounds prefer it’d be a romp to witness. — P. Ragusa
