Mackenzie Leighton is the friend you call up when you finally book that flight to Europe. She’ll take you down dark, cobblestoned alleyways to smoke-filled underground jazz clubs and give you that authentic Parisian experience not found in Lonely Planet guidebooks. You start to think that maybe after a week of observing the breezy elegance around you—and splurging on a bottle of expensive perfume—you’ll have acquired that coveted French elegance by osmosis. Leighton is here to tell you that’s not how it works. You can take her word for it, too. The California-born singer-songwriter moved to Paris after graduating from NYU and is still chasing that infamous je ne sais quois that Parisian women claim as their birthright. “Paris Girls” is a swinging jazz-pop number with a waltz feel in the verses. Leighton’s navigation of agile melodies makes her sound like a smoother Nellie McKay for a modern young audience. Unapologetic electric guitar remains prominent throughout the song, transporting you to the front row of that smokey Paris jazz club ‘round midnight. Until it’s safe to travel again, this track should hold you over.

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.

Eerie, ambiguous and dark, Ryan Egan's most recent single "Cruel Times" lives up to its sobering name. The song is deep, dark synth-pop at its finest. It possesses Egan's precise command of production: a style that entices the listener with equal parts accessibility and surprise. Egan's vocalization is especially emotionalized in this track, taking on a harsh dichotomy between the chorus and verses. His typical dreamy falsetto is contrasted with baritone talk-singing—speaking his verses like melodic slam poems. The lyricism is politically charged, venting frustrations with apathetic leaders regarding their climate indifference.

Scandanavian artist Anna of the North further cements herself as a pop force with her newest single “Dream Girl.” It’s light and catchy with bright keys opening the breakup track. She cycles through all the traditional breakup emotions as she sings about visiting their old spots in hopes of bumping into her ex before launching into a bit of denial in the chorus, “In my dream world / I’m still your dream girl / No if, but or maybes / I’m still your baby.” It’s the song for everyone who hasn’t yet reached the “I hate you” phase of a breakup. You still want that person to love you back. The animosity hasn’t built up in your system. Just like Anna, you might pick up the phone at 3 am just to hear their voice even though you know it won’t yield the results you’re hoping for. “Dream Girl” is the first single and title track to Anna of the North’s sophomore album due out October 25.