Get ready for your big turkey dinner by listening to these tasty new tunes. #NMM.

‘Pussy Is God’ – King Princess

“Has anyone seen Mikaela Strauss? This 19-year-old New York native is a music prodigy. At just age 11, she was offered a record deal but turned it down to continue her education. By June 2018, she released her debut EP, Make My Bed, a five-track compilation on forbidden love through the stages of adolescence. Having received positive recognition for her work from well-established artists, such as Harry Styles himself, she was gearing up to disrupt the music industry with her bold new single, ‘Pussy is God.’ A song so catchy that it makes you want to celebrate and pay reverence to queer love through the use of upbeat rhythmic array of bass and guitar and immaculate vocals.

Religious symbolism is not entirely new in music, or to Strauss. Earlier this year, Ariana Grande released ‘God Is A Women,’ and King Princess’s song ‘holy’ was a religious take on love and advocating for the lgbtq+ community. Her lyrics are always a play on words, raw and unapologetic. Straus isn’t afraid to go into the uncharted waters and proclaimed her sexuality loud and clear with ‘Pussy is God.’ The title is self-explanatory, a song dedicated to expressionism of romance and sexuality. The music video is quirky (hello flying toasters), but also nostalgic as she floats amongst clouds on a pixelated backdrop. For those who are now intrigued, she announced a North America tour!”

– Victoria Tan

‘True’ – Hannah Diamond

“2018 has been a fairly slow year for the enigmatic London PC Music label. Resident sad girl Hannah Diamond has been especially quiet, having not released new music for two years, which makes the release of ‘True’ and the announcement of her new album Reflections all the more exciting. ‘True’ is a signature Hannah song, incredibly overproduced vocals that still feel cute and sincere, and sharp synth tones that line up perfectly with her carefully sculpted image that 2015’s ‘Hi’ laid out perfectly. Hannah is a sad girl in her bedroom making pop songs about unrequited love for the Internet. ‘True’ is no different, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredible. So far, she’s only released 7 songs in almost 6 years, so the prospect of a full Hannah Diamond album alone is enough to get me excited, even if this single wasn’t so fantastic.”

– Grant Foskett

‘King of the Hill’ – Thundercat feat. Flying Lotus and BADBADNOTGOOD

“Thundercat is one of the most impactful musicians of our generation. When your CV includes features on such universally acclaimed albums such as Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly and DAMN., Mac Miller’s Swimming and GO:OD AM, Flying Lotus’s Cosmogramma, and Travis Scott’s Astroworld, to name a few, you have the right to be known as music royalty. His latest track is just as worthy of acclaim as these previous projects. Thundercat’s ‘King of the Hill,’ featuring Flying Lotus and BADBADNOTGOOD is a three-minute masterpiece, with the signature Thundercat bass, twinkling keys, and incredible harmonies one would expect from this collaboration. The track broods before exploding into the neo-soul we know and love from Thundercat, even featuring a prominent key solo near the end that gets you out of your seat. And just as quickly as it establishes itself, it fades, making the listener yearn for more. Hopefully more is on the way from this trio.”

– Chris Bach

‘Happen Twice’ – Mark Whalen

“This Friday, Mark Whalen dropped his debut album entitled Morning Glory. It’s a record that showcases Whalen’s artistic growth and potential for indie stardom. Morning Glory exceeds expectations thanks to improved production and additional instrumentation. As expected, Mark’s swagger and songwriting chops are on point too. The lead single ‘Happen Twice’ is a funky throwback that transports listeners onto a 70’s disco dance floor. The track features vintage synth sounds, a groovy bassline, a wicked solo, and smooth vocals. These elements effortlessly mesh together, demanding listeners to get up on their feet and dance (or at the very least bob their head). If you’re looking for new music from an artist that is undoubtedly on the verge of his big break, look no further.”

– Joey Molloy

‘In Cold Blood’ – alt-J feat. Pusha T (Twin Shadow Version)

“Alt-J has come a long way since ‘Awesome Wave’ and ‘This is All Yours.’ The British indie group takes on the rap scene with the single, ‘In Cold Blood’ from their new album, Reduxer. This remix comes as a refreshing release as they go beyond their typical indie-rock sound, with a collaboration with rapper Pusha T and Twin Shadow proving Alt-J as a universal group. The track still incorporates frontman Joe Newman’s whiny, yet powerful vocals complemented by a heavy verse from Pusha T. This release features a futuristic sound accompanied by a deep, effortless bass providing the real Alt-J listening experience.”

– Kristen Tabia

‘Worst Nites’ – Foster The People

“My immediate reaction as I listened to this song was, ‘Who is this?’ Despite their characteristic mix of indie/electronic/pop elements, ‘Worst Nites,’ seems a distant relative to their earlier work. This doesn’t necessarily make it a bad song; it’s funky, upbeat, and the lyrics tell an engaging narrative of life in LA and how one’s worst nights can be the most memorable. However, I was left underwhelmed and missing their old music. Songs like ‘Helena Beat,’ ‘Houdini,’ and ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ were so much a part of my discovery of my own taste in music (aided in large part by my local alternative radio station and my dad’s 90’s alt CDs) so this band holds a warm place in my heart and on many of the playlists I’ve made since then. Despite the fact that the band has changed a lot since 2011, I suppose a part of me was still expecting or hoping for Torches era FTP, so I was inevitably going to be a bit disappointed.”

– Kailey Williams

‘Like Mariah’ – HOMESHAKE

“Montreal native Peter Sagar, better known by his solo project HOMESHAKE, is back to bless us with some new –c h i l l– tunes. The synth-pop legend has dropped the first promotional single for his upcoming album Helium, due in February. ‘Like Mariah’ shows HOMESHAKE taking a more minimal direction, with scaled back production and lower-quality vocals. The chorus is simple and straightforward, making for a release that will surely get a majority of fans excited. More than a showcase of his musical ability, this song proves HOMESHAKE knows how to get people excited for a new release.”

– Christian Triunfo