Week in Pop welcomes you to 2023; direct from our San Francisco headquarters.

With 2022 in the rearview, we look ahead to a handful of delights that some of our favorite luminaries have in store for us in 2023. While this is but a snapshot of hype in progress, this is in no way an exhaustive prospective showcase of arts arriving our way this year. Although we may add to this humble list, it is now our pleasure and privilege to proudly present from our Week in Pop offices:

Pop Preview: 2023

poolblood

One of 2023’s brightest stars ⁠— Maryam Said of poolblood; photographed by Jibril Yassin.

Helping kick off 2023 is arguably one of this year’s most anticipated releases as poolblood readies the release of the debut album album mole on January 13 via Next Door Records. From the initial release of the Yummy EP back in 2019 and the steady release of singles from the aforementioned full-length; Toronto artist Maryam Said makes art that stems from the most privy and guarded places of heart and expressive trajectory streams of thought. Tracks like “twinkie”, “wfy”, “my little room”, “shabby” and more take the listener on journeys toward those inward chambers of the soul that allow for perspectives of spiritual reckonings and the dawning of personal realizations that only the most illuminated aesthetics can curate with their indelible rays of light. For those new to Maryam’s wonderstruck world of poolblood ⁠— welcome to the new dimension of poetic pop symphonies of universal spirit and limitless consciousness.

Still Ruins

Still Ruins from left ⁠— Cyrus, Jose & Frankie; press photo courtesy of @elygoat.

Introducing the East Bay dream team trio Still Ruins. Comprised of Surf Club alum Frankie Soto, Jose Chema Medina (aka modern pop provocateur Devoter) and fellow Oakland neighbor Cyrus VandenBerghe of Welcome Strawberry ⁠— the power trifecta have been working diligently, fastidiously and tirelessly on an alchemy that promises to be some of the most shimmering sophisti-pop heard yet in the entire world. With all pending releases and singles TBD, the band’s leak of the “Permanence” demo has sent our senses reeling into the subterranean sects of underworlds, nether-realms and clandestine places where feelings and narratives are stored that have yet to be titled or adapted into novellas, short-stories, binge worthy serials, motion pictures or other conceits that revolve around the questions of style and genre.

Listen to “Permanence (demo” here.

Figure Eight

Emerging in the fourth quarter of 2022, Figure Eight from Oakland wowed us with the release of their melodic mountain of a debut EP — drown. The principle duo of Abby and Nash, the two have some big plans for 2022 that involves further atmospheric tapestries and a tour in the works. If their initial offering serves as any indication, prepare yourself for blizzards and cyclones of chords coupled with operatic arias for a whole new era and generation of pop aficionados.

Welcome Strawberry

From musical obsessions dating back to the earliest days of youth, enamored by the P2P pop pipelines, CD burning, recording with Audacity, Myspace networks, and more  — Oakland’s Cyrus VandenBerghe of Welcome Strawberry received the epiphany and realized the title for his lifelong musical outfit during an outing in Tuolumne County, California five years back. “The name came from a camping trip at some site way past Pinecrest. As I was driving I saw a sign that said Welcome Strawberry. I'm pretty sure I misread it (there's a little town called Strawberry) but for whatever reason my mind kept going back to it so I wrote it down.” “It started out by picking a bunch of demos I had lying around that I could possibly see working well together in an album context,” Cyrus elaborated on the sound design, “I brought them to my friend's home studio and we tweaked the arrangements a bit. We were messing around with effects, synths, amps and spur of the moment writing,” Cyrus recalls, “Some of it was extremely fun and came naturally and other sounds took days, long nights of work to fall into place — or be scrapped entirely.” Welcome Strawberry welcomes you to the new inspired Bay Area sound of yesterday and tomorrow’s visions in the present tense of now. Stay tuned for the follow up last year’s beloved self-titled…

Softie

Softie, aka pop polymath Nicholas Coleman; press photo via Bandcamp.

Back in 2021 we heralded the lauded release of the debut Softie EP Strong Hold (Cherub Dream Records) and the multidisciplinary arts of Oakland-based artist Nicholas Coleman and we are keeping those klaxons blaring into 2023. From dropping visuals for “Doser” this past year, Coleman has signaled further ruminations of works in progress that promise more mountains of blissed out dissonance beyond all degrees of calculation. An artist that bridges the divide between impressionistic visuals and aural paintings for the mind, body and soul; keep on the lookout for new sonic offerings from Softie to follow in a year full of unlimited promise and unbound proliferation.

