Lav's Music Corner

A massively hype week with some huge new releases this late in the year is a surprise, but I'll take it! 5.  The Laugh Is In The Eyes  - Julia Holter Julia is back following a remarkable new album earlier this year and in this new single she finds herself playing with similarly indulgent palettes of space. The song has a dreamy sauntering demeanor with an imprecise poise but all of the instrumental sounds that do seep through are wonderful and wrapped around the core of Julia's beautiful vocals.  Listen 4.  Luciferine  - Ichiko Aoba The charm and whimsy of folk music has officially returned with a new Ichiko Aoba album on the way next year. She's teeing the record off with this fittingly beautiful lead single which deploys gentle strings and ornate backing vocals. It all swells to life around Ichiko's girlish vocals and swaying poetry, to great results. She may not be rewriting the book, but it works for a good reason.  Listen 3.  Crispy Skin  - S...

Yes LCD Soundsystem are back and yes there was a pretty good chance going into this list they would be at the top spot 99 out of 100 times, see whether it came to fruition.  5.  Punish  - Ethel Cain I still get some dolls unhappy with my review of Ethel Cain's breakthrough Preacher's Daughter  where I pointed out how inclined she is to senselessly waste time with both too many songs and songs that wander on for way too long. With her even longer follow-up, I can already feel similar instincts creeping in but this lead single does have me biting my tongue a bit. Despite definitely being both longer and slower than it needs to, the subtler cracking darkness that the Ethel Cian persona has always been wading through is very much intact and it's clear why she's made a name for herself by doing it so well.  Listen 4.  AAA  - FLO R&B girl group FLO have as much potential as anyone right now and they've been showing it off with great singles for a few yea...

Had 30 songs on the shortlist this week, wish me luck.  5.  Driver - Soccer Mommy While Soccer Mommy has never really consistently dazzled me the way some of her singer-songwriter peers do, she is pretty good at delivering something consistently solid. That's the case with her second single of the year which features a punchy instrumental marked by brash cymbal clashes and a great guitar solo on the bridge. But even more than that, it's her killer vocals on the hook that really sell the song.  Listen 4.  Ballet  - The Garden After loving the most recent Garden album WAY more than anything the eccentric pair had done before I'm glad to see them keeping their momentum up on this new single. They once again combine punk snarl, synthetic drums and dizzying production to serve up a short but incredibly memorable song that's just as punchy as it is catchy at every moment.  Listen 3.  Dancing In The Flames  - The Weeknd While this may not have been the m...

After a week where the best new tracks were limited to just a video segment, they're back in written format in addition to the video this week.  5.  Bright Lights  - The Killers Is this a sort of corny heartland rock epic from a band who just seemed like they were past this kind of thing on their surprisingly great last album, yes. But much like the record that preceded it the band continues to prove that being corny absolutely does not prevent you from being good. With nostalgic and life-affirming crescendos this is exactly the kind of song that makes The Killers who they are and they do it expectly.  Listen 4.  Lacking The Ability To Process Empathy  - NAILS If you're familiar with Nails and their history, or you've even just heard some of the other singles from their forthcoming new record, you know what you're getting. The chugging heavy metal riffs drive through a short two-minute composition hardly ever stopping for a second and are accompanied by hef...

Another ironically long shortlist for the best new tracks of the week this week, but narrowing it down didn't turn out to be all that tricky. 5.  Scarface  - BABii On BABii's second single with Iglooghost and co on board, the princess of electronica delivers on her promise of hard-hitting glitchy beats with sugary singing. It's a combination that won't be a reset for anyone's expectations of what BABii is capable of but a song whose refrains and grinding dance beat are steps ahead of most of her contemporaries.  Listen 4.  Superstar  - Hinds I haven't been crazy about the pop-punky indie rock of Hinds in a while but this track reminds me of why their effortless fun and bottomless wit clicked with me in the first place. It's an attitude-soaked takedown of a local superstar with all the details and snark you'd hope for but the band manages to wrap it up into a catchy and concise package for their best single in years.  Listen 3.  I'VE BEEN EVIL  - S...

