“Honeysuckle” is a dark folk masterpiece in balance from Austin-based Margaret Chavez (Marcus Striplin). The track opens with hypnotic guitar arpeggiations that draw you in like waving wildflowers drawing honeybees. Then come the lyrics, which paint vignettes of tragedy that seem initially at odds with the cheerful guitar melody. As the song progresses, the track unfolds into a retrospective of loss and love. Each verse relays another heavy anecdote of someone the narrator has loved and lost in some form. The stories that hit the hardest are underscored with dark, warbly synths that make you feel as though you are being teleported into the world of memory. The lyrics are so heartbreaking, it would be easy for the song to sink into sadness as deep as Striplin’s beautiful baritone voice; however, the buoyant guitar lines keep the song in the realm of bittersweet. It will be exciting to see what else Margaret Chavez has in store on their sophomore album “Into an Atmosphere," due to release July 31, 2020, via We Know Better Records.

Michelle Zauner, AKA Japanese Breakfast, has created a world of dark and dreamy soundscapes on her newest single, a cover of the 1985 Tears for Tears track “Head Over Heels.” The track’s original, almost anxious pulse has been slowed down and stripped back to its raw, moody essentials, proving that sometimes, power in songwriting is about restraint, not force. A glistening piano lures you in above faint white noise with an eerie sort of seduction, building up to Zauner’s clear, haunting vocals. They, like the rest of the arrangement, are soaked in reverb to gorgeously ethereal effect. Lyrically, the song is about delirious love, and Zauner gets that across with a straightforward sort of urgency. She sings the line we all know, “Something happens and I’m head over heels,” but there’s a purity in her cadence that makes it feel new. The song’s minimal arrangement, just vocals, piano, and that otherworldly synth, is so deceptively simple it’s actually striking; it forces you to focus on a feeling, rather than a complex array of sounds, and that’s where its true beauty lies. “Head Over Heels” is Japanese Breakfast at her best. Plus, a portion of streaming proceeds will benefit the ACLU, so don’t be afraid to play it on repeat.

“He was on vacation and he texted me he was coming home the next day and he never did.” The unexpected passing of a friend, as she said in a press release, was the focal point of Stef Chura’s 2017 full-length debut, Messes. A near-eponymous standout track, “Sweet Sweet Midnight,” from her follow-up, Midnight, revisits the tragedy several years later in the form of joyous catharsis. The Detroit rocker’s voice occupies a space somewhere between the sweet croon of Julia Jacklin and the stilted howl of Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan—as she is both blessed and haunted by the presence of her friend in her quietest moments. At times, though the song carries its relentless energy throughout, she herself seems almost unable to complete her thoughts, to wrap her head around what has happened. “Last time I saw you / You said you’d be home / You said you’re, you said you’re still coming home,” she sings, grasping at meaning. Midnight was produced by Car Seat Headrest’s Will Toledo and this track, more so than any other on the album, is a true collaboration more than it is a simple feature or production credit. The beeps and boops, the auxiliary instruments and the seemingly random off-key guitar lines that made his own Twin Fantasy such a treasure trove give the song its own unique character. And it’s when they sing together, their unintelligible howls the absolute highlight of the song, that they reach some semblance of moving on.

Sasha and the Valentines is a five-person, indie pop dream team based in Austin, Texas. With a strong synth production, the project is a perfect patchwork of talented musicians. Sara Addi is the lead vocalist and synth player, her ethereal voice flows lightly through your ears like a pleasant dream. The group's use of guitar, drums, and other percussive elements work together to create a laid back vibe, which is akin to a female-voiced Mac Demarco. This is strikingly apparent in their first EP, Green, that was just released in time for summer playlists. They successfully create a complete sonic picture for their songs, imitating the endless ups and downs in the search for modern love. Each track is seemingly more catchy and soul-bearing than the last, while still filling you with ease as you sway along to the rather consistent surf-rock tempo.

This is especially true for the song “Green”. The piece starts off with strong guitar chords, which cut through and remain consistent throughout the song in both speed and strength. The track steadily builds as drums and various percussive and synth additions chime in. Giving way to the vocals, "Green" continues to capture the idea of chaotic harmony with the music flowing perfectly in sync. This song in particular shows off the talents of every member in the indie pop project and gives an accurate taste for the rest of the songs on the EP.

New wave pop meets 90s nostalgia on “Playground,” the new single from alt-pop duo More Giraffes featuring Sweater Beats. This track is infectiously fun; fresh and colorful melodies glide over smooth hooks to conjure up sun-soaked images of summer on film. It’s full of immersive, sunny soundscapes that are surprisingly intricate and consistently interesting, and it bops to a funky beat that begs to be played on repeat. Meant to embrace the little kid in all of us, “Playground” celebrates freedom and wonder and basks in that warm, joyous feeling of summer break. “I got rocks in my shoes / We’ve got nothing to lose / We live the life that we choose / Come to the playground.” Add “Playground” to your summer soundtrack, and look out for More Giraffes’ debut EP, Bermuda, later this summer.

Plastic Picnic’s newest single “After You” holds true to their seamless integration of 80s synth pop nostalgia and guitar driven indie rock while showcasing their maturation both sonically and lyrically. It is a tender exploration of the fear and exhilaration of an unknown future, which is illustrated in the pre-chorus, “do you think it’s time / for us to go / start a different life/ one that we can grow?” The Brooklyn indie quartet finds strength in their newfound vulnerability and ever-present hopefulness. "After You" finds space to pull back and push forward by layering then stripping warm synths and delicately placed guitar riffs to emphasize each transition. While synths and guitar depict change, the bassline and drum beats hold everything together giving a strong foundation for the vocals and lyrics to shine through. “After You” is the first single from the band’s sophomore EP Vistalite due out July 19th.

Just north of Miami, there’s an oceanside promenade that runs the length of Hollywood Beach. During the daytime hours, bikers and rollerbladers whiz by, clad in swim trunks and bikinis; come night, the neon signs flicker on, and smoky open-air bars give way to salsa dancing among tourists and locals alike. Leave behind your wallflower inhibitions and allow Salt Cathedral, the Brooklyn-based tropipop duo comprised of Bogotá-born Juli Ronderos and Nico Losada, to pull you into this very scene with their new single titled, “muévelo." Literally translated to move it, the bilingual “muévelo” assumes the personification of coastal breezes and cheeky hair tosses for a groove that altogether begs your feet to, well—move it. Losada and Ronderos, no strangers to weaving their own culture into a sound that feels globally accessible, fuse together elements of synth-pop, merengue, dancehall, and reggaeton to achieve their notably tropical effervescence. “muévelo” in particular does this by giving nod to El General, a sort of founding father whose hits like “Tu Pum Pum” and ““Muévelo, Muévelo” helped push reggaeton to mainstream notoriety. While paying homage to its history, there’s one thing for sure: Salt Cathedral is also paving a path forward for the future of Latinx pop.