Don’t Go Into The Weekend Without These Additions To Your Playlist
This week’s selection is strongly on the pop spectrum but there’s some surprising dimensions to a lot of these tracks. Enjoy!
Emmy Adelle – you make me feel alive
Arriving from Chicago, the half-Filipino artist and IMD model Emmy Adelle brings us perfectly brewed and distilled electro-pop to dance our heart and legs out with her latest single “You make me feel alive”. A song ostensibly about making deep connections and finding nearly euphoric delight in another person, a person that makes life worth living.
Maisy Kay – Cosmically Intertwined
Perhaps keeping up with the theme somewhat, Maisy Kay‘s “Cosmically Intertwined” is about a bond or nexus that seems inevitable and undeniable, as if preordained by the universe itself. Maisy’s optimistic romanticism shines bright in stark contrast to a global soundscape seemingly filled with tracks about break-ups, hang-ups, and gaslights.
After touring with JVKE in 2023, Maisy released catchy singles like “Sunlight” and “Technicolor Honeymoon,” which hit #1 on the Pop Charts. She’s collaborated with Tiësto on “KARMA” and is currently opening for Tori Kelly. With her new EP, “Wonderlust: The Dusk,” on the way, this UK-to-LA artist is blending her influences and crafting a sound all her own.
Close To Monday – Quality of Love
After a successful mini-tour through NYC, LA, and Seattle, the duo Close to Monday began rolling out new singles every month while gearing up for an EP and LP set to drop in 2025.The duo is gaining traction in Europe, topping the Dutch Alternative Charts and winning international awards for tracks like “Guns” and “Split.” Their single “Guns” spent eight weeks in the German top 10, and their acclaimed videos have been showcased at festivals in London, Rome, and Paris.
With an intense Drum & Bass foundation, “Quality of Love,” veers its melodies towards a darkwave/synth-pop territory, allowing the primal beats and dark synths to reflect at us the all-consuming hunger of a ravenous love found in reckless passion and infatuation..
Stephen Lind – Wish You’d Lie
Stephen Lind has spent the better part of the past 15 years just behind the scenes, collaborating with names like Jessica Biel, Azealia Banks, Francesca Gregorini, Jeffrey Reddick, and Olga Segura. Just last year, Lind was an acclaimed headliner of Tucson’s Pride 2023.In addition, his short film “Lovers’ Roulette” spun its way to multiple accolades, snagging the “Best Music Video” title at festivals like the Paradise Film Festival, Feel the Reel International Film Festival, European Music Video Awards, Brazil New Visions Film Festival, and BIFF.
To round off his year, Stephen Lind has recently released “Wish You’d Lie”, a track reflecting on the cost of asking questions whose answers you’re not quite ready for. The track manages to capture a lot of emotional vulnerability and sensitivity while also remaining firmly catchy. With this track, Stephen openly admits to be moving towards an electro-pop sound that quite frankly, suits him perfectly.
Ashlee Keating – “Nice N Naughty”
Of course, no round-up this time of year could be complete without some Christmasy vibes creeping in, and Ashlee Keating’s latest has that in spades, only with a sexy vibe to boot. “Nice N Naughty” brings the holiday spirit to life with a luxuriously classic pop sound with glossy and gilded R&B undertones that harken back to a different era a bit.
If this song’s bitten you like a jolly bug, then you’re in luck because this is not the first time Keating has come up with a spicy holiday track. The previous year she came up with “In The Air” which also follows her remake of the classic holiday hit “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
back in 2022.
RYAL – What I Mean To You
Jacque Ryal and Aaron Nevezie are the two exuberant halves of the electronic/Synth-pop duo RYAL, and they have just recently teamed up with drummer Dan Rieser and Bassist John Davis to produce a BEEFY new track with challenging lyrics and infectious groove.
“What I Mean to You” is a song about romantic crises, and it intricately captures a dance of unwavering love and mutual support, urging each person to see their own value while navigating the complexities of life together. It’s a heartfelt call to embrace vulnerability and strength in the face of adversity.
Caek & Minko – “California”
Caek (Mikaela Nelson) and Minko (Mike Slap) are a Rhode Island-bred pop duo who transformed their friendship into a creative partnership and family life. Before teaming up musically in 2020, they each carved out solo successes—Caek as a versatile multi-instrumentalist with stunning vocals, and Minko with millions of streams and collaborations with big names like Macklemore.
“California”, their latest offering is a pop piano ballad with a similar vibe about missing the warm California sun just as autumn is giving way to winter up in the mountains that the duo currently calls home. A perfect song for the seasons, with its slight gospel vibes it’ll surely warm you up.
DAB – RENDEVOUS FT. Jeffery Miller
Who said romance was dead? Grammy Award winner Dustin “DAB” Bowie is here to bring it back in style just in case. DAB and Jeffery Miller have a soulful, R&B banger that is best described as an elegantly erotic and sensuous track in the most classic sense of the word.
“RENDEZVOUS” the seductive sophomore solo release of DAB, a songwriter, producer, and singer who has written songs for the likes of Beyoncé, Lucky Daye, Kaytranada, Ari Lennox, Kehlani, Nao, and many more. His extensive work has garnered him 9 Grammy nominations and one snag in 2023 for Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’.
ARM – “Show Em How”
ARM is one of the most unique music projects you’ll hear today, and we can almost guarantee it. With a vanguardist electro-pop structure infused with future funk and slight jazz fusion elements, ARM doesn’t sound quite like anything else out there, and their newest track “Show Em How” fully plays into that strength.
Thematically, “Show Em How” is a motivational and empowering anthem about leading by example and living a fulfilling life as a testimony to others.