"Do you think I’m strange? I don’t blame you,” Victoria Reed’s voice spills like liquid silk across “Same Way," the opening track off her second album Aquamadre. “I’m still learning what to do / when you learn the whole world / wasn’t made for you” she croons, expressing a feeling of disillusionment we know all too well by now. What do we do when our perception of reality changes? The only thing we can, which is to adapt and grow into the new version of ourselves we need to be. “Same Way” describes the place between stagnancy and momentum; the growth of a person as they watch themselves through the eyes of another, a mirror into the future. Four years after her tarot-inspired 2016 debut Chariot, Reed stays true to her celebration of the mystical by drawing heavily on the visionary and healing aspects of Aquarius, the water bearer. Often mistaken for a sign of that element, Aquarius is actually an air sign, one that brings forth a new age of enlightenment. If water is emotion, then air is the sign’s ability to carry it without becoming overwhelmed. Aquarius diverts the flow of emotion by way of language to reach an understanding of the truth, which is clearly what Reed has set out to do with her album. 

The song “Same Way” shows her beginning to see an admission of love as strength, not weakness. In a lustrous voice akin to Lana Del Rey, she sings “Or maybe it’s that I’m not strange enough / Cause I’ve never been brave enough / to simply be myself," a concession towards self-acceptance.  Like anyone, she wonders if her affection is reciprocated, but chooses to repeat, “I think of you every day," because the only thing that matters is being true to how she feels. “Same Way” encourages us to push aside any internalized shame and embrace our own vulnerabilities, because self-acceptance is the only way to make space for compassion and healing in our lives. Both magical and haunting, Reed’s Aquamadre weaves dreamy synths with gauzy production in order to create the much-needed restorative atmosphere for staying at home and focusing on our more-than-skin-deep self-care.

Right in time for warmer weather is Liza Anne's third release this month: "Bad Vacation." This track displays Liza's style in its finest form. It's spunky, gritty-rock in indie-pop makeup. "Bad Vacation" perfectly strikes the balance between the genuine relief and high-voltage anxiety intrinsic to summertime sadness. "I wanna lay out / I need a way out" about sums it up. Comparing an old lover or friend-turned-enemy to something as annoying as sand in ice cream feels like a near-perfect analogy, as the people we'd rather forget tend to be more pestering than piteous. That might sound forthright, but Liza Anne isn't mincing words in this song. Being freed from her long, bad vacation makes her "in love with the feeling." This track is lots of fun and brimming with life. Her classic tongue-in-cheek tone takes a backseat to the boppy melody and triumphant chorus, making "Bad Vacation" a great, colorful summertime listen.

For almost two decades, Little Dragon has consistently gifted us releases that continue to be rich in both quality and creativity. Outside of their own albums, the Swedish band has brought their talents to collaborative projects with artists like KAYTRANADA, Gorillaz, and Flying Lotus. Now they’ve graced us once again with their newest album New Me, Same Us–their sixth studio album overall and first label release off Ninja Tune. Like the album title might suggest, Little Dragon meets us right between nostalgia and newness with the track “Another Lover.” Yukimi Nagana, owner of their signature vocals, delivers lines that yearn to understand the future of a relationship. Gorgeously specific lyrics like “I’m wearin’ your gold / You whisperin’ that it’s over / To yourself” pattern the song in ambiguity and ache. Either these partners are going to “always bloom” again or they’ll have to split and meet “another kind of pure lover” down the line. The R&B-pop style production and soothing bass that drives the track from start to finish creates a perfect backdrop for this smooth, potentially ill-fated jam.

Short and sweet, the new single “Friend”—a collaboration between BK-based indie folk-pop duo Daisy the Great and lo-fi artist Sipper—clocks in at just 1 minute, 21 seconds. In this brief time, the song manages to thoroughly convey the poignant and relatable feeling of coming to terms with that which many of us, until recently, have taken for granted. The lyrics are sung in simple terms but are so concise, so precise, that they almost immediately evoke that pang of longing for normalcy that has become an epidemic of its own. “I’m still inside / thinking if we all don’t die/ I’ll be better when we go outside again / I won’t be such a shit friend / I’ll see you when I can / I will.” The guitar strums and layered background vocals—including Daisy the Great's harmonies—give the song an uplifting sound and an optimistic lightness, despite the distressing circumstances alluded to in the lyrics. In the time of social distancing and self-isolation, “Friend” is a promise from one to another to be better when this is all over and we get another chance at normal.

Love You Later (aka Lexi Aviles) has just released her sophomore EP, Heaven Is Without You, and within it, she explores many shades of pop. The closing track, “Blindfolded," is a particular shade of pop that shines golden. Easily relatable lyrics describe finding yourself by losing a toxic relationship, which also helps to reinforce the sentiment behind the entire project. Pulsing synth, layered vocals and themes of self-discovery and growth make this a song fit for a coming-of-age film soundtrack or even just a windows-down, sunset drive around your neighborhood. I have, in fact, done the latter. Aviles solidifies her romantic dream-pop sound with this project and takes production credit alongside three other producers. Coinciding with this EP release, Aviles has also created community and connection by hosting Instagram Live hangouts with different artists and creators. My personal favorite so far has been her stream with poet Madisen Kuhn, during which they led viewers through different writing exercises. It is times like this when I am extremely thankful for artists like Love You Later who continue putting out positivity and infectious pop songs.

