New Music Sunday: The 5 Best Songs Released This Past Week Pt. 15

Guess who’s back… Back again… That’s right; Sean’s back for a double header on our weekly New Music Sunday post! After a hefty day of travelling cross-country, I have curated five tracks for your listening pleasure. So sit back, relax, and let’s get this show on the road.

Notable Album & EP Releases

Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Take The Sadness Out of Saturday Night, Bleachers
American Noir, Creeper
Summer Holiday, Dreamcatcher
The House Is Burning, Isaiah Rashad
I’ve Got Some Living To Do, Jelani Aryeh
Bobby Tarantino III, Logic
Welcome 2 America, Prince
Sycco’s First EP, Sycco
Thirstier, Torres
Stand for Myself, Yola

In chronological order:

“Truth” – Jungle
Release Date – July 28

“Truth” is the fifth single from Jungle’s upcoming album Loving in Stereo, which is slated to release on August 13. This track begins with a unique yet all-too-familiar instrumental that fans can definitely expect to hear in commercial advertising. The lead vocalist cannot seem to hide his perversion regarding frequent mixed singles from a woman he admires. He considers himself to be a straight-shot, telling her all about his interest in her; his woman of interest, however, opts for the more convoluted and obscure way of things, almost saping any possible legitimacy this relationship may garner. This is a reality that many individuals experience, as there is no one “right way” to flirt with others. The upbeat tempo suggests that the lead vocalist, albeit confused by these mixed signals, appreciates the game his woman is playing. He can easily walk away, but decides to stick around and prove his admiration for the woman.

“Bag” – Abhi The Nomad & Charlie Curtis-Beard
Release Date – July 30

“Bag” is a fairly braggadocious track that features slick verses from Abhi and Charlie Curtis-Beard. While short and almost overwhelmingly direct, “Bag” basically fixates on the wealth both artists have accrued. These artists aren’t here to hide their frivolous spending, as they mention owning lake houses, and boats that are stored at said lake houses, to name a few objects of recent acquisition. This is a simple and easily digestible track that can nestle its way into any party / pump-up list. In short, the party is here; one-hundo good vibes and an even groovier beat. Abhi knocked this one out of the park, and Curtis-Beard provided a worthy alley-oop. 

“Oxytocin” – Billie Eilish
Release Date – July 30

I think the greatest surprise of the week goes to Billie Eilish. After popping on Happier Than Ever for my preliminary listen in Terminal 3, I did not expect to hear Billie’s iconic lofty vocals over a 120+ BPM club beat, which landed at the perfect time of the summer. The tempo of this song fits the message, as Billie chants about an extremely dominant showing of lust over a partner. Oxytocin, otherwise known as the love hormone, is kicking full-force as Billie looks to corner her partner so she can, “do bad things to you [them] / don’t wanna treat you [them] well.” This message may sound off-putting or questionable to many, but you definitely need to sit back and consider Billie’s message. The power that exudes from this track demonstrates how dominant of a force she has become. I’m all for this side of Billie, although a dash of tactfulness wouldn’t hurt the process.

“Kindness” – MØ
Release Date – July 30

It’s evident that MØ is giving new elements of instrumentation the college try on her most recent release “Kindness.” Fans of MØ can look forward to the artist they’ve come to know and love, but with a fresh coat of paint on those bass-induced instrumentals. Relationships (yep, that’s the theme this week) is the prominent theme, and interestingly enough, is our third unique take on the subject matter. MØ struggles to exist without the partner she has recently parted from. MØ, unlike the playfulness felt by Jungle or the lust-driven nature from Billie, is longing to rekindle her personal identity that she felt she lost after losing her significant other. Hey, listen. Every relationship has its trials and tribulations — remember, being you should always be your top priority. Don’t let others cloud that fact.

“Monster” – PVRIS
Release Date – July 30

For our final and arguably biggest track of the week, PVRIS rekindles her fire on “Monster.” Initially, this track sounds like your typical run-of-the-mill pop mix, but listeners will quickly realize how false that claim is. This track swaps right over to a Skrillex-esque beat, probably influenced by PVRIS’ recent connection with Rezz who draws inspiration from Skrillex’s earlier works. PVRIS’ beats aren’t the only invigorating portion of this track, no. Quite the contrary; her vocals wrap this track in a beautiful edgy bow. The pre-chorus gave me chills, and the chorus is equally infectious — almost seeping into one’s veins like a toxin. Overall, PVRIS definitely channels a bit of an unanticipated edge on this track, but… yeah, you guessed it. I’m so here for it.