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Every Friday, our Songs of the Week column puts the spotlight on the best new tracks from the last seven days. This week, we’re bumping new tunes from Snail Mail, Accessory, Momo Boyd, and more.
Accessory — “This Is Not Your Life (Static)”
The debut full-length album from Accessory, the solo project of DEHD’s Jason Balla, is called Dust and is set to drop on April 17th. The latest single from the upcoming LP, “This Is Not You Life (Static),” showcases an infectiously tender side of Balla, with loose, emotive performances and blissful production. Overtop the swaying, longing instrumental, the lead vocals and accompanying harmonies keep their cards close to their chest, never straining or getting too loud. The result is far more powerful and memorable than had Balla built to some cathartic, belted refrain. It’s the perfect tune for a melancholic, early spring stroll. — Jonah Krueger
Stream “This Is Not Your Life (Static)” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Cheekface — “Black Site”
Cheekface may be annoying to some, but their — ahem — cheeky approach to indie rock can help bring some light to the darkness around us. Such is the case with “Black Site,” where the maddening futility of caring about a crumbling world is met with a stupefied smile and some absurdist truths. “I boycotted everything/ Nothing got better, it only got worse,” sing-talks vocalist/guitarist Greg Katz. “And now I don’t know where to buy soap.” Cheekface will deliver more black humor across the 13 tracks of their newly announced album, Podium, due out July 28th. — Ben Kaye
Stream “Black Site” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Eli — “Feel Your Rain”
Spring has sprung, and Eli is back. “Feel Your Rain” is the pop star’s latest single, and it’s a harmony-laden gem. Like the rest of her discography, it’s catchy and warm, but Eli never takes the easy way out vocally. Her higher register shimmers, and her sliding runs — especially on the ascending “rain” line in the post-chorus — are pinpoint-perfect. It’s another sensual cut from her as she finds dozens of ways to characterize the kind of physical connection she wants with her lover, but at the end of the day, it lands squarely in the ‘American Idol 2006 showstopping R&B’ vibe, and no one is doing that better than Eli right now. — Paolo Ragusa
Stream “Feel Your Rain” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Elmiene — “Special”
Elmiene is a British-Sudanese singer-songwriter whose name has been in the mouths’ of R&B tastemakers for years. Yet, his debut album, sounds for someone, has only just arrived. Mixtapes and EPs have filled the space since 2021, when he first grabbed attention for a sensational cover of D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” While his entire album thrives on feeling, “Special” is the soft-hearted center of the project. “There’s no anniversary, no birthdays, nothing, love/ Just you and me,” Elmiene sings charismatically, as jaunty keys mix with his delicate vocals. “Special” is sure to become a fan favorite for those in love and looking to celebrate one another just because. — Kiana Fitzgerald
Stream “Special” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
girl_irl & Danny Brown — “magic”
girl_irl has tapped Danny Brown for her latest banger, “magic.” From its opening moments, the track is electrifying and full of sweaty energy, with booming 808s, fidgety synth lines, and the relentless, methodical clapping of the snare. Soon enough, the deadpan, slightly glitched-out vocals give way to Brown’s signature ad-lib: “CHECK!” The rapper then delivers a very Danny Brown verse, unsurprisingly sounding right at home on such an aggressive, eclectic beat. All told, it’s a bop that should have fans of each respective artist shaking some damn ass. — J. Krueger
Stream “magic” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Model/Actriz — “Glassman”
Quickly approaching the one-year anniversary of their 2025 release, Pirouette, Model/Actriz surprised fans this week by dropping a new three-song EP out of the blue. The latter two tracks on the project, “Thank You By Dido” and “Majesty,” offer moments of dynamic beauty and clattering propulsion, respectively, but opener “Glassman” is the standout to our ears. Balancing the melodic, ethereal side of the band’s style with their knack for insane, intense combinations of percussion and heavy synths, it’s a tune that can stand alongside some of the best cuts from Model/Actriz’s very good first two LPs. Plus, we can already tell it’s gonna go nuts live. — J. Krueger
Stream “Glassman” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Momo Boyd — “She’s a Sweetheart”
“Everybody’s got an idea of what I’m supposed to be,” Momo Boyd sings near the top of her latest single, “She’s a Sweetheart.” “And it tends so conveniently to align with what they need.” A guitar-driven alternative-pop confection, the song places Boyd, who’s backed by her family band Infinity Song, in a reflective position. By examining emotional labor from the perspective of a woman who gives the world to those around her, often at her own expense, Boyd effectively subverts the concept of resilience. “She’s a lover/ People pleaser/ She gives it all/ That’s why we love her,” Boyd coos during the chorus, capturing the essence of a character whose empathy and endurance are both exalted and challenged. — K. Fitzgerald
Stream “She’s a Sweetheart” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
Snail Mail — “Tractor Beam”
For her new album Ricochet, out today, Snail Mail has opted for a more windswept presentation of her indie rock sound; the stakes are higher, but the darkness is muted and the angst is rendered with sweetness in equal measure. “Tractor Beam,” the album’s opener, thoroughly achieves this wall of sound, introducing strings, tender vocals, and an air of romance that begs you to surrender. Snail Mail has often given her songs anthemic, straight-to-the-heart melodies — but on “Tractor Beam,” her tactful delivery and Aron Kobayashi Ritch’s spacious production make the song an exercise in passion and poise. — P. Ragusa
Stream “Tractor Beam” on Apple Music | Amazon Music | Qobuz
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