5.  Gold Coast  - Moses Sumney Moses Sumney's immense talent has persisted through basically everything he's ever done. That's why it's nos surprise that he once again delivered a hit on a second consecutive single. With  Gold Coast  he dials things back a bit with a near whispered tenor met by some fluttering strings. But underneath it all the track is still a beautiful, swaying and irresistibly elegant R&B jam.  Listen 4.  Electra  - Public Service Broadcasting The incredibly strange career of Public Service Broadcasting has taken the sample-driven and largely instrumental rock outfit to all kinds of strange places. But this time they're going back to something we all know they can do well, a song about a plane. Much like one of their breakthrough tunes  Spitfire ,  Electra  is a beautiful and fittingly soaring tribute to aircraft that comes with all their emotional instrumental poise and perfectly selected samples.  Listen 3....

This week was stacked FULL of potential favorites and breaking down the best to just 5 wasn't easy, but here's what rose to the top  5.  Getting No Sleep  - Tinashe Asking Tinashe to follow-up on Nasty, the freaky anthem of the summer, was always going to be a tall, if not impossible take. But honestly Getting No Sleep  does a pretty admirable job with a rumbling R&B instrumental with drums that pop out of the mix. More importantly, the song is effortlessly sensual in Tinashe's hands with vocals and charm that is nearly unmatched.  Listen 4.  Flipside  - Melt-Banana Melt-Banana have absolutely nothing to prove as the legendary Japanese rock outfit returns for their first new album in over a decade. That's why it's no surprise that their lead single is a fiery no-holds-barred slugfest of a song that pummels you for a rapid-fire two minutes and unceremoniously fades out. I fully expect it to be just one of many punches the band has in store.  Li...

Posting this at the last possible minute. (She did not actually post it in time anyway.) 5.  Auguries of Guilt  - The World Is A Beautiful Place & I'm No Longer Afraid To Die  I was inclined to like this song out of the gate because they shout me out by name in the first verse. I will say this song may not have the explosive conclusions and dramatic tension of The World at their absolute best work but it's openly sentimental in a way that my heart is just barely warm enough to enjoy.  Listen 4.  To every squirrel who has ever been hit by a car, I'm sorry and I love you  - Fire-Toolz The best single from prolific digital screamo outfit Fire-Toolz upcoming new album so far is this hilariously named 6-minute odyssey. She continues to combine distant blood-curdling screams with maddeningly glossy splashes of cloudy synths in a messy but surprisingly grounded haze. This song takes that to a compositionally expansive conclusion and I'm happy to go along for t...

One of the busiest weeks of the year for new singles resulted in a hotly contested top 5 where I had to make some hard cuts. Here's what soared to the top.  5.  Del Oro  - Floating Potins Del Oro  builds on the already exciting promise of a strong single Floating Points dropped last year. Once again its the combination of irresistible house drums that keep me moving from start to finish and the progressing dance synths fluttering in every which direction over top of them. The album serves up one breakdown after another eventually leading to its last and final moment sparking the spectacular final minute of the song.  Listen 4.  Purple Gas  - Zach Bryan Zach Bryan seemingly just can't miss right now and this song is even more proof. Just a few weeks after dropping one of the best country singles of the year he's back with a breezy, chemistry-filled duet. He continues to master his ability to pull from vintage folk and country styles and presentation but...

Another stacked week of new singles, let's get into it.  5.  So Lo  - Pond I went back and forth on this track a bit because it really it so indebted to specific styles of 80s synth pop and new wave that it's almost parody. But it's almost like they've combined inspiration from many different places all into one and that attempt sort of forms its own originality in its wake. What results is something impressively catchy even if I can't shake the fact that every moment feels like I've heard it before.  Listen 4.  Frogs  - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds With a decade of releases that can be seen as often solemnly focused by Nick Cave Frogs  is a reminder that he can be as theatrical as anyone. This soaring and anthemic cut features belting to the rafters backed by dramatic sweeping baroque instrumentation and a chorus of supporting vocals guiding the songs ebb and flow. He continues to be remarkably interesting and refreshing even this late into his caree...

