Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week we have a stacked lineup of singles, plus a new-to-me artist with an EP that I think will win her some new fans here.

Singles

Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo

Sorry, but there was no way I was starting this week’s roundup off with anyone else. Olivia’s making her highly anticipated return this year with a new pink aesthetic and an intriguing title for her third album. From the moment she started teasing this lead single, I knew I would adore it. The dreamy vibes, that scrumptious synth, it was clearly right up my alley.

“Drop Dead” did not disappoint. The vocals are airy against a backdrop of shimmering synths, the lyrics perfectly capturing the lightning strike of a new crush. The chorus is one big build; as her vocals leap into her upper register, you can imagine running up a wildflower-covered hill. You arrive at the top, giddy and breathless, as the song plunges into a spoken second verse.

It still has that raw, vulnerable feeling I associate with Olivia, married to the full-throttle “oh my god, so this is love” feeling of “So American”. It’s an incredible first chapter for her new era.

“You know all the words to just like heaven/and I know why he wrote them now I standing right here”

Discover Olivia Rodrigo

Town Ain’t Big Enough by Leanna Firestone

Another artist who occupies her unique sound so well she can switch it up or live up to it just easily is Leanna Firestone. Something of an indie darling to anyone who thinks faster than they can communicate and never gets over anything, Leanna is paving the way for her upcoming album. “Town Ain’t Big Enough” blends a fun early Taylor Swift-esque country sound with unfiltered diary-of-a-songwriter lyricism. It’s a classic concept for a breakup song: discovering the world is way too small to accommodate you and the person you’re trying to forget. Leanna’s take on this concept is winningly self-deprecating, relatable, and impressively fresh.

“Just broke up but we’re in the same city/all dressed up in inescapable pity/and I’m still stuck until my lease is up/but this town ain’t big enough for both of us”

Discover Leanna Firestone

Poconos by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

Another of my favorites on the indie scene, Katie Lynne Sharbaugh is also mid album rollout. The latest single, “Poconos” shows off her gift for storytelling against an array of live instruments. She wastes no time getting right into it, with melodies that float, flutter, and sink like Autumn leaves in the wind. She describes an encounter between a woman who’s “colder than the Poconos” and the man who will never forget her. It’s truly a captivating song, imagery playing out like a movie with a catchy chorus to top it all off.

“Cotton candy skies/the heartache of a bittersweet goodbye/when the sun sets he gets lost in her alibi/rough and winding road/the journey takes longer than she’d hoped/under pretense she gets lost chasing butterflies/don’t you know it’s everybody’s plight/that the grass ain’t greener on the other side”

Discover Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

So Long by Isabel Pless

Lately, singersongwriter Isabel Pless has been knocking my socks off. Following up the icy “Wish You Nothing At All”, she’s back with an equally chill, yet scathing, breakup song. “So Long” is a send off to the ex you couldn’t get rid of fast enough; the one whose departure marked a huge boost to your quality of life. The production perfectly walks the line between indie and pop with a nice cool beat and clever rhymes. The chorus is a real treat, bass synth coming in with yell-y backing vocals to emphasize her point.

“Did you always see me as replaceable/or think your damage to me was collateral/well if I’m being honest and rational/watching you walk out felt natural”

Discover Isabel Pless

Middle Of Nowhere by Kacey Musgraves

Though often overlooked by the country overlords, I don’t think anyone can deny that Kacey Musgraves is an icon. Her eras always manage to come off as distinct worlds with new sounds, themes, and character arcs to discover. After the mature spirituality of Deeper Well, Kacey’s rolling out her next album with singles that feel a little dustier, a little more independent, and a lot sassier. “Middle Of Nowhere” follows up the innuendo-filled “Dry Spell”, adding depth to her single status. With some unusual and creative choices in the rhythm department, the song keeps you on your toes, all while laying out a peaceful, wifi-less scene somewhere in the desert. Just like “Dry Spell”, I’m reminded of Sabrina Carpenter, particularly on the outro. I wonder if they’d ever collab.

“The thing that I love about the place that I’m in/there’s no reckless men/who don’t know what they want”

Discover Kacey Musgraves

Lines In The Carpet by Ashley McBryde

A truly underrated country artist, in my opinion, is Ashley McBryde. I’ve loved her since I was first gagged by “Martha Divine” randomly coming on the radio in my mom’s car, and it’s nice to hear new singles from her. “Lines In The Carpet” lures you in with a brief, more mellow intro before the full instrumentation comes in. Ashley’s in full storytelling mode as she describes the plight of a housewife who feels trapped in a depressing cycle.

“He don’t see her tears on the floor/when she’s dusting off the bass boards/feels like that’s all she’s made for these days”

Discover Ashley McBryde

Left You First by Eva Rose

For those relieved they didn’t get the chance to become that housewife, we have the indie pop rock of Eva Rose. “Left You First” is the latest chapter in a string of songs that grapple with a nasty breakup. In this one, we have to ask: wait, he broke up with you? The song employs an upbeat summery pop sound with a punk edge. The chorus is ultra-catchy, topped off with an infectious post-chorus. It’s instantly memorable and sing-along-ready. The cherry on top? A sax solo, just to kick it up to the next level.

“I held on way too long/it only made it worse/and that’s what really hurts/I should’ve left you first”

Discover Eva Rose

Love Me by The Pretty Reckless

Rock icon Taylor Momsen is back from a four-year pause (interrupted by a Christmas album) to roll out a brand new album. “Love Me” is the latest single and what a single it is. Starting off easy with acoustic guitar and vocals, the song starts to build as an electric guitar and drums come in. The pay-off is a super catchy, cathartic chorus that sounds straight off the 90s alt radio station. In other words, it’s a banger.

“In my heart, I’ve been betrayed/my body is all that I’m worth/and in my mind, I’ve been enslaved”

Discover The Pretty Reckless

Wannabeher by MUNA

This week is full of album rollouts and MUNA’s well on their way. “Wannabeher” is the third new single from their upcoming album and one that has me all the more excited for this new era. Off to the races with a cool intro, our ears are treated to a distorted guitar and catchy verses delivered with a spoken edge. It’s very authentically MUNA, but at the same time offers all sorts of sounds and vibes that are uncharted territory for the band. The overall effect is a song to get you hyped whether you adopt it as a self-confidence anthem or associate it with that one girl that you obsess over.

“Obsessed/step on my neck, yeah/car wreck, she sent me a hot text/yeah I think I might wanna be her”

Discover MUNA

Death Grip by Trousdale

“Death Grip” unfurls with a warm and inviting sound, one that builds gradually throughout the song. This compliments the story of trying to move on, struggling with increasing desperation to let go. Each new section has a little something extra sprinkled in, creating this steadily rising feeling to the very end. And, of course, Trousdale treats us to their signature three-part harmonies throughout.

“I’ve got a death grip/I wish that things were different/if you could let me in your head/if I could ever understand/would I still be holding on?”

Discover Trousdale

Pretty 4Ever by Emily James

Our last single of the bunch is courtesy of singer-songwriter Emily James. “Pretty 4Ever” employs a chill and groovy production to soundtrack a girls’ night out. She sets the scene so vividly you can practically taste it; sugary and tart like the lemonade she mentions in the chorus. This is the feel-good tune of the summer, delivered a little early for our convenience.

“July in SoHo/we’re swimming in the dead heat/suns sitting so low/over a million heartbeats”

Discover Emily James

EPs

My Heart In Your Hands by Jessi Wilkins

This week’s featured EP is from a new-to-me artist. I first stumbled across Jessi Wilkins on TikTok, teasing the track this project derives its title from.

Her sound ushers you in with fuzzy guitars and warm vocals, a mostly acoustic world infused with enough pop to make it shimmer. It’s against this backdrop of rich instrumentation that Jessi’s delicate vocals really shine.

The biggest standouts for me were “‘86 Civic”, “Nineteen”, and “Raining In California”. As always, I’m stoked to discover a new artist. She reminds me a little of Alessi Rose, but also of Blondshell, bringing a soft rock twist to confessional indie. The EP is perfect for a rainy drive as a passenger, when you can put your headphones and watch the rain fall while My Heart In Your Hands washes over you.

Discover Jessi Wilkins

The full list:

• Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo

• First Light by Lana Del Rey

• Stay Love by Lewis Capaldi

• Love Me by The Pretty Reckless

• Wannabeher by MUNA

• Middle Of Nowhere by Kacey Musgraves

• Town Ain’t Big Enough by Leanna Firestone

• So Long by Isabel Pless

• Lines In The Carpet by Ashley McBryde

• Left You First by Eva Rose

• Poconos by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

• Death Grip by Trousdale

• Pretty 4ever by Emily James

• Something is a shell . by Sofia Isella

• My Heart In Your Hands by Jessi Wilkins

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I’ve personally found a lot of new favorites in this roundup and I’m deeply excited for the upcoming albums from Leanna Firestone, Katie Lynne Sharbaugh, and, of course, Olivia Rodrigo.

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, we have some incredible singles to dive into as well as excellent new albums, so let’s get into it!

This post is too long for email, so please continue in your browser or the Substack app

Singles

i think i had something once by Aubory Bugg

To kick us off on an introspective note, we have the latest from Aubory Bugg. Aubory’s indie folk songs never fail to make me feel something, and “i think i had something once” is no exception. She reflects on the past and present, lost iterations of herself, and all the things we can’t get back from the one-way stream of time. It’s a tear jerker set to mellow guitar with a gorgeous French horn fluttering throughout.

“I guess that I have to live with every person that I have or have never been/I’ll never know when my best is/times goes fast, guess it’s blink and you miss it/I wish I knew when the good was when I was in it”

Discover Aubory Bugg

Right In Front Of Me by Tiny Habits

Speaking of folk pop that never disappoints, you can’t go wrong with Tiny Habits. On “Right In Front Of Me”, though, they’re departing from their usual mellow tear jerkers for a more upbeat and nostalgic sound to match the bold colors on its cover. The song documents the struggle to shed self-consciousness and dance like no ones watching, with a chorus catchy enough to make you want to.

“Oh this feeling, baby/you look crazy/but so free/I’m too nervous but you’re staring at me/what if everything I need is standing right in front of me?”

Discover Tiny Habits

Your Friend by Jensen McRae

With Tiny Habits as an upbeat palette cleanser, we’re back into contemplative sorrow with Jensen McRae. “Your Friend” is a shining example of the elusive quality that makes Jensen so special. The honeyed grit in her voice shines with this minimal production, while the lyrics speak for themselves. It’s the kind of song that breaks down doors in the listener’s heart and makes you remember forever exactly where you were when you first heard it.

“No has to get hurt/I can learn to live this way”

Discover Jensen McRae

Sylvia Plath by Sasha Cee

This next song is from a new-to-me artist whom I stumbled across on TikTok. “Sylvia Plath” gave me Anabelle Dinda vibes with its simmering rage and driving guitar. It’s one of those songs that never loses momentum, complimented by the verses’ catchy phrasing and the more abstract chorus.

“My hair hasn’t been virgin since before I was a virgin/and you think a little less of me because of that/you’ll never truly know me cuz I’ll never get word in/and you’ll never find me interesting like Sylvia Plath”

Discover Sasha Cee

Kissing The Ground by Nell Mescal

Nell Mescal is one of those artists I’ll drop anything to listen to when she releases new music. With her gorgeous vocals that effortlessly flip from rich, low notes to high, clear ones, she has a way of tugging on my emotions that few artists can. The little vocal chop part adds a pop-y twist to juxtapose the acoustic sound, creating a very dreamy overall feel. Just like its subject matter, it’s a song up in space, yearning to be grounded.

“I was never taught patience/I’m not good with my hands/I love to shout into space/and throw my anger around/how do you breathe so quiet/I’m always gasping for air/or trying to find it/you just seem so settled/if I ever get back down to earth/I’ll start kissing the ground”

Discover Nell Mescal

Body Double by Emily O’Neal

Since “I’m crying (in a cool way)”, Emily O’Neal has caught my attention with her unique sound and lyrics that brim with personality. Her most recent single is an excellent follow up. “Body Double” kicks off with some staccato piano, interspersed with a cool, theatrical riff. Her verses guide us through vivid scenes, using specific details to communicate a unique take on anxiety.

“Somebody take the pressure off/I need a body double/stay safe inside my bubble/don’t wanna go through trouble/but I still want the pay off…I don’t wanna do it/but I still want it done”

Discover Emily O’Neal

Postcard by Zinadelphia

If you’re craving something smooth and vintage-flavored, the latest from Zinadelphia will strike the itch. “Postcard” is a little jazzy, a little funky, and perfectly compliments her crooning vocals. The lyrics ruminate on a long-distance love, packaging her affection both into a postcard and into a catchy, danceable chorus.

“We do what we know to feel close/baby ditch the phone/I put my love on a postcard/and send it off/when I can’t be around/I write it down/there’s no erasing”

Discover Zinadelphia

Bring Home My Man by Maya Hawke

Lingering in those vintage vibes but stepping into a different genre, we have Maya Hawke with “Bring Home My Man”. With its light and airy guitar arrangement and a chorus ready to sing around campfires, the song will remind just about everyone with ears of a good Beatles song. There’s something very familiar and comforting to it, from the simple yet poetic lyrics to the soft lullaby-esque vocals.

“There is no end to knowing you/light blue bleeding into blue”

Discover Maya Hawke

Pink Moon by Runo Plum

Before we leave the soft and sweet soundscape, we have perhaps the pinnacle of this sound, Runo Plum. The intro immediately evokes imagery of a rainy day, curled up with a warm beverage, watching life float by. It’s all so dreamy, like an impressionist painting of metaphor and harmony. The lyrics take little details and elevate them, zooming in with love and attention.

“Freckles on your shoulders/oh how I wanna kiss em/you’re glistening sun on the water/it feels impossible to look away”

Discover Runo Plum

East Coast Cowboys by Sarah Gross

We’re gonna close out this week’s round of singles with a sharp turn into some real classic-sounding country. Sarah Gross has had my undivided attention since the first time I heard “New Impressions”. Now, she’s kicking her usual folk country sound up a notch with this boot-stomping bop. “East Coast Cowboys” lives up to its name, reflecting on her hometown against a bed of twangy guitar. The spoken verses hook you right away and the stomping beat keeps you toe-tapping along to the last fast-paced chorus.

“On one side you’ll see buildings high/the other an eviction sign/seaside towns aren’t known for giving grace”

Discover Sarah Gross

Albums

Cruel World by Holly Humberstone

It’s been a big weekend for indie-pop princess, Holly Humberstone. After the release of her sophomore album, she played Coachella night one, bringing “Cruel World” to life at one of the biggest music festivals.

Throughout the rollout of the album, I’ve become quite taken with the dreamy color palettes, medieval aesthetics, and singular production. I was stoked to finally hear the whole project, and Holly did not disappoint.

The fittingly named first track “So It Starts…” is more of an overture. Bit by bit, the song builds, each new instrument falling into place and perfectly flowing into the first “real” song. I was reminded, somewhat unexpectedly, of the original score for the movie Coraline. I find this fitting for an album made up of deep blues, dreamscapes, and heroine energy.

Before you even know it, “So It Starts…” has swept you off your feet and deposited you into the warm waters of “Make It All Better”.

Ruled by a delicious guitar plucking along in the back, “Make It All Better” wastes no time capitalizing on the cinematic fantasy of the album.

“They’re just extras in our scene”

From start to finish, I felt hypnotized by this song. The dreamy beginning, the catchy beat that comes in, and particularly that glitch-ful outro serving up easy electronic hooks.

After this, she wastes no time serving up her hits. “Make It All Better” is followed by all three of the album’s lead singles. “To Love Somebody” is her radio-ready, feel good bop, followed closely by the title track and then the swooning “Die Happy”.

Throughout it all, we’re continuously treated to those bewitching bass lines and classic guitar pop sounds elevated by orchestral and synth parts.

Together with her longtime collaborator, Rob Milton, Holly has managed to create an album full of variation and interest that’s, at the same time, deeply cohesive. I’m reminded of how painters can make their work look more cohesive and realistic by adding trace amounts of one color to every other color in the palette. I feel that that’s what Holly Humberstones accomplished in a sonic way on Cruel World.

“White Noise” has quickly become one of my favorites. She captures the stage of a breakup where you feel like the whole world is just noise that can’t reach you in your bubble. You are, as Taylor Swift once said, on “heartbreak time”.’ All this is communicated in some of Holly’s catchiest melodies with a sound that sways around you like you’re on the dance floor.

“So play a sad song DJ/I just wanna sway tonight”

From here, she briefly departs from the romantic plot lines to uplift her girl friends. “Lucy” spotlights her gorgeous soft vocals against a bed of light guitar. It feels like a sweet, encouraging interlude, the sun peering through the navy blues and blacks of the album.

“Don’t you know? Behind every rain cloud, there is a promise that flowers will grow”

The sound of a car engine starting wakes us up from “Lucy”’s mellow sidebar. “Red Chevy” is a catchy sensual prequel to the next track, “Drunk Dialing”. We’re along for the ride as passion crashes and burns, leaving Holly alone again. Once again, little choices in the production shine as a sax traces the refrain and a voice memo closes out the song, setting us up for the pace to pick up again on “Drunk Dialing”.

One of my favorites on the album, “Drunk Dialing” is a girl hyping herself up to move on at any cost.

“You can check the definition/I’m not unhinged, just having fun”

The concepts particularly good, because you can see how the methods she employs to move on backfire. She drinks to forget, only to drunk dial the person she’s trying to forget. Oh, well though, with a chorus this catchy, it’s hard to disapprove. When the more stripped back, candid bridge explodes into the final chorus, I immediately knew this one was top three for me.

After all this, an introspective ballad feels earned. “Peachy” dives into her hesitance to commit, vivid scenes of closeness floating by in the verses as a gorgeous piano takes the spotlight in the back. The chorus puts avoidance in simple, hard-hitting terms.

“Don’t put your faith in me/don’t cut me a set of keys/god knows I’m 24, I’m still a baby/don’t put your faith in me/right now we’re all the rage/but how are you sure that I’m your end game?”

“Peachy” ends abruptly, tossing us into the trippy intro to “Blue Dream”. A catchy vibe through and through, the second-to-last track on the album feels like being young and irresponsible on a Saturday night. A midnight drive on rain-soaked streets or a laughter-filled afternoon on the beach, it would be at home on just about any playlist.

Like much of the album, “Blue Dream” captures that sense of being the only two people in the world, a dream-bubble that’s probably only limerence, but doesn’t feel any less wonderful for it.

In a full circle moment, the closing track opens with the title of the first: “so it starts,” Holly sings against a theatrical piano arrangement. “Beauty Pageant” reflects on who she was as a young girl dreaming of the stage and who she is now, growing older and still in love with performing. She captures the bad of this life: the high expectations and pressure, the box society tries to put women like her in, and the unrelenting eyes always on her. The silver lining peeks through on the chorus though.

“The stage is yours/don’t forget to have a ball”

On the bridge, she seems to address herself directly: “you’re gonna crush it, sweetie pie”.

It’s a sentimental way to end the album, one that tugs on the heartstrings and uplifts girls who might look up to Holly Humberstone.

But I’m too young, too sad/too dumb to stand a chance/I’ll strike a pose, I’m ready/come on and make me pretty/this is what you wanted after all/just don’t forget to have a ball”

Discover Holly Humberstone

Act Two by Caroline in the Garden

Substacker and Art Pop artist Caroline in the Garden has been hot topic here on WAYSQ lately. This week, her debut album Act Two is officially available on streaming, as well as Bandcamp and her website.

Read the WAYSQ review of Act Two below:

Read my interview with Caroline:

Discover Caroline in the Garden

The full list:

• Easy As Pie by Tessa Violet

• Pink Moon by Runo Plum

• i think i had something once by Aubory Bugg

• Call Me Crazy by Anaïs and the Hoops

• Your Friend by Jensen McRae

• Kissing The Ground by Nell Mescal

• Runway by Lady Gaga feat. Doechii

• Madwoman by Laufey

• Right In Front Of Me by Tiny Habits

• Postcard by Zinadelphia

• Bring Home My Man by Maya Hawke

• No Springtime by Allison Russell feat. Joy Oladokun and Julie Williams

• East Coast Cowboys by Sarah Gross

• Nobody by Late Night Thoughts

• Sylvia Plath by Sasha Cee

• Body Double by Emily O’Neal

• Cruel World by Holly Humberstone (album)

• Biting Heels by Lucky (album)

• Act Two by Caroline in the Garden (album)

• Matter Of Time: The Final Hour by Laufey (deluxe album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I’m particularly enchanted by Holly Humberstone’s “Cruel World”, the sonic landscape of the album alone has such a grip on me. Then there’s Aubory Bugg, Nell Mescal, and Jensen McRae making me cry (as per usual) and Tiny Habits, in a plot twist, making me wanna dance. Such a good week for new music!

