Altın Gün - “Ordunun Dereleri”

After their Grammy-nominated 2019 album “Gece,” Dutch-Turkish psych-pop band Altun Gün has returned with the first single from their new LP “Yol” (dropping in February). “Ordunun Dereleri” is defined by a deep vintage synth sound that contrasts with sharp keys to create a suspenseful tone. This element is accompanied by the deeply melodic vocals of singer Erdinç Ecevit, a performance that transcends translation to convey the song’s story of unrequited love and sorrow.

Floating Room - “Freak Show”

“Tired and True” is the latest release from DIY Portland artist Maya Stoner’s outfit Floating Room. The album features the devastatingly honest track “Freakshow.” As Stoner explains “‘Freakshow’ is about how smarmy people make a show of loving BIPOC, neurodiverse, and otherwise marginalized folks, but how it is often just a show.” Stoner hammers home that sentiment with the lyric “everyone likes a freak show but no one likes the freak though,” delivered with a casual confidence bordering on swagger.

Lianne La Havas - “Weird Fishes”

Lianne La Havas has taken on the Radiohead song “Weird Fishes” and made it her own while also using it as a template for her latest album. “The rest of the album needs to be like this: It’s got to be my band, and I’ve got to do it in London, whenever people have time,” she said in a statement describing the impact this cover had on her creative process. La Havas’ interpretation utilizes the lyrical mastery of Thom York and accentuates it with her more soothing and soulful delivery before brilliantly blending into a more direct homage as the song concludes.