December? ALREADY? Before we kiss this year goodbye, we’ve got our last 2022 New Music Alert, complete with dreamy synth tracks, kaleidoscopic pop, and intoxicating R&B. Hear the full playlist below, along with a few words on some standout tracks.
MADELINE EDWARDS | “MAMA, DOLLY, JESUS”
Let’s begin with this gritty country pop number from Madeline Edwards’ new album, Crashlanded, her first release with Warner Music Group-Nashville. It’s a big, raucous tune, so clear some room and crank this thing up.
HOHNEN FORD | “DON’T FALL ASLEEP”
This one just feels like December in its most romantic, most melancholic, fine form. The London artist made a simple yet stunning EP, Infinity, from her own childhood bedroom, and with just voice and piano, she takes us through wistful melodies and wise, easy phrases. It already feels classic.
SARAH KANG | “ONCE IN A MOON”
Ah, this one’s so delightful. A little romantic, a little folky, a nice taste of the artist’s recent LP, how i remember.
TIM WOODS | “HERE WE GO AGAIN”
You’re in this thing from the start, and then when the Houston, TX hip-hop artist swerves the rhythm around the :25 mark, you’re gliding alongside it, taking in Tim Woods’ words.
BRONZE AVERY | “SOFTSHELL”
A sparkly jam from Bronze Avery’s brand new album, SOFTMETAL. It’s airy, electric—actually, you should just listen and tell us what you hear.
ONTHETREE | “ПАК ЛИ”
The Bulgarian artist gives us this dreamy, self-produced track that somehow morphs electric piano and whispered vocals into ripples on rain puddles under heavy gray clouds. Get lost in these textures.
MICHAL WEINSTOCK | “WORK HARD”
The last song might’ve made you pensive, but you’re about to do a full-on about-face into springy, vibrant electric feelings. Michael Weinstock brings us this technicolor pop number that feels otherworldly and bright, all in a quick two-minute stint.
FIG | “HONEY FILLED SKIES”
Having a bad day? FIG’s ready to take you right out of that thing and bring you into a serene mood, with big spacey instrumentation, sultry saxophone, intoxicating beats, and the NYC-based, Malaysian artist’s soft spoken verses guiding you along the way.
BIRU BARU | “LAHIR”
Sometimes instead of an instant hook or a beat, you need some breathing room in a song. The Jakarta, Indonesia based duo does just that, with a shimmering, almost ambient opening, before kicking into a slowly rising, synth-filled number that falls somewhere between an anthem and a ballad. You listen and decide.
BECKAH AMANI | “STANDARDS”
Isn’t it the best when all it takes is a single voice to grip you? Beckah Amani does that with this subtle stunner, consisting of an acoustic guitar and a vocal line, occasionally haloed by a harmony. You need to hear this.
A’SEAN | “NO TIME”
There’s something about this song that feels like water drops. Maybe it’s the gentle melodic drops that serve as hooks, or the way the Kansas City based artist’s verse melodies seem so fluid, slipping through and around the instrumentation, impossible to pin down. Whatever the case, it’s working.
YAKUL | “WAITING LINE”
Sometimes a song just nails a good vibe. This Yakul, James Berkeleye, and edbl collaboration does just that—it’s smooth, a little poppy, a little R&B-esque, and a lot of vibey delight. Put it on and embrace the mood.
ARJUNA OAKES | “FLAVOUR”
And speaking of some solidly lovely vibes, we’re going to leave you here with Arjuna Oakes’ sizzly, sparkly R&B jam, “Flavour”. The Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa, New Zealand based artist is giving us something sweet here, don’t pass on this gift.
