“Transgender,” - Crystal Castles: It’s a shame that this band broke up due to allegations of sexual misconduct against musician and band co-founder Ethan Kath. Alice Glass’s echoey haunting vocals paired with the shiny synths and larger than life electronic bass create a very spooky vibe that I’m completely addicted to. It can be hard enjoying a song the same way when you learn about the disgusting allegations against a musician. I’m still able to enjoy the electronic, dreamy music from Crystal Castles, but with a band like lostprophets, I can’t enjoy their music knowing what I know now about Ian Watkins. Separating the art from the artist is important, but it’s different for everyone.
“HIGHJACK,” - A$AP Rocky featuring Jessica Pratt: A brand new A$AP Rocky track, featuring some amazing flows from Rocky, and a beautiful, completely unexpected feature from folk singer Jessica Pratt. I also love the glimmering and hard hitting beat, with those glistening synths and hard hitting electronic snares. If this is just a taste of what we get on his upcoming fourth album, Don’t Be Dumb, then I’m incredibly hyped. A$AP Rocky is one of my favorite rappers in the game, and I believe that he is seriously underrated.
“Cut,” - Panchiko: A song from a band I just randomly discovered while my Apple Music playlist was on shuffle, this British indie rock band is extremely underrated. I love the mournful guitars and spacey sound of this track, and the lyrics are incredibly depressing. I can’t wait to hear more music from this extremely talented group.
“Give Me Love,” - The Used: I’ve recently been listening to a lot of emo and pop-punk music as of late, and as a result I came across this track. I like the layers of different guitar riffs, and the dark lyrics it features. Lead singer Bert McCracken is an incredibly powerful vocalist, and Quinn Altman is a solid guitarist as well.
“What You Know Bout Love,” - Pop Smoke: Centered around Pop Smoke’s melodic vocals and an amazing beat that samples Ginuwine’s track, “Differences,” this track shows a more vulnerable side of the late rapper. I really like the romantic tone of the track, and I admire him for trying different genres rather than solely drill. This track is on his only solo album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. It’s a shame he died so young, as I really enjoyed his music.