“Painted Smile” by Stimmerman starts with a sound vaguely reminiscent of Radiohead before picking up and becoming absolute musical chaos. The first two minutes are dialed down and sensual with plucky guitar and a blurred line between soft brass and hushed vocals. Gradually picking up the pace, the song suddenly turns on itself—the brass blares, the drums and cymbals reverberate, the guitar struts, and the vocals become fierce. And just as suddenly as it picks up, it ends. “Painted Smile” masters distinct sounds and simultaneously blends them and pits them against each other. The song is a combination of seemingly simple parts, but they make up a harrowing whole.

Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.