Watch this post for further updates and catch up with our Year in Pop: 2022 feature here.

The cold roads ahead to new light and the aura of hope; press photo courtesy of Kerri O’Malley.

After the wild and overwhelming ride of the past year — Week in Pop’s news department is back, bring a variété of some of the latest breaking buzz. Where do we begin? Where did we leave off? The truth is by the onset of the pandemic in the spring of 2020 the news of the world became an endless doom scroll into an apocalyptic and inescapable abyss that felt too overbearing to begin to cover at length. With the focus increasingly on the craft of longer form exclusives and the like; Week in Pop brings you a working draft in progress that provides some quick looks at some of buzz we’re following:

Toppling the colonial conceits and constructs with Genesis Owusu; photographed by Bailey Howard.

Canberra, Australia by way of Ghana artist Genesis Owusu released their break out next level conscious ascending album debut Smiling With No Teeth via House Anxiety/Ourness. The follow up to the EP Cardrive, Owusu taps into a kinetic zeitgeist from the onset with the motion of "On the Move!", exploding the semiotics of racist pejoratives with "The Other Black Dog", the rich lounge sensations of "Centrefold", the nu-funk slick of "Waitin' on Ya", dispelling the codependent attachment and attractions of "I Don't Need You", to collaborating with fellow Aussie Kirin J Callinan on the chip-tuned "Drown", to calculating the coldness of materialism on "Golden Chains." The title track moves in a viscous syrupy step, to schooling the dubious backwards perceptions of performative allyship on "I Don't See Colour", turning the canine allegory inside out and reclaiming the semantics of "Black Dogs!", blending and bending the crafts of genre and denouncing fascists on "Whip Cracker", "Easy", busting out full on power balladry with "A Song About Fishing", reaching out to our collective hearts on "No Looking Back" (featuring a hook borrowed loosely from "Together Again"), before bidding us adieu on the poetics of "Bye Bye" that concludes the album in an epic and mighty fashion. Experience what is already being called one of the best albums you will hear this year.

Doss is back with Puppy friend; photographed by Alex Lee.

The almighty Doss returned with the vibrant boutique beat chic of "Puppy" via LuckyMe Almost 8 years back Doss released the underground rippling self-titled EP via the obsessively exclusive and illustrious imprint Acéphale and became some of a cult favorite of artists and heads of high artistic taste. With a rich, incredibly exquisite upper elevated production (and an adorable doggo galloping about the green grass visualizer to boot); Doss furthers her vision of blending the worlds of discreet techno, progressive/epic trance and a deluxe take on the house music constructs that ushers us further into the future world of tomorrow with the tag line — It's the music. As Doss described it to Paper:

I had an ex once who called me Puppy, you know what I mean. I had fallen in love with their family and friends while we were together, so it wasn't just about the person or the breakup with them, but about losing the whole world that had been so vibrant and intimate and important and familial. We had been broken up for a while, like maybe three months, and I got invited to a birthday party and decided to drive last minute. Driving back at 2 AM to Maryland, I was sort of parsing through how sweet and welcoming they had been, but how I knew that it would never be like how it was before and what to do with all of those feelings. There's nothing like the feeling of a solitary night drive home, thinking about life.

Enter the citadel of pageantry and prizes with Crumb's visual for "Trophy" from Haoyan of America and Truba Animation. The trio of Lila Ramani, Bri Aronow, Jesse Brotter and Jonathan Gilad have been curating some of the most mystifying and curious pop of recent years with lauded releases like Jinx and Locket that have established the band as creating a stylistic institution of immersive arts that transfix the mind like the beguiling page-turning thrillers of a noirish twentieth century pulp. Keeping true to their own on brand exhibitions of the strangely avant and intriguingly absurd; Crumb's ode to life's win, lose or draw sports are set to racetrack awards pageantries. The ranking ceremonies turn surreal where we see that the audience is full of animated trophy cups that feels like a quixotic Roger Rabbit-esque hallucination episode / event (complete with a cameo from band buddy / Citrus City Records boss Manuel Lemus).