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

On a personal note, you can now mark your calendars for my next single: “Calm Before The Storm” will be available on Bandcamp and my website on April 24th, and streaming in May. Check it out 👇

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, I have a nice selection of delectable new singles for you, so let’s into it!

Singles

Squirm by Girli

Girli first came on my radar with “Romantic Sadness”. Having loved that song, I was excited to see her releasing something new this week. “Squirm” did not disappoint. Kicking off with a cool little voice memo, she hooks your attention then fully grasps it with a taste of the chorus to come. What follows is a fun pop-rock song about a crush you hate to have, featuring a cool driving synth and a fun punk-y guitar. The chorus is such a treat every single time you hear it, but especially after the more stripped back bridge.

“You’re giving me feels of a chemical nature/it’s just a crush, nothing major”

Discover Girli

the van by Bleachers

I always kind of wanted to get into this band, but never really did. I think this will be the album to change that. “the van” is the third of the Bleachers’ single roll out in anticipation of “everyone for ten minutes” dropping in May. Each new song has become an instant new favorite, and “the van” is no exception. The dramatic intro sets the tone for a song that feels like something you grew up singing along to on the radio. It’s nostalgic and optimistic, but gritty. It’s got the vibe of twenty something year old friends striking out together, with no money and nothing to lose.

“We packed the van, we turned the van/that’s the story bout the kids and their shadows/who just didn’t wanna be lonely/that’s why I still sing/glory to the ones who know the van/glory to the ones on the edge”

Discover Bleachers

Somehow Made It Out by Brenn!

Next, we have a newcomer to the WAYSQ Radar. The latest single from Brenn! is sure to get you choked up, whether you relate to the leaver or the one left behind. “Somehow Made It Out” reminded me a lot of Noah Kahan with its emotional intelligence, warm folk-country sound, and tender storytelling. The lyrics manage to have empathy for the person who “made it out” while still communicating his own sadness and betrayal.

“I’m just wondering how you dragged me so far backwards/and somehow made it out without me”

Discover Brenn!

TIME by Sofia D’Angelo

Another newcomer, Sofia D’Angelo comes to us with an earworm of an indie pop song. First comes the beat, urgent and attention-catching. Then, this really cool synth comes in, joined quickly by Sofia’s rich vocals. “TIME” is one of those songs that just simmers, as if emanating a heat and energy all its own. This makes it the perfect soundtrack for an exciting night out, a road trip, or something bigger and more adventurous like a move.

“Battle scars/damages are done/baby face is gone/kissing chronologically/never mentally/I hear it calling me/just gotta work with what you got”

Discover Sofia D’Angelo

Missing Me by MARIS

I’m always stoked to see MARIS releasing new music. She manages to put out songs that sound incredibly different from each other, dipping her toes into all sorts of styles and genres. Yet, every single one always sounds like her. “Missing Me” is no exception. The chill, yet danceable, pop sound stands out in her discography, but her powerhouse vocals and intelligent lyricism marks it as authentically MARIS. There’s layers of delicious synths, smatterings of some big 80s pop drums, and a chorus you may never get out of your head. Oh, also the lyrics will make you cry about that one old friend you don’t talk to anymore.

“I saw a photo, it made me seasick/turned off the screen, but I can’t unsee it”

Discover MARIS

Woman of the Hour by Emma Harner

Alright, let’s get into some proper moody indie. Emma Harner is another first timer on the Radar, and I’m so stoked to have come across this song. “Woman of the Hour” wastes no time getting into some cool minor chords and a melody that builds tension and drama in subtle way. The production feels like it’s rising up all around you, as the lyrics come and go. The lyrics themselves are fantastic, punchy in the verses and gloriously abstract in the bridge.

“You serial social climber/music city insider/big wide open flower/woman of the hour”

Discover Emma Harner

Dog Bite by Philine Sonny

It was the title and the cover art that intrigued me to press play on this new-to-me artist. “Dog Bite” has cool melodies drifting past your ears in a loop before the verse even begins. When the vocals do come in, we’re treated to some fast-paced phrasing and well-written lyrics. Then, as the chorus comes in, we’re lifted irresistibly by the optimistic message and a nice guitar noodling in the back. This is certainly another for the road trip playlist.

“Things change for the better, baby/it gets better baby”

Discover Philine Sonny

Free Fall by Lauryn Marie

Yesterday, I saw a post from Lauryn Marie and about had a heart attack. Why? Because it was an announcement from two days before saying “surprise! My new song is out now!”.

Once I’d recovered, I immediately added “Free Fall” to the new releases playlist. This is one of few (if not the only?) of Lauryn’s songs she didn’t produce or co-produce, teaming up with Colton Russell to bring the song to life. What came from the collab is a dreamy, guitar-led song for anyone trying to get out of their comfort zone. The chorus is so catchy and uplifting, and would fit right in on the soundtrack for a coming of age movie. As someone who grew up listening to Lauryn’s music, it’s such a treat that her songs continue to echo new chapters in life.

“I’ve weighed the odds/and I drop your hand/I can’t be sure I’ll find a place to land/let me get lost/so I can see what’s out there/breathing in new air”

Discover Lauryn Marie

D.I.Y. by Jason Didner & the GSPs feat. Jon Caspi

Next up, we have some good old fashioned Jersey rock. Jason Didner, a recent interviewee here at WAYSQ, makes Jersey rock with humor and heart. Recently, he’s teamed up with some like-minded artists to create the GSPs and put out songs like “Come Across The Tracks” and, now, this one. “D.I.Y.” lives up to its title as a love song to the diy punk rock scene. With its driving guitar and sing-along ready chorus, it’s sure to boost your mood and, perhaps, inspire you to start a garage band of your own.

“The suits forgot how to rock/but you and I never did/we’ve been jamming on without them/even since we were kids”

Discover Jason Didner

Kleptomaniac by Corook

After some light listening here and there, Corook captured my heart in full with their earlier single “Scooby”. Their whip-smart lyrics and fun sound has a distinct flavor I’ve come to crave. So, of course, I was thrilled to listen to “Kleptomaniac” for the first time. What followed was, you could say, an ode to the weirdos and an anthem for self love. Corook celebrates their uniqueness as a “sour patch, scrunching faces but I’m still a snack” in a campfire-song-esque chorus.

“Learned my shapes in elementary/used to be a square but life bent me/got a couple places I don’t fit in/better off without them, good riddance”

Discover Corook

American Wedding by Flowerovlove

If you’re thinking this week is missing some pure pop, who better to serve it up than Flowerovlove? Fresh off the heels of “Casual Lady”, she’s back with another love song—or is she? “American Wedding” is pure Flower perfection from the start, with its cute little intro into a verse that instantly has you bopping along. The chorus sends you into this lovesick dreamscape with a sigh, making you feel ready to float away. It’s a perfect love song, right up until the last chorus. After a bridge featuring some delicious soft and high vocals, the lyrics suddenly switch up, turning our blue skies gray. The plot twist comes without warning: the person she wanted this American wedding with is gone. In my opinion, this switch up is way too sudden. I like a song with a changing narrative, but there was no foreshadowing and no time to process before the song ended. That said, I still really enjoyed it and the ending may grow on me.

“Meet me in Vegas baby/I wanna have your babies/I wanna be First Lady/tell me I’m the one, come save me/I want my baby back/I’m getting too attached/I get what I can’t have, my American wedding”

Discover Flowerovlove

Things That Most People Say by Vincent Lima

We’re wrapping up this year’s roundup with a returning artist and one I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live. Vincent Lima brings us thought-provoking lyrics against a bed of upbeat acoustic instrumentation with his latest single. “Things That Most People Say” really flexed his skill with the pen and about gave me an existential crisis in the process. The chorus lyrics change in the subtlest way, as if to twist the knife. The only cure, I think, is replaying the song.

“The man on the corner still says to me/that the past slowly turns your soul blue/and most people never get deep enough/so you only feel different to you/and tell me is it hard to see me, to feel all the lines in my face/and ‘I love you’ ‘I miss you’ ‘I’m sorry’ are those just things that most people say? But love is an act of attention/the big things and little things too/and dear I think I just got deep enough to notice your soul is blue too”

Discover Vincent Lima

The full list:

• Squirm by Girli

• the van by Bleachers

• Somehow Made It Out by Brenn!

• TIME by Sofia D’Angelo

• The Sun Comes Up Tremendous by Disclosure

• Pretty, Pink and Soft by The Army, The Navy

• Woman of the Hour by Emma Harner

• Dog Bite by Philine Sonny

• Missing Me by MARIS

• Things That Most People Say by Vincent Lima

• Kleptomaniac by Corook

• D.I.Y. by Jason Didner & the GSPs feat. Jon Caspi

• American Wedding by Flowerovlove

• Freefall by Lauryn Marie

• Porcelain by Peach PRC (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I certainly had a blast with all these new faces, plus a few returning favorites. Long live new music, am I right?

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, we have a veritable deluge of new releases, so let’s get into it!

Singles

blackout by Khatumu

Starting off strong with one of my favorite folk-pop artists, we have the newest single from Khatumu. Right off the bat, there’s something so distinct and memorable about “blackout”. The production blends electronic and acoustic sounds, creating an interesting backdrop for Khatumu’s gorgeous voice and candid lyrics. The latter strikes a balance between portraying the escape alcoholism provides as well as the resulting consequences. If you need a strong hit of something sad to jolt you from the numbness, “blackout” is the perfect prescription.

“Well, it’s a Monday and it’s only locals/I know god is closer when I’m feeling hopeful/drinking around and staying out/I feel like I’m someone when I’m blackout”

Discover Khatumu

Call Your Girlfriend by Abigayle Oakley

With a twist on your typical “other woman” song, we have the gentle voice and even gentler perspective of Abigayle Oakley. “Call Your Girlfriend” manages to capture endless empathy without compromise as she tells her stolen lover to let the girl at home down easy. All of this plays out in conversational lyrics against a bed of warm, fluttering instrumentals that rise like the bubbles in your drink.

“Call your girlfriend/it’s time you had the talk/give her reasons say it’s not her fault/but you just met somebody new/don’t tell her that I give you something you never even knew you missed”

Discover Abigayle Oakley

The Best by Conan Gray

So, we’re not out of the woods with the sad songs yet, but you can trust Conan Gray to deliver heartbreak in a big, catchy chorus. The first of the promised deluxe tracks from his Wishbone album, “The Best” reflects on the highs and lows of it all and fights tooth and nail to make peace. He pulls us irresistibly back into the story with vivid imagery and bursts into a cathartic crash out of a chorus.

“Did all of this past year mean anything? Maybe it’s all in my mind/swear if I saw you tonight/we could make peace with it/not have to sleep with it, haunting me all of the time”

Discover Conan Gray

We Were Just Dancing by Ella Jane

One release I’ve been looking forward to is this new single from Ella Jane. A comforting standby on my indie-pop playlists for years now, Ella has only grown more relatable to me. “We Were Just Dancing” is, quite possibly, a perfect breakup song. Ella deftly blends Lizzy McAlpine-esque melodies and lyrics with a jaunty piano arrangement that pays homage to the one and only Carole King. The end result is a bittersweet, catchy tune for when you have to end a relationship that wasn’t wrong—it just wasn’t right for you.

“What was I supposed to do? Act unkind, be so cruel/well that’s not me/I was happy that’s the truth/spinning round, Stevie on”

Discover Ella Jane

Feel Your Rain by Eli

Okay, okay I hear you: enough sadness! Well, Eli’s here to rescue us. Like much of her music, “Feel Your Rain” feels at once like a time capsule from the early 2000s and like something so fresh and authentic. Featuring a glittery synth and some gymnastic melodies, “Feel Your Rain” is romance in a bottle, sensual and sincere. As the bridge delivers you to an infectious build and a masterful last chorus, you’ll undoubtedly agree that this is the pop perfection driving Eli to stardom.

“I put my hair back/so you can’t see my face/you’re such a thirst trap/when you ask me how’s your day/do you wanna come meet me at a western bar/then you wanna get lucky in your best friends car/you got me feeling like a flower in bloom”

Discover Eli

Back In Love by Suki Waterhouse

And it’s all uphill from here, because Suki Waterhouse has arrived to bring us the song of the summer a couple months early. “Back In Love” doesn’t just want to be listened to; with its heralding horns, full-bodied bass line, and dense vocal layers, it surrounds you, picks you up, and carries you away on a coastal breeze. Like much of Suki’s music, it has this cool girl vibe, but never in an inaccessible way. Anyone can come along for the ride just by letting the music take them away.

“Oh I’m loving my lust for life/turning the dark to light/happiness hits me when I’m back in love again”

Discover Suki Waterhouse

Delicately by Andrea Bejar

Returning to the Radar for the first time since “Love Again”, get ready to treat your ears to Andrea Behar. “Delicately” lives up to its name with its high clear notes and clean, sunny guitar layers. The lyrics face society’s distaste for her soft personality and politely decline to change, choosing instead to see the beauty in big feelings and thin skin.

“And now I know/I kinda like the softness of living with my heart on the line”

Discover Andrea Bejar

The Landfill by Fruit Bats

When it comes to singles, folk is really leading the way on this week’s Radar. Like the last two songs, “The Landfill” is a perfect addition to any road trip playlist, especially if your route is taking you along the California coast. As the cheerful guitar and bass drive along, the song is a needle drop for life, bringing main character energy and a sense of adventure.

“In this long, slow rodeo/I’ve come to know/looking down from the landfill/I can see the city lights shimmering/and it’s like a holy vision of what could be, couldn’t be, and could’ve been”

Discover Fruit Bats

Is Joy Easy by Mt. Joy

I’ve got one last single before we get into some longer releases. The latest from Mt. Joy wouldn’t dare disturb the sunny vibes we got going on. First, “Is Joy Easy” brings a cool, moody, and reflective feel with its electric organ and matter-of-fact storytelling. Then, it gets you on your feet by switching things up and turning downright groovy.

“Could life be one plus one when you grab my arm and dance to this song?”

Discover Mt. Joy

EPs

Male Validation and Other Drugs by Avery Cochrane

Album listeners, I’m gonna need you to listen up. This EP may be only seven songs, but it’s got everything you want from a new favorite album.

Also, if you’re looking for a new pop girl to stan on her way to stadium tours, you can go ahead and kill two birds with one stone on this one.

Avery Cochrane has built her fanbase through a mixture of irresistible charisma and down-to-earth authenticity. Her determined climb earned her a record deal through the virality of “Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night” which has led her here: to an EP called Male Validation and Other Drugs.

The project opens with the drama of “Griever”, a tight, yet rant-y, pop song about an encounter with ex that reopened old wounds. Short but sweet, “Griever” deposits us at the existential musings of “Loneliness In Numbers”.

One of my favorites on the project, “Loneliness In Numbers” demonstrates Avery’s ability to write insightfully about societal issues in a way that elevates relatability, rather than alienating listeners. There’s a lot wrapped up in just this one song: overconsumption, body image, and the looming existential dread of climate change. It touches a shared nerve in a truly cathartic way, and it’s this accessible intellect that sets Avery’s lyrics apart amongst the pop crowd.

“So I got pumped with the plastic, front to back/cuz I gotta look good for the nuclear blast/want you to show me how you know me, but I’m too afraid to ask/whatever works in the matrix I call home/and you touch my heart when you touch your phone/and it’s called loneliness in numbers and I always see it come and it go”

With a *ding* that says “your existential crisis is done, ma’am!”, track two launches us, ready or not, into the arms of “Losing Streak”. The third single from the EP rollout, “Losing Streak” is a manic sapphic breakup anthem infused with ABBA influences.

Fittingly, it’s followed up by the breakup-rebound song of the century. “Sex, Etc” lifted its name off a random shop in Madrid, providing an unexpectedly delicious hook. “You don’t get to tell me how I can and can’t heal,” Avery sings as she spirals “trying my every vice” and self destructing in the name of moving on.

“Wanna know I grieve? It’s demonic/so’s the way that you leave, used and discarded”

The perfect focus track for the EP, “Sex, Etc” manages to package a wordy mental breakdown in the most infectious chorus you’ve ever heard, followed by an equally infectious triple-decker of a bridge. The cherry on top? A key change that catapults us into the troposphere.

“Desperate for connection, you’re not feeling the love/now I’m losing your attention, that’s a one, two punch/think, behave in a sentient way/lost track of my meaning just to get you to stay/some of kind of pseudoscience/I’m on my own damn island/I’ve got a tourist passing through so I pick up the night shift”

Now, of course, it’s time for the title track. There’s something deeply Avery Cochrane about a long title and a nuanced concept. “Male Validation and Other Drugs” delivers on both.

With an atmospheric intro, the song transports us to the SoCal scenes of Avery’s college days. If you think about it, the song sorts of feels like a prequel to “Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night” as it dives into the mindset of a woman who struggles to detangle her worth from men’s opinion of her.

“I don’t like my body so I let the boys have it/by the way I talk, you’d think that I’m a sex addict/not to be demeaning and not to be dramatic/but it’s been so long since I’ve been kissed/and all my worth depends on it”

Throughout the song, vocal effects and all-consuming synths seem to echo this distorted perception of herself, before abruptly ending on one last “never hear from him again”.

Nestled in the second-to-last spot is the song that first introduced so many to Avery’s infectious choruses and relatable lyrics. In the context of the overall EP, the meaning of “Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night” has all the more depth. The fun of it is also all the more cathartic. You haven’t lived til you’ve screamed along to this song live!

“Shapeshifting” is a sort of upbeat ending before the real ending. In my opinion, the EP would feel incomplete without “Oh, Mercy”. Voted most likely to bring you to tears every time (by me), this final track offers all the best of the EP at once: much-needed catharsis, an existential crisis, and a chorus ready for you to scream your heart out to.

More questions than answers, “Oh, Mercy” is a desperate prayer from a girl who feels lost in this strange, big, burning world. But as she evokes “creator” “simulator” and “operator”, those horns and vocal chops that come in feel like an answer from the heavens.

In the end, there’s something oddly comforting about it. Even if you, like Avery in the chorus, find yourself on an aimless drive “out of luck and my money”, the outro seems to say: the only way to go from here is up.

Discover Avery Cochrane

Albums

THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. by RAYE

Immersive. Sonically diverse. Chaotic. Theatrical. Emotional.

These are some of the descriptions that came to mind as I listened to RAYE’s latest album. With all of that in mind, it feels fair to conclude that most people will either love it or hate it.

THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. is a cohesive experience, meant to be listened to with rapt attention, never shuffled. Pressing play feels like taking a seat in a packed theater. You don’t know exactly what is to come, but you can be sure that it will be dramatic and well crafted.

To be honest, I don’t think this album is for me. The songs often felt long, even when they technically weren’t, I didn’t really relate to it, and I found the maximalist production a little overwhelming.

But in the year 2026, I would never ever criticize an artist for making bold, creative choices. This album is unlike anything else out there. It was clearly a lot of fun to make, but also extremely polished and well thought out.

A lot of artists right now are busy trying to appeal to all audiences as much as possible. There’s a focus on commercial appeal and palatability. With this singular album, as well as the success of “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”, RAYE is managing to build an audience without compromising on her larger-than-life artistic style.

Discover RAYE

The full list:

• Blackout by Khatumu

• Call Your Girlfriend by Abigayle Oakley

• The Best by Conan Gray

• Feel Your Rain by Eli

• We Were Just Dancing by Ella Jane

• Back In Love by Suki Waterhouse

• Delicately by Andrea Bejar

• Dirty Habit by Towa Bird

• The Landfill by Fruit Bats

• Is Joy Easy by Mt. Joy

• Male Validation and Other Drugs by Avery Cochrane (EP)

• Spring Forward by Florence Road (EP)

• THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. by RAYE (album)

• Sexistential by Robyn (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I, for one, feel like a bunch of my favorite artists decided to treat me specifically this week. Never a bad feeling!

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Would you like your next release featured on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Reach out to me via email to whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week we have a brief, but diverse lineup, so let’s get into it!

Singles

So What by MUNA

Following up lead single “Dancing On The Wall”, MUNA continues the rollout of their upcoming album with dancy and selective “So What”. It catches your attention instantly and keeps it as the instruments fall into place for an LCD Soundsystem-like intro. What follows feels like a movie scene: the fast-paced blur of a high-profile party captured through the slow motion lens of a heart-broken person. They put on a brave face through fake-it-til-you-make-it lyrics, a chorus pieced together with raw vocals and a robotic hook, reflecting the way they’ve pieced their heart together. It all builds to this long instrumental bridge and outro, synths building and switching up the beat, keeping you guessing right up to the abrupt ending.

“Lots of people love me/so if you don’t love me/I won’t even notice…so what if you don’t love me?”

Discover MUNA

Square One by Chanel Loren

Now, if it’s something a little more chill you crave, this next one hits like your favorite iced beverage. Kicking off with a stop-and-start rhythm, the tone of that lead guitar and the tone of Chanel’s recognizable voice perfectly compliment each other. “Square One” is a detangling from something that doesn’t fit you, a melancholy sigh with a nonchalant shrug. It’ll have nodding along with closed eyes, gorgeous melodies and smooth instrumentation washing over you.

