Midwife, aka multi-instrumentalist Madeline Johnston, captures all the angst and intensity of the past year on one intense recording. Elements of shoegaze, metal, post-metal, pop, and electro-pop commingle on her latest release, Luminol. The name of the record comes from the chemical used by forensic investigators to discover blood and other bodily fluids left behind at a crime scene. And just like its namesake, this difficult-but-important album has a way of dredging up all kinds of forgotten emotions. Themes of depression, confinement, and claustrophobia work...

On her third album, London-based musician Billie Marten takes her minimalist acoustic foundation and grows a verdant, beautiful landscape all over it. Like the single, “Garden of Eden,” Flora Fauna is an exemplar of growth: Marten’s signature breathy, tender vocals swim amidst rich, abounding instrumentation including horns, strings, toe-tapping beats, and drums and bass which enliven these pop songs. She strikes a cunning balance of play and contemplation, joy and longing. And her lyrics, which always express quiet truths about her inner experience, now sparkle with optimism....

It is hot girl summer, yes. But maybe it is also blasphemous babe beach season? (Question mark intended to be read aloud for emphasis.)  Rarely can you find a more interesting and profound mix of religion, sex, and love than in the music that artists of past and present have blessed us with. Included below are songs for you to meditate on the power and practice of love, lust, and longing, in whatever form they may take this summer.  1. “Like A Prayer” by Madonna (1989) Like a...

SPELLLING has spent her last few projects solidifying her work as an electro-pop goddess. With The Turning Wheel, she takes on a whole new creative task, by curating (and self-producing) a brand new musical experience. Swapping synths for richer instrumentation, SPELLLING offers highlights including melodic opener “Little Deer,” a soulful title track, and the moody “Queen of Wands.” The songs shift as effortlessly as their sounds, proving just how deeply SPELLLING is focused on mastering a cohesive project. The Turning Wheel offers a new spin...

This week was another success in terms of music. We got a new Doja Cat album (with many amazing features), a new WILLOW single that is bound to be a hit and many more songs that will wander onto our playlists all summer. Below are six songs, out this week, that you need to check out.  1. “I Don’t Do Drugs” by Doja Cat (feat. Ariana Grande) Right off of Doja Cat’s new, highly-anticipated album “Planet Her'', “I Don’t Do Drugs” lives up to the hype. The...

Monique DeBose's gracefulness and dedication to uplifting women of all backgrounds shines on her newest single, "Brown Beauty." Tied with the release of her podcast More With Monique and her social media campaign, "I Choose More," DeBose is a creative looking to transcend the boundaries of what it means to create art and inspire others. I had the pleasure of speaking with DeBose as we discussed her "Brown Beauty," her podcast, and more.  Can you give me a little backstory into how “Brown Beauty” came about? It’s actually...

Singer-songwriter Gavin Turek is not only magical, but a woman with integrity and heart. Turek made strides with her mini-album, You’re Invited, back in 2015 and took the world by storm with her 2017 EP, Good Look For You. Making her graceful return to music with her newest single “Illusions," Turek wants to make one thing clear to her listeners: with resilience, comes great rewards. I had the pleasure of getting to know Turek as we discussed “Illusions," her upcoming album Madame Gold, and more.  What was...

Swedish singer-songwriter Skott is a tricky popstar to categorize. Since her debut single "Porcelain" (2016), she has been praised for her genre-defying sound, and in sitting down to speak with her, the reasons for this become clear—there is no hint of anything contrived about her as an artist; she seems, instead, to be guided by an intuition that translates into self-contained musical gems with their own unique identity. Her discography possesses an almost synaesthetic quality: she uses every resource at her disposal, whether it’s psychedelic...

The queer Persian pop princess we’ve all been waiting for has been solidifying herself as our latest obsession. Gia Woods is ridiculously talented, undeniably sexy, and sooooo gay. With hypnotizing vocals and a nostalgic hyper-pop sound, she’s going to be at the top of all of our post-pandemic going out playlists.  Originally debuting (and coming out of the closet) in 2015 with her song “Only A Girl,” she is by no means new to the music scene, but certainly staying exciting and innovative as an artist....

Singer/songwriter and Louisville-native Marzz is setting the tone with the release of her debut EP, Love Letterz. A project about self-love, healing, and the practice of vulnerability, Love Letterz comes after an array of impressive singles from Marzz, including “So Frequently," “Countless Times," and “Cleopatra." I had the pleasure of getting to know Marzz as we discussed more about her EP, her creative process, and potential future collaborations.  How does it feel to know that this EP is coming out so soon?  I’m definitely excited. It’s also something that...