It's another busy Friday for new music, and there's so much to love. We've selected some of our favorite new releases here, including a new collaboration from Jessie Reyez and Miguel, a new song from rising favorite DLG., Adam Melchor, Jake Scott, the return of Cloves, a new project from B00sted, Thomas Day, a very steamy single from Charlie Puth, new Tinashe and an incredible new track from Jamila Woods.
Check out some of the highlights below.
Jessie Reyez & Miguel — "Jeans"
Jessie Reyez is coming off a strong performance earlier this month at Lollapalooza in Chicago, and now she's on tour with Sam Smith, trekking across North America for a 30-date run of shows.
Earlier this week, the singer confirmed her new song "Jeans," which is a collaboration with Miguel. Watch the video above.
Vancouver favorite Keegan Jaeckel (aka b00sted) has been treated us to singles over the past few months. But on Friday, he followed up previous standouts "She Wanna" and "Lose Anything" with his full Selfish EP.
"Selfish takes you into the mind of someone involved in a complicated relationship," says b00sted. "Through the highs and lows, and everything in between. I try and capture certain moments I’ve experienced in my life and express these feelings into my sound that anybody can enjoy. I have a very pop, hip-hop, alternative type approach on a lot of this project, but kept it very consistent from start to finish.”
Austin-born artist Dave De La Garza (who performs simply as DLG) is back with his wavy new single "Kung Fu," and while we were already fans, we're loving this new one.
“’KUNG FU is about a girl – one that I have to literally fight my brain to not think about all day," says DLG. of the dreamy new track. "I was trying to embody that feeling of being so consumed by someone,” says DLG. “The song takes the phrase ‘she’s a knockout’ to a whole new level.”
Jamila Woods has shared her new song “Boomerang," which is a preview of her upcoming third album Water Made Us, which will be released Oct. 13 via Jajaguwar.
The Chicago musician-poet is at her most confident state with this new track, and it's incredible how the accompanying video only further exhibits this.
“I co-wrote this song with Nao, GRADES and George Moore on a sweet London day last year,” says Woods. “It was amazing to work with Nao and meet her longtime collaborators and feel the synergy that they have together. It's a song about that kind of relationship that keeps popping back up throughout your life, that magnetic attachment you have to someone and the excitement and anxiety that comes with wondering 'will we or won't we?'"
Today, rising artist Dery has also shared her delicate new track called "sparkle" and it's an instant favorite, a preview of the singer's upcoming album, which is expected in the months ahead.
"This song portrays the bittersweet reflection on a past relationship with gratitude," says Dery. "The protagonist acknowledges there were intolerable aspects but also credits their partner with making them a better person. Admitting that there might be a better match for their ex-partner; the protagonist reminisces on the sparkle they first experienced and how their goodbye is still painful. Despite the heartache, they sincerely wish for their ex’s happiness and success — hoping that they thrive beyond mere contentment."
Charlie Puth is get heated in his new single "Lipstick," which arrived Friday along with an extra steamy video featuring a shirtless Puth flaunting it with few reservations.
The song, out now via Atlantic Records, is a collaboration with producers Happy Perez and Pop Wansel and billed as an anthem "celebrating love and encapsulating the raw intensity of attraction."
The new track follows the singer's album Charlie, released last year, but now he's teasing a new record, his fourth studio album, which is expected soon. "Lipstick" is the first single off that forthcoming LP.
Newcomer Thomas Day has already been having an incredible year, with his previous singles “Come Home,” “MASOCHIST,” and “VICIOUS." He also recently wrapped up a mini tour supporting David Kushner. But today, he's expanding his catalog with the breathtaking single “Gravity."
“This is the first proper love song I ever wrote,” says Thomas of the new track. “All of my songs are about love and heartbreak, but ‘Gravity’ is about capturing that feeling you get when you’re in love. The butterflies in your stomach, yell it from the rooftop kind of love.”
It's been a while since we're heard from CLOVES. But she's back in a big way. On Friday, the singer returned with her stunning new track "Good Try," which seems to take a deep dive into Lana Del Rey territory in an amazing way.
"Just a little something for your end of summer blues," said CLOVES in a note to fans coinciding with today's release.
Hear more above.
Jake Scott has had our attention for a while, but today, he's proving why he is such a force with his new song "Come Close."
The new track arrived Friday along with big news, that is debut album Lavender is coming Oct. 20 via Elektra Records. The song, which was co-produced by Scott and Noah Conrad (LANY, Niall Horan), explores the crucial nature of vulnerability in a relationship and the fear of being completely seen.
