Ghosts of the past mist through the walls of your bedroom and you find yourself lost in the memory of a lingering presence. Sometimes it feels like you can’t help it — when the memory calls out, it overtakes your senses and you’re left powerless to take the call. For those moments of memory and sensory reemergence, Puma Blue gifts to the world “Opiate,” ahead of his forthcoming debut album, In Praise of Shadows. The track is a sonic embodiment of one’s past coming back to haunt them, even after they were sure they had moved on. Affectional vocals, soul stirring ad libs and a nostalgic keyboard tune are just a few of the gems that truly bring this track to life. The song comes packaged with a minimally ornamented yet visually pleasing music video inspired by a photograph of one of the first internationally recognized Asian-American actresses, Anna May Wong. Puma Blue, also known as Jacob Allen, shared the image on his Instagram the day before the song’s release, stating that the track is “about sensory memory and dreams, and really the first time I’ve written about anxiety.” Allen ends the caption deconstructing the meaning of the song, following with, “Waking from old haunts, wondering how/why they resurfaced in your subconscious, when you were so sure you’d left them behind. But that can be part of realising that you still have some healing to do.”

In Praise of Shadows will be released on February 5, but until then we’ll be wrestling with our subconscious and using “Opiate” as the soundtrack. Photo by Netti Hurley.

Singer-songwriter Grey Oakes joins forces with Julius Tunstall on the pop-tinged R&B tune "Sad Boy," the second collaboration between the North Carolina-based artists. The soulful piece has Oakes yearning to switch lanes for a destination more serene. "Girl you snap right back / To things I thought we got over," he frets, wishing they could focus on the positives. Sinking into the front seat of his Jetta, we find Oakes swerving past whatever it is that is "stepping on my good state of mind." With polished production and Oakes and Tunstall's voices meeting for harmonies that melt to the touch, the easy listening track is the perfect soundtrack to the end of your summer. Oakes's first full-length release Introvert, self-produced alongside Tunstall, is stacked with charming bops that span from neo-soul to John Mayer-esque guitar licks that pay homage to his earliest influences while grappling with "coming of age and struggling with the feelings of uncertainty."

K-pop sensations BTS revive our spirits on "Dynamite," a glimmering disco-inspired pop gem made to uplift us amidst a desolate 2020. The pandemic forced the group to postpone their world stadium tour for which I've chosen to hold my ticket, whenever the rescheduled date may be. It left the seven of them feeling, according to Jimin, as though "we lost everything that we were doing and what we could be doing." Optimism and empathy are common threads throughout their music, making it no surprise to hear that while people have been discouraged and scared, said SUGA, "We thought, 'What if we release a track with a bright, positive message?'" The result is "Dynamite," which RM calls a "positive explosion"; it inspires effortlessly, not only in its infectious beat but also from the way Jungkook starts his day with an easy task: "Cup of milk / Let's rock and roll." It's a simple objective as put by Jungkook: "We receive a lot of energy from other people, and we believe we exist to give it back."

“'Dynamite' is for everybody," said V. "It’s about confidence and having fun.” The note on confidence takes on added meaning when considering their decision to do a song entirely in English, despite not being fluent in the language. Jin stated, “It was a challenge but it was also really fun... The English lyrics on the demo seemed just right so we decided to give it a go, and we are glad we did.” There lies a message of empowerment for Asian folks like myself who have not only experienced pandemic-induced racism, but seen our family and friends be criticized for their accents—the song may be in English, but was recorded with confidence and pride. 

Amassing over 205 million views at the time of writing, the accompanying record-breaking music video transports us to a retro dreamland spanning from the flare-jeaned '70s to '90s hip hop moods. SUGA's TuneSquad jersey prompted me to text my little brother to check if we still have our Space Jam VHS in the shed.  As j-hope referred to music as "one of our ways of healing" in this time, they've been at work on a new record that we can expect to hear before the year's end. As BTS have undoubtedly been a light for me in quarantine, the album is sure to aid in bringing my own 2020 to a gratifying close.

Elvis Perkins’ latest single, “See Through,” is a comforting slow burn fitting for a summer such as this one. Perkins’ smooth croon guides his introspective lyrics along as a warm orchestration of horns and strings create an ambience reminiscent of his early work. 

“See Through” finds Perkins reminding himself of better days to come, hopeful and confident of the healing qualities of music itself. “Leave me alone with my headphones / I’ll be alright / I’ll leave you alone with your headphones / we’ll be just fine,” Perkins warbles. The Sam Cohen-produced track is the third single off the upcoming album Creation Myths, out October 2 via MIR/Petaluma. Photo by Ebru Yildiz.

Amelia Bushell is what one might call ubiquitous or ever-present in the Brooklyn music scene. From her work in Belle Mare, a lustrous pop project, to Grim Streaker, her punk band, Bushell is a wealth of musical knowledge and flexibility. In her newest endeavor, her debut solo project by the name of Extra Special, she draws from her extensive experience with music and creates an entrancing, euphonious new universe of a project that focuses more solely on her. "True Fear" effectively encapsulates the concept of the sublime: drawing in, even when the fear is there. Photo by Michelle LoBianco.

Grief has many different facets. Some are subdued, almost gentle numbness. Others are all-consuming and intense. "Mary Bell" by Antonioni tastefully, and effortlessly, walks the line between the two. Verses oscillate between warm, barely tamed anger and the almost satisfying snap and snarl of unbridled, grief-driven resentment. One minute, you’re shaken up by a forefront drum kit and big bass sound as distorted guitars writhe and groan between lyrics. The next, the rhythm section eases off to reveal the delicate guitar melody underpinning the track. You never quite escape the drums though. They’re always present, like an ever tell-tale heart, driving the track forward as the lyrics narrate a loose story of loss. Only it’s not really about the loss itself; it’s more about the inconsolable feeling in acute absence. Filled with feeling and delicious crunch, it’s a track that won’t let you go easy—in a good way. Photo by Rolando Robles.