What a great week for new singles, let's get into it. 5.  New World  - Tindersticks According to Tindersticks themselves, this is a shift into a more poppier and accessible direction. Given this less-than-4-minute edit from the band is still a distinctly composed swaying chamber ballad it's not like they're exactly making an Imagine Dragons song or anything. But I see what they're going for and despite a slow start I appreciate where the song eventually ends up.  Listen 4.  Joker  - Porches Porches got my attention earlier this year with the great single Rag  which is probably why I was so open to this deeply strange follow-up. This weird indie-slacked jam that seems to meander through weird lyrics about getting a dog and kissing him on the mouth. I know it may not exactly sound enticing but there's something so effortlessly smooth about the songs rambling demeanor that I find pretty captivating.  Listen 3.  Oh No!  - The Decemberists This is...

This video is late again and as usual I have a great excuse I just can't hell you <3 Enjoy 5.  Gold River  - Parannoul Let the excitement once again get underway for the RYM king of noisy shoegaze, Parannoul. After dropping a record last year that seemed to reel in some of his harshest ambitions this new single is absolutely blistering, occasionally even to the detriment of some of its most dramatic moments. But for the most part it's a sonic pummeling I'm thrilled to take part in.  Listen 4.  xXidontneedyou_tolovemebackXx  - Happy Birthday Mr. Baskets I've been paying attention to Happy Birthday Mr. Baskets since I heard her on Tamagotchi Massacre's delightful new album last year and this is comfortably my new favorite song of hers. With a surprisingly glistening instrumental palette that shines through its dense hyperpop production the track sounds like a sped-up DJ Sabrina track in a way I find mesmerizing. But it's the irresistible refrains that truly won...

This was a ROUGH week for new singles, jesus. 5.  Starburned And Unkissed  - Caroline Polachek Leave it to this, an all time bad week for new singles, for a soundtrack cut from Caroline Polachek to make the cut. While everyone probably should rush out and see I Saw The TV Glow  immediately this song is also worth a crack even if the grinding distortion A.G. Cook laces into the chorus can occasionally be a tad overbearing. Caroline has always been interesting in her sonic experiments and this is no different.  Listen 4.  Buried Alive  - Chance The Rapper This is closer to a two-minute freestyle or cypher verse than a full song but I can't deny I appreciate the mission statement. Chance's 2019 album The Big Day  seemingly erased every bit of momentum he had off of his first the, largely quite solid mixtapes. So him taking a few minutes to remind fans he can still spit some bars and work to start defending himself is something I'll take.  Listen 3....

5.  New Species  - Iglooghost Earlier this year Iglooghost released a song that I didn't exactly see the appeal of. In a sense, I can kind of identify a similar issue with this frenetic banger if I think about it for too long. But I consider thinking about this for too long to be a cardinal sin. The song is a high-tempo pummeling of wiry electronic that was always happy to hear in the moment. Listen 4.  Like I Say (I runaway)  - Nilufer Yanya It must just be a heavy week. Nilufer's album indulges with sound in a way many singer-songwriters don't want to and she managed to do it without getting the way of her poetry. Now the sounds are even louder and even at moments when it feels emotionally overpowering, it's magnetically aligned. She continues to sound not only unique, but vibrant.  Listen 3.  Mirage  - Gel Last year Gel used subtle interpolations of different genres and styles to add meaningful flavor to their brand of hardcore. The debut album that...

Now that I'm recovered enough to have opinions again a week full of big swings fell right into my lap. See what hit it out of the park and what completely struck out.  5.  Alter Ego  - Doechii (feat. JT) This is definitely a tricky one but in a week like this, it belongs on the list. Doechii and City Girls rapper JT is a combination I was THRILLED for and boy do they deliver. The two verses on this song are intense, pummeling, verbose, and completely unstoppable avalanches of charisma and momentum. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I try I just cannot get behind this chorus. Where both rappers make the intensity of their performance sound great on the verse the hook is just purely annoying in a way that is so blown out it's difficult to swallow. It's a tricky assessment on a song that has some of the most impressive performances I've heard all year.  Listen 4.  Gasping Dust  - Full Of Hell (feat. Ross Dolan) Is this song only a minute long, yes. But b...