"'Come Close' is about the crucial nature of vulnerability in a relationship. It’s the antidote for apathy," says Scott. "It’s the glue that holds everything together. It’s also terrifying. Real vulnerability is so so difficult for me. This song is about me realizing I have to let my wife see every single part of me - the good, the bad and the ugly…otherwise we’ll never come close to what we could be.”
Earlier this month, Tulsa outfit Manta Rays confirmed their new single. Today, the electric new cut "Vic" is here in full.
It's the band's first release this year, and it was produced by Kendal Osborne at The Closet Studios.
“‘Vic’ is both a party anthem and a cautionary tale,” says singer Jackson Gillett. “We all have that one friend who just doesn’t quite know when it’s time for the party to end; the song is about the highs and lows of that bar scene and culture.”
Isle of Wight artist Charlie Oriain is continuing his rise today with a beautiful new song called "Write Off."
"This is one of my favourite songs" from his upcoming EP, the U.K. singer said on Instagram ahead of the release on Friday. He co-wrote the song with Australian producer/songwriter Dylan Nash.
"Eyes shut / Late-night driving with the lights off / Leaving everything behind us / We tried but / You and I, we're a write off," Oriain says in the song's gut-wrenching lyrics.
Indie outfit ill peach has recently shared their new song "Bloom," which comes ahead of their upcoming album This Is Not An Exit, which is out Nov. 3.
"It’s the only love song on the album. It’s about testing the boundaries of a long-distance relationship," the band said of the new track. "How can you love and be with someone if you can’t see them? We saw friends and longtime relationships break up like a ripple effect. But also surprisingly, the ones that had it the hardest around us found love in the ashes, a beginning to an ending. It can and will navigate anything if you believe it. So 'Bloom' is our anthem to fighting for love."
We literally cannot stop praising Adam Melchor. We were enthralled with his debut album last year and his new song "Garment Bag" is such a summer gem. But today, he's offering another preview of his upcoming Fruitland EP, which is out Sept. 22 via Warner Records. But this one, dazzling as it, finds Melchor wishing he could love someone else—anyone else. "Why You," he laments.
“Masochism; touching the stove even though you know it will burn; giving into love even if it’s terrible for you; accepting that hell is just more for you than heaven," says Melchor. "This is what 'Why You?' is about. We all need our vices, why not let one of those be love? Why not? Why You.”
Cold War Kids — "Run Away With Me"
This week, Cold War Kids returned with confirmation of their 10th studio album, a self-titled record coming Nov. 3 via AWAL. Following their recent song "Double Life," they've now shared the new track "Run Away With Me."
Frontman Nathan Willet says: “We started 'Run Away With Me' with Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, The Linda Lindas) as this Sly Stone type of funky soul song that evolved into a more soulful pop tune about two desperate, down-and-out lovers.”
He adds of the album itself: “If I’ve got five songs done that I’ve worked on in a certain way, I tend to want to put them out as an EP and go do some shows around it. Continually as my brain would go to that place, I’d go, no, just wait, and really put together a full-length record. I needed to approach things very differently and work with some new people in a way that was a little uncomfortable. This album is where I’ve most felt like I was the executive producer of everything.”
Oklahoma artist Kid Koda is following a pair of recent singles "My Whole Life" and "Ghosted" with his new one "Do What It Takes," which dropped today.
Speaking with Variance recently, Koda said of the drive to chase his dreams: "I feel like you can stress yourself about getting that one thing. And we need that. You got to galvanize yourself. You've gotta stress about those things. But at what point is that tainting the outcome, where it's like, spoiling the prize?"
Earlier this month, Koda confirmed he'll be opening for the band Outline in Color at their upcoming show at The Vanguard in Tulsa.
KennyHoopla — "keep a window open//"
We're loving this new chapter from KennyHoopla, and today he has released his new single “keep a window open//,” which is out now via Mogul Vision Music/Arista Records.
Of the new song, Kenny says: “'keep a window open//' is a song that is an ode to my roots and day one inspirations. I worked on this record after playing my largest shows ever with Blink-182 and thought of this to be my goodbye to summer.”
Speaking of Blink, Kenny is coming off a recent stint opening for Blink-182, and he'll soon be heading to Europe and the U.K. for a run of shows before coming back to the States for a fall tour.
On Friday, Tinashe dropped her new song “Needs," the sultry second single from her recently announced sixth studio album, BB/ANG3L, which is coming soon. “Needs” was written by Tinashe and produced by Royce David.
Along with the song itself, “Needs” is accompanied by a video directed by Sammy Rawal with choreography from Nina McNeely. The clip shows Tinashe and a crew of dancers taking over an empty grocery market.
