Breagh Isabel – Girlfriends
Breagh Isabel’s airy single “Girlfriends” balances unrequited love with all of the confusion and heartbreak that comes with growing up as a queer woman in less welcoming times.
Skeleton Club – Wormz
Skeleton Club threw a curveball with “Wormz,” and its dark, tantalizing beat makes it a true (pardon the pun) earworm. Reminding us of David Seville’s 1958 hit, “Witch Doctor,” this is a delicious, bizarre track about the potentially unintended consequences of a passion for fishing gone entirely wrong. (Read more…)
Hello Delaware – Alicya
Written as a dream journal and turned into a power-pop ballad, “Alicya” tells the tale of a broken heart left behind by a woman who took shape in the subconscious of Hello Delaware’s frontwoman, Dana Beeler. Filled with angst the residual energy of a jarring dream, this upbeat track is a testament to the power of the sleeping mind. (Read more…)
The Town Heroes – Fuse
Bringing back The Town Heroes’ hard edge of Michael S. Ryan and Bruce Gillis as a duo, “Fuse” is an energy-packed track about young love blossoming in a small Cape Breton town. Crafted to wring out whatever wholesome nostalgia could be extracted from their adolescence, “Fuse” somehow comes across as something far more exciting when paired with this delicious beat. (Read more…)
Virginia Fudge – Chit Chatter
Virginia Fudge’s “Chit Catter” was not released as a single, but probably deserved to be. Juxtaposing a mighty reverberance with the sound of a delicate music box-like piano, the song has the uneasy quality of an anxious dance party as Fudge ponders aloud the durability of a struggling relationship. (Read more…)
Kelly McMichael – Out the Window
“Out the Window” is Kelly McMichael’s ode to Thelma & Louise. It’s a fun bit of escapism that suggests ditching the shitty boyfriends and shittier jobs wouldn’t be the worst plan a couple of friends ever had. (Read more…)
Honeymoon Driver – College
With “College,” Honeymoon Driver takes a critical look at university as an institution and its effects on the mental and financial wellbeing of students. Carried on a high-energy sound, the song’s message speaks to students everywhere and serves as an anthem for educational woes. (Read more…)
David Myles – Bird Song
Was this David Myles or Miles Davis? And where does Charlie Parker fit into all of this? On “Bird Song,” Myles threw us for a loop when the same guy who brought us “Inner Ninja” broke out some sophisticated jazz for his upcoming album, That Tall Distance. (Read more…)
Skeleton Club – Magic Beach
On the social isolation-inspired “Magic Beach,” Skeleton Club bottles up the feeling of getting lost inside your head and questioning your every emotion, concentrates it, and then releases it back out into the world. With its laidback pacing and deep grooves, “Magic Beach” easily resonates with everyone who has felt isolated this year — so, everyone. (Read more…)
Kelly McMichael – Stepping Stone
Kelly McMichael’s album, Waves, might have dominated this list entirely if we hadn’t pumped the brakes. Spanning eight years and several reinventions, Waves plays out like a greatest hits album meets an affirmation of identity. Unsurprisingly, McMichael has picked up a few stories along the way. “Stepping Stone” is one such story about navigating the often murky waters of music industry relations. (Read more…)
Did you do it? Did you read them all? Great job! Now, would you like to listen to them all in one place? We’ve created a complete playlist for you to peruse for your pleasure and at your leisure.