As if Fridays weren’t your favourite day already, Refinery29 will also be gathering the best new music out each week, and breaking down why each track deserves a spot on your weekend playlist.
Be it love, mental health struggles, or the perpetually chaotic state of the world, all music is inspired by something personal, and the artists on this week's edition of New Music Fridays are really going there with their new releases.
These drops are especially personal, tapping into the musicians' deepest and most intimate feelings while still somehow resonating across the board. But then again, that's what good music does — it sparks something inside of you no matter where you are.
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From go-getter sex pop (yes, that's a thing) to existential ragers to gratitude anthems, here are some of the new songs that you need to know this week.
KINIDA, "Muri Apa”
Multimedia artist KINIDA lets us into her head in the wavy sonic experience that is "Muri Apa" ("headache" in Korean), an eclectic inner dialogue about the conflicting feelings borne from heartbreak.
Falana, “Joy”
Looking at the brighter side is easier when you've got a soundtrack, and "Joy" is the perfect tune to unleash your inner optimist. Leaning on quintessential high life guitars to elevate its Afrobeats base, the latest from Falana is essential listening for anyone on the higher path to gratitude.
Destroy Boys, “Muzzle”
Destroy Boys aren't playing nice in "Muzzle," kicking ass and taking names in the high-energy new single about fighting back against the powers that be. Turn this one all the way up.
L'FREAQ, "Make Me Move"
Between L'FREAQ's robust range and the song's powerful instrumental, "Make Me Move" feels like world-building music. But at its core, the colossal offering is about the singer's deepest yearning for her soulmate.
Get all our recommendations. Listen to the full New Music To Know in 2021 playlist on Spotify:
Dizzy Fae, “360 Baby”
A fascinating blend of feather soft vocals, salacious lyrics, and distorted computer sound effects, Dizzy Fae successfully pushes her "sex pop" agenda to the forefront. I'm a believer.
Kalie Shorr, "Amy"
"Amy" pulls a particularly personal page from Kalie Shorr's diary, providing a scathing read of a shady woman from the singer-songwriter's past. She pours out poison over the classic rock instrumental, shredding the woman who stole her man to pits with as much vim as she shreds that guitar.
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(Amy, wherever you are, I know this hurts.)
Lily McKenzie, "It's Not Me, It's You"
UK garage gets a refreshing lesson in introspection courtesy of Lily McKenzie as the South London singer injects up the usual vibes of the genre with candid self-reflection about what she's put up with — and what she actually deserves.
"I know better because I've been here before," she sings on the building hook. "I don't want to spend my time telling you what's wrong or right."