“Filling up my lungs with the blunt truths/hijacking the sun to melt my shoes/can’t keep running on borrowed time/I beat the rhythm, I didn’t mind/crossing the lines that I outgrew”

Discover Chanel Loren

Miyazaki by Paris Paloma

“I have something to say” are the fitting first words of Paris Paloma’s latest single. “Miyazaki” is a pro-art and anti-AI anthem that wastes no time jumping into her message, echoed by rousing drums and driving guitar. Named after the co-founder of Studio Ghibli who is famously vehemently against generative AI and particularly AI “art”. The song is both a rallying cry and a theme song for career artists, dabblers, and hobbyists alike. The chorus feels catchy and sunny, but with that tumultuous undercurrent of passion and desperation. The bridge in particular feels like an artists’ manifesto.

“I wasn’t always tortured/I made art long before then/I call into the void until I lose my voice/but sometimes a cry reverberates back/a child with mud caked hands/or a prolific and obsessive older man/I do it unpaid, unseen, unthanked/it’s worth more than anything that I have”

Discover Paris Paloma

Little By Little by Mon Rovîa

One of my favorite voices in folk music, Mon Rovîa is back with the first single since his “Bloodlines” album. A gentle bonus track, “Little By Little” employs beautiful finger picking guitar and strings to create a soothing soundscape. Against this backdrop, the lyrics are poetic in a way that feels very conversational and intelligent. The overall effect is calming background music that also makes for a thought-provoking active listening experience.

“Now times the ficklest charmer/flirting with your sons, promising your daughters/and as a youth, I too believed/it could never claim victory”

Discover Mon Rovîa

Both Can Be True by Trousdale

Speaking of uplifting music, the trio Trousdale are always ready to boost your mood. The three blur the lines between country and pop in a way that feels singular and vibrant, employing three part harmonies and relatable lyrics to speak to the heart and make life feel like a romcom. “Both Can Be True” is the best of all of this: its melodies, instantly recognizable and its lyrics meeting you in the mazes of life.

“Living at home with my parents/I am grateful and embarrassed/to be twenty nine, on a dime, on a dream”

Discover Trousdale

Bottle Tells Me So by Ashley McBryde

If Trousdale’s got you in the mood for country, you really can’t go wrong with Ashley McBryde. Her instantly recognizable voice floats over mellow guitar in this painfully introspective song. There’s a lot of music about the highs of alcohol, but “Bottle Tells Me So” drops us into the wreckage of alcoholism’s aftermath. The lyrics are straightforward and effective, brutally honest, against a bed of mostly live instruments.

“If I can find my phone, I bet I need to apologize/the only problem is I can’t remember to who or why/and whatever day it is, it’s gonna be a long one/for the bottle tells me so”

Discover Ashley McBryde

no new friends by Juliet Daniel

In a sharp departure from this candid country, we have the latest from Seattle artist Juliet Daniel. Teaming up with Malldate, Juliet is deep in her hyperpop era for this one. It’s all funky synths, cool vocal chops, and catchy hooks, but with plenty to say, because she is still a stellar lyricist. “no new friends” is fun to listen to on your own, but would be an entire blast in a club.

“You say something nice then I just panic attack”

Discover Juliet Daniel

Dinner Party by Niall Horan

Once again switching up the sound on a dime, we have a new single from Niall Horan. “Dinner Party” is the best kind of sunny singer-songwriter pop. Hearing it makes you wanna put the car in drive, roll all the windows down, and pick any direction. It’s sentimental, rich with imagery and storytelling, and brimming with catchy melodies.

“Chandeliers and 2am coffee/yeah, I met you at a dinner party”

Discover Florence Road

Click Clack Symphony. by RAYE & Hans Zimmer

It’s a time for a song that I actually have rather mixed feelings about. While I really liked “Nightingale Lane.” I found “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?” a little overstimulating (and personally unrelatable) and I feel rather similarly about “Click Clack Symphony.” The orchestral arrangement is certainly stunning, and there’s something very cool and experimental about such cinematic drama backing a song about getting over a breakup at the club. But I couldn’t help but feel it dragged a little and didn’t leave me with much of a desire to press play.

“I should try my luck in Hollywood and find some auditions/cuz the way I fake a smile could pay the rent and mortgage”

Discover Florence Road

Rabbits Can Swim by Florence Road

This next single is already one of my favorites from this week. “Rabbits Can Swim” starts off with a melancholy piano arrangement, complimenting the beautiful melodies. The lyrics communicate an increasingly desperate need to be close to someone and an anxious desire for their reassurance. It’s dreamy, but with an undercurrent of urgency as it builds to a stellar bridge.

“Oh time will tell, just kill me softly/let’s stand still as the world burns softly”

Discover Florence Road

Wish You Nothing At All by Isabel Pless

For the first time in a while, singer-songwriter Isabel Pless has returned to the Radar with a new single. “Wish You Nothing At All” is a moody missive for an ex she’s more than over. The lyrics don’t waste breath, they’re sharp and rich with imagery, dropping us into the story from the first line. Subverting expectations, the chorus seems to get low and icy, building to the mic drop of the title. All of this coupled with a folk-pop sound complete with banjo and steel pedal, “Wish You Nothing At All” is an easy replay for me.

“I got this feeling you’ve got an evil eye in me/that’s how I know that your grass ain’t so green”

Discover Isabel Pless

The full list:

• So What by Muna

• Miyazaki by Paris Paloma

• Square One by Chanel Loren

• Little By Little by Mon Rovîa

• Both Can Be True by Trousdale

• Bottle Tells Me So by Ashley McBryde

• No New Friends by Juliet Daniel

• Dinner Party by Niall Horan

• Click Clack Symphony. by RAYE feat. Hans Zimmer

• Loving Life Again by Ella Langley

• Rabbits Can Swim by Florence Road

• See You In Hell by Penelope Scott

• Wish You Nothing At All by Isabel Pless

• If J Could, I Would Try Again by Georgia Parker

• Detour by Samara Cyn (EP)

• Movement by Ruby Mae (EP)

• Act Two by Caroline In The Garden (album, exclusively on Bandcamp and Caroline’s website)

• Porcelain by Peach PRC

• Girlfriend by Grace Ives

• Barbican by Wil Bolton

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week! This particular roundup gave me so much to dive into from anticipated releases like the new Paris Paloma to new favorites like Samara Cyn and old faves making a comeback like Isabel Pless. In the meantime, look out for a review of Caroline In The Garden’s new album!

And, of course, see you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Would you like to see your next release included on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, it’s singles all the way down, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Cruel World by Holly Humberstone

British singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone has been carving out a wordy, sincere dreamy pop niche with her recent singles. “Cruel World” might just be the best of the run so far. It kicks off with an infectious beat before her signature chill sound comes in. The lyrics plant you firmly in a vivid scene: you’re at a party, surrounded but alone, yearning for someone who’s not there. It’s overall a very catchy, dreamy single to bop along to, brought to life by all the little creative choices in the vocal delivery and production.

“Say it back/I need to hear you say you need your baby back/I play it cool/I need your kisses on a feedback loop”

Discover Holly Humberstone

Give A Little by Grace Enger

Speaking of catchy contemporary pop, a small artist at the forefront is Grace Enger. With her recent releases, she’s flexing a knack for making music you feel like you’ve been waiting all your life for. “Give A Little” is so extraordinarily infectious, just hearing it teased had me singing the hook as I added it to the playlist—I was sold, site unseen. The full song is just as delightful as I thought it would be: a bouncy piano arrangement, a chorus fit for the radio, and a horns section as the cherry on top.

“I’m pulling your show off the air”

Discover Grace Enger

You Don’t Really Like Me by Emma Andersen

Another small artist with a distinct sound I always look forward to is Emma Andersen. There’s something so addictive about her brand of folk-pop, masterfully wielding catchy hooks, singer-songwriter confessions, and a banjo-fiddle combo that’ll have you wishing pop and country had sleepovers more often. “You Don’t Really Like Me” brings a sense of sunshine to a breakup, wrapping it all up with a simple “okay, I’m over you”.

“You don’t really like me, do you/I don’t really like me too/I don’t like the me I’m turning into”

Discover Emma Andersen

alleyways and street corners by Mila Cargo

While we’re on the subject of underrated artists, I’ve got someone special for you to gatekeep. Mila Cargo, a mellow, confessional songwriter with less than a thousand monthly listeners and poetic lyrics fit for much more. We follow each other on TikTok, so I’ve had a front row seat to anticipate her latest single. “alleyways and street corners” is a painfully self-aware song that’ll hit you in the ribs, even as the acoustic production soothes your mind. With lyrics that feel translated straight from her journal, Mila’s relentlessly candid storytelling is as refreshing as it is relatable.

“You’re telling me that something’s missing/I’m tryna find what rhymes with listening/cuz I haven’t wrote a single song bout you”

Discover Mila Cargo

butterflies by Runo Plum

Runo Plum is an artist I was introduced to her through her debut album Patching. I fell in love with the way her music mimics her album covers, all the soft and vivid impressionist brushstrokes and color of a painting. “butterflies” has the raw feel of a live recording without any of the imperfections with lyrics that waste no time making you feel.

“I gave you butterflies/you took em and burned em alive”

Discover Runo Plum

Porch Light by Noah Kahan

This week, Noah Kahan revealed the next single from his upcoming album. Despite jokes that this is his “first ever sad song”, his listeners know all too well his capacity to twist the knife. “Porch Light” does just that with repetition that builds the ache and a chorus that offers both catharsis and heartbreak in its high notes. It’s thorny, yet soft, and painfully empathetic, an example of the emotional intelligence that makes Noah such an incredible songwriter.

“But you can only do what pain allows/it ain’t up for you to make it out/there ain’t no shame in calling this thing quits/but you don’t and you don’t/but you don’t and you don’t and you don’t”

Discover Noah Kahan

Skim by Ivory Layne

Next we have a returning visitor to Why Are You So Quiet? Songwriting and producing powerhouse Ivory Layne started “Skim” in hopes of getting it placed in a movie, only to fall in love with it enough to release herself. The song embodies its oceanic themes through and through, with cool synths and vocal effects that call to mind how the world looks when viewed through water. The lyrics, in contrast, explore a more figurative hesitance to dive in.

“I don’t wanna catch a feeling/I don’t want you anywhere under my skin…let’s keep it on the surface and skim”

Discover Ivory Layne

I Got A Thing For Love by Elle Coves

Another small artists who’s been catching my eye with recent singles is Elle Coves. In a follow up to the nostalgic and summery “Please Don’t”, “I Got A Thing For Love” is a little bit self deprecating and a whole lot of fun. Coming out at just over two minutes, every second of this song has me tapping my toe and smiling. It’s so catchy and so personable, I can’t wait to play it on a nice sunny drive!

“I’m always in love/I got a thing for getting too close/and I should already know/I got a thing for love”

Discover Elle Coves

Wild Dogs by Taylor Bickett

In a similar vein of indie-pop, we’re diving back into melancholy musings with Taylor Bickett. Over and over, Taylor’s displayed a knack for a good metaphor and storytelling lyrics, giving her the ability to pin feelings to paper with precision. “Wild Dogs” explores a relationship with someone who lashed out at her and made her feel small. The bridge in particular stands out with its well-written lyrics and sing-along-ready melody.

“Don’t wanna think a predator of a parasite/don’t wanna think the devil of a small man/don’t wanna sharpen the claws of your pride/with my blood running over your hands”

Discover Taylor Bickett

Better Than A Man by Eva Rose

I first discovered Eva Rose when she opened for Jensen McRae in 2024 and I’ve loved every new song since. With “Better Than A Man” she’s leaning into female rage and into the signature sound she’s begun to carve for herself. With catchy hooks, pop-rock production, and sharp lyricism, this song is an excellent gateway drug for new Eva fans.

“I will lie down like a rug/so you can walk all over me/so tell me what’s a girl to do…call me cruel/now you know what it’s like”

Discover Eva Rose

TONGUE by Ryn Kid

Oh, and now that we have a taste for some female rage, let’s talk about the latest from Ryn Kid. Specializing in her own brand of funky pop and songs that drop with swagger, she’s at her best with “TONGUE”. It’s got emotional depth in every word with a synth bass that builds to a fun crash out soundtrack. If you’re overdue to release some pent up anger, this is the anthem for you.

“Woah, girl, careful with your tongue/gonna get yourself hung…I wanna cuss, I wanna spit/I wanna throw a fucking fit/but it’s so much easier saying, hey, hello, how are you?”

Discover Ryn Kid

Dry Spell by Kacey Musgraves

My favorite country shapeshifter, Kacey Musgraves, is back! After the spiritual, earthy tunes of Deeper Well, I was wondering what Kacey’s return would bring. She never does the same thing twice and, unfortunately, doesn’t always succeed in bringing me along to the new era. “Dry Spell” employs a simmering, western sound led the way by lead guitar. Meanwhile, the lyrics flirt and flutter through innuendos and implications. It’s precariously close to “Wood” territory, but I think Kacey pulls it off. I’m excited to see what the rest of this new era holds!

“Ain’t nobody’s took up in my shed/ain’t nobody’s boots under my bed/ain’t nobody’s truck up in my drive/for a late night call for a real good time”

Discover Kacey Musgraves

If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay by Carly Pearce & Riley Green

That’s right, this week on the WAYSQ Release Radar, we have some honest-to-god pure Nashville country. I remember liking Carly Pearce as a kid, so when I came across this, I was intrigued. It’s turned out to be the exact kind of country I grew up loving: vivid storytelling, gorgeous guitar and strings, and a chorus that sticks in your mind.

“If I don’t leave, I’m gonna stay/if we don’t stop, we’re gonna start all over again/and if I bend, I’m gonna break/we’re gonna blame it on the rain/or on the wine, we’re getting close to losing clothes/I should go, look at the time, it’s getting late/if I don’t leave, I’m gonna stay”

Discover Carly Pearce

Shame by Sunday (1994)

Alt band Sunday (1994) has never put out a bad song (in my opinion) and they didn’t start this week. “Shame” sets the scene with an ambient intro, the shrieking laughter of school children and an ominous tone. What follows is a gothic love story fit for a movie that dares to ask the question: what if the star-crossed teenaged lovers committed murder? Between the catchy la-la-las, the vivid imagery, and a bridge that made me laugh out loud, the whole thing is just a masterpiece.

“It’s such a shame/we wanna be lovers, but they want us dead/cuz life is sick in the head”

Discover Sunday (1994)

The full list:

• Porch Light by Noah Kahan

• Butterflies by Runo Plum

• TONGUE by Ryn Kid

• Dry Spell by Kacey Musgraves

• I Got A Thing For Love by Elle Coves

• Wild Dogs by Taylor Bickett

• The Visitor by SIENNA SPIRO

• Cruel World by Holly Humberstone

• Get Go by Arlo Parks

• Shame by Sunday (1994)

• All I Did Was Dream Of You (ft. The Marias) by Beabadobee

• Dirty Wedding Dress by Bleachers

• When I Wake Up by The Pretty Reckless

• If I Don’t Leave, I’m Gonna Stay by Carly Pearce & Riley Green

• Feel Like I Died by googly eyes

• Skim by Ivory Layne

• Feel Somethign by Baby Queen

• Better Than A Man by Eva Rose

• Orchid by Lia Pappas-Kemps

• Give A Little by Grace Enger

• You Don’t Really Like Me by Emma Andersen

• alleyways and street corners by Mila Cargo

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I was delighted by this collection of fresh offering from some familiar favorites, like Ivory Layne, Noah Kahan, Sunday (1994), and Emma Andersen.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Would you like to see your next release on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, I have a good mix of familiar faces and first impressions, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Untethered by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

Starting off strong with one of my favorite artists, we have the latest from Katie Lynne Sharbaugh. “Untethered” follows up her recent run of singles with an upbeat vibe and a folk-country sound that fits her like a glove. The chorus gets stuck in your head from first listen, while all of Katie’s clever turns of phrase and agile vocal flips keep your interest fresh.

“Your executions wrong/it’s evident/you wouldn’t know a lesson from a consequence”

Discover Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

Tommy by Emily James

If soft yearning is more your speed, Emily James always has you covered. “Tommy” is a shining example of what she does best: tugging at heartstrings against a backdrop of the most lovely instrumentation you’ve heard. Starting off with a warm piano arrangement, brass weaves its way through Emily’s imagery-rich storytelling. It’s all very cinematic, yet deeply personal.

“You’re coffee at 11pm/yeah you got me running laps in my head”

Discover Emily James

Faster Than Ever by Sarah Gross

There’s something infectious about Sarah Gross’ folk-pop, and “Faster Than Ever” is no exception. She dives right in, jumping off with a chorus that flips between high notes and low against a bed of summery guitar. Her vocals really get the chance to shine while the lyrics capture the feeling of running in place.

“I’m getting nowhere faster than ever”

Discover Sarah Gross

Clean Up Song by Tessa Violet

If it’s comforting whimsy you’re looking for, I’ve got just the thing: “Clean Up Song” starts off with a nursery rhyme-like intro, the strange vocal effects making her normal voice on the verse even more beautiful. The song builds in a very subtle way, with sounds that evoke a peaceful forest scene joining the mellow bass and guitar combo. Lyrically, its repetitive, but in a way that emphasizes the soothing feel as the song flows on.

“When I let the old pass through/I make space for something beautiful and new”

Discover Tessa Violet

Victory Lap by Leanna Firestone

Picking up the pace a bit, we can always look to Leanna Firestone for something saucy and upbeat. “Victory Lap” employs a piano arrangement I can best describe as “jaunty” as Leanna sets the scene. It’s a song for the breakthrough part of a breakup, when you realize it’s turning out better for you.

“I put the manic panic down and I change my sheets/took the unbreakable vow to be more mean/I paid off my cards, I ditched my broken heart/now only one of us is lonely”

Discover Leanna Firestone

Bullsh*t, Baby! by Aleksiah

Another small artist I can always look to for a mood boost is Aleksiah. “Bullsh*t, Baby!” employs her signature funky-pop sound and vocals oozing with personality as she calls out a two-faced lover. It’s somehow both a fun bubblegum moment and an excellent crash out song—a type of versatility I always love.

“I loved you and your mess/but I can’t make this shit make sense”

Discover Aleksiah

Ain’t It Such A Bitch by Baby Nova

Sass and moving on seem to be the twin themes for much of this week’s releases. These also happen to be two things alt singer Baby Nova does well. “Ain’t It Such A Bitch” has the dusty, dreamy, western feel I expect from you, with lyrics that revel in discovering the upper hand. As a gritty guitar solos over some gloating “la, la, la”s, you can imagine her riding off into the sunset.

“I must’ve looked so small to you from way up there/above from the dizzying heights of your high horse”

Discover Baby Nova

Kerosene by The Warning

There ended up being only one artist this week I was completely unfamiliar with. Something about the cover photo drew me to The Warning’s latest single, and I’m glad I pressed play. “Kerosene” is a catchy punk-rock hit, bristling with catchy hooks as the singer reads a copycat to filth. The chorus would fit right in on the car chase scene of an action movie, while the bridge catches you off guard with a chant-y vibe that begs you to scream along.

“You got soap in your mouth/but you’ll never come clean”

Discover The Warning

EPs

Worst Person In The World by Carol Ades

I’ve been looking forward to this particular New Music Friday since one of my favorite artists announced her next release. “Late Start” was one of my favorite albums from 2024, and according to Tidal stats, my most listened to album of 2025.

But for 2026, what Carol Ades has to offer is a shorter and more focused story. In just six songs, this EP captures a winding and relatable journey from feeling like the “worst person in the world” to being able to say, “turns out I’m amazing”.

Since the release of the title track “Worst Person In The World”, Carol’s been rolling out the project single by single and now the full EP is finally here. After the title track, we’re treated to the only previously-unheard song: “Familiar Hell”.

Continuing the theatricality that underlies the first track, “Familiar Hell” employs a host of tense, dramatic strings. This mesmerizing loop combined with painfully self-aware lyrics make for a chaotic sound that feels like spiraling.

“I’m the only bitch who knows me well/I’m so sick of this familiar hell”

In line with the overall themes, the song ricochets between self-deprecation and god-complex confidence. She feels simultaneously deserving of more and deserving of nothing, a strange limbo many can relate to.

“God is playing favorites and I think I might be one/the only thing I’m missing is a sign that will never come/how am I supposed to know if I’m good the way I am/flowers growing all around, but no one puts them in my hand”

All of these opposing forces come to a head in the next track, one of my personal favorites. “Merry Go Round” lives up to its title with a show stopping chorus that captures the frustration of feeling stuck in your own head.

