Oracle Sisters credit the inspiration for their newest track “Asc. Scorpio '' to their guitarist Lewis Lazar, who conceived of the song after being stung by a scorpion in Jamaica. This experience served merely as a jumping-off point for the band’s future releases, all of which will take on the complex associations we have to our memories within an uncertain international moment. “Asc. Scorpio” captures this intention expertly, combining a dreamy and laid back sound with lyrics that are fearful at times, nostalgic at others. “Asc Scorpio” montages youthful and idyllic images of the past—a child in a crib in a rocking chair—with painful images of the global present—an elephant in hunger, a power grid and thunder. “Asc. Scorpio” does not explicitly speculate what the future holds, but perhaps suggests that in any cultural moment, pain is punctuated with joy, and the joy is what we attempt to hang on to. Ultimately, Oracle Sisters prove that many meditations can come from a warm, Jamaican beach day that is interrupted by a sting.

Chastity Belt reminds us that the simpler moments in life are worth remembering with the release of “Ann’s Jam”, the first single off their forthcoming self-titled album. The comforting track progressively floats along as lead singer Julia Shapiro warmly sings about old times the group has had and revels in the meaningfulness of possibility. Chastity Belt masterfully paints the picture of youthful experiences and how things used to be, “We were driving South in your parents car / Singing aloud to scratched CDs / Feeling meaningful, thinking / This is a start / And it'll go on.” At the same time, their narrative tone isn't filled with wallowing—they point towards a hopeful kind of change, a chance for a new start. “Ann’s Jam” is an ode to the friendship that the Seattle outfit continues to share. It also reminds the listener that where your story started isn't always something to skip over or forget. Chastity Belt is officially out September 20 via Hardly Art Records.

Bella Union signee Modern Nature create hushed, melodic folk-pop that gushes with both precision and vitality. Their newest single, "Séance," showcases the trio's delicate nature, spearheaded by Jack Cooper and supported by Will Young, Jeff Tobias, and Aaron Nevue. There are some obvious nods to White Album-era Beatles, with sprawling melodies colliding with stuttering tape experimentation, and a deep reverence for the insular blues of English Folkman Nick Drake. It's a wistfully satisfying listen that hints at the boundless promise of the newly formed band. "Séance" is lifted from their debut album, How To Live, due out August 23rd.

Three years ago, nineteen-year-old Omar Banos was making beats and writing love songs in his bedroom just for fun. Now, he’s known as Cuco, a dream-pop artist with a unique blend of hip-hop and Latin jazz influences who’s currently riding on 3.5 million monthly Spotify listeners. “Do Better” is the closing track off his debut, Para Mi, an album lush with catchy drum loops, cool guitars and breezy Spanglish vocals, but this song’s infectiously smooth beat deserves singular recognition. A groovy bass and jazz-inspired guitar line create a head-bopping beat that nicely compliments the percussion, a tight but muffled drum loop that emulates a vintage style of recording. The track crosses genres and cultures as it seamlessly weaves English and Spanish lyrics with soothing ahhs as Banos sings about the universal language of love. Conversational in tone and smooth in cadence, Banos’ leisurely vocal delivery perfectly offsets the intensity of the lyrics: “Baby I’m gonna do better for you / Because I love you with my heart.” Breezy and cool, “Do Better” is a summer love song that will bring out the romantic in all of us.

Indie noir artist Common Holly’s newest single, “Central Booking,” is an immersive exploration of pain through dark and dreamy soundscapes. With a fusion of unique sonic elements and an arrangement that skirts traditional form, it’s the most experimental track the Montreal-based group has released so far. Delicate, reverberating guitars set the tone, supported by sparse but strong percussion and synths that sound like spaceships floating through the night. Edgy and vulnerable, the arrangement shifts from uneasy and otherworldly to hopeful with the gorgeous addition of urgent strings and classical piano, allowing you to ruminate in fear and discomfort long enough to set a mood but not long enough to make you feel like you’re drowning in it. Beautiful, ephemeral harmonies and a sweet vocal melody keep your attention fixed on the vivid lyrics, which evoke emotional pain through the description of the physical: “With a trash can full of blood and hair / You had to get yourself out of there.” Powerful and soft, “Central Booking” is the first single from Common Holly’s upcoming LP, When I say to you Black Lightning, due October 11 via Barsuk/Solitaire.

Neon lights shine the brightest at night, and love isn’t entirely different—those moments alone in the dark when everything slows down, are a relationship in its most intense state. This vulnerability is captured by Lykke Li's "Neon." Her latest EP still sad still sexy is a compilation of reworks and tracks that did not make it onto her last record and as she has described, hit harder long past when she's written them. With production from Kid Harpoon, Li’s lofty vocals and rapturous lyrics like “I'm down to get bruised” are the perfect recipe for sad, sexy, and subdued electro-pop euphoria.

Loving dropped their most recent single “Visions” at the tail-end of last month. The track is a feel-good anthem for searching for what’s next. A lot of people think they know what they’re doing with their lives, but an open secret is that nobody actually does. Some people are just better at pretending that they have it together compared to others, an idea that mirrors the transparent lyrics—“I’ve got a vision / So clear in my head / it’s a strange kind of prison.” It’s impossible to not have the melodic pace wash over you with the current of soft instrumentation and gentle vocals. The track is the second release following the single “Nihilist Kite Flyer” that came out earlier this year. The British Columbia trio could be the northern counterpart to Detroit’s Bonny Doon and are consistent in delivering their combination of folk, soft pop that melds together in a way that can best be described as inviting, warm and comforting.