As we’re continuing the strife to uncover a new “normal,” we can’t help but settle in the uncertainty that these past few years have left us floating within. So much has happened and so much has changed all from behind the confines of the four walls that we call home. For the moments when the sky feels like it's falling and you need someplace to plant your feet, the San Diego-raised artist Jelani Aryeh offers his latest drop, “From These Heights."

Uniquely its own entity, "From These Heights" both separates itself from modern music and sows new roots for the music of the future in a quick 3-minute go. Aryeh reorients early 2000s indie rock to suit our time of need. Featuring existential lyricism and that good ole’ stripped-down garage band sound, this gem channels the energy of music in the past to invoke worldwide change for the future.

Aryeh began crafting this track during the pandemic, at the height of civil unrest, sharing on his Instagram: “I made this song with Alex Craig of Slaters last May...George Floyd had just been murdered, and the riots were just starting to take place. It felt like there was so much chaos + uncertainty in the air and it seemed like everywhere you’d turn there was something threatening your livelihood. It was like everyone was trapped in a box of mayhem with no exit. I know that's still the case for a lot of you and many others around the globe.  At the least, I hope this song can ease your feelings and give you somewhere to settle yourself. Even if that’s for 3 minutes.” 

The young Black and Filipino artist has been making wide strides in the industry since 2018, with his track "Daunt" catching fire in the hearts and ears of alternative indie lovers. Aryeh is a trailblazing creative, never ceasing to hone his craft or personal growth, both of which evolve with each new release. “From These Heights '' is the third single from his forthcoming debut album I’ve Got Some Living To Do and merely a preview of the young artist’s musical dexterity and effortless ability to transform hearts and minds. See for yourself. Photo by Zamar Velez.

Christina Schneider has performed under many names throughout her life, owning each genre and unique sound that follows. Now, as Locate S,1, she has made a collection of covers her very own. “Stay Away From Music” comes from the four-song EP Stay Away From Music: Covers Under Quarantine. Schneider’s self-produced covers fit into the make-it-in-your-bedroom intimacy of bedroom pop, but also sound at times like they are on the brink of classic rock in the 60s — and, simultaneously, 80s pop mega-hits. "Stay Away From Music" opens with faint voices from a crowd before we are led into a synth-heavy tune. Schneider's version retains the groovy, soul-filled sound of the Stephen Colebrooke original, but quickens the pace and adds some flare with the introduction of a saxophone. Despite our current lack of live performances, we all share a similar constant — we can’t stay away from music. Photo by Ebru Yildiz.

Solemn hums and deep, enveloping guitar carry us away into Juanita Stein’s abyss of memory and frustration in “Reckoning,” from her latest album, Snapshot. Stein’s Snapshot is a tributary collection of songs, written a few months after her father’s passing. Reflecting on her loss, “Reckoning” articulates feelings of heaviness and regret that follow in tandem with past memories. Stein catapults her anguish into the chorus with fervent vocals as these haunting spirits unearth themselves and tenderly sway through the air. It is a track that will linger long after playing it, shadowing all in its mysterious and gravitating presence.

It’s time to turn up your speakers and blast the best groovy bellow of 2020! We need this bout of cathartic funk more than EVER right now. Listen closely, as Harry Terrell and Jachary give you everything you’ve been craving in this year of chaotic madness: a hot track to scream and shout about on that breezy nighttime drive, windows down, with nowhere to be. You can feel the reunion of musical friendship in this cross-country collaboration between lovelove studios in Brooklyn, NY, and Wonderboy Studios in Los Angeles, CA. This song belongs in your funky jams playlist, right next to Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield. Enjoy this handful of good vibes and hip grooves, and take it as a reminder that despite the apocalypse, we really just gotta do our thing.

With “Call You Back,” Barcelona post-punk trio MOURN have crafted an anthem for me and every millennial or Gen Z-er whose fingers shake when we pick up the phone. While short, “Call You Back” is anything but basic; the track is packed with glimmering pop energy balanced with grungy guitar riffs and assertive vocals. Bubbly and bright, the tune offers some catharsis to the all-too-familiar dread of a dial tone, the anxiety of awkward silences and bad angles on video. “I’d rather die,” they shout, and despite the way Zooms have become my norm, I still concur. It’s hard to believe that the song was penned months before the pandemic, but its accompanying split screen cell phone-shot music video is all the more apt as a reflection on the ways that getting to see faces and hear voices has been a saving grace for many of us, the only way to feel connected. And I get it, I really do, even if it’s just my weekly hopping on Discord to play Among Us with some high school friends. But if you FaceTime me unprompted, just know I still won’t answer, no matter how much you think I love you. Photo by Cristian Colomer Cavallari.

MOURN's new album, Self Worth, was released via Captured Tracks on October 30. Listen on Bandcamp or wherever you stream.

Fresh out of the UK, where a burgeoning bedroom pop scene continues its spread across the pond via Soundcloud, Bandcamp and Spotify playlists, now comes Leeds-based artist John Gooding, a.k.a. JWestern. His most recent single, “Regret It All,” is a catchy, soulful track so smooth and mellow it will have you floating — headphones on and eyes closed for full effect. “Regret It All” is one out of five tracks that make up his promising EP debut, Just People. Its seventeen-minute runtime is a rich production packed with multi-layered sounds, some satisfying hooks stacked against a cool and hazy soundscape. Like much of the EP, “Regret It All” cleverly blurs the lines between its neo soul grooves and dream pop textures. The song begins with Gooding’s blurry, almost muffled vocals singing the main hook, "Don’t make me regret it all," a line that repeats itself throughout, essentially building out the song from that one verse. His vocals then melt away into the soundscape, fading in and out of the mix, along with his bright melodic guitar licks that come in climactically towards the end of the track, tying it all together. “Regret It All” is a guaranteed pleaser for those of us who’ve been vibing for the past years to Rex Orange County, Yellow Days and King Krule — or more recently, Arlo Parks among others. Photo by Aubrey Simpson.

There’s a feeling about the approach of summer that makes the season so liberating. It’s the indulgence in the sun's rays on a hot day while worries pass you by. Belgian artist Abrahamblue embodies this feeling on “You,” a selection from the artist's debut EP, Tracks I Made Last Summer. The track mixes elements of jazz, neo soul, and hip-hop to present a slow, groovy melody. Lyrically, the track is simple, but perfect. There's no need for an intricate narrative when blue's laid back attitude speaks for itself. For blue, the sweet escape of summer is nothing without the one who's caught his eyes. The repetition of "You" in the chorus especially creates a soft, melted ambiance that draws us in.

As a producer, sound engineer, mixer, composer and singer/songwriter, Ben Rice wears nearly every hat imaginable in modern music. In congruence with his multi-faceted commitment to the craft, his latest single pays tribute to the deserving, dedicated individuals who have become victims of their environment. "American” is a courageous speculation of waning national identity. With hints of country and Americana flair, this gentle listen primes its audience for a critical reflection on today's American dream paradox. It was always nebulous, and for many, it’s been increasingly inaccessible. Rice serenades those “riddled with anxiety through the best years of [their lives]” over a psychedelically empowered arrangement. From here, a culmination of influences surface, from the very generation that shaped this fate to the voices of today who fight tirelessly for a shift in ground. This piece is me, you, your mother and your uncle. While his focus is immediately grim, Rice encourages further artistic creation as we approach a horizon on which future generations will hold us responsible.

Sharp shimmering strings, defiant drums, an anonymous threat and a resilient refutation. On “Hunter,” the lead track from her 2020 album, The Greatest Part, Becca Mancari weaves together a swirling, eerie atmosphere through crunchy guitar tones, floating vocals and a kicking drum line. Throughout the song, Mancari flips back and forth between the voice of the sender and receiver of ominous letters which read, “I’m gonna hunt you down.” The track opens with three repeated stanzas of the same lyrics from the letters. The atmosphere builds during this time through flowing synth sounds and scratching strings. With a crash from the symbol and a flare of the guitar, the voice switches and we hear the bold response from the recipient: “Well, you’re never gonna track me down.” In the final verse, the two vocal lines are layered; the defiant recipient’s voice takes center stage, and the sender’s line buries itself insidiously within the instrumentals. The song ends abruptly as the contrasting characters disappear, and the listener is left with the haunting words from the letter repeating in the back of their mind.

Captured Tracks is a label based in Brooklyn, NY, and was founded in 2008. Becca Mancari's album, The Greatest Part, is available now on Bandcamp and other streaming platforms.