AIRY BABY – "LOSING SENSATION // WEAR MY SKIN"

Hip-hop / HyperPop

Every now and then you find an artist with a genuinely groundbreaking fusion of sounds and styles. Such is the case with AIRY BABY.

"LOSING SENSATION // WEAR MY SKIN" is really, really cool. It's emotional, impulsive, idealistic, light. The vocal production is top-notch, and we're loving the ad libs, the harmonies, and the stacked "la" textures. It's got hip hop vibes but feels more housey/hyper pop.

Hyper Hop? (We coined it first, folks).

It's a really, really unique sound and pairs well with AIRY BABY's anime visualizers, too. Such a vibe.

Jason Nott – "The End"

Alternative Rock

Deftly pairing catchy, playful melodies with haunting lyrics on addiction, this ironic alt anthem has been on our minds constantly since we first heard it.

This has such a solid mix. Jason laid down a great vocal over a harmonic progression with plenty of twists and turns. The accentuating harmonies, beefy guitars, and overall approach will please fans of Stadium Arcadium-era Red Hot Chili Peppers.

It cooks until it drops and when it drops, it's SUPER cathartic. 

Sara Diana – "Body Ache"

Pop

Miami’s Sara Diana pairs lush production with her hauntingly beautiful vocals. Her take on dancable synth pop feels like an updated 80s romp, and her brassy vocals draw comparisons to Born This Way-era Lady Gaga.

At just 19, she's proving herself a force in the indie pop space with a sound that feels as natural to her as breathing. Produced alongside Sean P Jones, J. P. Warner, and Tracksion_Producer, "Body Ache" captures the pain of heartbreak while celebrating the strength that comes from reclaiming your confidence. 

Paul James – "Don't Wanna Slow Down"

Bedroom Pop

Paul James is proof that bedroom pop is alive and well. Opening with washy synths and energy in the form of straight-ahead rim clicks and rapid-fire vocal delivery, this song oozes energy and tension from the jump.

When the chorus kicks things up a notch, we're greeted with unique vocal turns and vocoder harmonies over the top of a throwback 00s pop/punk beat, but with new textures. The drum production is one of my favorite things about this song.

Lots of people seem to agree. This bad boy has racked up 250,000 streams since we first heard it.

Mathea-Mari – "Tired of Fixing A Broken Heart"

Pop/Singer-Songwriter

24-year-old Norwegian pop singer Mathea-Mari first made a name for herself as a finalist on Norway’s Got Talent at age 12 and as the winner of Eurovision Junior at 14. 

Now, she's carving her own path forward in the pop/singer-songwriter space. Her gorgeous, delicate vocal approach is electrifying. This track has a really cool fusion of acoustic instruments and mainstream pop vocal production that feels like modern folk/pop with a dash of indie rock – but more anthemic.

It's bittersweet, but it'll be stuck in your head for days.