After “Merry Go Round”, it’s time to take a break from the existential crisis. “That’s My Girl” offers a sunbeam of romance to lounge in, offset by endearing awkwardness perfect for a romcom soundtrack. On its own, it’s become my favorite Carol Ades song and, in context of the EP, it’s perfectly placed as a bubbly turning point.

It’s all looking up from there. “Normal Feelings” is a soft reflection on the confusion and chaos inherent to being human. Turns out the merry go round of it all doesn’t make her a bad person, it’s just part of being alive.

Of course, there’s no better closing song than “Turns Out I’m Amazing”. Now we’re at the end of this wild journey, looking back and unraveling it all. We work through these strange and normal feelings and heal our self-worth enough for the lyrics to ring true.

“I am amazing, honey/look at me I shine like a big star”

Discover Carol Ades

Albums

Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles

I’ve struggled coming up with a review for this album, because I find myself in the worst situation for a reviewer to be in: simply not having much to say.

Pop sensation Harry Styles probably couldn’t make a small comeback if he tried. This only makes it more disappointing that he seems to have not tried at all.

When “Aperture” first came out, I was hopeful. As a long slow burn of a lead single, it had me hoping for an album that put artistic vision over commercial concerns—something a huge artist like Harry can undoubtedly afford to do. But with the single release overshadowed by outrageously expensive ticket prices and with his long absence in mind, the pressure was on for this album to really blow us all out of the water.

Yet, after a few listens all the way through, my impression of the album is that it’s kind of just…fine.

Sonically, there’s a lot that I like. I’m big on synth-pop, particularly a good bass synth. I like songs like “Aperture” that take their time building to a catchy refrain. I found “Are You Listening Yet?” among a few others very enjoyable. There’s a lot of cool bits and beats throughout the album, but most of the songs themselves just don’t stand out.

The end result is a sort of sugar coat: songs that lack substance dressed up in cool production. The only real standout for me is “Coming Up Roses”, an orchestral moment right at the heart of the album, offering a break from the busy dance pop.

Make no mistake, it’s not that I don’t enjoy the album. As I write this, I’m listening for the third time and I do like it. For the most part. But in between listens, I didn’t look forward to coming back to it. Nothing really stuck with me.

Now, I by no means think it’s a bad album. I’ve also seen that’s it’s fairly well received online. But Harry could’ve set himself up better for success: a couple more lead singles would’ve primed fans for what the album really held. I think “Waiting Game” would’ve been a good choice, for one.

Avoiding the ticket debacle would’ve also helped, of course. If fans are asked to shell out a thousand dollars before the albums even out, they kinda expect a thousand dollar album to back that up.

But “Aperture” ended up being the perfect lead single in a bad way: it’s a whole lotta airtime with a rather lot of nothing to say.

Anyway, that’s more than my full of negativity for the week so I’ll leave it there.

Discover Harry Styles

The full list:

• Clean Up Song by Tessa Violet

• Victory Lap by Leanna Firestone

• Ain’t It Such A Bitch by Baby Nova

• Kerosene by The Warning

• Devil You Know by Maya Hawke

• Untethered by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

• Smoke by Emily Myers

• Everyone Is Getting Married by Alyssa Payne

• Faster Than Ever by Sarah Gross

• Tommy by Emily James

• Bullsh*t, Baby! by Aleksiah

• Worst Person In The World by Carol Ades (EP)

• Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. by Harry Styles (album)

• Of The Earth by Shabaka (album)

• Torn by Cobrah (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I’ll be over here putting the new Carol Ades EP on a loop.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Would you like to see your next release featured on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, we have a stacked list of songs, EPs, and albums that I’m super excited to share, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Losing Streak by Avery Cochrane

Starting off strong with one of my most anticipated releases of the year so far, the verbose Avery Cochrane is back with a breakup song for a relationship that hasn’t quite broken up. With strong ABBA vibes throughout, “Losing Streak” packs an emotional punch, backed up by that piano-driven pop sound. Avery’s lyrics-first mantra and signature sweet-and-sour style shines especially on this, the last single before her much anticipated March EP. It also has my favorite music video Avery Cochrane has so far put out—maybe my favorite video of the year so far!

“It’s a lost art/suffer for the sake of saying we made it far/it’s not who you are/it’s the subtle way I break as we stop and start”

Discover Avery Cochrane

Romantic Sadness by Girli

Lingering in this pop world of heartbreak, we have “Romantic Sadness” a first impression of Girli for me. It’s moody synth pop with a voice that’s instantly distinct and personable. I’m a sucker for heartbreaking songs that are also danceable, as well as for bass synth and dramatic bridges, and this song ticks all those boxes.

“Running out of ways to romanticize sadness/movies and tv don’t cut it…I try to turn it into a story/forget that it’s happening to me”

Discover Girli

Nightingale Lane. by RAYE

As much as I’ve admired what I’ve heard of her so far, I’ve yet to really get into RAYE, but this song may change that. Following up the explosively fun “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” is the more introspective and moving “Nightingale Lane.”. The spoken intro primes us for an intimate feel, but there’s still plenty of room for emotions to build before the end of the five minute song.

“Somebody loved me once/and someday somebody will again”

Discover RAYE

Unicorn by Em Beihold

The final single and focus track for Em Beihold’s new album is a shining example of the signature sound she’s carved out. It’s campy, theatrical, and whimsical, yet brimming with commercial pop potential. The chorus is a juggernaut with vocal flips and addictive runs, reminiscent of MARINA in its melody. You can imagine this on the playlist of the coolest person you know, or on Old Navy speakers, and there’s something extra impressive about the versatility.

“You stay on my mind/think about you all the time/don’t know why I’m so torn/and I get so obsessed/don’t you treat me like the rest/I’m your unicorn”

Discover Em Beihold

How I Get by Laufey

I knew I loved “How I Get” when something about it reminded me of “Silver Lining” my favorite Laufey song. With dramatic strings and moody arpeggios, the song starts off faint and fades in, blossoming into this smoky, brooding world. The lyrics ruminate on a toxic relationship that she seems to love all the more for its toxicity, comparing this unhealthy lover to all the addictions she otherwise abstains from.

“What a greedy, hungry horror am I/I don’t smoke cigarettes/don’t do things I’ll regret/don’t mood swing…I’m caught up in a web/I’m blinded by you, that’s just how I get”

Discover Laufey

The Blade by Kingfshr

Now seems like a good time to take a detour into the heart of folk country. Irish indie band Kingfshr returns to the Release Radar with “The Blade”, making an entrance with harmonica and banjo. These duetting instruments provide a pleasant background to lyrics that dip into darkness, capturing the intensely folk concept of a young person who’s exhausted beyond their years. The end result is sad, but stoic, and sonically quite lovely.

“Well, son I believe it’s the end of the line/I’m all out of whiskey, I’m all out of wine/I’ve burned all my bridges, I’ve earned my degree/the darkness is all I have waiting for me”

Discover Kingfshr

Texas Baby by Susannah Joffe

While we’re having a folk moment, let’s get some folk-pop in here in the form of Susannah Joffe’s latest. “Texas Baby” is described as a sequel of sorts to her hit “Die Your Daughter”, as both songs grapple with a complicated relationship with family and home. With a sound that would feel at home coming from an old radio in an un-air conditioned house, the lyrics waste no time cutting to the quick against a bed of guitar and electric piano.

“I hate the sweltering sun, but Texas baby I’m yearning for you/give me a black eye and cover it with stars, red white and blue”

Discover Susannah Joffe

Free My Mind by Hannah Geller

Fittingly, I heard Hannah Geller for the first time at Avery Cochrane’s San Diego show the beginning of February. I was blown away by her powerful vocals and rockstar energy, qualities that don’t always translate to studio recordings. “Free My Mind”, however, does not fail to capture her star power. With lyrics that dive into her struggle with OCD, it’s a song you can lean back and close your eyes to or completely crash out and rock out too—whichever kind of catharsis you need.

“I think it’s worth a mention/I’m preoccupied/by my design/I’m drowning in dread/notions eat me alive”

Discover Hannah Geller

EPs

PAREIDOLIA by Erin LeCount

Pareidolia is the phenomenon of the human brain perceiving patterns where there aren’t any. It’s the reason we see a face in the moon. It’s also the name of Erin LeCount’s third EP.

In the last year or so, Erin LeCount has been on a steady rise to stardom, backed by the undeniable masterpieces she makes. Last year, she wowed me with her I AM DIGITAL, I AM DIVINE EP, particularly the song “Silver Spoon”.

PAREIDOLIA, though, manages to blow even Erin’s past work out of the water. Described as a downward spiral, the six songs free fall through mania and faith, cynicism and depression before finally saying a difficult goodbye to destructive coping mechanisms.

“I read the magazine personality quiz/I know who I am, I sell it on the internet/I don’t give a shit what you people think, but I’m making sure you’re aware of it” — I BELIEVE

We fall through the rabbit hole with “I BELIEVE”, a manifesto both digital and divine as Erin might say. In another signature move, track one flows directly into track two. We spiral deeper as “DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING” builds to a stadium-ready chorus.

“How do I know how to make this stop/when the world keeps spinning and I want to get off” — DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING

808 HYMN is an excellent example of the artistic vision and productive perfectionism Erin LeCount puts into her music. Every production choice is carefully crafted to capture the feeling of running as the lyrics communicate the stakes of a girl alone on the street at night. No matter how many times I listen, it never fails to give me chills.

Next, we have a previously unheard song. “AMERICAN DREAM” feels like waking up to a life you don’t recognize. One you worked and sacrificed for, but are no longer sure you want to live. It’s the dark side of getting what you wanted, setting us up for the rock bottom of “MACHINE GHOST”.

“I wake at 5am and call it discipline/I’m like an early bird that’s forgotten how to sing/talk myself down at the kitchen sink/I get what I want, then I just get sick”

With this second-to-last song, it feels like it all catches up to us. We’re no longer dancing and free falling and racing the moon; this is the aftermath where we lay in the bath until the water goes cold.

This is the breaking point, priming us for the complexities of the last song. Erin chose to wrap up the EP with a much-anticipated fan-favorite: “ALICE”.

“You got thinner than me and I hate you for that/seeing you makes me want it all back/hunger was all I was any good at”

The song captures a relationship where you become dangerously enmeshed with someone who shares your self-destructive tendencies. While most of the EP is very rooted in the present moment, “ALICE” has the benefit of hindsight. Erin LeCount has said goodbye to what was killing her, but the past has a way of returning to haunt.

It’s a fitting end to the EP, a desperate cry to break free of the downward spiral.

“Take me away from this madness/loving you was all that I had, but/Alice, we were dancing with death/I think about you often but I don’t want you back”

Discover Erin LeCount

Albums

Tales Of A Failed Shapeshifter by Em Beihold

If PAREIDOLIA is a downwards spiral, our spotlighted album is an upwards one. Since the release of her debut single Numb Little Bug”, Em Beihold has been on a journey to find herself. A journey that’s taken her through depression and insecurity to a hard-won sense of self-worth, and found her a signature sound and a record deal to boot.

Tales Of A Failed Shapeshifter is the indie pop singer’s debut album, eleven tracks that balance whimsical theatricality and catchy commercial pop appeal. These are the types of songs that make you think no one else could have written them—only Em Beihold.

“I don’t know about tomorrow/but one day, I’ll be untethered” — Scared Of The Dark

We start with “Scared Of The Dark” a single that explores the fear of being alone. From here, we’ll travel through jealousy in the form of “Brutus”, find a wibbly-wobbly sort of swagger with “Hot Goblin”, and read someone to filth in “Soup”. In between, she knows when to pause the campy choruses for more conversational moments in “Exorcism” and “Lottery”.

“Sometimes the winners lose everything/and I’m lucky I don’t play the lottery” — Lottery

Throughout the album, we shape-shift alongside Em; we become a unicorn, a troubled artist, a siren and a fish, on our quest for self-discovery.

“One minute I’m a siren and the next I’m a fish” — Hot Goblin

All of this leads up to “Strong Medicine”, the song that sees Em learning to live with the struggle, even the ones that don’t go away. As she says, some things can’t be fixed, but they can “get a bit better with a little bit of strong medicine”. It’s a catchy, fun, and uplifting vibe just before the last track.

After all that, she closed the album out with a warm and sincere track. We’re primed for an intimate moment with the voice memo at the start; what follows feels like a vow of love backed by production that starts simple and builds the drama and emotion.

“When you hold your breath and see the heavens/when a ticking clock don’t feel so slow/everything I said, know I meant it/I’ll hold your hand, I won’t let go” — Won’t Let Go

“Won’t Let Go” is a cinematic moment that takes us to the skies before stripping back down, leaving us with raw, live piano sound.

Em Beihold may have failed at shapeshifting, but she’s succeeded at delivering an incredible debut album. Despite all the mythological faces she wears, the end result feels like an artist who knows exactly who she is, and who knows how to usher you into her a world. A world of theatrical storytelling, infectious melodies, and whimsy that never sacrifices relatability.

Discover Em Beihold

The full list:

• Losing Streak by Avery Cochrane

• Champion (Freestyle) by Mudy

• ALICE by Erin LeCount

• Nightingale Lane. by raye

• Begging On My Birthday by CHARLS

• How I Get by Laufey

• The Blade by Kingfshr

• Gentleman by Towa Bird

• Latitude by Ryan Valenzuela feat. Second Wolf

• Unicorn by Em Beihold

• Texas Baby by Susannah Joffe

• Over and Over by Christina Noujaim

• PAREIDOLIA by Erin LeCount (EP)

• Growth From Decay by Bailey Lanes (EP)

• Nothings About To Happen To Me by Mitski (album)

• Tales Of A Failed Shapeshifter by Em Beihold (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you’ve found a new favorite to put on repeat this week! I for one have plenty new bangers to keep me busy pressing replay. I’m also excited to dig into the new Mitski album for the first time!

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Would you like to see your upcoming release included on the WAYSQ Radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by sending an email to whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. While this week was a little lighter than the last, there were still some new favorites.

So, let’s get into it!

Singles

til’ august by Kevin Atwater

A drum beat, a pause, a hint of strings, and then “til’ august” falls into place. The production is gorgeous and sweet, making use of brass and woodwinds, under verse lyrics that sway through melancholy. Kevin’s soft high register shines on the chorus, winding on towards a beautiful instrumental break. Sorrow has never been as sweet.

“I can make it easy or I can make it right/flowers in a wine glass dying in the sun/you’re giving it til August and then you’ll let em rot”

Discover Kevin Atwater

Casual Lady by Flowerovlove

You know it’s gonna be a good Flowerovlove song when it has a spoken intro. Serving up all the romcom vibes, “Casual Lady” somehow reminds me of both “Teenage Dirtbag” and Sixpence None The Richer, as well as Carol Ades. Always an evergreen concept, the song is a fun take on a good ol’ embarrassing crush story. It’s so infectious and catchy, it might just dethrone “Breaking News” as my favorite Flowerovlove song, which is really saying something.

“Now I’m bad and unhinged/cuz u know that you exist/how embarrassing”

Discover Flowerovlove

Let’s Do It Again! by The Last Dinner Party & War Child Records

Every song by The Last Dinner Party manages to feel like a new world to explore. We’re ushered in with moody piano and a call-to-arms sort of snare. What follows is the back and forth, tug of war, of an on and off again relationship. All the close calls and cycles are captured in the unusual song structure and interesting metaphors. Time seems to slow down with each chorus, evoking the moment they fall back into the relationship.

“When I reach for the door, your lips, they lasso me”

Discover The Last Dinner Party

White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter by Lana Del Rey

I’m gonna go slightly off-branding here and talk about a new release that I honestly disliked. While the production is cool and haunting in a way that evokes an old horror movie, I think the spoken verses really don’t suit Lana Del Rey. I think you have to suspend your disbelief to like a lot of Lana songs, and this one makes it hard. It draws attention to how much of her whole artist project is more of a costume. That mask feels thin on this song, and the lackluster (at best) lyrics are misplaced against the dramatic production.

“We’re a match, he’s just in my bone marrow”

Discover Lana Del Rey

Love A Friend by Lucy Clearwater

On to a song that I did like! The guitar sort of moseys on in, soon accompanied by dreamy humming. It feels like sunbathing lakeside with the vague awareness that someone you love is nearby. When Lucy’s warm Laufey-like vocals come in, “Love A Friend” begins to unravel the nuance of doing just that—falling for a friend. Something about it feels like a classic folk song, something you’ve known your whole life, while the lyrics are giving modern situationship.

“Someone said there’s joy in desire/the more you long, the warmer the fire/so I just watch the temperature get higher/cuz I don’t want my joy to go away”

Discover Lucy Clearwater

Drag Path by twenty one pilots

On my TikTok fyp, you can throw a stone in any direction and hit a “Drag Path” edit. Yet, the song was only just officially released. This was the little bonus track that could, hidden away on a digital-download album and quickly beloved by both twenty one pilots fans and many unsuspecting TikTokers who came across it. The song’s been used in edits for everything from Doctor Who to queer history, and is still kicking around as the trending audio for the randomest of posts.

So does the full song live up to the hype? In my opinion, yes and no. Those who owned the download were quick to point out that they trimmed the song, perhaps to capitalize on the viral chorus without, um, dragging as long. But having heard the cut outro, I wish they’d kept it. The entire song is one big build, using sheer melodic magic to engineer emotion in you whether you like it or not. The ending resolves it melodically, but the cut section1 would’ve resolved it lyrically too.

“A drag path, etched in surface/as evidence/I left there on purpose”

Discover twenty one pilots

YDH by Chloe Qisha

Next up, we have a familiar face to the WAYSQ Release Radar, Chloe Qisha. Chloe truly never misses, and “YDH” is no exception. There’s a definite Sabrina Carpenter vibe in the way she blends pop with funk and disco to make a catchy hit out of fun, scandalous lyrics. But only Chloe Qisha could bring such a song to life with perfectly delivered spoken lines and nonchalant confidence.

“Once there was a girl/who had a very sexy dream/the kind they’d have in movie scenes/the kind that’s rated R”

Discover Chloe Qisha

EPs

when to step away by Abby Powledge

This week, we have EPs from two of my favorite voices in folk-pop, starting with Abby Powledge. “when to step away” is a six song project about losing yourself in love, ending on a bittersweet note as she realizes some goodbyes are for the better.

The title track explores how she tried to reconcile what wasn’t working in the relationship, trying to recast her disappointing partner as something worth believing in. At the end of the day, the most important lesson learned is the title of it all: when to step away.

“The hardest part about the art of loving you is knowing when to step away” — when to step away

From here, we dive deeper into her struggle to demand better for herself. “getting used to getting used” is one of the prettiest songs on the EP, with a fiddle and a banjo dueting wonderfully. Its subtly unusual song structure demonstrates her words as it changes, but seems the same.

“I bet you didn’t know I cut my hair/the day we ended things last year/I’d grown it out since then, but/it probably seems the same”

The melancholy of “getting used to getting used” flows into the more upbeat sound of “and then there’s me”. What follows are the three singles, perfectly sequenced to tell a story. The act one romantic beginning winds down in a “reverse slow burn” into the sorrow of “i still check your playlists”.

It’s only after we descend to the depths of these blues that we come back for air in the last track. “saved ourselves” finds a bittersweet silver lining out of it all: the idea that goodbye saved them more pain down the road. It’s a sigh of relief after all this back and forth, and the knowledge that it’s for the better.

“You would’ve hated the distance/I would’ve sacrificed my voice…so I wish you well/I guess we saved ourselves”

I loved Abby Powledge’s 2025 debut EP, but this second installment has shown growth and artistic clarity in leaps and bounds. She’s reminded me in turns of Lizzy McAlpine, Aubory Bugg, and Emma Andersen, but in the end, cementing an inimitable place in my mind.

Discover Abby Powledge

All That Comes After by Ellis King

Speaking of perfectly sequenced track lists, that was what stood out to me most about this next EP. Shuffling “All That Comes After” by Ellis King might not be a crime, but it would rob you of a short-film worthy narrative.

In just five songs, Ellis tells a story. With “Nosedive”, she contrasts the rousing guitar sound with lyrics that examine a relationship she feels small in.

“I set my contrast to dull/he said my lustre made him feel small/I don’t know why I felt so ashamed of that/just two people on an axis/and I hadn’t had much practice/but the world spins madly on/and so do I”

Made to feel like “too much”, she comes to realize she deserves more. The song captures both the pain and triumph of moving on, as well as setting us up for the story that will follow in the next four songs.

With “Emergency Contact”, we back up a little. Like a record scratch—I bet you’re wondering how I got here.

Ellis King is truly one of my favorite voices in indie music. There’s something so warm and personable about her vocals. With the minimalistic verses on “Emergency Contact”, her vocals are in the spotlight as she unravels the situation for us. “Nosedive” was the moment of moving on, but track two is the limbo before you do.

