5 fresh tracks for New Music Friday

Hey, you. Been a long one, hasn’t it? In a week dominated by the triumphant return of OG Disney heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers, an essay slamming “generic pop” from generic pop star Taylor Swift, and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor stripping Nickleback of their “worst band ever” title and handing it over to Imagine Dragons; it’s understandable that finding the freshest new cuts to get down to this weekend might have slipped your mind. No problem, we get it – and we’ve got your back, boo. We’ve rounded up the five freshest tracks to drop this New Music Friday: with hits from Anna Burch, Elina, The Japanese House, Island and Self Esteem. Go on, get your ears ’round it.

Anna Burch ‘St. Adalbert’

Anna Burch has shared a new single, ‘St. Adalbert’. It comes via Polyvinyl as a one half of a 7″ split with former Failed Flowers bandmate Fred Thomas. Written back in 2014 before she moved to Detroit to finish her debut album, Quit The Curse, Burch said the track was omitted due to it not fitting with the rest of the release. Five years on, listeners can now reap the benefit of what has proved to be an excellent shout – ‘St. Adalbert’ see’s a departure from the sanguine nature of her Quit The Curse, featuring tenderly soft-spoken vocals and simplistic melodies. It’s a listen which is truly captivating standalone, or a perfect pair for Thomas’ ‘Parkways’. Check it out above.

Self Esteem‘Girl Crush’

Rebecca Taylor has dropped her highly anticipated debut LP Compliments, Please under the moniker of Self Esteem. Infectiously catchy, Taylor’s pop hooks are drum-lead melodies are going to stick with you for days – and we don’t think you’ll have any problem with that. ‘Girl Crush’, a song calling out performative bisexuality, dropped as a single two days earlier. Listen above.

Elina‘Mirage’

Swedish songstress Elina has dropped her latest single, ‘Mirage’. It’s a real enchanting offering from the newcomer; clear-as-day electronic production paired with broody vocals and lyricism drenched in lovesickness and empowerment. It drops alongside a stunning music video, VHS-stylised and filled with sun-drenched snow-scapes. Check it out above. Keep your eyes peeled for this one – she’s set to drop her debut EP later in the year.

The Japanese House‘You Seemed so Happy’

Another highly-anticipated debut LP here. The Japanese House, aka Amber Bain, has been a bit of an enigma soundscape wise – diverse, tantalising tastes of what’s to come in the form of few EPs and single releases dating back to 2015. Today, she shares her first full-length offering, Falling for You. It’s filled with deft-production, autotuned vocal shifts, disintegrating melodies all wrapped in the Bain’s devastatingly blunt lyricism – the perfect break-up pop concoction. Check out ‘You Seemed so Happy’ above.

Island‘She’

Finally, London four-piece Island shared ‘She’, the latest single from their upcoming EP, which is set to drop this spring via Beatnik/French Kiss. Frontman Rollo Doherty said of the track: “‘just a little story about a guy and girl, it’s really simple in that respect. They’re both trying to work out how they feel about each other, and the track focuses on figuring out which one of them is getting it all wrong.” Give it a listen above.

Listen to all of these tracks and more on our Spotify playlist.

Photo by Ebru Yildiz