New Music Friday has never looked so good!
Officially the third Friday of the new year, and the second New Music Friday of the year, this week has blessed us with countless new songs by some of our favorite new and old artists.
From our new favorite local band Shallow Pools to longtime favorites DREAMERS, today has been the perfect musical end to a long and arduous week.
So please sit back, relax, and check out our top releases of the week. And as always, be sure to check out our full January release Spotify playlist, linked below.
An indie pop rock band from Massachusetts, Shallow Pools are hitting close to home this week with the release of their new single “Ice Water.”
Released this morning, the new single is a diary entry of sorts about navigating the past 10 months while stuck indoors during the global pandemic. With lyrics about repeating the same day over and over while trying to keep your mental health stable, “Ice Water” begs for a return to normalcy in a mix of indie pop and 80s synthesized nostalgia.
And in addition to the single, the band also released a new video that gives listeners a visual representation for how the past year has felt- living in a haze between repeated days and distant social media connections. A perfect anthem to remind us all we aren’t alone in our feelings of isolation, this track is easily one of our favorites of the week.
John O’Callaghan has been treating his fans in the best way this week with the announcement of a new merch line, a brand new single and the release date of his debut solo album.
An instantly recognizable voice best known as the lead vocalist for The Maine, O’Callaghan has just shared that while his main act The Maine is working on their next release, his solo endeavor- known as John the Ghost- is kicking into high gear ahead of the release of his debut solo album I ONLY WANT TO LIVE ONCE on February 12th. And what way to better celebrate such a week of announcements than to release a brand new Friday single.
“Drive,” which debuted today is the third single from IOWTLO, following “Live Once” and “Rolled Down Windows.”
A smooth, almost nostalgic feeling song, “Drive” is an ode to making the best out of a bad situation. Lyrically referencing the world being “on fire” and “crashing down,” the alt-pop release expresses a desire to break free from reality and take a few moments away in an ideal state. An ideology that is perfectly lined up with the current news cycle, this song is perfect for throwing on and going for a late night drive with your closest (socially distant) friend and/or love.
Overthinking is one of the most common and most detrimental activities we all occasionally find ourselves participating in. Especially over the past ten months when there have been few other options than to stay at home and rethink every mistake you’ve ever made in your life. But luckily for us, we are not alone in doing so, and electro pop duo Chapel have just released a song about doing just that. Thus comes “Pillow Talk.”
Released today, “Pillow Talk” is a song about regretting things you’ve said in the past and being unable to rest because you’ve spent too much time dwelling on these mistakes. Perhaps hurtful words you wish you hadn’t said or actions you shouldn’t have taken, the single puts a catchy spin on overthinking insomnia while reminding listeners that they aren’t alone in these feelings/worries.
“After a few weeks deep into quarantine, we found ourselves overthinking everything more than we have before,” drummer Kortney Grinwis shared. “Feeling locked in with our thoughts, we wrote this song in hopes it would relieve some of that tension within ourselves.”
Coupling these anxiety riddled lyrics with uptempo instrumentals and a pulsing synth that will keep you moving while also feeling at ease, “Pillow Talk” is a perfect release to throw on and think about nothing other than how great of a bop it is.
Another track about being unable to get sleep due to a wandering mind and feelings of uncertainty, “Dopamine” is the latest single by alternative metalcore band Octopus Montage.
A quartet based out of Blackpool, England, Octopus Montage have consistently released new singles over the past year that tackle the experience of growing up and finding your own path, while simultaneously being unsure how to achieve a “successful” life. Relating heavily to millennials and others who are trying to navigate becoming a “real adult” in a time of global strife, “Dopamine” is a perfect reflection of young adulthood.
Using heavy pop-punk and rock influence with lyrics dripping in age related anxieties, “Dopamine” is an honest reflection of what growing up feels like. From losing interest in formerly loved hobbies, struggling to find and maintain a job that both pays well and keeps you happy, and battling relationships all the while, the song is a perfect reminder that growing up isn’t easy- and we aren’t crazy for feeling that way.
And though the song may be about not having enough dopamine, and living in an age of anxiety, the song’s music video is sure to give each viewer a splash of happiness through a slide show of very cute pet images.
“Still Not Dead” by DREAMERS, American Teeth, Wes Period
An optimistic track inspired by a less than happy circumstance, “Still Not Dead” is an anthem for taking stock of the good things in your life and taking a few moments to be grateful for what you have- specifically for your life.
Written after DREAMERS’ Nick Wold lost a friend to suicide, “Still Not Dead” was written as a way to process the grief while also realizing that there are good aspects to being alive, even if it’s not always easy to see them for what they are. A collaboration between DREAMERS, American Teeth and Wes Period, each artist shares their own experiences with death and attempts at staying positive through three distinct verses.
““Still Not Dead’ is our version of gratitude for all the small things and the big things that we have,” Wold shared. “[It is] our thanks for getting to be alive.”
Carried by DREAMERS’ recognizable signature electro-rock style, the song’s collaborators add an extra flair that takes the track to the next level. With no specific genre boxing it in, this is truly a song for people of all musical preferences as the beats and the lyrics are sure to hit home.
“While We Wait” by Dominique Fils-Aimé
Released yesterday as part of her upcoming album Three Little Words, Dominique Fils-Aimé is navigating soul music and fighting for justice with her new single “While We Wait.”
Serving as a conclusion to a trilogy of albums exploring the roots of African American musical culture, the upcoming album and new single both take Fils-Amié’s music a step further. Working beyond music that solely makes you feel good, the new releases force listeners to open their minds, as well as their ears and contemplate what it takes to make a better future.
Opening with a smooth, angelic vocal pattern over a catchy 60s inspired beat, the song begins as a subtle call for change before kicking it up a notch about two minutes in.
With a quick key change and a building chorus echoing behind Fils-Aimé, the song transforms into an epic statute of certainty. Repeating “We will be the change,” the singer recreates the sentiments of the civil rights movement while also calling present listeners to action. The fight for civil rights didn’t end in the 60s and the message of this single is just as potent as ever.
“Out With The Old” by MONOWHALES
It is no secret that we are currently living in unprecedented times. With a global pandemic, climate change, and political uncertainty spanning across the globe, the past two years have been nothing short of chaos and a call for revolution. And with that unrest and uncertainty comes new music that acknowledges the changing of the tide- including today’s new angsty single by our Toronto favorites MONOWHALES.
A song about reclaiming your life and living life to the fullest in your own way, “Out With The Old” is a call for change- both personal and societal. Repeating the chorus “it’s out with the old and in with the new,” the song taunts the idea that both it is time to take control of your own destiny, and the larger idea that the youth are who will run the world and that it’s time to pay more attention to their ideas than the old folks who are currently in power.
With a fun electro-rock instrumental backing, the song is a catchy dance track that will have you planning your own life revamping while busting out your best moves.
You can stream all of the above releases now, via the links above, and be sure to check out our full January release playlist now to see our favorite tracks of the new year.
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