“My lungs, they have been in remission/I’m relearning how to breathe”

Fittingly, the next song sees her choosing not to hold her breath. Perhaps the catchiest song on the EP, “Hold My Breath” cloaks the tough pill that a relationship can’t be saved in the sugar of light guitar plucking and infectious melody. Sonically, it’s an excellent mid EP pick-me-up.

The good vibes continue as the story begins to move past the tough parts of goodbye and into the newfound freedom. A long way from the learned insecurity of “Nosedive”, “fitymi” feels like the part of the movie where she lands in a brand new city to chase her dreams.

As good of a closing track as “fitymi” would’ve been, “The Blueprint” is an even better choice. An EP that starts with someone who doesn’t know how to love her ends with finding just the right kind of unconditional love.

This time, she’s not expected to make herself small or hold her breath. In both sweeping romantic gestures and sweet domestic moments, “The Blueprint” is the happily ever after for this little story.

Discover Ellis King

The full list:

• til august by Kevin Atwater

• White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter by Lana Del Rey

• Drag Path by Twenty-One Pilots

• YDH by Chloe Qisha

• Let’s Do It Again! by The Last Dinner Party

• Eucalyptus by Peach PRC

• Casual Lady by Flowerovlove

• Talkin’ About Jesus by Jonah Kagen

• Love A Friend by Lucy Clearwater

• Pipe Dream EP by Gatlin (EP)

• When To Step Away by Abby Powledge (EP)

• All That Comes After by Ellis King (EP)

• Prizefighter by Mumford & Sons (album)

• Idols by Yungblud (album)

• luck… or something by Hilary Duff (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I, for one, have a new favorite Flowerovlove song and two new favorite EPs from Ellis King and Abby Powledge.

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to help keep the lights on :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, it feels like everyone and their mother decided to release some amazing music, so we’re gonna try and cover as much as we can.

Let’s get into it!

Singles

I’m crying (in a cool way) by Emily O’Neal

Jumping right in with a fun one, we have a newcomer to the WAYSQ Release Radar. Emily O’Neal’s newest single is a fun hot mess anthem for fans of Leanna Firestone, Audrey Hobert, and Olivia Rodrigo. “I’m crying (in a cool way)” combines sparkly production with vocal delivery that overflows with personality.

“I’m sad and I’m bratty/like a girl in a pretty/Sofia Coppola movie/I’m a kitch sitch/crying in the clouds in my coffee/I have real problems/so what if I cause them?”

Discover Emily O’Neal

.5 OF ME by Juliet Daniel

In a similar vein we have the latest from “2019” singer Juliet Daniel. “.5 OF ME” immediately catches your attention with the cool effects on the teaser chorus, letting you know what you’re about to hear is a bop. It’s short and sweet, every catchy second making your head bop while the relatable lyrics capture mixed feelings.

“I shouldn’t have to beg/for a little bit of energy/half of me loves you still/half of me hates your company”

Discover Juliet Daniel

Dancing On The Wall by Muna

Any week that Muna releases new music is a good week. “Dancing On The Wall” feels like a fresh take on the familiar Muna sound, 80s pop meets “what if a boy band was made up of lesbians?”. The forlorn, relatable lyrics contrast the fun, danceable sound so perfectly and the bridge alone is worth hitting replay.

“We had plans on a Saturday night/I had visions dancing in my mind/but you’re so last minute, your new excuse/do you care at all or did I just pretend you do/bought your favorite ice cream/left it in the backseat/just another sweet thing you let go bad”

Discover Muna

DON’T YOU SEE ME TRYING? by Erin LeCount

At this point, Erin LeCount’s rise to stardom feels like a matter of when, not if. Each new song she puts out is a polished, yet raw, masterpiece, evidence of the pop perfectionism she crafts almost entirely alone. “CAN’T YOU SEE ME TRYING?” is an addictive cocktail of synth, strings, and Erin’s signature vocal chops that capture an existential spiraling that feels both exhilarating and fatal.

“I hide in plain sight/I’m gonna dance to my death/and god it feels nice/to be this reckless again/I’m not myself/I haven’t been in some time/but don’t you see me trying?”

Discover Erin LeCount

be the girl! by Hemlocke Springs

Next up, we have the focus track from Hemlocke Springs’ new album “The Apple Tree Under The Sea”. “be the girl!” wraps up the album on a bittersweet note, as she contemplates how she’s changed. Typical to Hemlocke Springs, there’s a delicious weirdness permeating every bit of the song. From the spacey synths to the unexpected key change, “be the girl!” feels like nostalgic 80s pop—but from another planet.

“I can’t be the girl I used to know/even though I thought I could”

Discover Hemlocke Springs

Bad Enough by Tinsley

Last year, Tinsley released her debut album and became the very first artist ever interviewed on WAYSQ. “Bad Enough” ushers us into her new era with a fun, echoey intro. There’s something nostalgic about it that I can’t quite place, like a song I’d hear at the mall as a kid. As the lyrics unfurl, Tinsley pairs humorous, scathing reads of an ex with her sugar-sweet soft vocals. Fans of Kacey Musgraves and Sabrina Carpenter might find a new fave here!

“I know your life sucks/so I don’t need revenge/cuz you’re doing bad enough, bad enough on your end”

Discover Tinsley

Ghost Song by Eliza Howells

Building from a repeated piano note, “Ghost Song” adds dissonance in piano accents to compliment the melancholy vibe of the lyrics. Eliza Howells takes the classic idea of a breakup “haunting” and perfectly captures that forlorn feeling. The minimalistic production allows the lyrics to shine while adding just enough to keep the listener’s attention to the last note of the fade-out outro.

“Isn’t it funny, isn’t strange? The ghost of you loves me even though you’ve changed”

Discover Eliza Howells

You And Forever by Bleachers

Opening with almost unsettling acapella vocal chops, the latest single from the Bleachers is a love song with some unusual musical choices. Throughout the song, the production builds and plateaus, builds again and again, a sense of joy seeping through until it ends on those same acapella bits—but now they sound resolved, and no longer quite as haunting.

“Fuck everything that I’ve been told/cuz I just saw the heavens open up”

Discover Bleachers

That’s My Girl by Carol Ades

One artist who’s dominated my 2026 so far is Carol Ades. The trickle of singles is becoming a flood, each song more of a delight than the last. “That’s My Girl” instantly became my favorite of the rollout. With lyrics so in love they don’t know what to do with themselves and only the happiest, swooniest possible production, this song is an irresistible pick-me-up.

“Meet me in the garden later/be my first time educator/sometimes you know and I just know/that’s my girl”

Discover Carol Ades

EPs

Fleeting by Sarah Kinsley

This was also a big week for EPs, and “Fleeting” is one I’ve been looking forward to since the release of the title track. The five song project explores fragile feelings that come and go, particularly limerence, in a sonic world of synths and ethereal vocals.

Opening with “Lonely Touch”, we’re already deep in the yearning. It captures the danger of an obsessive crush, the kind of love that never live up to its ideal.

“How to say what I want/is to talk but not to talk/is to feel without hands/how to love and never land” — Lonely Touch

With a dirty synth to get your head bopping, “Truth of Pursuit” dives farther into the limerence theme. The big drums and precise metaphors give way to the moody piano of the next track. “Reverie” is the aftermath of all this crushing, the part where she begins to unravel the fantasies and foolishness.

“I can’t deny something between us changed/I felt the sea and now I’m standing in the drain/going against all logic and DNA/I want the flutter feeling back in my veins/turned my life upside down for a phase” — Truth Of Pursuit

“It’s just a dream, just forget it”, Sarah concludes as “Reverie” fades out. We linger in this world of moody piano for a while longer, as Sarah invites Paris Paloma onto “After All”. Their voices are incredibly similar, but different enough to intertwine perfectly.

Then, of course, she wraps the whole thing up with “Fleeting”. The perfect closer track, it combines the bittersweet ruminations on changeable feelings with gorgeous synth-pop to get you dancing with tears in your eyes.

And then, the whole thing is over. True to its name, the EP is fleeting, but you can always press play again.

Discover Sarah Kinsley

Albums

Armed with a guitar and poetic lyrics that pierce to the heart, Allydaonline released their debut album on Valentine’s Day. Angel Cake navigates eating disorders, mental health issues, and societal issues from Allyda’s unique but relatable lived-in perspective. Allyda is the epitome of an independent artist making it happen with self-taught production skills and a bedroom set up. If you’re the type to dive deep into the music you listen to, check out Allydaonline’s social media for breakdowns of each song.

Discover Allydaonline

If it’s more on-theme Valentine’s music that you’re craving, Ellis Piper has you covered. First released on Bandcamp, Lovebird is now out on streaming platforms. Ellis combines bedroom pop, jazz, and bossa nova to create a soundscape of cozy and romantic feels.

Discover Ellis Piper

For weirder fare, we have Hemlocke Springs’ The Apple Tree Under The Sea. With a touch of Kate Bush there and a hint of Bowie there, Hemlocke Springs is a truly unique artist; once you’ve heard her, you’ll recognize her distinct style instantly. Just 33 minutes long, this album takes you on a journey through spacey synths and unrivaled storytelling.

Discover Hemlocke Springs

Finally, we have Everywhere Isn’t Texas by August Ponthier. Their debut album plays out like a sci-fi fairy tale, yet it’s grounded in their experience as a young queer person from Texas. The overall message: the world is big and there’s always more ahead. It’s a gorgeous album with outsiders as its main audience, a perfect valentine for the misfits.

Discover August Ponthier

The full list:

• Dancing On The Wall by Muna

• Don’t You See Me Trying by Erin LeCount

• Where Our Streets Meet by Esha Tewari

• Be The Girl! by Hemlocke Springs

• He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Lucy Sugarman

• I’m Crying In A Cool Way by Emily O’Neal

• Bad Enough by Tinsley

• Ghost Song by Eliza Howells

• .5 Of Me by Juliet Daniel

• You And Forever by Bleachers

• That’s My Girl by Carol Ades

• Immortal by Molly Frances

• Hurt You Now by Catie Turner

• Hearken by Yaelokre

• White Horses by Anna Bates and Maggie Antone

• Fleeting by Sarah Kinsley (EP)

• Old Patterns by Lucy Sugarman (EP)

• Composing Colentine by Yaelokre (EP)

• Everywhere Isn’t Texas by August Ponthier (album)

• The Apple Tree Under The Sea by Hemlocke Springs (album)

• Angel Cake by Allydaonline (album)

• Wuthering Heights by Charli xcx (album)

• Lovebird by Ellis Piper (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. This was one of those weeks where the new music was like a flood, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. Crazy to think we’re barely two months into the year! 2026 is shaping up to be a music year for the record books.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Do you want to see your next release on the WAYSQ radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun coming :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithm to find hidden gems. This week, we have a roundup of fresh new singles plus an EP from my personal favorite artist, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Exposure Therapy by Khatumu

I’m always excited for new Khatumu, and the latest single is an especial treat for fans of her Hunting Days EP. “Exposure Therapy” sees the taming of the “dog” in her as she finds a love she hopes is the one: “I’ve never done that before” she sings above a bed of warm guitar and banjo.

“You are good exposure therapy/you cut the stray dog soul right out of me”

Discover Khatumu

Roam by Ivory Layne

Another frequent flyer here at WAYSQ, Ivory Layne is back with a follow-up to earlier single “Everest”. In many ways, “Roam” feels like a more reckless expression of the same feelings; a simmering frustration with stagnancy and yearning to break free and live life to its fullest. As an artist, Ivory has often explored this desire to break out of the boxes society likes to put us in and “Roam” is a euphoric anthem for this.

“I spy with my little eye/someone living a life much better than mine/I don’t know but I have to assume/from the number of hearts and the size of the living room”

Discover Ivory Layne

Growing Pains by Chanel Loren

A newcomer to the Release Radar, Chanel Loren is an Australian R&B artist with a sound that emanates sunshine. “Growing Pains” hooked me from the first second with its beachy beat and frank, relatable lyrics. It’s the perfect song for playing hooky and escaping to the ocean for a day.

“Everybody’s growing up/meanwhile I can’t decide what I want for lunch…they’re holding my hand/they think I’m naive/but really that stuff/doesn’t matter to me”

Discover Chanel Loren

Cool by Nxdia

With a bassline that reminded me a little of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nxdia is back with her first follow up to her “I Promise No One’s Watching” album. “Cool” is one of those songs that perfectly captures its own title, everything from the chill sound to the refrain melody screams cool, while her signature blend of English and Arabic navigates a brain-melting crush.

“Crooked nose/funky bag/bits of paint all on your clothes/in the light outside the bar…call me back/fire red polish on your toes/let you walk all over me”

Discover Nxdia

My Regards by Maisie Peters

We are three singles deep into Maisie Peters’ Florescence era and it’s time for another love song. “My Regards” blends Maisie’s trademark humor and pop culture references with a sort of classy possessiveness. While this one might be my least favorite of the singles so far, I understand the appeal with the catchy melodies and killer one-liners.

“God bless all of those other eyes/they can look but they can’t touch/now I’m seeing his name in my 509s/and he’s skipping my heart double dutch”

Discover Maisie Peters

And Then There’s Me by Abby Powledge

It’s fitting that the cover art features apples, because something about this song feels like an autumn walk through an apple orchard. The verse melody satisfyingly traces a folksy guitar line, singing of sleepless nights and an obsessive crush. Just when you think you have the song figured out, it bursts into the chorus. It’s all driving guitar and sunshine vibes with a side of great metaphors.

“Cuz then there’s you/the break of daylight/the way you move/the perfect playwright…and then there’s me/the way my hands shake/the way I speak/it never translates/and suddenly my stubborn walls break”

Discover Abby Powledge

Showgirl by Eden Hunter

Opening with a shimmering synth, “Showgirl” is the best kind of dramatic pop. Cue the big drums and cinematic feel as it builds to a satisfyingly yell-y hook. The bridge is the star of the show with its infectious energy, you can’t help but imagine this song lighting up a stadium.

“Does it sink in like the scars and the stitches/born to be witnessed/before they knew your name/and to think they called it delusion/did you get the death wish too?”

Discover Eden Hunter

Nothing Ever Lasts by Ellis Piper

There’s a very specific sound involving staccato piano and vocal doo-to-doos that I associate with both Christmas and with glee. But with this new Ellis Piper single, it’s a thoroughly heartwarming but bittersweet love song. Something about it is intensely nostalgic and calls to mind any movie set in New York in the fall.

“Nothing ever lasts/I’m smart enough to know/there’s no escaping fate/we’re all just here on loan/but still we make the bed/and brush our teeth at night/we live until we’re dead/and try to get it right”

Discover Ellis Piper

EPs

Cynthia by Sydney Ross Mitchell

This is, of course, a very special release week for me because my favorite artist’s second EP is finally here. In my book, “Cynthia” had big shoes to fill since her debut EP “Pure Bliss Forever” is extremely significant to me.

The new EP not only filled those shoes, it takes them in a new direction. Featuring haunting harmonies and jazzy twists to Sydney’s signature folk-pop sound, “Cynthia” takes you on an eight song journey.

Starting from the title track, which was also the lead single, which introduces the project’s themes of alienation and existential dread in vignette-like verses.

Next, we have “Victory Whiplash” a song that reminds me of early SRM, particularly “Next Time”, but with a glow up. There’s no real chorus, with the lyrics flowing into each other perfectly and the non-lyrical refrain allowing her harmonies to shine.

One thing Sydney Ross Mitchell knows is how to sequence a track list. The progression from “Victory Lap Whiplash” to “Kisses On Ice” is just chefs kiss with the brass-focused interlude between.

“Kisses On Ice” has already rocketed into my favorite SRM songs. The production is positively gorgeous, complimenting lyrics that revel in bittersweet yearning. I don’t know how to ice skate, but if I did, I’d skate to this song.

“They say that life is short/like it isn’t the longest thing that we’ll ever know/I’ll put my kisses on ice/you can warm em up whenever you like” — Kisses On Ice

After this light jazzy number comes the perfectly placed “Big Boy Problems” as the most upbeat song on the EP. “Queen Of Homecoming” dives headfirst into her complicated relationship with her hometown, before going into the more straightforward singer-songwriter sound of “Dorothy”.

“Tender is the flesh/sweet is the taste/shame is the choice that we both had to make/no kisses goodbye with a mouthful of blood/what’s one more thing I can’t get enough of?”

After this journey through complicated relationships with religion, family, and, of course, relationships, this closing track was the obvious choice to wrap things up.

“I had a dream we went over the guardrail/and I didn’t have my seatbelt on/the minutes move slow/and thick like molasses/maybe I’ll get lucky/may the landing come softly”

Sydney played this when I saw her live in December; it made me cry then and it makes me cry now. With Cynthia on one end and “May The Landing Come Softly” this project is perfectly bookended with a mixture of faith and existential gloom.

Like many of Sydney’s songs, the outro takes it a whole new place. The whole song feels like it’s falling apart and together as the refrain builds to one last haunting a capella line.

As biased as I am, I truly think there’s something special about this project. It’s the kind of EP you could put on just making a cup of coffee, dancing around your kitchen, romanticizing life and enjoying your own company. It’s also the kind of EP that keeps you company while you ponder the hard questions, confront complex emotions, and stare out the window on a rainy day.

Sydney’s truly gifted at bringing a beautiful softness to the toughest parts of life, and I think that’s really rare.

Discover Sydney Ross Mitchell

The full list:

• Cool by Nxdia

• Exposure Therapy by Khatumu

• Roam by Ivory Layne

• My Regards by Maisie Peters

• Growing Pains by Chanel Loren

• I’ll Change For You by Mitski

• And Then There’s Me by Abby Powledge

• Showgirl by Eden Hunter

• Nothing Ever Lasts by Ellis Piper

• Cynthia by Sydney Ross Mitchell (EP)

• Art, Baby by Grace Annabella Anderson

Enjoy the music!

As always I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I’m just exceedingly grateful that I get to do this and that 200 people have signed up to read WAYSQ. That’s right: we’ve hit 200 subscribers!!

Thank you so much for reading and see you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Do you want to see your next release featured on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Feel free to reach out directly on the Substack app or via email to whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, it felt like many of the artists shared a common goal: to speak up and out on typically controversial topics from religion to politics to feminism.

It was a packed New Music Friday, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Normal Feelings by Carol Ades

The latest from Carol Ades is a song that sounds made for being lost in thought. Starting off with soft and sweet vocals above a bed of guitar picking, “Normal Feelings” flows from introspective verses to a chorus that’s well set up, yet somehow still catches you off guard. With this follow up to the previous three singles, I’m beyond hyped for the album to follow.

“Dad I’m gonna be an independent musician/having thoughts no one else has had yet/people tend to pay attention when the tone is tragic/I used to say that nothing could scare me/but I am not the same as I was/the truth is nothing could have prepared me/for all of these strange and normal feelings”

Discover Carol Ades

Numbers 31:17-18 by Sofia Isella

When I say I got a roundup of artists unafraid to speak out, it makes sense that Sofia Isella is on scene. The intro reminds me of Ethel Cain’s “Perverts” album, with its static, ominous tones, and biblical mutterings. When the piano comes in, it’s surprisingly delicate as Sofia anticipates the comments of missing context. The song goes on to dive in and out of its namesake Bible verse, addressing the patriarchal and genocidal implications. It’s hard to choose one lyrical section to quote, with lines like “there’s a lump under the rug in religion’s house/they’ll dance and defend anything to keep it from coming out” and “the drug of God’s permission will help you sleep at night”.

“They will not stop singing and defending that song/rather find the excuse for massacre than be wrong/rather ignore the lyrics than stop singing along”

Discover Sofia Isella

Streets of Minneapolis by Bruce Springsteen

I’ve never been a Bruce Springsteen listener; the only song I’ve really listened to is “Dancing In The Dark” and I was first introduced to it by Lucy Dacus’ cover. But I think there’s a lot of significance in the oft-misunderstood “Born In The USA” singer releasing such a frank protest song in this day and age.

“They say they’re here to uphold the law, but they trample on our rights”

Discover Bruce Springsteen

The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

For me, the most anticipated release of the week—or perhaps the year so far—is the latest from Noah Kahan. Like many, Noah first stole my heart with the Stick Season album and has become my favorite male artist. He has an especial gift for writing songs where the listener can see themselves in both the narrator and the other person; “The Great Divide” is an excellent example.

The song overflows with empathy and all the grief of hindsight while telling a cohesive narrative. In it, Noah recalls an old friend whose struggles he never understood. Now, looking back, he understands the weight of religious trauma and likely internalized homophobia said friend was dealing with.

“I hope you threw a brick right into that stained glass”

Discover Noah Kahan

Good Girl by Paris Paloma

Another artist gradually rolling out an exciting new era, Paris Paloma returned this week with a second new single. Starting off with an a capella moment, the powerful refrain rings out like a prayer. From here, the song builds to something closer to pop than anything Paris has put out before—it’s cathartic, danceable, and catchy without sacrificing her gift for writing about the female experience.

