Indie noir artist Common Holly’s newest single, “Central Booking,” is an immersive exploration of pain through dark and dreamy soundscapes. With a fusion of unique sonic elements and an arrangement that skirts traditional form, it’s the most experimental track the Montreal-based group has released so far. Delicate, reverberating guitars set the tone, supported by sparse but strong percussion and synths that sound like spaceships floating through the night. Edgy and vulnerable, the arrangement shifts from uneasy and otherworldly to hopeful with the gorgeous addition of urgent strings and classical piano, allowing you to ruminate in fear and discomfort long enough to set a mood but not long enough to make you feel like you’re drowning in it. Beautiful, ephemeral harmonies and a sweet vocal melody keep your attention fixed on the vivid lyrics, which evoke emotional pain through the description of the physical: “With a trash can full of blood and hair / You had to get yourself out of there.” Powerful and soft, “Central Booking” is the first single from Common Holly’s upcoming LP, When I say to you Black Lightning, due October 11 via Barsuk/Solitaire.

“Dance Through It” is a lyrically cinematic story of a woman with unfaltering intrigue carried by a palpably fresh sound. This track breaks the typical style boundaries of Twin Peaks’ music with a full take on funk. The Chicago-based indie-rock five-piece gains even more flavor for their repertoire of tastefully crafted, age-old music for the modern world. With lyrics reminiscent of a dancing Uma Thurman, this masterpiece is riddled with soulful keys, sprinklings of brass, and naturally, looming trouble.

With her upcoming album Anak Ko ("my child” in Tagalog), LA-based Melina Duterte, better known by the moniker Jay Som, has reinforced her title of queen of bedroom pop. "Tenderness," one of two singles currently released from Anak Ko, is a lo-fi dream. Like her first album, Everybody Works, the song maintains a shoegaze sound with hushed vocals, breezy keyboard parts, and light jazzy guitar riffs. "Tenderness" ruminates on meeting someone and wondering if something more will become of it—“Tell me / Did you fall in at first glance? / Do you think you’ll take a chance?” The chorus perfectly encapsulates that rush of hope, fear, and vulnerability you feel when you meet someone new. Duterte croons, “I’m feeling like we’ve just begun / Nothing’s ever good enough / Tenderness is all I’ve got.” Just like the repetitive thoughts of someone overthinking a new relationship, the chorus repeats several times until the end of the track. Get your fill of “Tenderness” to hold you over until the full album is released on August 23.

(Sandy) Alex G reflects on lives lost to the opioid crisis in his newest single "Hope." The sped-up acoustic track covers a lot of ground in just two and a half minutes. His straightforward lyrics already highlight the message by the end of the first verse as he sings, “He was a good friend of mine / He died, why write about it now?” Though the song tells the story of just one life lost, it finds universality through specificity as he discusses waiting by the bedside and hoping for the best while preparing for the worst. There is an undercurrent of anger and sadness displayed through the lyrics, but the instrumentation and production add a sense of optimism. Recognizably a (Sandy) Alex G track from the start, it's wobbly and idiosyncratic—leaning heavily into his signature sound while still allowing for growth. It is the second single from his upcoming album House of Sugar.

Within the folds of the bottom middle half of the brain, there exists a small, seahorse-shaped organ known as the hippocampus. As the apparatus responsible for learning and long term memory, the hippocampus is one of the most studied parts of the cranium. It’s also the brainy buzzword guitarist Nathan Stocker latched onto after seeing the term in one of his psychology textbooks back in 2013 when he and his fellow bandmates were forming their group Hippo Campus—the pop-rock outfit that’s planted its name in every indie enthusiast’s long term memory, fan or not.

Now, the Minnesota-originated five-piece has released two collections of demos featuring early and alternate versions of songs from their sophomore album, Bambi. Having amassed a dedicated slew of fans since their South days, the demo tapes allow an intimate look into the process of rough drafts that eventually become an album and headlining tour. One rough draft that sticks out in particular, is “No Poms,” (or ‘No Pomegranates’) which didn’t make the cut for Bambi but remained a faithful setlist resident and fan favorite during live shows. Nihilistic musings wrestle against a backdrop of fast-paced, surfy garage rock before exploding into a starry smattering of what can only be described as, if Rainbow Road from Mario Kart became an alt-rock ballad.

Villagers’ upbeat new single “Summer’s Song” is like an invigorating burst of vitamin D to your senses. With a breezy, optimistic melody and catchy psychedelic hooks, the track is lively and fun, and it’s their most pop-leaning release to date. Spacey synths, energetic horns and upbeat, slapping percussion create an atmospheric introduction that kicks up the tempo to a head-bopping beat. Villagers’ distinctly smooth vocal paints a colorful picture of a carefree summer through vivid lyrics: “Wherever you go, I will follow / We'll leave it all behind / So alive / We'll climb the sunlight one beam at a time.” Magical horn and flute arrangements emulate shimmering sunlight and bright, warm afternoons, seeming to drive home the message that in the summer and on the open road, anything is possible. “Summer’s Song” is a sun-soaked, groovy pop song from one of indie folk’s loveliest voices.