“i leave early” by Maria Kelly is soft, tender, and a little bit heartbreaking. Backed by gentle strings, Kelly’s voice begs to be listened to. Her lyrics are full of self-doubt and worry, yet still, maintain a certain beauty and gentle acceptance. The song begins with Kelly’s delicate singing of “I am drowning at a party,” voicing the sentiments that so many of us can commiserate with. Through her thoughtful and honest lyrics, velvety vocals, and poignant instrumentals, Kelly’s “i leave early” creates a sense of intimacy with the listener. Though her vibe is reminiscent of Daughter, she maintains a uniquely captivating sound that stands on its own. Kelly communicates a tenderness that heightens the sense of isolation and yearning that so closely defines the track. Everything about "i leave early" is subtle and graceful. Having created a lullaby of insecurities and anxieties, Maria Kelly brings to light the many difficulties of self-doubt and does so in a stunningly beautiful way.

The Wild Honey Pie is proud to premiere “We Laugh,” the first single from Paper Fairy’s upcoming Tautology EP. Following up the 2018 full-length horror concept album Haunter Haunted is a lofty goal, but “We Laugh” skillfully highlights singer Chris Gaskell’s dedication to the unexpected at every turn. It takes only seconds for a song reminiscent of Seu Jorge’s Bowie covers to something much more haunting. Gaskell’s voice soars like Michael Angelakos' but, like the rest of the arrangement, is unsettling in ways the pristine electronic indie-pop of Passion Pit would never be. Aiming to “redraw the line between what is and what appears to be,” the track “poses an inner dialogue in which the internal self and the mediated self struggle to find coherence in a single identity,” says Gaskell. The entity that is Paper Fairy often speaks in such lofty language, ruminating on the concept of the self, but the lyrics meander more simply through “just another day I won’t remember.”

Maye delivers effortlessly gorgeous vocals and combines them with silky Bossa nova styled production on her new single "Tú." This is the Venezuelan-born artist's second single release following the drop of "My Love" earlier this year. "Tú" explores someone entirely wrapped up in the object of their affection—wanting only to be encompassed in the other person's universe and the timelessness they radiate. And while many love songs share similar sentiments, maye and producers, Pat Howard and Fernando Belisario, create a world that feels both nostalgic and experimentally enticing. Soft guitar plucks and gentle, slow drum hits materialize the perfect backdrop for the singer's leisurely, fluid vocals as sweet romance comes to fruition. "Tú" is a must-listen track that you'll have on repeat in anticipation of the rising star's debut LP.

Indie folk artist SYML, otherwise known as Washington-based Brian Fennell, has released the hauntingly atmospheric single “Symmetry.” Intricate guitar and lovely strings beckon you into the arrangement’s dark, dreamy soundscape, while Fennell’s gentle voice croons a hypnotic and lovely melody. His honest, poetic lyrics speak of comfort and acceptance: “Come now child, the day is long / Hide not yourself from me.” What begins as a mellow, simple arrangement builds into something grand and gripping—evocative brass, emotional strings, and thrashing percussion let you lose yourself in the surprising and rewarding instrumentation. “Symmetry” bends genres and defies expectations. It’s a nice follow-up to Fennell’s debut album, SYML, which came out earlier this year via Nettwork.

Surfacing from the Netherlands is indie-pop duo Donna Blue’s old Hollywood-inspired new single “Desert Lake”. This track is a self-described passing through the obstacles of every artist facing the inevitable dimness of doubt. It clothes itself in a sultry sixties influenced sound, enveloping the listener in a haunting yet cunning vision of a journey. In turn, it succeeds in creating an imaginative space for what it'd be like moving through a Tarantino movie. Picking up Western tones with the call of a pensive whistle, “Desert Lake” draws its listener into a stylized, intricately personal mystery of an artist in the throes of creative madness.

Dundee-based band st.martiins continues to bring a refreshing versatility to their work with latest single "saw the moon." The duo consisting of Katie Lynch and Mark Johnson conjures up sleepy sentiments about the familiarity of a relationship and its possible disintegration. A smooth bassline creates the backbone of the song while the contrasting guitar reverb fondly brings to mind early projects from Jay Som. Amidst the carefully constructed production, Lynch sings, "If I see things differently / Will they last?" and "If you look right at me / I might look back." Noncommittal "if's" and the repeating line "I saw the moon" flow out in the lyrics and ride the wave of emotion that Lynch so beautifully performs. "saw the moon" showcases another side, expanding st.martiins sound to areas not explored in their previous singles like "My Girl" and "Want God." While you await the band's first LP, you can catch them playing a handful of shows this December.