“Let time take me/weathered like a tree/how clever to make a girl’s own face the enemy/in the half light, she’ll agonize to be evergreen/a good girl, always look and never eat/Heaven is a fed girl”

Discover Paris Paloma

Scooby by Corook

A new-to-me artist, Corook is best known for their fun ditty “If I were a fish”. I first came across “Scooby” being teased on TikTok; twice, it crossed my feed organically. The song has big “opening scene of a musical” vibes, a lively, piano driven intro catching your attention and raising your mood. This feel-good sound is then juxtaposed with matter-of-fact, clever lyrics that call out complacency. The chorus is a Trojan horse for the message, so catchy it’s been stuck in my head since that first TikTok.

“I’ve got six unopened boxes from Amazon on my porch/and I open up my window and watch my neighbors get deported/pull out my thousand dollar iPhone, I can’t report it, but I’ll record it/then I’ll upload it to TikTok cuz it makes me feel important…I’m like Scooby Doo/looking for clues/turns out this whole life is a mystery…I’m like Scooby Doo/if he wore shoes/and he gave money to the enemy..fuck I am the enemy”

Discover Corook

Body Is On Fire by MARIS

A frequent flyer on the Release Radar, MARIS is back with a feel-good hit. The instrumentals, particularly in the intro, remind me of a video game in a way that’s fun and nostalgic. The chorus offers a place for MARIS to show off her powerful vocals followed by an infectious hook. Just two days later, it’s already her biggest release yet—will this be the year of MARIS?

“Got feelings faded, but baby I’m stone cold sober now/and I still feel the same, I’m going up in flames, why water down?”

Discover MARIS

Please Don’t by Elle Coves

If it’s summer vibes in the middle of winter you’re craving, Elle Coves has your back. “Please Don’t” is warm guitar pop with a nostalgic shimmer, reminding me of both early Olivia Rodrigo and early Taylor Swift. By the time I first heard that lovely melody on the hook, I was catching up to the fact that this was a turning point of a hit for an up-and-coming artist. “Please Don’t” belongs on the radio now.

If you’re in your car, running every light/speeding while the past echoes in your mind/and if it feels like home/pulling in her driveway/if you’re getting close/please don’t”

Discover Elle Coves

Albums

Some Things Never Leave by Annabelle Dinda

This was a big week for folk, made bigger by the release of Annabelle Dinda’s album. Like many, I first discovered her when “The Hand” went viral. It was a good example of a really great song getting organic hype to snowball.

I never really doubted the accompanying album would live up to the hype, but “Some Things Never Leave” blew me away beyond expectation.

The whole album feels like a movie playing out in your mind. The opening song is a killer opening scene; main character energy backed up by a gorgeous fiddle, catchy chorus, and lyrics that grapple with broken promises.

“I had a bad Tuesday/at least it’s a news day/but I’ll probably wake up pissed in the morning/so what if I’m callous/I’ll call it talent/and revel in all of the shit you’re ignoring/god people are boring” - Big News Day

From here, we have nine more perfectly sequenced songs, all featuring Annabelle’s undeniable gift for lyricism and tied together by a signature sound.

Annabelle Dinda shines in the smallest of word choices. Phrases like “relic radiation” and “caustic whining” leap out at me. Her songs are wordy and often employ big words, but in a way that feels precise, not pretentious.

And I make such a big deal of using words syllabically/that you’re too busy sounding out to shuffle after me” — Satellites

Songs like “Gunpoint, Headlock” demonstrate her masterful storytelling. Many of her songs encapsulate a whole story in just the first verse. She takes a singular instance and builds something deep and piercing out of it.

“There’s a kid killing soldiers in his video game/does he know we can hear it through the din of the train/as we tilt left my lungs dip down to my heels/and I wonder how they got the bullets so real” — Gunpoint, Headlock

The whole album is wrapped up by its longest song, a length which somehow feels earned after the journeys she’s taken us on. “London Plane Trees Grow In Philly” has the feel of a dream that reveals something incommunicable to you. It flows from verse to verse and emphasizes meaning in repetition.

“When I start catastrophizing/I call you to stem the rising/ache of living, fear of dying/they’re the same, says fate while sighing/they’re the same, says fate while sighing” — London Plane Trees Grow In Philly

I could sit here and quote my favorite lyrics from this album all day long. It’s always presumptuous to call a new album timeless, but there is something instantly classic about “Some Things Never Leave”.

So, I’ll just leave you with a plea to listen for yourself, in order please.

Discover Annabelle Dinda

The full list:

• Normal Feelings by Carol Ades

• Numbers 31:17-18 by Sofia Isella

• Streets of Minneapolis by Bruce Springsteen

• The Great Divide by Noah Kahan

• Good Girl by Paris Paloma

• Scooby by Corook

• Body Is On Fire by MARIS

• I Used To Go To This Bar by Joyce Manor

• When We Were Young by Mia Wray

• Please Don’t by Elle Coves

• Jukebox by Ryn Kid

• Luckiest by Beeson

• Some Things Never Leave by Annabelle Dinda (album)

• Appalachia by Emily Scott Robinson (album)

Enjoy the music!

Only one month into 2026, the music is already getting good! As always, I hope you’ve found a new favorite to put on repeat. I, for one, am practically drowning in new faves. I haven’t gotten the chance yet to listen to Emily Scott Robinson’s new album, but I look forward to it.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Do you want to see your next release featured on the WAYSQ Release Radar? Feel free to reach out via the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, we have the return of some familiar faces plus a few first impressions, and a spectacular album to dive into.

So, let’s get into it!

Singles

Turns Out I’m Amazing by Carol Ades

Following up “Worst Person In The World” and “Merry Go Round”, Carol Ades is back with a new single. “Turns Out I’m Amazing” rebuilds confidence after a toxic relationship, with the production building delicately in tandem. By the time we get to the chorus and instrumental post-chorus, our hearts have been lifted by Carol’s soft vocals and storytelling.

“Turns out it was your voice saying/aren’t you embarrassed honey/everything that you want is too hard/I’m not scared of what I don’t know/turns out I’m amazing, let’s go”

Discover Carol Ades

Witch’s Spell by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

Another familiar voice on the Release Radar, Katie Lynne Sharbaugh never disappoints with her precise, poetic lyrics and a folk-infused sound that hits like fresh air. “Witch’s Spell” employs a slightly different style for her, one reminiscent of Billie Joel or Carole King. This vintage, piano-focused sound compliments the Gilmore Girls-like vibe of a song dedicated to her long-distance best friend. The end result is a cocktail of nostalgia and warm feelings, and it cries out to be featured in a movie.

“You and I were a package deal/extra eyes behind the steering wheel/voices blending into one”

Discover Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

To Love Somebody by Holly Humberstone

As I listened to the latest single from Holly Humberstone, I was reminded of many different artists, from Billie Eilish to Lorde to Del Water Gap. But all of it boils down to Holly Humberstone. I’ve often felt her music feels like a dreamy night swim or a scene in a coming-of-age movie. “To Love Somebody” is a particularly strong hit of that feeling, with a vocal hook that got stuck in my head right away.

“Tell you that you feel too much/you bet it all on a summer crush/it all breaks down, it always does/it all works out, it always does”

Discover Holly Humberstone

Aperture by Harry Styles

While I’ve never described myself as a Harry Styles fan, the magnitude of his return is not lost on me. Like Lorde (whose Melodrama sound feels relevant), Harry is an artist who disappears between eras. For many, long gaps are a career death sentence; for Harry Styles, it only builds anticipation as his loyal fans locked in the second he surprise-posted that first cryptic teaser.

The choice of “Aperture” as lead single hints at an artistic vision. It’s a sleeper hit with an instrumental intro that takes its time setting the scene. From there, the song is a gradual build made of synths, a jersey beat, and abstract lyricism.

“I won’t stray from it/I don’t know these spaces/time won’t wait on me/I wanna know what safe is”

Discover Harry Styles

In Violet by Searows

The focus single for their album “Death In The Business of Whaling”, “In Violet” perfectly captures the fairy-tale-at-sea of it all. Starting from a repeated note, the whole song is built around this folk-y groove. The song rewards active listeners with vivid storytelling and imagery-rich lyrics. The cherry on top is the outro lyrics fading, as if sinking, into that instrumental loop.

“You never had it/and never got it back/I saw you wasting everything you ever had/in violet/bargain your life for a flower/the last of your honor to die thinking you were a coward”

Discover Searows

Albums

IT’S NOT REAL by Ella Red

I don’t always get the chance to listen to full new albums while writing the round-up, but I’m so glad I got to for this one.

Like many, I was first introduced to Ella Red with her earlier single “I Like You Best”. I’ve kept an eye on her ever since, but her debut album has simply blown me away.

“IT’S NOT REAL” is a 37 minute dark pop concept album, blending horror imagery, social commentary, mythology, and relatable storytelling.

“Everybody’s grabbing for the apple/thinking if they have it, they’ll be God’s new fave/everybody’s praying for their shackles/casually bedazzling the ball and chain” — Ball and Chain

Opening with creepy nursery-rhyme-esque “Parasite”, Ella’s artistic vision shines through in the sequencing of the tracklist. As said, it’s almost a crime to shuffle this album.

From its ominous beginning, the album takes you on a journey, one that shows both range and thematic cohesion.

Songs like “He Asked For It” and “Predator” are anti-hero anthems for a dangerous woman. “Party Animal” adds a splash of unexpected Kesha energy, balanced out by candid ballads like “Cupid” and “Always The Artist”.

“I’d pin up your paintings all over town/if my love could be a thing you could never put down” - Always The Artist

For me, the star of the show is track four. “Funeral” is a Trojan horse of a pop song, well suited to both radio play and active listening. The sound is catchy, the lyrics have a bite, and it’s a perfect gateway drug to Ella Red.

“I kinda wanna laugh at the way I cried/I’ve been putting on a smile though somebody died/I don’t know how to act, to pretend it’s fine/I’m so happy at this funeral” - Funeral

Throughout my listening, I was reminded of many different artists. A hint of Melanie Martinez on “Parasite”, some Panic! At The Disco on “We’re All Gonna Die”. “He Asked For It” has undeniable Sofia Isella vibes, while “Spider String” touches on a similar topic to “Last Woman On Earth” by Paris Paloma.

Like all the best albums, it’s far from derivative. I’d confidently place “IT’S NOT REAL” on the same level as the most popular of the aforementioned artists. For a debut album, that’s extremely impressive.

For the very last song, Ella furthers emphasizes her status as an Artist with a capital A by taking a small risk. The title track “IT’S NOT REAL” switches things up again with rapped verses. It’s unexpected, but works.

With that, she closes out the album with a fever dream of a song, the hypnotizing hook underlining the existential themes of the previous songs.

Discover Ella Red

The full list

• Little Toe by Caroline In The Garden

• To Love Somebody by Holly Humberstone

• Witch’s Spell by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

• Aperture by Harry Styles

• Turns Out I’m Amazing by Carol Ades

• In Violet by Searows

• Anna With The Silver Arrow by Ellie O’Neill

• Imposter by Louis Tomlinson

• Site Unseen by Courtney Barrett feat. Waxahatchee

• IT’S NOT REAL by Ella Red (album)

• Death In The Business Of Whaling by Searows (album)

• How Did I Get Here? by Louis Tomlinson

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I, for one, fall more in love with Ella Red’s debut album with each new listen. I’m also intrigued by the new Harry Styles era.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

If you want to see your next release featured on WAYSQ, feel free to message me via the Substack app or email whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun coming :)

🪩 thank you 🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ Release Radar!

Today’s post is a special one because it’s the very first round-up of the new year! Yay!!! If you’re new here, the Release Radar is a weekly roundup of all the new songs, EPs, and Albums on my radar.

Once upon a time, I committed to exploring new music as it arrived. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to these fresh releases.

I try to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, however, I was practically forced to start early because not just one, but several of my favorite artists decided to release music all at the same time.

So, let’s get into it!

Singles

Big Boy Problems by Sydney Ross Mitchell

If you know a thing or two about my music taste, you probably know Sydney Ross Mitchell is my favorite artist, my comfort artist, my go-to after a bad day. This new single is the latest in the rollout leading up to her second EP. “Big Boy Problems” is just so her—lyrics that pull no punches, a forlorn but dreamy feel, and a chorus that practically swoons. There’s something psychedelic about that chorus, and when the outro revamps lyrics stolen from the verses, it’s the cherry on top.

“Big boy problems, isn’t it enough? The mercy of a memory, isn’t it enough? It is what it is, it was what it was”

Discover Sydney Ross Mitchell

Griever by Avery Cochrane

Ever since the release of the long awaited “Shapeshifting On A Saturday Night”, a growing chunk of the internet has waited to see what Avery Cochrane would do next. The answer is this short-but-sweet, ultra catchy, almost manic breakup song. “Griever” holds the crown as the fastest song Avery’s ever written and you can feel that energy when you listen. The star of the show is a mega-chorus that proves rambling and catchy melodies are not mutually exclusive.

“That’s cute remember how/I blistered all my fingers/been flattened by the wringer/I even got fired as the restaurant singer/you used to be my leader/and I was your believer/three years gone, but I’m ten years weaker/how dare you think to bring her? How dare you think to linger? You turned a short film to a full length feature/I’m crying in the theater/I swear I’m not a griever/but then I had to see ya”

Discover Avery Cochrane

w-w-w-w-w by Hemlocke Springs

As with a number of people, I first discovered Hemlocke Springs when Chappell Roan gave her a shoutout. “w-w-w-w-w” is hands down my new favorite from her. That somewhat lengthy intro packed with strange sounds reminds me, somehow, of a quirky stop motion movie. When the lyrics come in, it’s clear Hemlocke Springs is here to tell a story. They center around a young girl being wooed by a much older man, pulling no punches in the narration. She builds the story up to a hook that’s instantly stuck in your head.

“Can’t even fathom/waking up the man on Sunday morning/cooking him some breakfast, brewing coffee/why would she do that when he’s already got one foot in the grave?”

Discover Hemlocke Springs

Threat by Allydaonline

If it’s brand new up-and-coming artists you’re looking for, Allydaonline might be the perfect fit. Diving into music with self-produced, poetic songs, Allyda is rolling out her debut EP. The third single, “Threat”, features some of her most touching lyrics. The concept behind it is rarely talked about, but deeply relatable to anyone who’s ever loved someone with mental health issues; the fear that a display of affection is a secret goodbye.

“I can’t accept your secrets/fear they might be final confessions…Hope it’s a promise, not a threat/I love you is an arrow to the chest”

Allydaonline

Uncommon Sense by Emily James

My gateway drug into the world of Emily James was her “Alternates” project. “Uncommon Sense” feels like a lonely callback to that world of subtle, but richly layered folk-pop sounds and lyrics full of yearning. Emily has a knack for capturing the core of our need for human connection, the sort of rawness at the heart. “Uncommon Sense” really takes off on the second verse, when the music echoes the daydream of her lyrics.

“To free me from my hesitance/love me only in confidence…maybe that could be you”

Discover Emily James

Half A Friend by Emma Anderson

Tidal sometimes has this funny/annoying glitch where artists of the same name get lumped together on the same profile. I follow an artist named Emma Anderson, so Tidal notified me when a completely different artist named Emma Anderson released new music. Good thing I love discovering new artists!

“Half A Friend” is one two singles this artist released, and my favorite of the two. Entirely self-written and self-produced, “Half A Friend” kicks off with a simple, but attention-catching piano progression. My only complaint is that it and its sister song suffer from a common self-produced issue: the vocals are far too quiet and the lyrics are a little hard to make out. That said, “Half A Friend” especially rewards an active listener with its heartbroken lyrics.

“I gave you love, you gave back something paper thin/guess you were only ever half a friend”

I could not find Emma Anderson’s website or social media, and googling would only bring up two other artists named Emma Anderson. If that’s your name and you want make music, consider a stage name.

Over by Sydney Rose feat. Tom Odell

Since “We Hug Now”, Sydney Rose has built a reputation for quietly devastating, candid folk-pop. “Over” hooked me quickly with that whispered downturn at the end of the phrases. Coupled with poetic yet intensely personal lyrics, these verses build to a simple chorus that worms its way into your heart. The star of the show, though, is the bridge where the “I’ll do it over and over” refrain turns into “it’s over, it’s over”.

“Take an extra dosage of the thing they’re calling courage/I will take an extra hour just to tell myself it’s worth it/looking in the mirror, tell myself I don’t look weird/practice being kinda funny, maybe you could really want me”

Discover Sydney Rose

Nothing Comes Easy by Joy Oladokun

Lately, I’ve been revisiting Joy Oladokun’s 2024 album and reliving my experience seeing her live last year. It’s easy to say and harder to prove, but she’s one of those artists who genuinely feels once in a lifetime. The intersection of lived experience, timely observations, storytelling lyrics, and production perfectly crafted to match—her music always comes at the right time and “Nothing Comes Easy” is the perfect first single for the new year .

Stripped back and folksy, her voice takes the lead while a warm acoustic guitar traces each line. “Nothing Comes Easy” manages to balances encouragement with stoicism: “don’t take it heavy…nothing comes easy, except for pain”.

“You let your dreams go/out there on the road/running with eyes closed tryna survive/what can a friend do/to try and convince you/that troubles the cost of being alive”

Discover Joy Oladokun

The full list

• Big Boy Problems by Sydney Ross Mitchell

• Threat by Allydaonline

• Paper Years by Emma Anderson

• Half A Friend by Emma Anderson

• w-w-w-w-w by Hemlocke Springs

• Over by Sydney Rose feat. Tom Odell

• Nothing Comes Easy by Joy Oladokun

• Griever by Avery Cochrane

• Uncommon Sense by Emily James

• Bruises On The Peach by Googly Eyes

• Light Of A Clear Blue Morning by Dolly Parton feat. Reba McEntire, Queen Latifah, Miley Cyrus, & Lainey Wilson

• Entertain Me by Vienna Vienna (EP)

• Shugar by Baby Nova (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week! Several of my top artists showed out this week, so of course I’m a happy camper.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Do you want to see your next release included on the WAYSQ radar? Feel free to reach out through the Substack app or by emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to keep the fun going :)

🪩thank you🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

I’ve been trying to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. This week, I have a balanced mix of familiar artists and first impressions, so let’s get into it!

Singles

Buzz by Vienna Vienna

With a fun drum fill for an intro, we’re jumping right into our first single. “Buzz” is signature Vienna Vienna, combining a retro 80s pop sound with 2000s pop punk. The title isn’t just the hook, it’s embodied in the distortion, fuzz, and caffeinated energy of the song. Like many of the Californian alt-rocker’s songs, it combines a knife-sharp social awareness and punk-infused frustration in the lyrics with a sound that’s just plain fun.

“How much is eight dollars now/they’re killing people for eight dollars now”

Discover Vienna Vienna

Talk About It by Elle Coves

An upbeat driving guitar quickly establishes the mood of the next song as summery. “Talk About It” captures the tentative in-betweens of falling in love, the place where resistance meets magnetism. The lyrics bring a sense of immediacy to the storytelling; it feels like a movie scene you can step right into. The chorus is what brings this song into hit territory with yelled backing vocals and catchy melodies ready to scream along to in the car.

“I’m headed straight to your house/speaking in tongues on your couch/better keep it all quiet, can’t have no one finding out”

Discover Elle Coves

Personified by Cece Coakley

Our first first impression of the round-up, I came across Cece Coakley on TikTok. I was immediately drawn into the warm and colorful world her music created. There’s something comforting about “Personified”, coming alive when the guitar comes in over the trembling tone underneath. It’s the kind of song you savor with your coffee in the morning, a gentle start to a day.

“You’re the best part of every morning/you make the sun not look so bright/you might just be what I’ve got missing/you’re everything good about life/personified”

Discover Cece Coakley

When I Was Beautiful by Ella Jane

I know by now to expect the exceptional from Ella Jane, but she still blows me away. “When I Was Beautiful” plays around with dissonance between the repeated piano notes and the synth that sound like they shouldn’t really work, but somehow they do. Against this bed of sound, the lyrics flow together, a never-ending story of trying to figure existence out.

“Been peering through kaleidoscopes/watching everything I know/get infinitely complicated”

Discover Ella Jane

East Coast Christmas by Khatumu

Another long-standing favorite here at WAYSQ is Khatumu. With this new single, she’s brought her distinct style and emotional lyrics to Christmas music. “East Coast Christmas” blends festive jazzy piano with Khatumu’s warm folk-pop to capture the feeling of holiday homesickness.

“This year, I want for Christmas/to wake up on the east coast/to run down the stairs like a kid/the days of the week all blended”

Discover Khatumu

Lullaby by Together For Palestine

This next song is for a charitable project, featuring many artists including Brian Eno and Bastille. “Lullaby” is a reimagining of the traditional Palestinian folk song “Yama Mweel El Hawa”. The ending is particularly beautiful as the refrain gradually fades beneath a new, more optimistic sounding outro. The song benefits three Palestinian aid initiatives: Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Palestine Medical Relief Service.

