LA queer pop duo TWINKIDS try to navigate the maze of emotions that results from a difficult encounter with a recent ex on their new single “I Luv You”, the second offering from the outfit’s forthcoming sophomore EP Lizard House. Songwriters Gene Fukui and Matt Young utilize 80s J-pop influences mixed with lush layers of swirling synths to build an ethereal, vivid landscape that’s hard to forget. The story depicted is one that we know all too well—the rollercoaster ride of emotions that hits you when you run into someone that you used to love. Fukui and Young don’t fail to paint the classic aspects of this type of situation: the rush of nostalgia and the comfortable familiarity that you suddenly yearn for all over again. They further color it in with their heartfelt lyrics, “I am misaligned / I’m no longer mine, this / Cage I built myself / Stuck on someone else.” The vibrant punches of percussion and soaring, melodic choruses mirror that agonizing push and pull that spins you around inside. The song reinforces the idea that just because something may not be as intact as it once was, doesn’t mean it still doesn’t have a substantial impact. Lizard House is officially out on November 22nd.

Belgian indie group Pale Grey’s single, “Seasons” off of their new album, Waves is the perfect complement to a quiet fall afternoon. It starts off with a simple beat and some garage-like synths that quickly fill up the track with a feeling of longing. Though it sits at just over two minutes, the song packs an emotional punch with minimal production. It asks the question of whether or not you can go on when the one you love passes away, and in that contemplation is where the song shines.

Indie favorites JR JR, formerly known as Dale Earnhardt JR JR, have returned to the scene with new music after their self-titled LP back in 2015. The new single, “Clean Up” offers a look at the mind of someone coming to terms with their addictions and indulgences. The duo uses a throbbing bass line, simple plucked guitar and harmonies to illustrate the conflict that happens when one willfully chooses something that is bad for them. “Clean Up” brings JR JR to a more provocative realm, and one that we are excited to see more of in the upcoming album.

Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.

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.