03/21/25 New Releases

Nostalgic storytelling, dreamy soundscapes, and masterful production

Welcome back to my personal 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 beyond algorithms and charts to find hidden gems. This little tradition has brought me some of my new favorite songs and artists like “Too Pretty For Buffalo” by Baby Nova and “Not Enough” by Mia Wray.

I just can’t shut up about the music that I like so I’ve been collecting this finds in a weekly new music round-up just for you!

Singles

Savannah by Jensen McRae

Starting off strong with one of my favorite artists, we have the second single from Jensen McRae’s upcoming album, “I Don’t Know How, But They Found Me!”.

“Savannah” has been slow-cooking in Jensen’s vault for years now, and I had the pleasure of hearing it live back in October. It’s reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers from the melody of its first line, with hints of Taylor Swift in the layers of acoustic guitar and scene-setting imagery.

But “Savannah” is intensely personal and draws out universal emotion through the specifics of Jensen McRae’s experiences. At her show in October, she explained that new relationships kept being her back to Savannah, Georgia, and as a folk-pop singer-songwriter, she knew to pay attention to patterns.

“But you will never know/how to talk to ghosts/I see signs from God and I tread lightly on the wire…you lost me, so you lost manna”

Suburbia by Emily James

Another familiar face from my indie artist spotlights, Emily James is drawing fans into a new era with the lead single from her upcoming EP, “Summer Nostalgia”.

Both building off of and breaking from the minimalist production of “The Alternates”, “Suburbia” is our gateway drug into a world of pop dreamscapes. The sound is shimmery and atmospheric, reminding me a little of “Deja Vu” by Olivia Rodrigo. The lyrics tell the story of young love lost to the past, but twinkling in the rearview like nostalgic summer heatwaves like the voice memos that flutter through the hypnotic instrumental bridge.

“Do you remember it the way I do? Does it have a hold on you? Cuz in my mind/it’s glorified…in my mind/we had more time”

Marble Arch by Erin LeCount

Singer-songwriter and producer Erin LeCount is also dropping a singles ahead of an upcoming project. “I Am Digital, I Am Divine” will be her first full-length album.

The production on “Marble Arch” is truly a work of art featuring huge drums, a hypnotic vocal loop, and, an unusual sound in western music, what I believe to be a Guzjeng. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who feels the world has left them as cold a marble arch—beautiful, but unable to love meaningfully. In a masterful final touch, she sings in almost a painful whisper: “I don’t wanna be cold anymore” fading out into silence.

“When I came back from the dead/the first thing they said/was you’ve never looked better”

Albums

For Melancholy Brunettes (and sad women) by Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Breakfast exists in a vein of indie music I actually don’t listen to much, alongside acts like TV Girl and Soccer Mommy. But as this new music Friday tradition keeps showing me, it’s fun to explore outside my usual sonic bubble.

“For Melancholy Brunettes (and sad women)” is the perfect soundtrack for a sunny day spent out in nature, perhaps at a park or my own front porch.

Dreamy and cinematic, it’s easy to imagine “Orlando in Love” playing in a movie, against romantic scenes of clear, blue skies and tiny rowboats on lakes.

“Orlando in love/writes 69 cantos/for melancholy brunettes/and sad women”

Songs like “Honey Water” contrast the singer’s whispery voice with distorted guitar, while “Leda” brings the soft, hypnotic instrumentals. “Mega circuit” is a catchy moment with its slinky groove and 70s-esque melodies.

The album as a whole creates a world of lush, romantic sounds and spellbinding melodies.

Another standout is “Picture Window”.

If Fleetwood Mac made shoegaze, it might sound like “Picture Window”. The vintage groove swells and wanes as Michelle sings of time passing by.

I also really enjoy the second to last song, “Winter In LA”. In this one, she seems to be comparing herself to some hypothetical woman, whose cheery attitude must, she imagines, be better suited to her lover.

“And if I were a happier woman/with flowers in a vase/writing the sweetest songs/about the man she loves”

It’s a fitting song for a sunny California day, the swooning of the strings and vocal runs like an impressionist painting of a perfect outdoor scene.

Mainstream mentions

While my release radar is dedicated to indie artists, up-and-comers, and underground hits, I also have a deep love for many mainstream artists. So, of course, they deserve a shoutout on the list too!

Cupid’s Girl by MARINA

I’ve been a big MARINA fan since I was about fourteen, and the last four years without new music has felt like an eternity. After such totally unique and varied eras, I was excited to see where MARINA’s new singles would take us.

Following up “Butterfly” comes “Cupid’s Girl”, a new pop offering that combines the many faces of MARINA. It feels very much like the natural evolution of her musical journey. In “Cupid’s Girl”, the only thing stronger than love is MARINA herself: the irresistible hunter making hearts fall for her, emphasized by the unmistakable sound of an arrow hitting its mark at the end.

Enjoy the music!

While this week’s selection is a little shorter than last week’s, every single song is a banger so you might very well find a new favorite on this list.

If you make music of the indie persuasion, please drop a link the comments. I’d love to check out your music and get your next release on my radar!

Indie music is a party and everyone’s invited :)