“I wish my bones could form a bridge/and carry you to the other side”

Discover Together For Palestine

Prizefighter by Mumford & Sons

Whether or not you were a Mumford & Sons fan during their peak, they’re serving up heaping trays of nostalgia this week. “Prizefighter” is beautiful folk-pop, lyrics dripping with wistfulness. The sound is just plain nice to listen to, like a warm bath to sink into, while the lyrics tug at your heart strings.

“Plastic cups/neon signs/I still live on the border line…you moved on but I stayed put”

Discover Mumford & Sons

but they were kissing by Kevin Atwater

It’s fitting that this next song will likely get the Kevin Atwater short film treatment, because it feels like a movie waiting to happen. “but they were kissing” captures the most delicate possible bitter sweetness, love enduring in the unlikely places. The verse melody stands out in particular, bringing you along for the ride until the bridge seems to put it all together for the big picture.

“When we fast forward/we’ll spend the summer/lying to your landlord/like I don’t sleep here, I’m just a friend/couple next door/warns us to be aware/some people hate what we’re all about/but we keep on kissing”

Discover Kevin Atwater

Basement Girl by Allydaonline

Allydaonline has been featured on the WAYSQ release radar once before, with their debut single “Angel Cake”. From the moment I came cross her on TikTok, something about Allyda caught and held my attention. “Basement Girl” is the even better follow-up single with its poetic lyrics. There’s just something about the build to the chorus, you can really feel the anger and frustration in a “show, don’t tell” way.

“Stockholm syndrome for the noose around my neck/don’t feel quite right without a gun aimed at my head/psychological torture just to go the store/might as well starve to death/every man is a shooter, everywhere is next”

Discover Allydaonline

Old Fort Steel Trail by Mon Rovîa

Another artist who never fails to exceed expectations is Mon Rovîa. With a nice fade-in, “Old Fort Steel Trail” quickly drops us into his always-refreshing vocals and guitar. Like many of his songs, it feels like taking a long walk to think and take in the sights; you come back changed and feeling more grounded.

“Is this a prison in my mind/or does a prison just need light”

Discover Mon Rovîa

New Season by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

For the first time since her stunning debut album last year, folk-pop songstress Katie Lynne Sharbaugh is back, baby! I was so incredibly excited when I found out Katie was releasing a new single, and “New Season” in no way let me down. Featuring Katie’s signature violin and lilting vocals, the song has an Enya-esque feel to it, but with relatable lyrics suited to, as she put it, a new season.

“Love, power, health, and ambition/oh these are the new resolutions/I’m going forth with the motion/entering doors as they open/and surely for all these reasons/I’m coming into a new season”

Discover Katie Lynne Sharbaugh

The full list:

• Buzz by Vienna Vienna

• East Coast Christmas by Khatumu

• Basement Girl by Allydaonline

• Lullaby by Together For Palestine

• But They Were Kissing by Kevin Atwater

• When I Was Beautiful by Ella Jane

• Personified by Cece Coakley

• Like I Did Before by Cassidy Frost (Bandcamp exclusive)

• Prizefighter by MumFord & Sons

• Old Fort Steel Trail by Mon Rovîa

• What Will They Say by Samara Cyn

• Bedbugs by Briton

• Talk About It by Elle Coves

• Born On A Wednesday by Cas Cleo (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. All these new singles give me plenty to love, plus I’m excited to dive into the Cas Cleo album.

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

Do you want to see your next release featured on the WAYSQ release radar? Feel free to reach out by messaging on the Substack app or emailing whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to keep the fun going :)

🪩🪩🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

I’ve been trying to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. Things have slowed down a bit for the holidays, so this week, I have another short, but sweet list for you.

Let’s get into it!

Singles

Queen of Homecoming by Sydney Ross Mitchell

After having the honor of hearing this song live on Monday, I was particularly excited for this new release from my personal favorite artist. Opening with a moody guitar progression, “Queen Of Homecoming” captures the feeling of returning to a hometown that never quite accepted you. The chorus is both a head bopper and a heartbreaker, with a catchy melody and relatable lyrics.

“I’m terribly sorry/for the one homesick bone in my body/for the small part of me/that somehow believes/that somewhere in Texas is something I need”

Discover Sydney Ross Mitchell

Merry Go Round by Carol Ades

Another artist entering an exciting new era is Carol Ades. A follow-up to the theatrical “Worst Person In The World”, “Merry Go Round” marries her light, recognizable voice to pop-rock infused production. The sense of frustration simmers in the verses before exploding in an anthemic chorus.

“I think breathings overrated/sick of standing still and waiting/for the moment I figure it out/I want off of this merry go round”

Discover Carol Ades

The Treadmill by Sam Fender

“I’m on a treadmill” Sam Fender sings in his latest single and every detail in the song echoes the sentiment. Between the fast-paced guitar, driving beat, and desperate self-improvement themed lyrics, “The Treadmill” feels like running in place. The overall effect is relatable, but fun, with infectious melodies at every turn.

“The scorched ground in my way/five miles to self flagellate/rotating all my mistakes/what the hell was I thinking?”

Discover Sam Fender

Missed Your Flight by Sarah Bellstedt

Our next song is by fellow Substacker and recent interview guest, Sarah Bellstedt. Beginning with a wavering atmospheric tone, “Missed Your Flight” takes its time wriggling into your ears and your heart. There’s a restrained emotion in the lyrics as she sings of a lover who’s gone cold. It’s easily one of my favorite tropes: a song that contrasts deeply sad lyrics with beautiful, soothing instrumentation.

“I’m just trying to understand/seven days ago you loved me/now you won’t even hold my hand”

Discover Sarah Bellstedt

Mine by Caroline In The Garden

Another iconic Substacker, Caroline In The Garden is also back with a new single this week. “Mine” feels like a whimsical carousel ride of piano and bells. Caroline’s instantly recognizable voice delivers lyrics of self-actualization with a quiet confidence. The melody on the chorus is particularly infectious, uplifting the listener with mantra-like lyrics.

“Come through my own reflection and blossom like a weed/I don’t need your sympathy, I’ve still got somewhere to be”

Discover Caroline In The Garden

Maybe, Finally by Dodie

With a classic “one, two, three, four”, Dodie’s latest single quickly hooks the listener on light and airy production. “Maybe, Finally” would sound quite at home at the beginning of a Disney movie; there’s a lovely sense of optimism and whimsy as the lyrics beg to live in the moment.

“Then I try not to think/don’t even blink/oh careful not to miss a thing/taking it in/filled to the brim/careful now/don’t waste it all/truth be told/by the time that I’m on/open arms to receive, it’s already gone”

Discover Dodie

Death Wish by Baby Nova

In her latest single since the high-energy “Virgin Heartbreak”, Baby Nova delivers Lana Del Rey vibes on “Death Wish”. The intro caught me instantly, the lyrics using repetition to build and foreshadow against a backdrop of moody piano. The melodies throughout the song shine with the post-chorus and bridge in particular sticking out.

“His voice is like a hand between my legs/front seat of his bronco cruising down the bay/and I worship the myth I made out of you”

Discover Baby Nova

Above The Neck by Sofia Isella

Next up, we have another artist I had the pleasure of seeing live recently. Her latest single is just peak Sofia Isella with its industrial influenced beats, scathing spoken verses, and social commentary delivered with a wry bite. “Above The Neck” could be described as a sequel to “Unattractive” taking on a culture of porn addictions and predators.

“Everything but the imitation of youth must be given up at the desk/everything but the look that sells/you’re 12 looking 20, or you’re 20 looking 12”

Discover Sofia Isella

Bow Wow by Molly Grace

In her first new single since her debut album, Molly Grace is here to flex her humor, sass, and vocal chops. Kicking off with a funky beat, “Bow Wow” is nothing short of “tail-wagging” fun. The chorus might just be one of Molly’s best with its witty lyrics and oh-so-catchy melody.

“Acting like I keep you on a leash or something/not my fault you can’t go out without humping something”

Discover Molly Grace

Glitter by Eli

Last, but certainly not least, we have the latest single from rising star Eli. Everything about “Glitter” feels like a lovingly preserved time capsule; with its retro electric piano, soulful melodies, and message of raising your standards, it sounds like something you would’ve been listening to since Y2K. The sound echoes the title in the most satisfyingly sparkly way and the spoken bridge is simply the cherry on top.

“It should feel like glitter/you should be his baby, not his babysitter…it’s like you shimmer/it should feel like glitter”

Discover Eli

The full list:

• Queen Of Homecoming by Sydney Ross Mitchell

• Above The Neck by Sofia Isella

• Bow Wow by Molly Grace

• The Treadmill by Sam Fender

• Death Wish by Baby Nova

• Heaven Has No Wings by Dove Ellis

• Merry Go Round by Carol Ades

• Maybe, Finally by Dodie

• Missed Your Flight by Sarah Bellstedt

• Mine by Caroline In The Garden

• Glitter by Eli

• What Makes A Girl by Esha Tewari (EP)

• Catching Lightning by ALINA (EP)

• Girl In A Bottle by Anna Of The North (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found a new favorite to put on repeat this week. While somewhat short, this list is full of new obsessions for me with favorite artists like Sydney Ross Mitchell and Carol Ades, my friends Caroline In The Garden and Sarah Bellstedt, and a new artist to watch in Eli.

See you next week!

Calling all artists!

If you want to see your next release on this list, please feel free to reach out! You can message me on the Substack app or email whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

Thank you <3

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

I’ve been trying to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. The list is rather short this week, but every song is a banger to make up for it.

So let’s get into it!

Singles

False Sense Of Identity by Travis Guilliams

Today, we’re starting off the list with an artist I’m honored to know in person. Known round here as the Temecula Troubadour, Travis Guilliams has a knack for combining a vintage sound, contemporary storytelling, and timeless soul. “False Sense Of Identity” might just be his best offering yet, with its bluesy groove and candid expose of modern life. The little details, like the delivery of “got another pair of shoes”, bring it to life.

“When it’s all gone/who do you think you’ll be/were brainwashed/a false sense of identity/your neck hurts from a slouch/from staring at a screen/too much information/until our eyes may bleed”

Discover Travis Guilliams

How Am I Supposed To Love Myself? by Beth McCarthy

One artist who’s been on a winning streak in the eyes of WAYSQ is Beth McCarthy. Capable of hard-rocking bangers, Beth also knows how to tug on your heartstrings with a good ballad. “How Am I Supposed To Love Myself” uses every tool she has to take on a difficult human emotion to capture: feeling like you don’t belong in the body you’re in. The song builds to a really lovely piano arrangement to a bridge that explodes with anger and desperation, before winding down to that haunting last line.

“I’m trying my best to tell you/I didn’t want this/and honestly I’m exhausted/cuz I’m trying, I’m trying…but I don’t fit in this skin”

Discover Beth McCarthy

Colour On The Wall by Olive Jones

Several of today’s artists were new to me, including this next one. Olive Jones is a folk singer with an otherworldly voice. There’s something about “Colour On The Wall” that feels simultaneously haunting and comforting. The music gently rises and swells, complimenting the beautiful lyrics. It feels like a gently colorful scene slowly coming into focus as you wake from a dream, until an unexpected electric guitar takes it in a new direction. There’s a slight tension then, and you’re on the edge of your seat to find out why.

“Your heart is a sanctuary/for my mind’s a bitter feud/flowers in the garden/behind every fallen leaf/is another chance to bloom”

Discover Olive Jones

Anything Anymore by Stella Hennen

Another first impression for me, when I clicked on Stella Hennen’s new single, I had no clue I’d be getting a fun, catchy, synth pop hit. “Anything Anymore” caught me instantly with its hooky verse melody complimented by a driving synth line. By the time the chorus hit in all its anthemic pop glory, I was fully on board.

“You were the wave I let pull me under/now I’m sinking gasping for another/breath of what we had before/you were my everything, now you’re not anything anymore”

Discover Stella Hennen

silver and gold by Ella Woolsey

The first few seconds of “silver and gold” plunged me into a Hadestown-esque world of moody piano and metallic percussion. Another first impression for me, I could tell right away that Ella Woolsey is a storyteller. In this deceptively simple folk song, her delicate and ethereal voice shines on haunting verses about two lovers who don’t seem destined for a happy ending.

“They stuck together silver and gold/they told each other they were the only people they’d hold/but how much good could come of two lovers who to each other were everyone?”

Discover Ella Woolsey

Skittles by Devon Again

For the first time since May, Devon Again is back with a new single and it’s a hit. “Skittles” manages to sound and feel just like its name: colorful, sweet and sour, and fun. The production starts off intentionally minimalistic, allowing the storytelling lyrics, fuzzy guitar, and electronic bits that buzz around your head to shine front and center. When the bridge explodes, it feels like the release of a shaken soda, winding down to a dreamy, quiet outro.

“We’re just miles from Dallas/when the engine gives out/I almost forgot to panic/I was laughing so loud/I watch you light up/telling stories of your roommates in New York/how could you worry that you’d bore me/when I’m begging you for more”

Discover Devon Again

Wishlist by Flowerovlove

With a whispered intro, Flowerovlove ushers us into her latest single, a fresh Christmas bop with all the hallmarks of a breakthrough hit. The polished pop sound is perfectly juxtaposed with lyrics delivered as if off the dome, topped with snappy ad-libs and festive horns. With its “House Tour” vibes, “Wishlist” would be the perfect song to introduce a Sabrina Carpenter fan to Flowerovlove.

“It’s not the holidays, if I’m not with you, it’s not real/a long December, can’t remember how I’m supposed to feel/I know you’re cold/I see it on your nose/come get some cocoa”

Discover Flowerovlove

The Blueprint by Ellis King

I smile every time I see Ellis King is releasing another song. Something about her voice and warm folk-pop style is like a breath of fresh air to me. With its cute and genuine “I believe in love again” vibes, “The Blueprint” is no exception. My only complaint is that I think she’s capable of hitting the high notes on the bridge a little more solidly than that take.

“Now you’re moved in, we sit with the moon/drinking our wine from one glass and not two/open the doors cuz love knows no ceiling/you love all my flaws and you know how I’m feeling”

Discover Ellie King

Bandaid by Lydia Kenny

Taking its time with dreamy layers of guitar into a nice full band arrangement, “Bandaid” contrasts its sweet, pretty sound with scathing lyrics. The chorus sort of sinks to rise, as Lydia uses precise words to call out an ex. Just when you might get tired of the mellow sound, the bridge takes you in a whole new direction. Fans of Lizzy McAlpine, especially her Five Seconds Flat album, might find a new fave with this one.

“But you called me pretty, so I thought you were smart/but was I just a bandaid to fix your heart?”

Discover Lydia Kenny

Stacy by Fiona Fiasco

One last first impression, this song caught me in seconds with a sort of glass-bottle sound into a drum fill. From then on, it was full vintage vibes, with a touch of goth rock. Fiona Fiasco’s voice sounds like she’s from another time or planet, complimenting the trippy, otherworldly lyrics. “Stacy” sounds like it should have an accompanying short film or even a movie, with a nice catchy bridge begging for crowds to sing along.

“I am an imposter…it’s a tiny haunted tea party by the pool”

Discover Fiona Fiasco

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found a new favorite to put on repeat this week. While short, I still found plenty to love about this week’s new releases—between new offerings from familiar artists and great introductions from new-to-me acts, I’m happy.

See you next week!

Calling all artists! If you’d like your next release on this list, don’t hesitate to reach out! Message me on the Substack app or email whyareusoquiet@gmail.com.

Buy me a coffee to keep the fun going :)

🪩🪩🪩

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

I’ve been trying to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems. Though it’s not even thanksgiving yet, artists have already begun heralding the holidays with new festive releases. Read on and you’ll see what I mean.

Let’s get into it!

Singles

Say My Name In Your Sleep by Maisie Peters

Described as the third “taster” before the main event (Maisie’s third album) begins next year, “Say My Name In Your Sleep” is a co-write with Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons. The song sounds instantly familiar, her soft vocals cushioned in a bed of almost crystalline production. This latest release has me increasingly excited for this new era in Maisie’s music; we’re in for a treat as she marries her usual lyrical pop with a cozy folk sound.

“In your hallways, if these walls could talk, I swear they’d scream/am I there on your brain/are there things you would change/it was love, it was love, don’t lie to me babe/I’d rather be hated than forgotten”

Discover Maisie Peters

Cold Turkey by Julia Adrian

Nashville singer-songwriter Julia Adrian was kind enough to let me know of this song’s release and give me a preview. “Cold Turkey” is here to fill a niche for Thanksgiving songs, tackling an abrupt breakup with a mixture of humor and accusation. The lyrics give plenty of meat to bite into, while little details (like the cut off at the end) bring the song to life.

“Did you think you were doing me a kindness/Staying silent while I wished you best/No drunk calls, no sober message/We never got to have a last kiss/In the rearview it became a stale excuse/Now the irony’s I feel totally fine but thank you”

Discover Julia Adrian

In Twos by Esha Tewari

With a breath, bedroom-alt singer Esha Tewari ushers us into her latest single. “In Twos” compliments her light vocals with chill, jazzy production. It’s restrained at first, then the full band comes in, instantly adding a richness that carries you along with it. The cherry on top is the catchy refrain.

“And how am I sposed to kiss a stranger…what can I do/you know it’s true/love only works in twos”

Discover Esha Tewari

Christmas Now by MARIS

Whether it’s pop, rock, or tear-jerking holiday ballade, MARIS manages to be versatile in a way that feels authentic and grounded. In this piano arrangement? Her voice shines, allowing the emotion to work its way into your heart. “Christmas Now” is the perfect holiday ballad for anyone feeling the bitter side of growing up this year.

“Every year it gets warmer/it gets harder to remember/it gets easy to forget/I’m so scared of getting older/but the clock is always counting and I’m losing all my friends/there’s no snow on the ground/I keep falling down/this is Christmas now”

Discover MARIS

Christmas Movies by Lauryn Marie

The first wave of Christmas music continues with two special singles from Lauryn Marie. First posted as demos on her YouTube years ago, the Nashville singer-songwriter and producer unearthed these songs to bring fully to life in time for the colder months.

The first of the two, “Christmas Movies” is winningly naive and relentlessly romantic. With a bouncy rhythm that screams classic Christmas, every second is a delight right up to the cute ending.

“I’ve checked off every cliche on the list/put up some mistletoe and waited for a kiss…I’ve watched too many Christmas movies/I guess that’s how my heart got here”

Discover Lauryn Marie

Christmas Songs by Lauryn Marie

The companion song to “Christmas Movies” brings a softer, sadder touch to the pair. “Christmas Songs” zeroed in on the moment she accepted a lover was not for her: she’s turned off by their complete apathy in the face of her festive joy. This one has a folkier sound, gradually building with that light and airy feel Lauryn excels at.

“So this year I am glad to put my old records on/with the kind of joy you hate, I will loudly sing along/maybe then you’ll hear me from your high pretentious seat/and remember what you lost when you lost me”

Discover Lauryn Marie

One For Sorrow (Two For Joy) feat. Molly Parden by Merrick Winter

Though it’s not a Christmas song, this next single seems to continue the theme this week. “One For Sorrow (Two For Joy)” conjures imagery of lantern-lit journeys through wintry roads, cozy out-of-the way inns, Robert Frost’s road less traveled. If I didn’t know it was a recent release, I meant think this was an old folk song with its warm melodies and folklore-informed lyrics.

“So have one for sorrow and two for joy/I was one of your favorite toys/string me up like a jewel on a chain/and wear me down til I’m smooth from the shame”

Discover Merrick Winter

Maybe When I’m Ready by Miya Folick

My first impression of Miya Folick, I adored this song from the start. The layered guitar and slide guitar seem to carve out a warm, inviting world, paving the way for thoughtful lyrics. “Maybe When I’m Ready” feels like the inner thoughts of someone on the verge of finally leaving a relationship that was never good for them—it’s bittersweet, uncertain, sad but hopeful. There’s something about that high note in the chorus, though it’s by no means show-stopping, that pierces straight to the heart.

“Maybe when I’m ready/I’ll finally leave/and we’ll both be broken/but I’ll get to breathe”

Discover Miya Folick

Shrinking Violet by Catie Turner

“Shrinking Violet” brings more of a pop sound to our folk-dominated list this week. Subtlety is the name of the game with this one, that light pad shimmering beneath, the simple but irresistible guitar loop, the way each chorus changes in small ways. The last chorus especially stood out to me, vocal layers adding tension almost unnoticeably til you’re on the edge of your seat for that very last note.

