Another week, another period of unpacking the latest releases that have been added to our playlists. And it’s also another week to go before we inch closer to the second half of the year. (That’s a bit of a scary thought, isn’t it?)
But as much as time (and reality) is slapping us hard in the face, these fresh bangers equally slaps us hard, with highly anticipated debuts as soothing as a sip of Diet Pepsi and a summer season sizzler from, dare we say, the hottest duo online for when it gets real hot (or if, you’re just in heat) served during Pride Month no less.
Oh, and we’ve thrown in some pop goodies from TikTok-famous Henry Moodie for good measure, an English-language debut from a Thai indie duo, and a Kaia collab that slowly cements their place in P-pop.
“Addison” by Addison Rae
“Diet Pepsi” had me in a chokehold when it came out. And when I found out Addison Rae was behind this bop, well, I practically lost my innocence on the couch. Her 12-track debut album via Columbia Records follows in the same direction. “My life moves faster than me / Can’t feel the ground beneath my feet” she sings in lead single “Times Like These.” But there, there Addison, with your (and my?!) head in the clouds churning out hit after hit (“Fame is a Gun” and “Headphones On” are standouts), let’s see how far you’ll really go.
“Walkie Talkie” by Ziv and Kaia
In their latest single “Tanga,” the P-pop quintet “talked all about the experience of being a little too naive in love.” Now, South Korean artist-producer Ziv teams up with the girls for an ode to one-sided love, infatuation, missed connections, and unrequited feelings through the cutesy transmissions. It’s inspired by Ziv’s friend who had a crush he thought felt the same way. “In hindsight, the fact that he shared everything through messages may have subconsciously sparked the idea of using a communication device as a metaphor.” But with verses like “Don’t know if I should, I’d stop if I could” over old NewJeans (orNJZ) synthpop sensuality, is this Tanga 2.0 all over again? Yes, we do copy.
“What Eve?” by Landokmai
In comparison to those on this list, Thai indie pop duo Landokmai channels two things: First, the dreamy soundscapes reminiscent of Mazzy Star (who will never fade away) and The Sundays (whose story will never end), and the grit to break into the global music scene. Judging from their first English-language EP “What Eve?” and music videos that straddle the spectrum between jazzy comforting caresses and a punch to the gut (watch the video of “Love Me Still” and try not to feel pain) then Upim and Ant won’t be much of a hearsay anymore.
“Cliché” by MGK
MGK, Machine Gun Kelly, Colson Baker or whatever you want to call him knows how to take the mickey out of himself. The hip-pop/rock rapper (that’s a mouthful) releases a dance-pop tune perfect for summer—at least in the Western Hemisphere—then proceeds to pull out cliché after cliché both in the lyrics (“Tell me, would you wait for me?” and “You should run away with me”) and in the Sam Cahill-directed video that harks back to the ’90s and Y2K era of carwash cuts and desert highway dancing that even NYSNC and Backstreet Boys would be proud of. Cliché, yes, but damn this is good nostalgic fun.
“QC Gurlz Remix” by Stef Aranas and Sassa Gurl
Stef Aranas has long been serving style and substance. Her 2023 track “QC Gurlz” is arguably one of the best love letters to the city that Aranas calls home. “QC Gurlz is about all of the beautiful, amazing friendships I’ve made in this city I call home,” she says in the music video bio.
Two years later, she is back with the internet’s resident mima Sassa Gurl for a remix of the certified bop for Pride Month. And let me tell you, it’s irresistibly charming. Aranas’ sunny verses about “being unapologetically yourself” even if you’re not from QC and the saccharine melody gliding along a twinkling backdrop plays off brilliantly with Sassa’s cheeky, hedonistic rap breakdown that teases herself as the pulutan course.
“I hope that with Sassa’s flavor added, masarapan pa rin at masarapan lalo ang mga makikinig dito!,” Aranas says. But the two together on a track? That’s a tasty treat. Can’t wait for the MV drop on June 29.
“Comedown” by Henry Moodie
Watch the 21-year-old British pop singer-songwriter Henry Moodie’s video for his single “Comedown” and you’d instantly know what he’s talking about. Roller coaster. Highs and lows. A bluesy bass intro. And an admission of fear. Sigh, that’s what falling in love in your youth feels like.
Though Moodie isn’t immune to some intoxicatingly cheesy lines (“Life is better in your atmosphere ‘cause you shoot me to the sun, center of my solar system, you’re my world and you’re my 1, 2, 3”), his scrumptious vocals and earnest delivery make you believe him enough to root for him. Moodie, you’re a mood, and if you ever need some company if the comedown happens, call me.
“That, I Know” by Ozo
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The six-track debut EP of the “too cute for Manila” band spawns many different influences. In one moment, you think of a moodier Greyjoy, a more brooding Passion Pit, or even a playful Local Natives. With a soundscape that spans psychedelic pop and indie rock paired with unique tempo changes (“Don’t You Worry”) and frontman Oz Kabuhat’s elastic vocals, Ozo introduces itself as a band unafraid to veer into various directions. “Carefully” is a moody midnight moment while title track “That, I Know” rhymes lyrics like “when you begin to swallow me whole” and “your endless depth, I know” salaciously glides along a hypnotic bassline, sudden horn bursts, and vocal runs that peak into a falsetto near the end.
You also get the feeling that the songs are submerged, as if you’re listening to them floating above water then underwater then deeper and deeper before finally emerging and breaking through the surface. The EP cover already hints at the water imagery but it’s still refreshing to dive deep into this young group’s musical reservoir.