I am in the thick of Rolling Loud weekend and running on absolute fumes right now.  5.  Monaco  - Ride Is it a bizarrely full circle moment to hear Ride sounding like they're trying to be Amusement Parks On Fire? Yes. But that doesn't prevent me from enjoying the results. While Ride's comeback has never inspired the same critical acclaim as some of their classic shoegaze contemporaries they have managed an impressive consistency in both release schedule and quality that I've grown to appreciate a lot.  Listen 4.  Enough for you  - Wisp Once again shoegaze upstart Wisp has impressed me with a track from her upcoming EP. The formula here is far from unheard of but she's dabbling in sounds heavier than some of her contemporaries. With smashing drums and chugging riffs she's wandering her dreamy poise into Hum territory, an influence many of the other new age shoegaze acts probably won't reach for years. What results is an impressive level of sonic intensity th...

Late again, I have a good excuse this time though (she doesn't have a good excuse.) 5.  Wild God  - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds After a trio of albums under the Bad Seeds name that very fittingly saw Nick Cave exploring something more somber, introspective, and poetic, he got weird again on a 2021 collaboration with Warren Ellis. Now that bizarre tone and style of songwriting that's always existed in his music is coming revving back to the Bad Seeds in this new single. I appreciate his uniquely bizarre imagery and the way the song dramatically rises throughout. Listen 4.  Summon  - Jlin As has been the case throughout her career Jlin is a master of texture. Leaning away from some of the grinding electronics deployed on last year's EP this song focused more on the combination of an array of chimes with what sounds like some of the tensest strings I've heard anywhere so far this year. The result is quite striking at first but it's something I settled into more and m...

Late drop again because I'm just getting back from vacation but hey at least it's coming out today.  5.  Von Dutch  - Charli XCX Aspiring hyperpop DJs got the best news of the year when Charli XCX announced that her upcoming project would be a club record. We got the first taste of that with von dutch  and, yep, it's certainly a club record. Okay there are plenty of things I like about the song like the revving squeaky synths and Charli's always unflinching confidence. But the beat and refrains just start to feel like nothing aa the song goes on. It doesn't have the actual high impact that I was hoping for from a lead single, If the refrains start to click with me more going forward the song will work a LOT better.  Listen 4.  Running Through The Campus  - Cloud Nothings I've always had a soft spot for this band even as they seem to get less and less hype each year. This song continues their shift into a pop flavor though it arguably dials some of that...

5.  The Dream Of Delphi  - Bat For Lashes I was already a Bat For Lashes fan and even I wasn't prepared for this. Hearing her step further than ever before into this specious opulent dreamy landscape is very compelling and her vocals are ready to meet the moment. By the time reaches it's eerie shimmer of electronic instrumentation and the fluttering nature sounds on its way out it feels entirely beyond what I thought Bat For Lashes Was capable of.  Listen 4.  All The Same  - The Voidz Never accuse The Voidz of being predictable. After releasing a hard-hitting, blistering hard rock jam last year of course the band would shift focus to an electronic-tinged autotune ballad for All The Same . In a new era that's bizarre even by their standards, this might be the strangest song yet. Even though it doesn't blast you away with any truly random sounds is does seem to jangle it's way through a number of seemingly easy listens that get fed through The Voidz filter and com...

*mwah* 5.  I'm A Man  - Kim Gordon It seems like the uncompromising nature of the first single from this new Kim Gordon album was no accident. This second single is arguably just as intent to grab you by the throat and hold on tight. The instrumental once again featured rattling drums and rumbling bass but it's even more brash in its presentation. While the refrains here aren't quite as catchy as its predecessor they arguably set up for even more intense moments.  Listen 4.  Brown Paper Bag - DIIV In a world where a lot of music fans were excited for other things. I was hyped for the return of one of my favorite shoegaze outfits of the 2010s. DIIV's new lead single certainly fits in with the sound and style I was expecting to hear, but in a sense, that's why I'm not head over heels for it. While the slowed down and heavier demeanor is welcome, sonically parts of this song still feel like the band leaning into what they know they can do well. It's hard to see...