“What did I do to get treated like that/with a pit in my stomach like I shouldn’t have come/I can get better but I’m always brought back/to calling my mom to pick me up”

Discover Catie Turner

Christmas Ain’t Christmas by Grace Enger

Our final single next week is another for the Christmas playlists. “Christmas Ain’t Christmas” faces the challenge of bringing a fresh perspective to the familiar “blue Christmas” concept. Beginning with a simple, classic-sounding piano arrangement, it rises to the challenge with an earnest wistfulness. Songs like these always serve to remind us that holidays are usually as meaningful as those we share them with—which is what makes these months so difficult for those missing somebody. Most of “Christmas Ain’t Christmas” is minimalistic, holding space for the lyrics, but just when you least expect it the horns come in and it builds to a whole new place. When it’s through, you’re left where you started, but it feels, somehow, gentler.

“Christmas ain’t Christmas/without love to witness/so Christmas ain’t Christmas to me”

Discover Grace Enger

The Full List

• Say My Name In Your Sleep by Maisie Peters

• In Twos by Esha Tewari

• Christmas Now by MARIS

• Christmas Ain’t Christmas by Grace Enger

• Cold Turkey by Julian Adrian

• Christmas Movies by Lauryn Marie

• Christmas Songs by Lauryn Marie

• One For Sorrow (Two for Joy) by Merrick Winter feat. Molly Parden

• I’m Always On Stage by Sam Fender

• Maybe When I’m Ready by Miya Folick

• Eastside by Bo Staloch

• Shrinking Violet by Catie Turner

• Almost by Lucy Clearwater

• One More Time by Yungblud & Aerosmith (EP)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. As someone who’s not the biggest fan of many Christmas songs, I’m glad to have more good options this year!

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to keep the fun going :)

Thank you <3

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

I’ve been trying to dig past charts and algorithms to find hidden gems and new obsessions. This week, we’re kicking off November with this great new round-up.

Let’s get into it!

Singles

Bad At Sleeping by Sarah Bellstedt

I had the great honor of getting to hear this first single before its release. Ontario singer-songwriter Sarah Bellstedt wrote “Bad At Sleeping” in the liminal space of the late night, also known as the witching hour, when sweet dreams and terrors can coexist. With its simple yet moving lyrics painting the picture and lending a mystical feel to a relatable subject, the song bewitched me immediately.

“Counting back from one thousand/nine hundred and seventy six/and you’re tossing and turning/fighting in a war that doesn’t exist”

Discover Sarah Bellstedt

Alley Cat by runo plum

Our next single seems to sink into its soft and dreamy start with mellow vocals and warm guitar. The lyrics balance abstract imagery with straightforward relatability to capture the feeling of watching life happen from outside of your body. The melody on the prechorus builds perfectly to a swooning chorus, phrases sloping off in a dreamy sort of way. It’s all brought to a close with a fade out that has you wanting to hit the replay button.

“Attention headache, can’t deal with the eyes/I wanna touch some grass, I wanna go outside/small talking, feels like standing on the edge”

Discover runo plum

The Hand by Annabella Dinda

Our next single is brought to you by the fickle friend of new music: going viral on TikTok. With its fast-paced phrasing and blend of scathing callout and desperate self-hatred, it’s easy to see why “The Hand” found so many willing ears even before its release. It’s brilliant lyricism, married to a cinematic folk sound and topping it all off with a meta bridge where the song addresses itself.

“Every time a guy writes a song, he’s a sailor, a cowboy/holding out the world in his palm like he made it himself/every time I open my mouth, I think wow what a loud noise/still on the soapbox, just hoping I seem underwhelmed”

Discover Annabella Dinda

Die Happy by Holly Humberstone

Chill pop princess Holly Humberstone returned this week with a new single. Kicked off with an attention-grabbing vocal chop intro, “Die Happy” is equal parts cinematic drama and chill vibe. It’s darkly romantic with the tiniest word choices elevating the lyrics above a bass line that drives it all irrespirable to a dreamy outro.

“Now all that matters is your name on my necklace/and if we crash and kiss the dash, baby tragically/to die with you is to die happy”

Discover Holly Humberstone

Home feat. Boyish by Rachel Chinouriri

Another special release for the tenth anniversary vinyl of All Things Go festival, we have a short and sweet new single from Rachel Chinouriri. Elevated by echoes from Boyish, “Home” is simply gorgous, crackling like a vintage record as the warm guitar strums and a romantic, jazzy melody plays.

“I won’t be home, but maybe my home will follow me”

Discover Rachel Chinouriri

Eventually by Sabrina Stirling

Our next single is from a new-to-me artist. Marrying crisp, youthful vocals to a moody guitar, Sabrina Stirling sings candidly of dark thoughts and going through the motions of life. “Eventually” puts the sorts of thoughts we rarely discuss aloud into lyrics.

“Turn the TV up/throw myself into love/I’ll get dressed to go buy something new/I don’t want the pain/swear that I’ll refrain/cause I just can’t do that to you”

Discover Sabrina Stirling

off day by Keni Titus

The theme of moody guitars continues, this time accompanied by bird song and quiet chimes in this new single from Keni Titus. “off day” captures a haphazard, hot mess feeling in mellow sound and conversational vocals. The chorus is built to get stuck in your head, it’s good vibes contrasting the crashout lyrics.

“I’ve been wearing the same clothes for a week/I’m scared of changing/and I miss how it felt to be seventeen/a girl in training/kiss me so I know you’re on my side/and somebody loves me/I didn’t wanna party anyways”

Discover Keni Titus

Pretty Boy by Lindsay Liebro

In her first new release since “Victim Card” in February, hearing a new Lindsay Liebro song is like reuniting with an old friend. Not only is her lyricism just as sharp and her lilting melody just as ear-catching, she’s had a glow up over the summer. It’s easy to see why “Pretty Boy” is her own favorite song she’s released: the fast-paced phrasing, little creative choices, and conversational yet polished vocals are Lindsay Liebro at her best.

“I fall too deep into something noncommittal/ruin my life just to love him for a little/give him my all just to never even be a choice”

Discover Lindsay Liebro

Showbiz by Hayley Williams

It seems Hayley Williams always has another trick up her sleeve, and each new release somehow tops the last. First, we’re ushered into a magical other world with a sparkling intro, then the full-throttle synth fills your head in the most satisfying possible way. “Showbiz” is one of those songs that stops time for a few minutes, perfectly capturing its subject matter.

“I wanna do it again/I wanna dance under strobe lights/I wanna feel your eyes on me”

Discover Hayley Williams

Idle Hands by Vienna Vienna

Next, we’re tossed into the latest single from Californian alt-rocker Vienna Vienna. “Idle Hands” sounds like a deep-cut you found on an old record in your dad’s garage, bringing a British Invasion glam-rock sound into a contemporary context. It also sounds like it should be in a fun heist movie, and I can always get behind that.

“I love living in a simulation/cuz I get to cherry pick the information/it’s my birthday, and I wanna start again/they’re gonna give it to me cuz I’m important/I’m so important”

Discover Vienna Vienna

Albums

Disco Dystopia by Meg Smith

Last year, she delivered “The Gospel According To Meg Smith”, the EP that gave her wings (literally). This year, she’s ushering us into a fever dream world of neon lights, synths, and vocal chops.

“Disco Dystopia” is NYC patron saint of pop music Meg Smith’s debut album—and what a debut it is. It’s bright colors, it’s an excess of glitter, it’s sweet and sinful, and manages to resurrect early 2000s pop in a way that feels future forward.

Meg loves her preludes so, of course, the album starts with “Introduction”. An operatic intro, a brain-scratching electronic loop, snippets from a few of the songs—you can already tell this album has it all.

“Introduction” transitions perfectly into “I’ve got a bad feeling…” the perfect recession pop anthem. By this point in my first-impression-listen, it’s already almost midnight, but the start of this song instantly has me HYPED.

Already, it’s clear what this whole “Disco Dystopia” thing about. She contrasts apocalyptic imagery with fever-dream dance floor reckless abandon.

“Tornado shelter/helter skelter/I’ve got a bad, bad feeling…I got a bad, bad feeling/lets feel good, good, good”

“I’ve got a bad feeling…” gives way to “Girls Just Wanna Be Famous” the lead single, of course. This is Meg Smith’s anthem for the “Pop Star in training” and “wanna be Hannah Montana”, as well as the sentiment at the core of this album: all the ways music saves us and drives us crazy.

Our next previously unheard track is “Hedonistic”. The choppy fade-in foreshadows the club-ready pop we’re in for. “Hedonistic” is like a masterclass in how vocal effects can bring a pop song to another level, without doing much. Her ultra-clear vocals on the verses perfectly juxtapose the robotic build up to a whispered “it’s hedonistic”. Everything after that is pure high.

While “Dive Bar Opera” is not one of my favorites from this album, it’s perfectly positioned between the “Blasphemy” reminiscent “Hedonistic” and my personal favorite “Dancing With The Devil”. While I don’t dislike the singles, it’s clear Meg saved her best for the record.

There’s something about the tone to the intro of “Dancing With The Devil”. From the first note, I knew this one was special. What followed was the kind of dreamy, bittersweet track I would love to have written. This is the soft moment in the midst of the apocalyptic boogieing. Meg Smith gets to flex her lyrical chops over a bed of 80s prom-esque synth and a saxophone for the cherry on top.

“You say I love you like you’re praying/and suddenly we’re swaying/and I forget we’re damned”

Perfectly positioned at the heart of the album, I expect “Dancing With The Devil” to prove to be a sleeper hit.

Next, we’re treated to the title track. “Disco Dystopia” is in the business of getting inside your head, stopping time, and luring you onto the dance floor. With its froggy, brain-scratching synths and tasteful vocal effects, it achieves just that.

“I’m bitter and you’re a little bored/it’s a perfect storm”

After the Britney-esque high of the title track, Meg closes out the album with the final three singles. “God Damn Baby” feels like an exhilarating win on the heels of “Disco Dystopia”, before “Winner” switches up the sound with its grungy self-deprecation.

Clothed in angel wings and sequins, Meg Smith is hard at work earning the title of “patron saint of pop music”. A stunning debut, “Disco Dystopia” speaks for itself: apocalyptic, hedonistic, a groovy escape from the limitations of real life.

“Carlos, Get In The Car” is the iconic closer, the last word on a recession pop album about recession pop.

“Put your hands up if we’re doomed…Carlos, this life is too hard/let’s leave all our sorrows/til only God knows where we are/get in the car”

“The Gospel According To Meg Smith” set the bar almost worryingly high, but it’s clear the pink-haired pop princess has earned her wings.

Discover Meg Smith

The full list:

• Bad At Sleeping by Sarah Bellstedt

• Pretty Boy by Lindsay Liebro

• Die Happy by Holly Humberstone

• Hello My Old Lover by Dove Cameron

• Showbiz by Hayley Williams

• Miss Erotica by Peach PRC

• Home by Rachel Chinoiriri feat. Boyish

• Idle Hands by Vienna Vienna

• Alley Cat by runo plum

• Leave by Jake Minch

• Off Day by Keni Titus

• Eventually by Sabrina Stirling

• Disco Dystopia by Meg Smith (album)

• Chasing The Chimera by Del Water Gap (album)

• Small Talk by Whitney (album)

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something to put on repeat this week. And as usual, I’m practically drowning in new obsessions—on top of all the fantastic releases spotlighted here, I’ve still got the new Del Water Gap album to explore.

It is both fun and overwhelming how much good music is out there 😅

See you next week!

Buy me a coffee to help keep the fun going :)

Thank you <3

Welcome back to the WAYSQ release radar!

Last year, I committed to exploring new artists, new albums, and new releases. Since then, I’ve spent (nearly) every Thursday night listening to new music.

This week, we have a batch of new releases that are scary good, cuz not only was it new music Friday, it was also Halloween! Without further ado, let’s knock on that door and say “trick or tune!”

Singles

Running Back To You by Grace Enger

We’re kicking this round-up off with Grace Enger’s first new release since her 2024 EP. From the second you click play, there’s something nostalgic about “Running Back To You” that’s hard to put your finger on. It feels fresh, yet like something you wouldn’t question hearing on a 90s throwback radio station.

“But sometimes I just miss my friend/I think we could get past it/but you’re stubborn and I’m insane/make amends over a drink or an overpriced latte”

Discover Grace Enger

Everest by Ivory Layne

One of the most anticipated releases this week for me personal comes from an artist I’ve had the honor of interviewing in the past. When I think Ivory Layne, I tend to think witty lyrics, eccentric sound, and songs that simply bubble over with catchiness. “Everest” shines a light on a new facet of her: no less intelligent, colorful, and catchy, but with a minimalistic, dreamy sound that builds just like the mountain she’s metaphorically scaling.

“My lease ends in October/I think I’m moving home/I wouldn’t say the party’s over/but the feelings long gone/as I pick through the ruins/of the dreams in my head/which ones I’ll carry in boxes with me/and which I’ll bury to rest”

Discover Ivory Layne

Exes In Bedsheets by Beth McCarthy

While some artists avoid releasing music on holidays, others embrace the theme. This week, Beth McCarthy is the latter, bringing us our first spooky banger of the roundup. Flaunting her full-grown pop-rock sound that fits like a glove, Beth compares exes to ghosts with humorous lyrics and energetic guitar.

“Nothing more terrifying than exes in bedsheets/no there’s no point in hiding from exes in bedsheets/they’re like, I miss you/do you wanna stay friends/no ghost can haunt you like your ex”

Discover Beth McCarthy

Predator by Ella Red

Our next Halloween hit oozes with spookiness: from the fright-filled lyrics to the dread-inducing driving synth to what sounds like literal insects on the bridge, “Predator” belongs in a horror movie. On the other hand, it makes a confidence-boosting anthem for your workout or getting ready playlist. Why be haunted this fall when you can do the haunting?

“I am the shark with forty seven rows of teeth between my jaws/I am the silence on the wind/I’m full of venom for your skin/something’s there, it’s just a twinge/a line of blood along my grin…you’d better run”

Discover Ella Red

Everything About Magdalena by Mila Cargo

New Music Halloween isn’t all spooky—there’s also plenty of sweets. Like this new single from singer-songwriter Mila Cargo. “Everything About Magdalena” tempers the fires of jealousy with soft admiration. The verses poetically describe Magdalena as an it girl the listener can’t help but fall for too, setting up a simple refrain that hits hard.

“She’s a glow stick in a room/you notice everything lights up”

Discover Mila Cargo

Omophagia by Susannah Joffe

Never let them tell you a song can’t be both spooky and sweet—Susannah Joffe’s southern gothic indie pop loves to deliver both. “Omophagia” gets its title from a word meaning “the eating of raw flesh”. Fading in nice and slow and juxtaposing her soft vocals with distorted guitar, Susannah sings of devotion that borders on morbid obsession.

“Eat you up piece by piece/and savor each moment/I don’t believe in violence/but I believe in passion”

Discover Susannah Joffe

EPs

Witching Hour by Grace Power

Another release on my highly anticipated list, we have indie-pop songstress Grace Power with her second EP. With “Witching Hour”, Grace is proving that an EP is more than just a handful of songs. In this case, it’s like a mini album and a world you can step into.

For this era, Grace Power tried on a sound that combines the best of Stevie Nicks and ABBA—and it fit her like a glove. “Witching Hour” acts as our title track, lead single, and opening song, ushering us in with its whimsical “howl at the moon” energy.

Our first never-before-heard track comes next in the form of “Fall For You”. The harmonies on the pre-chorus especially stick out to me as she sings of learning to let go enough to fall in love with abandon.

“I had a revelation/I built the cage/I hold the key/won’t let my hesitation/steal anything else from me” — Fall Before You

Like her previous EP, “Witching Hour” tackles themes of grief, childhood trauma, and healing. As displayed in her logo, healing is a spiral, not a linear climb. “Witching Hour” captures two sides of the same coin: fear of the unknown and the joy in letting go, finding agency and community even in exile and uncertainty.

“Underworld” is an excellent choice for the focus track. Full of shimmering sounds and relatable lyrics, this song feels like Orpheus and Eurydice walking out of the underworld. That same mix of hope and dread, the knowledge of past failures and suspicion that the path only leads you back around to the same place—it’s mythical, yet extremely grounded in reality.

“And I’m not sad all the time anymore/but I don’t know what to call it/I don’t recognize myself or my life/so I guess I’m haunted” — Underworld

“Underworld” captures a painful place in your healing journey: you’re better than you were, but you feel far from ready to rejoin the real world. The next track “Hand On The Bible” shows how this affects those you love.

Next, “How Does It Feel To Lose Me” encapsulates the freedom and agency side of the witching hour theme, while “Time After Time” sets the back-and-forth of learning to live again to the catchiest tune.

Yet, of course, it wouldn’t be a Grace Power EP if she didn’t bring real tears to our eyes at least once. If you find catharsis in sad songs, I genuinely can’t recommend her enough—particularly the penultimate track, “Still Something”.

Grace’s sweet head voice shines against a folk-y guitar, melodies starting high and gently fluttering down. “Still Something” is not a song about moving on from grief—it’s a song about learning to live with it.

“I wish no one would ever assume that I’d move on/acceptance is a con/that girl is gone” — Still Something

Counterintuitively, learning to live again comes from facing grief and death—not running from it. The message nestled at the heart of this EP: fragility and beauty exist side by side in this life. One does not take away from the other.

Or in other words: cry because it’s over, but smile because it happened too.

“And I know now that there’s no life beyond this grief/but there’s still red wine and sunsets and trees/they make me think of you…so I’ll keep it, all this pain beyond belief/it’s an honor to keep it close to me/and that’s still something” — Still Something

For this EP about life and death, healing and pain, agency and abandon, “More Living To Do” is the perfect closing track. In the verses, she explores the fears and aches that come with life and the aftermath of trauma. The chorus is equal parts prayer, spell, and note to self.

“If I get to live, let me do it well/go easy on my heart, I’ve been through hell…and it’s still true/I’ve got more living to do” — More Living To Do

Between the beautiful melodies and a swooning slide guitar, the relatable lyrics are delivered with a dreamy softness. She sings of flight anxieties and the sorrow of time flying by, but for the very last verse she switches it up.

“Of course, I fly on airplanes and marvel at the clouds/of course, I eat dessert, I tell myself that I’m allowed/what else is there to do?” — More Living To Do

While life inevitably comes with reasons to be sad, reasons to be afraid, and to mistrust, it also comes with sunsets and trees and people to love and so much more. “Witching Hour” is an EP about learning to live again—with all that comes with that.

Discover Grace Power

Albums

Everybody Scream by Florence + the Machine

After three years, Florence + the Machine is finally back with a new album. “Everybody Scream” is the kind of album an artist has to live life, experience extremes of emotion and transformation, to make. The way it melds real life experiences with mythical bindings manages to feel dark and whimsical, yet somehow still grounded. It’s the perfect Halloween album.

“The rot and the ruin/the earth and the worms/the seasons change/the world turns/all shall be well/miracles are often inconvenient and prayers are a spell” — Perfume and Milk

“Everybody Scream” is, at its heart, an album about womanhood; an album written and sung by a woman who’s traversed through deep pain, danced in meaningful community, and begun to explore her power. The title track “Everybody Scream” communicated the rapturous abandon of live music, the release of it for both artist and audience.

“One Of The Greats” and “Music By Men” both explore Florence’s struggle for a place to call her own, for recognition of her power and her voice in the world.

“On the way to therapy/you put your headphones in/so you didn’t have to talk to me” — Music By Men

Meanwhile, “Kraken” and “The Old Religion” are larger-than-life, capturing a desperate urge to feel free and powerful, even monstrous.

“I am wound so tightly/I hardly even breathe/you wonder why we’re hungry for some kind of release” — The Old Religion

Despite all the mythic proportions of this album, my personal favorite track is more mundane. “Buckle” is a song about not knowing how to let go of a toxic relationship, it’s upbeat sound contrasting lyrics that waver between resentment and devotion.

At the end of it all, the other side of “Everybody Scream” is met, not with more screaming, but with softness. “And Love” wraps up the album with shimmering sound and an introspective rumination on the unexpected forms love takes.

“And it was not a love song/it was something else” — And Love

Discover Florence + the Machine

The full list

• Running Back To You by Grace Enger

• Everest by Ivory Layne

• Everything About Magdalena by Mila Cargo

• Shady by Flowerovlove

• Predator by Ella Red

• Airport by The Weather Station

• At My Best by Old Sea Brigade

• Looking For Nothing by Ella Ion

• Aging Young Woman by Anna Von Hausswolff feat. Ethel Cain

• Exes In Bedsheets by Beth McCarthy

• Omophagia by Susannah Joffe

• Witching Hour by Grace Power (EP)

• Everybody Scream by Florence + The Machine (album)

• How To Be Human by Cat Burns

Enjoy the music!

As always, I hope you found something new to put on repeat this week. I’m particularly enjoying the new Ivory Layne and Grace Power releases, and I look forward to giving the new Cat Burns album a listen. It was also fun to see all the Halloween releases that understood the assignment :)

See you next week!

Calling all musicians!

If you’d like to see your next release on this list, feel free to reach out to me! You can message me on the Substack app or reply to this email.

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