Garage alt-soul band Hollyy dive into sleepless nights and feelings of fading and lost love in their latest single "Miss the Feeling." The track begins with a slow and weighty guitar intro, led by Brandon Couture, providing a repetitive and alluring hook as layers of light percussion, played by Rafe Soto, and velvety vocals laid down by Tanner Bednar breathe life into the single. As the singer laments over the light in his loved one's eyes leaving, the song calms and ponders, " Don't know how much more I can take / Not sure if I can carry the weight / Why'd I go and fall in love with you?" It then swells and transitions into an uptempo, soulful chorus full of driving guitar and robust bass, provided by Dominic Zeier, and a growing wave of percussion—all tied together with layers of horns and keys played by Peter Giere. "Miss the Feeling" continues its more uptempo trajectory, especially in the last-minute with well-blended background vocals, adding more dimension and making the inherently somber track also one we can't help but dance to.

Melancholia queen Liza Anne dropped a three-track EP on April 3, featuring "Desire," a softer and dreamier single compared to its predecessor "Devotion." This track is about shuffling through your days in a tequila-soaked haze, grasping for a feeling beyond apathy. Melodically, this song is beachy and sweet—not unlike her matching aesthetic, featuring here eating a melting and messy rainbow sherbet cone on the beach. But her lyricism is classic, honest and slightly anxious. It's so relatable, masterful and poignant, it almost feels too close to home. Though sung in a sweet cadence, the lyrics "I'm only livin' when the sun goes down" feel like a sucker punch. Liza Anne has the ability, as embodied in this track, to reach the listener in candid, necessary places. She takes you there whether you're ready for it or not. That's what makes her a leading lady in indie-rock right now. Listen to "Desire" wherever you stream!

From the moment "Immaculate" starts it draws you in, making you feel like you are floating within the chords. The booming chorus asks the question “do you feel the same?” further involving you in the track and giving you the chance to think about your current situation in a new, perhaps refreshing light. The BK-based, indie-rock duo, Surf Rock is Dead have managed to create yet another brilliantly crafted surf-gaze track that encompasses feelings of being stuck and needing to make some sort of decision in order to get out. With smooth, warbling synths and animated percussive elements, Surf Rock is Dead carry us through this particular moment in time with a stroke of hope in togetherness, in the relationships we have with one another. Be on the lookout for more releases from Surf Rock is Dead later this year.

Orion Sun grapples with loss on "Trying," a soulful ballad about the departure of someone dear to her. The essence of R&B and jazz tender a gentle approach to a weighty experience, and her soft crooning soothes as she offers condolences to herself. With a frank, yet warm sincerity, she sings, "I know it's not good, but sometimes I'm angry" on the song's only verse. "Want you to know / I hate it here without you," she repeats, and the track fades out to a battering synth chord and the crackle of vinyl. Somber themes aren't foreign to Sun, born Tiffany Majette, who shines best on her debut album Hold Space for Me through her emotional candor. On "tapping into that darkness," Majette says, "You could stay here, but you can't stay here forever...once it's out, it's out. I feel lighter, and I feel like I can move on." Hold Space for Me is out now via Mom + Pop.

You’ll be surprised to discover that a Martin is not addressed in this track, but a Justin. Maybe he is a Justin Martin. Who knows! What we do know is that Car Seat Headrest’s newest single for their upcoming album Making a Door Less Open shows less angst and more dance. It’s a nice tune for grooving around your house. Listen while cleaning or crafting; try adding it to your jogging playlist. From the intro, where the rapid guitar strums begin, you can tell your listening time will be well spent. Will Toledo’s vocals are one of a kind and instantly recognized. It has been four years since Car Seat Headrest's last album Teens of Denial was released, but the familiarity of sound is ever so present. Making a Door Less Open is the side project of drummer Andrew Katz and 1 Trait Danger, and is set to release on May 1. Listeners will be introduced to Toledo’s alter ego Trait, a man who wears a quarantine mask and a neon orange jacket. “When I’m high on the things that bug me / The morning news and instant coffee.” There has never been a better time to connect with Trait’s lyrics and persona.

At this point, Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins is well on the verge of veteran status. He’s been delivering incisive messages about race, society, and self-improvement through his signature brand of omnivorous multi-layered wordplay since well before his breakthrough 2014 mixtape The Water[s]. Now that he’s “stamped up two whole passports,” on “Frontstreet” he is ready to go off on his haters until they start acting like grown-ups. The masterful urgency in Kaytranada’s shadowy production has Jenkins sounding like a superhero preparing for a night ride, even from the track’s first moments. But once Jenkins really starts in on how he feels about all the lies, the beat swells sympathetically like a tuning fork to his limbic system; and before you know it, you feel it too. Before you know it, the track turns into an alley and through the bushes, and it’s gone. At just over two minutes, it leaves you feeling like it’s got to be a trailer for something more—and who knows when Jenkins will drop his next full-length project. But goodness gracious, he sure packed this one full of enough brain and heart calisthenics to get us through until then.