Matt Nation drops "April’s Fool," and I am instantly struck by the sheer exhaustion of loving a hologram. The Brooklyn-born, LA-based artist has a knack for dissolving the borders between alt-pop, R&B, and nu-disco, but here, he channels a soul-stirring pop-punk urgency through a laid-back, indie-pop filter. https://open.spotify.com/track/7rPHpg1lXMiQFFuuIX9ZT5 It is a strange, brilliant contrast. A melancholic chord loop cycles endlessly, creating a flowing foundation for Nation's...

The masked, studio-bound artist Aurealis absolutely detonates our collective romantic defenses with the euphorically vulnerable new single, "How I Feel". https://open.spotify.com/track/3NHjiue4n0sIyzDTFNYjyc?si=d1e3303ecc1941b1 There is a delightful contradiction here. A faceless, secretive electronic musician has somehow crafted the most beautifully unguarded slice of dance pop of the year. The track surges on a deep, pulsing low-end groove, dragging a bouncy, wildly rhythmic hook alongside it. It hits your bloodstream...