I firmly believe that there is a special place in the world for upbeat breakup songs, and that place is a car radio. "Losing My Grip" by Junior Mesa is a high energy reclamation of control by acknowledging that you’re not fine, actually. The song riffs and rolls through two and a half minutes that validate your need to briefly disappear with just a car, sunshine, and your thoughts. “An escapist road trip is a totally reasonable reaction to heartbreak,” the track speaks, with equal parts serious lyrics and lighthearted production touches. Each verse is supported by steadfastly syncopated rhythm guitar, paralleling the feeling of hanging on by a thread—but still hanging in there. A whimsical flute line dances between stanzas, which conjures the aesthetic of Noah and The Whale and The Boy Least Likely To. Mesa’s voice playfully stretches syllables, crafting a vocal line that, somehow, feels a lot like a rainbow slinky. Overall, the track sparkles with wit, humor, and technical finesse. Dripping in optimism yet leaning into vulnerability and heartache, it’s a song that is sure to fit whatever headspace you’re in.

Brooklyn duo Boyfriend Genes’ new single “Best Friend” is an indie-pop take on “if your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it too?” Brothers Travis and Thomas Shaver dissect the implication that social interaction can have on one’s identity as they sing, “if you go I’ll go / I’ll be waiting for you anywhere.” The production is light and fuzzy—making it easy to bob your head along and sway your shoulders. It sounds sweet until you dig a little deeper and realize the sugar is just a coating as they continue with, “everyone is looking for a best friend / then they’re gone again.” They use sweetness to signify the superficiality that can linger in modern-day socialization. Nobody wants to get too close. Nobody wants to get too deep, but everyone wants to be seen as authentic. “Best Friend” is more than just a feel-good indie-pop song. It’s a satirical exploration of friendship in a jam-packed city like New York.

LA’s Worn-Tin (aka Warner Hiatt) is having a prolific year. “Bitter” is a part of his third separate release this year, an EP titled Summer Mixtape. He continues on with his sunny California psychedelic-pop. It's the stuff you want to listen to while biking to the beach to drink some beers with your friends. “Bitter” is a love song for people who like their romances to have a bit of an edge. Hiatt blends humor into his lackadaisical guitar stylings with clever lines like, “I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed / she says I ain’t the hardest thing in the bed.” It’s good music that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Worn-Tin will have you smiling, tapping your foot, chuckling and dreaming of summer as the seasons begin to change.

Sorcha Richardson has been releasing a tantalizing trail of singles leading up to her debut album. Her new track “Honey” is the latest breadcrumb dropped. “Honey” continues Richardson’s trend of meditations on love and rejection that she explores in her previous tracks, but it may be the most chilling song of the bunch. Eerie piano keys set a moody, melancholic tone right off the bat and are soon joined by Richardson’s vocals, soft and tender and crestfallen. The track is striking in its simplicity and evocative in the moments it recalls. “I watched you move around the room / you’re more magnetic than the moon,” she sings a voice equal parts lonely and piercing. The entire song sounds like a sigh, up to and including the accusatory chorus line, “Honey, what the hell d’you to me?” Richardson’s singles have displayed the range of her skill and style and this latest track establishes an ability to create something immersive out of something so quiet.

The Japanese House is the moniker of London-based singer-songwriter Amber Bain. If you are familiar with her writing style, you know that she has an uncanny ability to make indie electronica feel warm and welcoming. That's precisely the texture we encounter in her most recent single, "Something Has To Change." It's much more pop-oriented than her most recent record Good At Falling, which, track for track, feels more like a film score than an album. Bain's voice is subtle and soft but manages to carry a world of emotional meaning. Some of her lyrics are so concise that they feel more like journalism than poetry: "And it's the same girl who's giving you hell / And it's the same face / Your heart keeps breaking in the same place." This indelible quality makes her a whip-smart songwriter. As a listener, you know that the words she's chosen were meticulously procured for this track: they were thought about, loved and woven into the song.

Dream-pop act No Vacation revives its signature nostalgic sound with the warm and vibrant “Days.” The track was released along with the announcement of a new EP, called Phasing, which premieres October 18 via Topshelf Records. The atmospheric surf-rock drums and wavy, bright guitar tones provide an inviting opener with a breezy, bopping beat. Reminiscent of Beach Fossils, the instrumentation is lush and vivid with a crystal-clear production style. It builds to a nearly 2-minute long jam session packed with full, rich sounds and a shredding guitar solo, epitomizing the track’s carefree late-summer feel. But all of that may as well be background noise to singer Sab Mai’s dreamy vocals. Delicate and subdued, Mai’s voice melts into the song with velvety-smooth movement and ease; you’ll want to hang onto every lingering word. “Days” is a cool, beachy jam with a fun, bopping beat you’ll want to listen to again and again.