There is no denying that Friday is the best day of the week where new music is released and we geek out at every playlist available while celebrating the end of the work week and getting excited about weekend plans. While new music is dropping almost every day, we understand that the task of breaking through all that music clutter is difficult. Here at Popwire, we do you a favour by handpicking new singles and albums you ought to keep your headphones on for.
Krysta Joy, Revert
Earthy tones and empowering lyrics ground Krysta Joy in a soulful output of her honest ramblings. Inspired by her previous struggles with mental health and suicide, ‘Revert‘ speaks of how she still feels in moments of weakness. Despite all the progress she has made over the years, there are still moments she feels like it is all a sham and she will always be the failure she believed herself to be.
Through this song, she hopes to encourage many others who may resonate with this message with the truth that all progress is still progress and they are not alone in this internal battle.
Listen to ‘Revert’
BGourd, Beansprouts, Whack
Singaporean rapper, BGourd teases his upcoming album with his debut release ‘Whack’. With tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the song is an introduction to BGourd’s brand of alternative hip-hop. Produced by Singapore producer Fauxe, ‘Whack’ is a brash middle finger and features an urban and alternative take on hip-hop and rap from Southeast Asia that is both refreshing and catchy.
Listen to ‘Whack‘
joan, so good
Arkansas duo joan have released ‘so good’, (and it’s really so good — sorry just had to) the first of new music from a new chapter for the band. ‘the wave era’ will come in the form of two new EPs dropping this year. With the duo’s trademark alt-pop bops, tinged with the sweetest hint of 90’s R&B influences, the song is “about feeling like you’re meant to be with someone who just walked in the room. It’s about being around someone that just makes your life feel good. it’s about wishing that person was there your whole life because you didn’t realize how good it could be. here’s hoping you have that someone or hoping you find them soon”.
Darin, Can’t Stay Away
Call this the feel-good tune for this semi-lockdown/cabin fever period of Singapore where you’re probably imagining yourself rollerblading through a disco room (also for those who have been dying to party for the longest time, we hear you). Modern day Swedish King of Pop, Darin will be releasing ‘Can’t Stay Away‘ on 28 May. The track is Darin’s first English single that is co-written with Jamie Hartman (Calvin Harris, Kygo, Lewis Capaldi) and produced by Burns (Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s ‘Rain On Me‘). ‘Can’t Stay Away‘ is all about not getting over the previous relationship one had and having the desire to stay in it for its physical attraction.
Pre-save ‘Can’t Stay Away’, out on 28 May.
SHAED, High Dive
Multi-Platinum D.C. trio SHAED has released their
debut album, ‘High Dive‘ with new single and special version of the titled-track ‘High Dive‘ featuring experimental pop duo Lewis Del Mar. This release with the album follows the band’s milestone of surpassing 2 billion streams across all digital streaming platforms. The music video looks like a mix of Wes Anderson pastel colours x Napolean Dynamite ‘The Office’ version put together. The album itself is all about taking a leap of faith into the unknown, and we are so glad they did because this album is really something on its own. Also check out ‘I Know Nothing‘ and ‘Part Time Psycho‘ featuring Two Feet.
Listen to SHAED’s debut album ‘High Dive‘
Cheri Indigo, Like Day
‘Like Day‘ is Cheri Indigo’s fourth studio single. The track talks about finding solace in a lover through the artist’s struggles with depression. An homage to her asian heritage, Cheri uses samples of mahjong tiles colliding and poker chips in her second verse. The track also features the use of lo-fi hip hop beats, light synth pads and bell-like tones.
Listen to ‘Like Day‘