[Nice Life Recording Company and Atlantic Recording Corporation; 2024]
After debuting with their 2017 EP Superclean, Vol. 1, alternative band The Marías have endured a lot since. After a near breakup of the band following their rapid rise to fame in the late 2010s, the band came back stronger on their sophomore record: last year’s Submarine. On this record, one song reigns over many, “No One Noticed.” A song about wallowing in loneliness after a breakup and not feeling good enough for another romantic partner, lead singer Maria Zardoya’s vocal croons and lyricism truly embody the feelings of isolation, grief and sadness that come with losing a lover. I have loved this song over the last few weeks because, while its production is relatively simple and quiet, it is an intimate stream of consciousness from Zardoya and the accompaniment rises and falls at the right times to make the perfect breakup song. It also sounds very dreamy, with the synths and strums of guitar imitating the sensation of falling, a possible reference to the album’s cover art.
- Grace Koennecke, Managing Editor
Read More: Album Review: Sabrina Carpenter Short ‘n Sweet (Deluxe)
[Atlantic Records; 2024]
Last May, musician Ravyn Lenae released “Love Me Not” as a single off of her August album Bird’s Eye. The song is a magical R&B masterpiece that has recently made rounds on TikTok, with listeners captivated by the catchy chorus and Lenae’s unique, soulful voice. It’s a fun and playful kind of “back and forth,” conveyed in lyrics such as “See, right now, I need you, I’ll meet you somewhere now / You up now, I see you, I get you, take care now.” But with this whimsical feeling comes a clear sense of longing for a relationship despite it possibly not being in one’s best interest, making this song relatable to many. Others have even compared the feel of “Love Me Not” to Solange’s “Losing You” as both approach love and heartbreak with a certain gentleness and care. If you’re also a fan of this kind of alternative R&B indie sound, give Ravyn Lenae a listen!
- Sage Spirk, Contributor
[Napalm Records; 2024]
Jinjer’s new album Duel was released earlier this month, bringing an even more advanced and prog metal sound than their previous albums. The song “Someone’s Daughter” highlights the hardships that women historically have gone through while highlighting that they are stronger than thought to be. Besides the incredible meaning behind the lyrics, the technicality of the music is insane. Eugene is an incredible bassist. He has a riff in the song that breaks up the heavy aspect with a groovy tone. Additionally, the talent Vladislav holds with his skills on the drum kit is impeccable. He has the ability to create a heavy beat while keeping it very tight and clean. Lastly, of course, is Tatiana’s singing. She decides to use clean vocals for most of the song, which are absolutely beautiful, but of course, her guttural screaming is insanely impressive as always. Putting these aspects together creates this melodic masterpiece that I’ve been listening to nonstop.
- August Paree, Contributor
Machine Girl – Ass2Mars (Squarepusher Remix)
[FUTURE CLASSIC; 2025]
Coming off of the rerelease of his 2004 album Ultravisitor, it would seem that Squarepusher has taken a reinterest in his drill ‘n’ bass era from the early 2000s. This remix (hailing from MG Ultra, released in 2024) is actually very reminiscent of the stylistic approach present in Ultravisitor and could honestly pass as an outtake from the album. It’s loud, abrasive, and in your face; nearly a complete one-eighty from the source track. The way the vocals from the source material are chopped and arranged makes this track sound more like a sampled piece rather than an official remix. Overall, it’s a breath of fresh air. Squarepusher tracks of this intensity are certainly rarer than they were twenty years ago, but they are always welcome.
- Evan Little, Contributor
[Warner Music Norway AS; 2025]
It’s March! That means that the European song contest Eurovision will take place soon. This also means that within the next few months countries participating in the contest will be releasing their competing artists and songs. Within my research for the upcoming contest, I found this song and instantly became hooked. Two weeks ago, Norway announced that Kyle Alessandro will compete with his song “Lighter.” The song is composed and written by the Swedish singer Adam Woods for Alessandro. On February 17, this song hit #1 on the Top 50 – Norway playlist on Spotify. This song is about self-empowerment and being able to ignite your spark and move on from toxic situations. Though the song isn’t necessarily experimental, it’s a song that just about everyone can enjoy and find relatable. The most notable aspect of this song is the raw talent of Kyle and his amazing vocals that bring the song to life. The upbeat pop style of this song makes it extremely easy and fun to listen to or even to dance to!
- Eileen Fortner, Contributor
Sour Fiction – “Something Important”
[Independent; 2024]
Released last May as the second single to their alternative/folk focused EP What’s Left,
“Something Important” provides a rosey-tinged looking glass into the momentary thoughts and emotions of Sour Fiction’s sole musician and writer, Jose Galeana. Instrumentally, the song feels like a sonic bath, washing over the listener with heavy, full guitar tones and an insistent drum beat that feels like a ticker-tape timeline guiding the track’s progression. “I wrote that song out of frustration… I was in a headspace of uncertainty after I released an album co-produced by a successful artist and then I was like nobody cares about anything that comes after that, so I need to make something important,” Galeana remarked when I spoke to him about what the track means to them. “Meet me down at the bottom of the lake” is a particularly meaningful lyric in reference to the video game Alan Wake 2, in which the main character’s only escape from his Groundhog Day-esque time loop is to write his way out of it. The track concludes with a descending guitar riff, complimented by an entrancing yet hard to identify lead sound that give the sentiments expressed throughout a final send off. “Something Important” is an entrancing and captivating track and an assured signifier of great things to come from Sour Fiction.
- Vincent Caplin, Contributor
Trent Liptak – “Chérie”
[Independent; 2025]
“Chérie” is a captivating love song from Trent Liptak, a freshman at Ohio University. “Chérie” is the lead song and precursor to his newest album, Catching Tigers in Red Weather, released on February 21. This neofolk-reminiscent tune eludes at an introspective layer of neuroticism that prompts you to question the very nature of love. French phrases featured throughout the song introspectively add detachment through its poetic elements, as if the feeling being portrayed is filtered to show the impact of love being misunderstood. The song has details of hypnotics that reinforce the melancholic and intoxicating dream-like mindset this song takes you to. Permeating in the song, you feel the deep gut-wrenching and obsessive feeling of being unattainably in love. You may find difficulty deciding which playlist to put this song into, but I believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it is upon the interpretation of the listener to decide where this song lands to feel fit in your playlists. This song can resonate whether you’re feeling euphoric or lugubrious. “Chérie” has not only captured the essence of searching for belonging in love, but has also set the stage for an album that promises to pluck at listeners heart strings for as long as the final note is strum.
- Carley Guy, Contributor
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