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.

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Christian Lee Hutson explores the sweet sadness of nostalgia in his newest single, “Northsiders,” produced by collaborator and friend, Phoebe Bridgers. Hutson takes us through vivid memories of his youth by grounding us in his world with startlingly specific imagery. It’s haunting but gentle like a friendly ghost. He juxtaposes sadness with witty lines, “Morrissey apologists / amateur psychologists / serial monogamists / we went to different colleges” before detailing a car accident that took the life of a friend just a few verses later. Something about the gentleness of Hutson’s voice and the brightness of his accompanying guitar stops the song from becoming morbid. It’s reminiscent of a story your grandparents might tell you of a childhood friend who is long gone now. There’s a wistfulness that allows for melancholy to seep in without overpowering the gratitude that this time happened, and this person existed. The minimalist production of aptly placed vocal layering allows for the focus to remain on Hutson’s impeccable songwriting while still adding interest. Catch Hutson open for and play lead guitar with Better Oblivion Community Center this spring.

Legendary indie rockers Local Natives deliver a deeply emotive ballad with their new song, “Tap Dancer.” The track is the newest single from their upcoming album, Violet Street, set to release April 26th via Loma Vista. "Tap Dancer" is a dreamier take on the kind of upbeat rock anthem you might expect from the five-piece. A reverb-heavy piano and tight acoustic guitar strums dominate the arrangement, both complementing the group’s signature three-part harmonic vocal and giving it new, almost spiritual, depth. The introduction of strings, a harp and spacey synths are an elegant addition to a chorus that, with the choir-like backing vocals, feels akin to a sacred experience. In the bridge, where tension builds to a gratifying release, it’s evident how delicate the production is—like the sonic version of a stained-glass window mural. Ultimately, “Tap Dancer” is a warm, beautiful track with surprising intimacy and a timeless melody.

Kevin Parker, the artist behind the music project Tame Impala, has been quietly gifting the alternative rock world with singles after four years of focusing on other projects. After the 2015 Currents album, Parker started releasing funky remixes and collaborations with artists from all over the genre spectrum. Known for his multi-instrumental talents and his soulful falsetto, the collaborations have been ear-catching every time, adding to his reputation as a neo-psychedelic rock icon.

The first single he dropped this year was "Patience," a bit of an ironic name for the single that appeased the fans that had been yearning for a new project. Using piano riffs and bongos, it was the perfect intro back into Tame Impala’s sound—straying just far enough from the last album to keep fans from expecting anything too similar. The most recent single, “Borderline,” is very different than "Patience." However, it still possesses several elements reminiscent of Currents e.g. the dreamy synth rhythms and the echo that ripples out after Parker's vocals.

The lyrics themselves sing of the new Tame Impala, who's experienced four years of international popularity since the release of his last project. Instead of singing of lost love like much of the tracks in Currents, "Borderline" sings of riding the edge of going too far in a lyrical conversation or contemplation over the L.A. fame lifestyle. Throughout the song, Parker sings, “Will I be known and loved? / Is there one that I trust?”—using different tones in his vocals to represent the various thoughts and paranoia L.A. lifestyle can leave on one’s psyche. We cannot wait to see where Tame Impala takes its sound from here.

Starting out in a Michigan basement, JR JR—formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.—has perfected the balance between electronic synth beats and heartfelt rhythms. In “Dumb Myself Down,” the creative minds behind it all, Joshua Epstein and Daniel Zott, showcase their abilities to effectively get a crowd dancing while staying true to the indie characteristic of meaningful lyrics.

In this track, Epstein and Zotts explore the idea of ignorance being bliss. From the very start of the song, JR JR sings of yearning for the level of happiness that someone without any worries feels as they go about their day: “Danger lives just up ahead / Walking through mind fields as you dance.” Then, with the drop of the beat, the song's progressive build-up falls away. The listener is suddenly driven to dance, as JR JR sings along to lyrics alluding to their wishful desire to be dumb and therefore less aware. "Dumb Myself Down" is just one of 16 songs off the band’s double album, Invocations/Conversations, coming out May 31st.

Australian songwriter, Kurt Vile collaborator, and notable left-handed guitarist, Courtney Barnett is back with a new single, "Everybody Here Hates You," released as a Record Store Day exclusive. The title, though, does not indicate any sort of mean-spirited dig. Instead, the song is a look inside a mind plagued by insecurity. Barnett is no stranger to this level of candor in her music. Her most recent full-length album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, featured the track “I’m Not Your Mother, I'm Not Your Bitch,” and her lyrics often bring surprising life to the mundane and straightforward. “I feel stupid / I feel useless / I feel insane,” she opens, “I get my hair cut / I feel the same.” Already, in this first line, she introduces a drawl in her affectation on “i-i-i-insane” present throughout the song’s sluggish chug, like it’s taking every ounce of effort she has to sound this effortless. She’s uncharacteristically optimistic in the anthemic breakdown, shouting reassuringly, “We’re gonna tell everyone it’s okay.” Still, her judicious use of the tremolo bar in the final guitar solo reminds us of Barnett’s truly singular songwriting voice.