[Streamline/Interscope; 2025]
Lady Gaga reclaims her crown as “Queen of Pop” with her seventh studio album, MAYHEM. While many singles stand out from this record like “Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars and “Abracadabra,” there is one track that I simply cannot stop listening to. “Zombieboy” sparkles with its groovy bassline, bright guitar riffs and smashing drums. Prince’s influence is all over this song as it captures his swagger and essence through Gaga’s soaring, skillfully layered vocals and “Kiss-like” guitar. The lyrics are pretty straight through as she calls for a guy who interests her to dance with her at a club. It’s perfectly Lady Gaga, and I urge you to listen to it if you haven’t already!
- Brooke Phillips, Programming Director
[Blue Grape; 2024]
Following their explosive album Only Constant, released in 2023, New Jersey hardcore band GEL packed an even greater punch on their most recent EP, Persona. The eponymous single, “Persona,” is gritty and loud — a feverish onslaught of sound that makes you want to punch a hole in your wall (figuratively, of course…don’t ruin your wall. Or your hand). Something that sticks out in particular is how vocalist Sami Kaiser is able to deliver impressive grinding and aggressive vocals without having to give up lyrical clarity. It makes the song feel in your face, unavoidable and angry, which fits the confrontational “don’t forget your f*cking place” threat of the EP. As a whole, the song and the rest of the tracks are somewhat simple, but that doesn’t necessarily mean bad. “Persona” in particular delivers a good-ole vitriolic hardcore punk sound; it’s brutal in all the ways it needs to be and will definitely continue to rotate onto my Spotify queue.
- Isabella Ardetto, Contributor
[Independent; 2025]
Gilanares released her single “F33D TH3 B3AST” on March 7 of this year. With this single, Gilanares returns to the post-apocalyptic pop genre that made an appearance with some of her previous releases. The song touches on what causes people to indulge in bad decisions, especially when those decisions cause prolonged issues. “F33D TH3 B3AST” portrays a unique balance between accountability and wanting to blame a third party for our actions. The background instrumental is simple and subdued to allow for emphasis of the lyrics before lapsing into noisy, chaotic moments behind the chorus. Previous releases by Gilanares frequently mention the internet, the state of U.S. politics, diet culture and how these topics affect our society. This song mentions those topics, but only as a flimsy excuse for people to avoid the undeniable responsibility we have for the state of our lives and the control we have over our choices.
- Shyann Morrow, Contributor
[Records DK; 2024]
“ian goin” is a short, obnoxious but important contribution to the subgenre of a subgenre known as “terror plugg.” Primarily dominated by artists such as squillo, Smokingskul and Mxlachi, “terror plugg” relies on distorted and screechy low ends and 808s. Producer karakuli takes this to the extreme, heavily amplifying the mid-to-higher frequencies of the bass to create a genuinely painful sound. It sharply contrasts the generally peaceful instrumental, but perfectly complements yuke’s aggressive and violent lyrics along with the clicky percussion. Besides a select couple of LAZER DIM 700 tracks (mainly “Tony Dim“), “ian goin” is one of the first breakout tracks of the subgenre, receiving praise from publications such as Pitchfork despite its harshness. I find myself enjoying these ear piercing sounds a lot more than I should in an attempt to find more experimental hip hop to this extreme.
- Evan Little, Contributor
[Loosegroove; 2024]
“Swoon (Redux)” is Tigercub’s first single off of their latest album, The Perfume Of Decay (Redux), where the band is attempting to completely reimagine their latest album, The Perfume of Decay. Being many people’s first impression for this upcoming release, “Swoon (Redux)” has a lot on its shoulders, but it does not disappoint. It takes the heavy yet melodic notes of the original, and turns them into a more somber, melancholic tune, still echoing the sentiment of the original piece but presenting itself as its own. “Swoon (Redux)” is a perfect example of what this upcoming album could be and a great demonstration of the band’s uniqueness as a whole.
- Matthew Hilliard, Contributor
Rylee Bapst – “Further South of Heaven”
[Independent; 2025]
Ohio University’s very own Rylee Bapst just released his first EP, Afraid of Change. To tease the EP, Bapst released a single “Further South of Heaven.” With spring and summer just around the corner, this is the perfect country vibe for the sunshine. “Further South of Heaven” is one of those songs that you hear once and instantly it’s stuck in your head. This song is the embodiment of what it feels like when you have a mouth like a sailor and a free spirit. The lyrics portray that guiltiness for being who you are, but you just can’t contain who you are or how you’re feeling. This song almost feels like a confession of not being able to be perfect but owning up to it. I can see myself this summer listening to this song on a sunset boat ride just enjoying the music and the sights.
- Eileen Fortner, Contributor
Car Seat Headrest – “Gethsemane”
[Matador Records; 2025]
Car Seat Headrest released their first single in five years on March 4 under Matador. Titled “Gethsemane,” the track is just about as unique as the name. This track brings Car Seat Headrest fans back to their roots, sporting an 11 minute runtime, with a multitude of different verses, choruses and musical dynamics. This single doesn’t just dabble in CSH’s old work, but their recent as well. Aspects of their most recent studio album, Making A Door Less Open, are found in the track in many forms, mainly in the electronic instrumentation. Will Toledo’s improved lyrical form also shines bright on this song. Referred to as a “Rock Opera,” this album takes a plethora of influences from their own discography and others. Some notable influences are David Bowie and The Who. Toledo has made references to his inspirations many times in previous works, but in this case, their influence is very present, both musically and thematically. This single is a great starting point, posing as the band’s first single off of their upcoming album The Scholars. This album will be released exactly five years and one day after their last, marking a completely new era for the band and the fans.
- Quinn Carmicheal, Contributor
[AWAL Recordings Ltd; 2024]
Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey began releasing music during the year 2020, but has recently grown quite the fanbase following the popularity of her song “From the Start” in 2023. The song appeared on the artist’s sophomore album Bewitched, which ended up gaining a deluxe edition titled Bewitched: The Goddess Edition in 2024. The title track of this deluxe release, “Goddess,” just so happened to be my most listened to song of that year. “Goddess” is unlike most of Laufey’s previous releases, as the lyrics explain an unearthly shattering tale of heartbreak and high expectations. The artist explains in the song how once someone realizes she is no “goddess” as showcased on stage in performances, they grow distant and ignorant of who the artist could have potentially been. The slow and somber piano ballad of the song ends with a heavy, melancholic bridge of “I’m no goddess when I’m alone,” as opposed to the chorus’ previous lyrics: “I’m a goddess on stage, human when we’re alone.” This song is a rollercoaster of emotions, a type of trait I heavily appreciate in a track.
- Morgan Dilbone, Contributor
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