New Track Jukebox – 1/31/22

A jukebox themed weekly recap of notable new releases

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CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: John Peterson, Angelika Gamwell, Zoë Longley, and Will Kirkpatrick

Add to Queue:

Rina Sawayama and Charli XCX is a crossover that is bound to be rewarding. Sampling “Cry For You” by September, “Beg For You” provides a fun listen with a very 2000s electropop feel to it. Is it a kind of safe pop song? Sure, but not every piece of music released needs to be boundary pushing all of the time. The addicting sample with Sawayama’s featured vocals intermixed with Charli’s makes this an irresistible, satisfying listen. – Angelika Gamwell

With her latest album, Three Dimensions Deep, Amber Mark places herself at the front of RnB. Her voice is stunning—straightforward yet alluring—and compliments the throwback sound of her instrumentals. “Bubbles” sees Mark turning towards dance-hall influences, grooving from start to finish. – John Peterson

Aided by the delicate voice of Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, ginla’s haunting new single, “Carousel,” plays like an old home video tape. Acoustic guitar interweaves with an upright piano in a cycle of lost innocence, thematically matching the titular line, “I see that it’s really all a carousel ride.” – John Peterson

Out of nowhere come the Oshima Brothers. Their new EP, Golden ep. 2, surely lacks polish, but the spots where it shines are undeniable. Ambitious production meets a clear baseline of stellar songwriting. Fans of Cosmo Pyke or DAISY are sure to find comfort in Oshima Brother’s brand of well-arranged, live-band pop. – John Peterson

Chuck dropped another great track; he sits on the beat very well and the vocal sample on the beat adds some nice layering without relying on it to carry the track. Chuck has a great flow and sound. He is the next big thing, get on the wave while you can. – Will Kirkpatrick

The near-7-minute opener to Pinegrove’s latest album, 11:11, showcases Evan Hall’s impressive mastery over language while evoking some of the band’s early work. Several lines stand out as especially impactful, a personal favorite being “I want to see the present tense in retrospect.” With an outro melody reminiscent of 2020’s “Hairpin,” Pinegrove starts their new album with a much-needed victory. – John Peterson

MJ Lenderman takes old-school rock and roll to new heights on “Hangover Game.” A driving force underlies the track, spearheaded by a blend of electric guitars chugging along. Harmonically, “Hangover Game” plays with the lighthearted dissonance of the blues as well as the eerier dissonance of chromaticism, paralleling the highs and lows of drinking. At just over 2 minutes in length, the song leaves you wanting more of its dark and modern approach to classic 90s rock. – John Peterson

I’m not quite convinced Bearcubs has found his creative voice yet. Though his music tends to sound vaguely derivative, his talent for production is sure to make any decent song stand out. “In The Flowers” is no exception, with THALA’s phosphorescent voice floating over a methodic drum machine and electric guitar loop. – John Peterson

The opening harmonies of violins transport the listener to a dream-like state but then pull them back down to earth once the dichotomy is realized between the sound and the lyrics. So, disclaimer, do not be fooled by the allure of the introduction—this is an incredibly sad song. The single exemplifies the signature sound of Alex O’Connor, and being a long-time fan of his work, my first exposure to the song led me to be mentally transported back to the days of Pony and Apricot Princess. However, upon further reflection, I am a tad bit let down considering this is a snippet into his next project, WHO CARES?, and not much growth or experimentation has occurred sonically for Rex despite the 3-year gap from his last release. – Zoë Longley

The debut album from Philly’s own Daemon Media delivers collage-like hyper pop that bpms your heart back into existence. Drum machines meet acoustic guitars, dance synthesizers, and affected vocals in the project’s opener, “Overworld.” – John Peterson

The most fitting word I can think of to describe “Postman” has to be funky. The bassline that propels you through the song slinks from note to note in the most addicting way—I feel like I could easily listen to this song for hours just because of the bass alone. Toro y Moi’s vocals are also just so smooth, peppered by occasional cries and yelps that keep the song beating and alive. The lyrics top it all off by being minimalistic, yet at the same time intriguing and fascinating. – Angelika Gamwell

This is Gabriel Kahane’s most intricately produced song to date. By going in this direction, Kahane walks a thin tightrope that many artists (I’m looking at you, Sufjan) take a dive on. It will be interesting to see how the style plays out for him in the future, but for now, I think he’s landed on another successful method of delivering his journalistic story telling. – John Peterson

There’s a new age of pop, in some ways spearheaded by artists like brakence or even glaive. Personally, I’m so here for it. “the fractal song” shows off gabby start’s ability to write a good melody and is supported by a classic pop aesthetic and punk attitude. – John Peterson

Curry is well-known for the manic energy he brings to the mic; however, this song demonstrates that his brilliance also lies in his ability to master versatile delivery. The song eventually progresses to become louder and more energetic but still retains a smooth atmosphere set by the first half of the track. If this track is an appetizer teaser into the sound of what Denzel Curry will offer with his next album, I will be approaching the release day very, very hungry. – Zoë Longley

Up for Debate:

The Alabama octet’s strongest showing in years still leans towards the mediocre with underwhelming songwriting and slightly tacky production. – John Peterson

Get off the Aux:

In a somewhat bizarre ode, Japanese Breakfast delivers a cover of Yoko Ono and The Apples In Stereo. It’s a minimal piano cover that ultimately dissatisfies with zero build in arrangement. Unless you’re really into the songwriting abilities of Yoko Ono (unlikely) or anything with Michelle Zauner’s voice regardless of context (understandable), then I don’t see you getting much out of this one. – John Peterson

This song is unfortunately a letdown for me as someone who usually enjoys Grimes’ music. Her classic futuristic and psychedelic vibe is present in this song, but it feels stale with a lackluster synth-y instrumental that fails to support or bring to life Grimes’ singing. I appreciate the Death Note reference this song makes, but everything else falls flat. – Angelika Gamwell