Featuring new music worthy of your ears and maybe even a spot on your own playlist
(This article was updated May 27, 2020). Wonder Fresh highlights the best new music curated by Wonder for your listening pleasure.
This month, Jhené Aiko’s Magic Hour is on repeat for that meditative calm many of us crave. The mantra-like lyrics, “It ain’t perfect, but everything’s beautiful” paired with singer-songwriter’s silky, smooth vocals is exactly the sound bath we need. Also on our radar, underrated Singapore indie-pop trio HubbaBubbas’ and K-Indie artist Kwak Pureunhaneul’s new single Rumble Under My Toes. The story behind the music and collaboration is hinged on uncertainty and the emotions that come with it, which can be felt through the almost four-minute song.
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Other tracks on our list are courtesy of lo-fi artist Powfu, whose death bed (coffee for your head) two months later still hurts deep like an open wound, multilingual pop artist Mishaal’s Friends, his first new release for 2020 and is “dedicated to all our friends,” with the message, “we’ll be together soon” and Glass Animals’ intimate memoir Dreamland from the titular album, which comes out July 10, 2020.
Just before the month ends, we’re adding a couple more must-listen-to releases by indie artists, including VANNA, M1LDL1FE and Boy In Space (primarily because of his cathartic take on the anti-war anthem Forever Young).
Rain On Me, the first team-up between Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, also makes it to our list because it’s everything we need—for feeling all the feels (cue: “I never asked for the rainfall/ I'd rather be dry, but at least I'm alive”) or breaking out into dance, crying crystal tears. Keeping up the feel-good energy is Teyana Taylor’s Made It, dedicated to 2020 graduates who won’t be able to walk down the aisle or up the stage on graduation day.
Rounding out Wonder Fresh is Becky and the Birds’ hypnotic Paris, a song on longing; one that lovelorn or not, you’d want to put on when flirting with nostalgia.
Jhené Aiko, Magic Hour
HubbaBubbas, Rumble Under My Toes
Powfu, deathbed (coffee for your head)
Powfu just recently debuted his EP poems of the past, which kicks off with death bed. It also includes three brand new tracks, like i’ll come back to you and a remix of deathbed featuring Blink 182.
Glass Animals, Dreamland
What’s utterly unique about the accompanying music video is that it’s self-made by the psychedelic pop band’s lead Dave and filmed entirely through ZOOM.
Mishaal ft. Powfu, Friends
TOMORROW X TOGETHER, Can’t You See Me
VANNA, Let Me Fall
M1LDL1FE, Small Lanes
Small Lanes is one of three singles the band plans to release this year, culminating in their debut album in 2021.
Boy In Space, Forever Young
Lady Gaga ft. Ariana Grande
Rain On Me is the second single from Lady Gaga’s upcoming sixth studio album Chromatica, which comes out Friday, May 29.
Teyana Taylor, Made It
Foxes, Love Not Loving You
Becky and the Birds, Paris
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Stream this month's playlist over on Spotify. We update this baby with fresh releases and new faves every month.
Got songs you want to add to this playlist? Sound off below!
Art Matthew Fetalver