August may be winding down, but the tunes keep coming. This week, we heard great new songs from pop giant Carly Rae Jepsen and rapper Aminé, plus a host of singer/songwriters: Tomberlin, Arlo Parks and Lomelda. Scroll down to hear all these songs and more in this week’s edition of our best songs column.
Aminé: “Hello” (Feat. Luke Steele)
This week, Aminé released a new jam, “Hello” featuring Empire of The Sun’s Luke Steele. In the catchy, pop chorus, Steele sings: “He-le-le-le-lo, he-le-le-le-lo.” Earlier this month, Aminé released his sophomore LP Limbo, which features artists including Young Thug, slowthai, Vince Staples, Summer Walker and more. —Paris Rosenthal
Arlo Parks: “Black Dog”
Rising British artist Arlo Parks has shared a new track, “Hurt” with a powerful accompanying music video. Parks draws inspiration for her own music from a variety of artists including Otis Redding, King Krule, Kendrick Lamar, Jimi Hendrix and more. Her genre-spanning influences are part of what makes “Hurt,” and Parks in general, so unique. Parks’ smooth, soothing vocals are easy on the ears and impossible to resist. Just before the chorus, she sings, “Oh wouldn’t it be lovely, to feel something for once? / Yeah wouldn’t it be lovely, to feel worth something whole?” —Paris Rosenthal
Carly Rae Jepsen: “Me And The Boys In The Band”
Carly Rae Jepsen shared a video for her new song “Me And The Boys In the Band.” The track serves as a bubbly tribute to music, life on the road and those who help Jepsen do just that. The video, filmed in quarantine, manages to make the most of the situation in a creative way. —Lexi Lane
Lomelda: “Hannah Sun”
Lomelda, the stage name of Hannah Read, has shared a new single “Hannah Sun.” After releasing “Wonder” and “It’s Infinite,” this is Hannah’s third and final preview of her upcoming album, Hannah, out Sept. 4 via Double Double Whammy. “This song was written for 3 maybe 4 listeners to hear,” Read said. “But boomer Hannah forgot how the internet works and performed it on YouTube. Now it is for everyone. I am glad that people want to listen to this song, but I don’t understand why they want to.” —Paris Rosenthal
Thyla: “Fade”
Brighton quartet Thyla have shared a new single “Fade” following their 2020 EP Everything At Once, which Paste named one the best EPs of the year so far. Everything At Once followed their 2019 debut EP What’s On Your Mind, which also made our year-end EP list. “Fade” is yet another skying dream pop tune from the group, but they haven’t lost their touch. With this track, Thyla attempt to trade in the near-sighted ego of youth for pleasures that are much more fulfilling and lasting. “I know it’s gonna sink in / When it’s not your high / No fix / Nearby,” lead vocalist Millie Duthie sings. —Lizzie Manno
Tomberlin: “Wasted”
Tomberlin, aka singer/songwriter Sarah Beth Tomberlin, has announced a new EP, Projections , out on Oct. 16 via Saddle Creek. Armed with an off-kilter drum beat, the EP’s lead single “Wasted” navigates conflicting feelings of infatuation and caution. The song’s final lines make it an essential for nights of summer yearning: “You made me smile / But could you spell it out for me? / You say you shouldn’t have to / I know you shouldn’t have to.” The pretty, emotionally perceptive tune contains the same melodic ease as her debut, resulting in similar waves of comfort. —Lizzie Manno
TV Priest: “This Island”
London post-punk quartet TV Priest have announced their debut album Uppers, out on Nov. 13 via Hand In Hive. The band has only released three tracks to date, including their album’s lead single, “This Island,” which dropped this week. “This Island” refers to echo chambers of harmful beliefs that disenfranchised people often find themselves in. While the phenomenon is both surreal and seemingly outrageous, there’s also something depressing about the misplaced hopes and fears of these people, and TV Priest cover these angles quite well. Though their brand of Fall-influenced post-punk is far too easy to come across these days, their delivery, presence and songwriting skills more than justify their existence. “This Island” is a densely packed ball of energy, and their occasional spillovers of momentum are exhilarating. Their closing guitar crescendo and Protomartyr-esque vocals are positively unhinged. —Lizzie Manno
