You know that exact second when everyone is staring at you, waiting for you to blow out the candles, and all you want to do is disappear? Ava Valianti has captured that highly specific, deeply uncomfortable feeling and turned it into an absolute indie pop gem. Her latest single, "Birthday Cake," drops you right into the middle of a party you never wanted to attend....

There is a specific kind of betrayal reserved for the morning of December 25th, and with Jamie Alimorad releasing "Santa Sucks", that indignity finally has its proper anthem. We are often force-fed audio syrup during the winter months, tracks that insist upon peace on earth while you’re stuck in gridlock traffic. Alimorad, however, chooses violence. Or at least, a very catchy form of neon-lit...