Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like Aluna, Angel Olsen, Dermot Kennedy and Jungle will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
Duckwrth & Phabo, “4K”
Duckwrth teams up with friend/fellow L.A.-based artist Phabo for “4K,” which finds them trying to find their post-quarantine celebratory sweet spot over otherworldly, blissed-out vibes and a laid-back trap beat.
Aluna & Punctual, “Summer of Love”
One of the most reliable voices in dance, Aluna teams up with U.K. production duo Punctual for “Summer of Love,” a thumping, late-night jam that will get you moving – but not so much that you sweat out half of your body weight. For a summer this hot, they’re keeping the BPMs at a reasonable level, and we salute them.
Angel Olsen, “Safety Dance”
Slowed-down, moody covers of pop songs might be a tiresome trend at this point, but leave it to Angel Olsen to pull it off by tackling Men Without Hats’ “The Safety Dance” and imbuing the wonderfully goofy hit with an unironic commitment that emphasizes how durable this new wave hit actually is.
Su Lee, “Socially Alive”
South Korean singer-songwriter Su Lee follows up her viral “I’ll Just Dance” with “Socially Alive,” a similarly sweet, heartfelt and cheeky piece of DIY bedroom pop. “I never thought I’d like to be a little bit more socially alive,” Lee sings, repping for all those introverts who came out of the pandemic ready to reconnect with friends but can’t quite remember how.
Dolly Parton, “Sent From Above”
After earning a Billboard dance chart No. 1 in 2019 alongside Galantis, country icon Dolly Parton is dipping her toes back into the dance world with the effervescent electronic bop “Sent From Above,” a song that wafts in to accompany her recent fragrance, Scent From Above.
Dermot Kennedy, “Better Days”
Ahead of the Irish singer-songwriter’s Lollapalooza set over the weekend, he released his new single “Better Days,” a well-timed, uplifting pop ballad that reminds us all better days are ahead. “I know you’ve been hurting,” he bellows as the beat picks up, helping the song feel even more positive — and believable.
Jelani Aryeh, “A Piece of Your Mind”
Last Friday, 21-year-old alternative R&B artist Jelani Aryeh released his debut album, I’ve Got Some Living To Do. “Piece Of Your Mind” particularly stands out for his sturdy opening vocal that quickly gets distorted over pulsing production and stellar drumming that functions as the song’s energetic backbone.
Jungle, “Truth”
On Aug. 13, U.K. electronic production duo Jungle will release its anticipated album Love in Stereo, and so far, the project’s singles have all been promising. The latest, “Truth,” is perhaps the most rock-inspired; a racing beat and arresting riff create the perfect build-up to a wailing electric guitar solo halfway through.
Amindi, “Slideshow”
California native Amindi has come a long way from dropping singles on SoundCloud. She released her debut EP, nice, last week and scored a feature on Isaiah Rashad’s latest album. Of the EP’s tracks, “Slideshow” stands out for the way it immediately drops listeners into the thick of it, starting with what could just as easily be an outro. Regardless, Amindi finds her footing and confidently takes hold of the track on which she asserts “You just want me ’cause I’m next.”
Petey, “We Go On Walks”
You might know Petey from his hilarious TikToks, but he started out as a musician first. The L.A.-based artist has developed an identifiable strain of indie rock on which he delivers thought-provoking lyrics about the most mundane of situations — from a haircut to, on his latest single, simply going for a walk.
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