New Music From The Inbox – Monday Edition! (Sep 26, 2022): Alvvays, Hope Tala, Poppa Foster and The Grits, and more!
Every week, we’re sent dozens if not hundreds of promotional emails from agents, PR firms, and hopeful artists containing the latest releases from around the world. From the biggest superstars to the ambitious self-starters we comb through it all to highlight to you what we’ve been digging, the tunes that caught our eye, and the recommended selections that make the notifications worth it. This is New Music From The Inbox! (Short on time? Listen to this article in playlist form!)
Artist: Alvvays
Song: ‘Belinda Says’
Album/EP: Blue Rev
Canadian jangle gaze darlings Alvvays are back, baby. Ramping up to the release of upcoming album Blue Rev, they’ve graced us with the quintessential ‘Belinda Says’ – a wall of fuzzy guitars, Molly Rankin’s crystalline breathy singing, and a production tone of sprawling splashiness is absolutely classic and immediately beloved Alvvays. Shoutout to Inverness, Breton represent!
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Hope Tala
Song: ‘Leave It On The Dancefloor’
Album/EP: Single
There’s a plucky arpeggiating synth faintly tinkling in the background of the hook of ‘Leave It On The Dancefloor’ that really grabs your attention. That’s not to say Hope Tala’s husky vocals, the punchy flow of the beat, or the glistening bass groove isn’t grabbing – there’s just a subtle whimsical magic of those flitting keys that adds a je ne sais quois to the single.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Poppa Foster and The Grits
Song: ‘Lemonade’
Album/EP: Gravy Baby
I am a simple man. You put a catchy, stomping folk rock tune in front of me… I’m gonna bop along. ‘Lemonade’ keeps it simple and squeezes plenty of fun out of its tonky piano sting, airy guitar, and hand-clapping beat. It just makes you want to strut along with Poppa Foster, you know?
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Pollena
Song: ‘Black Holes (edit)’
Album/EP: Rising
A flooded and striking beat, enveloping keys, and a layered syllabic vocal performance make for a dusky single in Pollena’s ‘Black Holes’. This tune oozes twilit immersion, as if soundtracking a warm day’s transition to night – not bad for a rippling pop outfit!
Watch/Listen:
Artist: SG Lewis
Song: ‘Vibe Like This’ feat. Ty Dolla $ign, Lucky Daye
Album/EP: AudioLust & HigherLove
Is it too lazy to call this song a vibe? I mean, obviously that’s what SG Lewis was going for, but when you’ve got those crawling bass and keyboard glissandos and floating tambourine parts all swirling together you just can’t deny the ambiance. Also really appreciate the sung refrains from the featured Lucky Daye and Ty Dolla $ign’s restrained bars to complete the package.
Watch/Listen:
Artist: Lyrah
Song: ‘In The Leaves’
Album/EP: Single
Softly pulsing backing beats, heavily produced lyrical flourishes, and a gently ticking chorus add some unconventional intrigue to Lyrah’s dancepop single. And just when you start getting familiar with it, ‘In The Leaves’ lithely slips away as if the apparition its ghostly production lingers on.
Watch/Listen:
