Weekend Playlist: Toronto punk group PUP return with angsty new single, Beach House drop another batch of dreamy shoegaze and more music you need to hear

The Star has compiled probably the most fascinating new music from a broad vary of established and rising artists.

This week’s playlist options new music from PUP, Seashore Home, Wealthy Brian, RealestK, FKA Twigs, Scorching Chip and Earl Sweatshirt.

Click on right here for the Spotify playlist.

PUP: Robotic Writes A Love Tune

Like so many people through the previous yr and half, the 4 members of PUP have, within the phrases of their lead guitarist on Twitter, “misplaced our minds.”

That’s most likely not wholesome when it comes to self-care, however it's undoubtedly good for the Toronto band’s music as we get handled to an entire new slate of punk rock angst on April 1 (no April’s Fools right here) with “The Unravelling of PUPTheBand.”

And to mark the discharge date for his or her fourth studio full-length, the band shared the brand new single “Robotic Writes A Love Tune,” together with an accompanying music video (spot the Soundgarden easter eggs!). The monitor leans softer, but it surely’s nonetheless quintessentially PUP, boasting catchy melodies, intricate guitar licks and self-destructive lyrics about computer systems battling the complexities of human feelings.

And the band is promising that the upcoming LP will likely be their “most true-to-form” album thus far. “You may actually hear the band unravelling,” PUP wrote on Twitter. “There's nothing extra PUP than a gradual and inevitable descent into self-destruction.” — Justin Smirlies

RealestK: Poisonous

RealestK is a 17-year-old R&B phenom from proper right here within the 6ix. Earlier in 2021 Toronto’s secret grew to become an open one as he exploded on TikTok together with his single “WFM” changing into a trending sound for everybody’s glow-ups.

With “Poisonous,” the darkish and dispirited aesthetic of earlier releases will get an replace. Between skittering Hello-hats and bouncing 808’s, lay a morose western guitar and his angelic vocals. Lamenting a paramour’s poisonous love, RealestK crafts one of many sweetest 4 phrase hooks of the 2020s. It’s poisonous, it’s susceptible and it’s uber catchy all in a 2-minute body that just about at all times turns into a 10-minute body.

The monitor has already racked up over 1,000,000 views on YouTube, over 4 million streams on Spotify and there’s no signal of slowing down. Though there’s no phrase on a forthcoming album, in underneath a yr his music has already morphed from an fascinating TikTok monitor from an obscure artist into required listening from an up-and-coming star. — Demar Grant

Seashore Home: Masquerade

On an album with a number of tracks that preserve Seashore Home’s signature shoegaze sound of nostalgia, craving and contemplation; “Masquerade” is a haunting departure from the norm. Church-bells contribute to the gothic environment by which we study a lady whose obvious innocence is however a distraction from an inside malevolence.

“She comes dressed like Sunday/ String of pearls round her neck,” Victoria Legrand sings. “Her eyes masquerade, fade to black.”

The melody is as hypnotic and cinematic as ever.

“Masquerade” is certainly one of 18 songs on the forthcoming album, “As soon as Twice Melody,” which duo Legrand and Alex Scally will launch subsequent month. Up to now, the band from Baltimore has launched 13 songs in three completely different “chapters.” The primary was launched in November. The fourth and closing quantity will likely be launched Feb. 18.

“Our intent was for there to be loads of area to get misplaced; inside every chapter, and likewise inside every music,” a current Instagram submit reads. “We hope every chapter imbues a temper and that every music reveals extra with time.” — Manuela Vega

Jenny Hval: 12 months of Love

Norwegian singer-songwriter Jenny Hval, who moonlights as a novelist, brings a distinctly literary aptitude to her experimental model of music, combining poetry and narration to discover eclectic topics, from feminism and radical politics to vampires and menstruation.

Hval’s latest single, “12 months of Love,” tells the true story of a wedding proposal that occurred in entrance of her whereas she was performing — an expertise she discovered “troubling” as an artist whose work has espoused anti-patriarchal values. “It confronted me with the truth that I'm additionally married,” she mentioned in an announcement. “What does that element from my non-public life say about me as an artist? Do my non-public actions betray my work and voice?”

“However within the yr of affection/ I signed a cope with patriarchy,” Hval intones casually, gracefully skipping by swells of percussion. “12 months of Love,” a remarkably probing piece of self-reflection, will seem on Hval’s forthcoming album “Basic Objects,” out March 11. — Richie Assaly

Wealthy Brian: Lagoon

Out of the blue, 88rising’s Wealthy Brian is again. After ruling the web’s summer season together with his joint hit “Edamame” with Vancouverite BBNO$ he’s dropped a shock EP “Brightside.”

Spanning practically three minute’s “Lagoon’s” dreamy synths are an interstellar background to a few of Wealthy Brian’s funniest raps with weird imagery “I simply took a take a look at, it’s sounding like my s--t go silly” and “These hoes trippin’ like banana peels are raining up and down the street.”

His ratatat raps are solely damaged up by a BROCKHAMPTON-esque beat swap, making the interstellar journey an intergalactic one. The distinction between Brian’s deep vocals and spaced-out manufacturing have at all times been a captivating one, Lagoon’s eccentric lyrics solely add an enthralling additional dimension. — DG

FKA twigs (feat. Daniel Caesar): careless

Within the age of streaming, the excellence between an “album” and a “mixtape” can really feel a bit arbitrary. More and more, main artists have been utilizing the “mixtape” label to decrease the stakes when experimenting with new sounds or types (assume Drake’s “Extra Life.”)

Certainly, FKA twigs’ newest mixtape bears little resemblance to 2019’s “MAGDALENE” — a elegant and coronary heart wrenching album that sounds prefer it was recorded by an alien model of Kate Bush. Titled “CAPRISONGS,” the tape encompasses a broad vary of collaborators – The Weeknd, Rema, Jorja Smith and others — and dips its toes in numerous genres, from Afrobeats to entice to UK drill to hyperpop.

One of many a number of standouts is “careless,” a sultry, downtempo duet with Toronto R&B crooner Daniel Caesar. Floating over a stripped-down beat, the 2 singers strike an ideal stability on the monitor’s again finish — with Caesar’s wounded cries providing an ideal foil to twigs’ heavenly falsetto. — RA

Younger T & Bugsey (feat. BLXST): “Good”

The monitor “Good” off Younger T & Bugsey’s newest mixtape “Fact Be Advised” is just a vibe. Within the useless of winter on the peak of Omicron it’s simple to overlook issues could be free, heat and breezy however the U.Okay. duo has managed to seize the aesthetic.

The graceful dance corridor beat with watery synths simply transports us to the islands the place Bugsey daydreams “I desire a African babe/ With Italian style/ Put her in these shades/ She gon’ love my world.” The vocals relaxed and the melodies are carefree sufficient to really feel ethereal however catchy sufficient that they by no means actually go away.

“Fact Be Advised” is full of a ton of simple grooves and lightheartedness however “Good” is summer season personified. — DG

Nina Simone, Scorching Chip: Be My Husband (Remix)

It’s a daring option to remix the good Nina Simone, a selection that sometimes debases an unique recording (no extra “Sinnerman” remixes!) or just feels inappropriate (i.e. Kanye West’s questionable choice to repurpose a grim music about racist extrajudicial killings for his romantic psycho-drama “Blood On The Leaves.”)

Suffice it to say that I don’t have the best expectations for the upcoming double album “Feeling Good,” which pairs Simone’s biggest hits with a group of latest remixes (yep, this has been achieved earlier than.)

However each rule has an exception, and I do have a mushy spot for the boys in Scorching Chip, who gifted us this week with a tasteful reimagining of Simone’s “Be My Husband,” the acapella opener from the 1965 basic “Pastel Blues.” The English group’s expansive seven-minute remix reimagines the sparse blues monitor as early-aughts electro-pop, full with a loping bass line and waves of luxuriant synths. Most significantly, the remix leaves loads of area for Simone’s otherworldly baritone to do the heavy lifting. — RA

Bonus monitor

Earl Sweatshirt: Lye

On this breezy standout from Earl’s wonderful new album, “SICK!,” legendary producer The Alchemist flips a pattern of an obscure 1974 monitor by the British prog-rock band Riff Raff. As typical, Earl and Alchemist pair collectively like wine and cheese. — RA