Cozy up with your Pumpkin Spice Latte and settle in for some #NMM.

‘Charlotte’s Thong’ – Connan Mockasin

“The second single from the forthcoming album Jassbusters is a hypnotic nine-minute indie epic. For those unfamiliar, Connan Mockasin is an indie rock eccentric with style similar to Ariel Pink, but a sound more akin to Mac Demarco’s early records. The difference is that Demarco thrives on simplicity, whereas Mockasin takes a more ambitious art-rock approach, as evidenced by this abstract nine-minute single. ‘Charlotte’s Thong’ utilizes silky smooth production, twinkly warm chords, and Mockasin’s trademark crooning vocal delivery. The track is classic Connan, and old fans will embrace it with open arms. For new fans, this serves as a perfect place to start. The new album, Jassbusters, drops October 12th. Anticipation is high, and its been rumored Charlotte Gainsbourg and James Blake collaborated on tracks.”

– Joey Molloy

‘Here Comes the Change’ – Kesha

“Kesha continues to stick to her new pop country roots with her new song ‘Here Comes The Change’ from the Motion Picture On the Basis of Sex. Like ‘Praying,’ this song starts out small and ends big. The range that Kesha has proven she can deliver has yet to let us down. And she extends the theme of changing and moving on, so for Kesha fans, it’s like a positive update on how she’s doing. This song offers all you want for a country ballad that sounds like it would be made for a movie: hopeful lyrics, twangy guitar, heartfelt harmonica, and a very enthusiastic stomping of the bass drum. By no means am I a country fan, but I could follow Kesha through any genre if it means continuing to let her power belt through my earbuds and make me cry.”

– Sarah Sherard

‘Wu Tang Forever’ – Logic

“This is the best Logic we’ve heard since his 2015 release of The Incredible True Story. On this fourth album in what he calls the “Young Sinatra” collective, Logic included 9 members of the Wu Tang Clan. Each verse more impressive than the one before, this 8 minute track gives well-deserved time to develop into the tribute Wu Tang deserves. Although Logic sacrifices some of his lyrical talent in the first verse of the song, he does it for the sake of Wu Tang’s well-deserved introduction.”

– Andrew Szendrey

‘Mona Lisa’ – Lil Wayne ft. Kendrick Lamar

“Lil Wayne’s long-awaited album Tha Carter V dropped last week, and it is dense. One track that really stands out is ‘Mona Lisa,’ which features Kendrick Lamar. This is not your average rap song about lust; it’s a poem about falling for a deceitful woman — a parallel to Mona Lisa’s unsettling smile. Kendrick’s verse is by far the highlight of the song. He describes a demanding and toxic relationship from his past, and the tone is so bitter you can taste the disgust. It’s broken-hearted, but the deception-fueled anger makes the song tense and rapid. Filled allusions and appropriately disquieting, it is a lot to unpack, but reveals a certain depth we have come to expect from Lamar and, in extension, Weezy.”

– Guy Ovadia

‘Africa – RAC Remix’ – Weezer, RAC

“What began with a 14-year old girl trying to start a meme has turned into a music and internet revolution. In May 2018, a girl named Mary convinced 90’s alt rock band Weezer to cover ‘Africa,’ by Toto. The internet went crazy, and Weezer scored a hit for the first time in over a decade. The song was mediocre to start and Weezer didn’t make it any better. But a new contender has entered the ring. RAC, the renowned remix artist, has made his move to make this meme a masterpiece.

At long last, ladies and gentlemen, here is RAC’s remix of Weezer’s cover of Toto’s ‘Africa.’”

– Dom Yamarone and Juliette Paige

‘Next Best Thing’ – Clarence Clarity

“Clarence Clarity has been by far my favorite producer since the release of his 2015 album No Now. No one creates pop music quite as layered and out there as he does. ‘Next Best Thing’ is the first of two singles released for his new record Think: Peace coming out this Friday. It continues with his musical style, pulling heavily from early 2000s R&B and pop music and adding in glitchy, bold production. The result is a beautifully triumphant and smooth sound that makes me incredibly excited for the new album.”

– Grant Foskett

‘keeping up’ – Microwave

“For their first new release in two years, Microwave has taken everything fans are used to and abandoned it, choosing to create a hauntingly depressive single. ‘keeping up’ is nothing like the screaming rock tunes from Much Love and Stovall. Opting for soothing riffs instead of harder ones, the band crafts a wonderful piece that speaks from real experiences of being on the road. The lyrics are about singer Nathan Hardy’s struggles with touring instead of being at home. He leads with the idea that having a day job is terrible yet comforting and closes out with lines about how he is losing his friends outside of the band because he simply cannot catch up with them. The solo is arguably Microwave’s best, with only the one from ‘Grass Stains’ really rivaling it. It is a fantastically smooth riff that is perfected by the backing bass and drums quieting down and letting the guitar shine. It truly is a work of art; emotional, depressing art.”

– Mike Puzzanghera