Each Friday, our recurring column Songs of the Week spotlights the best new tracks from the last seven days. On this edition, we’re jamming out to tunes from Honey Dijon, A Place to Bury Strangers, Ty Dolla $ign and Leon Thomas, and more.
A Place to Bury Strangers — “Acid Rain”
Noisy darkwave vets A Place to Bury Strangers have a new rarities album on the way, appropriately titled Rare and Deadly, and the latest single, “Acid Rain,” lives up to the project’s namesake. The instrumental drives ever forward as feedback squeals and the saturated tones of guitars and bass mutate into a wonderfully grotesque sonic abomination. All the while, frontman Oliver Ackerman delivers deadpan, near-chanted lyrics about systemic cruelty. It’s a full-on sonic attack. — Jonah Krueger
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face of ancient gallery — “Like Kites”
As part of bloodsports, Jeremy Mock helps craft grungy, towering shoegaze. Under his face of ancient gallery moniker, though, Mock showcases his softer songwriting sensibilities, sounding more like Nick Drake or Haley Heynderickx than Slowdive or Nothing. On “Like Kites,” the title track from the project’s newly announced album, gentle acoustic guitar and hushed vocals take center stage before the instrumental palette expands as the tune sways along. It’s a beautiful little ditty and proof that walls of distortion and unplugged performances have more in common than one might expect. — J. Krueger
Friko — “Choo Choo”
“Choo Choo” is the latest single from Something Worth Waiting For, the upcoming album from former artist to watch Friko, and, as the name suggests, it’s a great traveling song. The rhythm section chugs along, the vocals are frantic and lively, and the whole thing has the makings of a heartwarming needle drop during a montage in some indie flick. Hell, the music video was even shot on Chicago’s CTA. Choo Choo, indeed! — J. Krueger
Girl Scout — “Crumbs”
Girl Scout have offered “Crumbs” as the latest track from their upcoming debut album Brink, and it’s one of their most anthemic turns yet. The chorus is absolutely massive, with vocalist Emma Jansson belting at the peak of her range and the band playing passionately and loudly. Throughout, Jansson takes aim at music business losers that, despite dedicating their careers to it, don’t seem to really like music all that much. “You bleed me dry and leave me with crumbs,” she sings with a sting. If you needed any more evidence that Girl Scout are a force to be reckoned with, there’s plenty here in “Crumbs.” — Paolo Ragusa
Greg Mendez — “I Wanna Feel Pretty”
Greg Mendez has announced Beauty Land, a brand new album and the follow-up to his acclaimed 2023 self-titled release. “I Wanna Feel Pretty” kicks off the new cycle, and it’s just as sweet, melancholic, and perfectly understated as the best cuts from Greg Mendez. What starts as a stripped-back acoustic performance soon blossoms into a playful landscape of music box chimes and percussion, before it all once again drops away, leaving Mendez alone. Regardless of whether he feels it or not, this one is assuredly quite pretty. — J. Krueger
Honey Dijon — “Just Friends” (Feat. Adi Oasis, Danielle Ponder, Suni MF)
Honey Dijon is back with another thumping club track, and she’s brought some friends: Adi Oasis, Danielle Ponder, and Suni MF help make “Just Friends” a triumphant collaboration, with Honey Dijon’s groovy, overactive bass line giving the song a syncopated swing. They all assert that despite some romantic attention, “this is where the situation ends,” adding an air of defiance to the track’s kaleidoscopic production. With “Just Friends,” Honey Dijon wants you to ditch the losers that hold you back and get your ass on the dance floor. — P. Ragusa
Icewear Vezzo — “Say Yes”
Detroit rapper Icewear Vezzo has a soft spot for women. His new EP, Ladies Free ‘Til Midnight, sees the MC rapping over R&B of both the contemporary and quiet storm variety. “Say Yes” is the standout of the project, thanks to its liberal sampling of Floetry’s 2003 song of the same name. By diving into similar sonic territory as the underrated R&B duo, Vezzo is cloaking himself in the evocativeness of the genre. He raps calmly and in the pocket as he reassures his partner of her place in his life: “My lil’ trophy, you something to flex/ Don’t worry about hoes, ain’t none of them threats.” — Kiana Fitzgerald
Ty Dolla $ign and Leon Thomas — “miss u 2”
Ty Dolla $ign and Leon Thomas are two of the most musically-gifted artists in contemporary R&B. Ty began his run in the late 2010s, working tirelessly across the industry, and Leon is starting to generate his own motion in the mid-2020s, including a Top 10 single in the Hot 100 last year. Locking in after Leon signed to Ty’s EZMNY label, the two have collaborated multiple times, including 2022’s “Love Jones” and 2024’s “FAR FETCHED.” The pair continue their romantic escapades with “miss u 2,” which samples Aaron Hall’s expressive 1994 single “I Miss You.” With a well-known music bed in place, Ty Dolla $ign offers his signature harmonizing and vocal runs, while Leon Thomas’ verse cascades with his very own mellifluous acrobatics. — K. Fitzgerald
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