For many of us, this Tuesday feels more like Monday thanks to the July 4 holiday weekend. And despite the day off, let’s face it — you could still use some help powering through the rest of the work week.
These 10 tracks from artists like Magdalena Bay, PinkPantheress, Yola, Isaac Dunbar and more 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.
Magdalena Bay, “Chaeri”
The propulsive thwack of L.A. indie-pop duo Magdalena Bay’s new single “Chaeri” picks up steam midway through, when the percussion rounds out and Mica Tenenbaum’s vocals come into sharper focus. Although the pair has earned a following over the course of the pandemic, “Chaeri” begs to be played at dusk during an overcrowded summer festival. — Jason Lipshutz
Darla Jade, “Disconnect”
The way that U.K. pop singer Darla Jade chirps the words “Dis! Connect! Re! Connect!” on the chorus to her latest single not only captures the seemingly endless break-up/make-up cycle of young romance, but also effectively gets installed in your head before the end of the song. Hopefully her EP of the same name, out July 30, contains a few more hooks just as affecting as this one. — J. Lipshutz
M Field, “Andrew”
Matthew Field was part of the best-selling South African group Beatenberg before going solo and moving to London; every song he’s shared thus far from his upcoming debut EP has been immediately charming, none more than “Andrew,” a whimsical pop ditty with a chorus that would make Vampire Weekend jealous and a guitar lick perfect for a hazy summer evening. — J. Lipshutz
PinkPantheress, “Passion”
The 20-year-old TikTokker and university student in London established an online presence by producing and singing over beats from the ’90s and ’00s — she loves Lily Allen’s lyricism and melodies from blink-182, Linkin Park and other alt-rock emo acts. Her latest single, “Passion,” pulls mostly from Allen’s world, with PinkPantheress’ airy vocals sailing over breezy production before the tempo picks up and transitions into an R&B-inspired pop tune. — Lyndsey Havens
Claire Rosinkranz, “Boy In A Billion“
The California teen was inspired early on by her dad, Ragnar — who writes music for TV and commercials and helped his daughter learn how to craft dance-worthy earworms from the start of her budding career. Rosinkranz even tapped her dad to produce her latest track, “Boy In A Billion,” which takes listeners on an intriguing ride through angelic vocal highs that are underscored by marching band-like drum rolls. — L.H.
Flowerkid and KUCKA, “It’s Happening Again”
Two Aussie forces — singer-songwriter flowerkid and singer-producer KUCKA — teamed up for this emotive and racing song that seems to put the delicately-delivered vocals at odds with the surging and drum-heavy production, reminiscent of something Rostam could have cooked up and perhaps left on the cutting room floor. — L.H.
Binki, “Revolve”
Genre-melding artist Binki explores everything from indie-pop to fuzzed-out rock to hip-hop on his music, and his latest single “Revolve” — included on his forthcoming debut EP, out Aug. 13 — is no exception as his vocals echo over glitchy reverberation that deserves a sea of heads to bang along to. — L.H.
Yola, “Starlight”
English singer-songwriter (and Grammy best new artist nominee) Yola is here to represent for happily single folks with “Starlight,” a laid-back slice of elegant, ’60s-styled soul that speaks to the value of romantic and sexual connections outside of serious, long-term relationships. Monogamy is so pre-pandemic anyway. — Joe Lynch
Isaac Dunbar, “Celebrate”
Isaac Dunbar’s voice has a rare mixture of warmth, depth and authenticity, which is particularly arresting when you realize the Massachusetts alt-pop talent is only 18. On the soaring “Celebrate,” Dunbar invites us to embrace our pain in order to let it go; it’s liberation through confrontation with a healthy dose of thumping synths. — J. Lynch
Yungblud, “Like a Virgin”
For one of his Spotify singles, definition-resistant English singer Yungblud turns to Madonna’s breakthrough No. 1 smash “Like a Virgin.” He nails the adorable little woo while giving the 1984 dance-pop classic a jangly ’80s college rock feel, before closing it out with a burst of campy punk fury. — J. Lynch
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