Get lost in the single "Marie" from Lost Horizons (Simon Raymonde from Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz's Richie Thomas) that features inimitable ethereal vocals from Marissa Nadler. Featured off the second part of their Bella Union double album In Quiet Moments; the Jack Wolter of Penelope Isles video matches the world and spirit spinning aesthetic of the track that blends audio atmospheres into installation art house moving pictures.

Juliet Quick shared the soul stirring song of strings "Circles" from the Substitute Scene Records release Glass Years. Modes of melancholy are gently explored with a sense of enlightenment and autonomous joy that moves forward with a realized sense of self and purpose. In Quick's own reflective words:

"Circles" is about filtering out the feedback of others and just living inside yourself, even if that isn’t always the easiest place to be. I have trouble doing that—I have had this lifelong compulsion to be perceived as ‘good,’ even to people who I don’t think are ‘good!’ The particular kind of depression I was in when I wrote this song, though, gave me some relief from that at times. It was much more difficult to care about pleasing people. There are a handful of external voices that appear in the song—advice-givers, pedantic men, crust punks—who are kind of gently ignored. It is definitely a sad song but it is also about freedom.

Presenting an aggregated array of various pop buzz in no particular order — Hazel English delivered the ballad of woe, angst and opportunity with "Five and Dime" from the Polyvinyl album Wake Up; Problem delivered the track about conflict management with the lambo loving visual for "Don't Be Mad at Me"; Fearing released their album for today's dark days with the Funeral Party released album Shadow; Austra shared the inspiring single for "Mountain Baby" ft. Cecile Believe and the Wilkinson Public School choir; The Angry Lisas shared the cabin comforts and campfire-style tales of "Stonewaller"; Ess Ford brought the scuzz-studded grandiosity of "fortnite" produced by Gunior and directed by Ju92 from the album In Hindsight; DESIRE dropped the synth horror odyssey of "Black Latex"; Barleaux delivered the sophist-pop track that dabbles in the divorce of interpersonal connections with "Fresh Water"; Lydia Ainsworth delivered the brilliant ballad of "Forever"; Moscow Apartment appeared on the scene with a listen to the sincere sentiments of "Halfway"; Melody presented the melancholy pop of wishes and pensive meditations with "Teacher's Pet" via Lauren Records; Fatt Father shared a look at the reflective visual for "Growth" ft. Melanie Rutherford and production from Jeremy Ford featured off the new album King Father that sports appearances from Quelle Chris, Finale, Marv One, Scud One and more; Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova released the mesmerizing futuristic visual representing battles of the present with "Panic Attack" directed by Asad J. Malik; Shilpa Ray delivered the awesome energy of "Manic Pixie Dream Cunt"; Tove Lo delivered the animated visual for "Sadder, Badder, Cooler" courtesy of the Venturia Animation Studios; Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats wowed us with the joint Unlocked 1.5 featuring appearances from Georgia Anne Muldrow, Joey Bada$$, Smino and more; DMV resident Rock Abruham sent us word of the upcoming album From the Mud (sporting appearances from the legendary Quelle Chris, Chris Crack, Muhsinah and more) with the Slimkat 79 produced cathartic don't-call-it-a-comeback track "10K"; dive into the luxury slick sophisti-pop of LA's own Fakelife via the well manicured EP Fall Behind via WAX LTD; Geographer delivered "Love Is Madness" ft. Kevin Ray from the album Down And Out In The Garden Of Earthly Delights; Bristol's Yard Arms brought the passion with the anthemic "These Four Walls" from their upcoming Sanctuary Lines EP; Mykki Blanco laid the smack down-down with "Patriarchy Ain't the End of Me"; Olivia Swann delivered the single of angsty discontent in the age of universal unrest with "Salty" ft. Jane Handcock; Soft People delivered the electro and humanity charged poetics with the pointed "22 Lunes" b/w "Wish I"; Welcome Center delivered the contemporary spiritual for strange times with "Animals Haunted by Love"; Richard Spitzer delivered a slice of humanism with the visual for “Text Your Ex”; Shelter Boy signed to Cascine with a listen to Atmosphere that bolsters the brightest pop reminiscent of the bangers that arrived before and all the best times soon to follow; Dent May is back on the scene with the glitz and glamor chill of "Easier Said Than Done" and "Sea Salt & Caramel" featured off the Carpark album Late Checkout; Torii Wolf shared a privy rooftop performance live from Silverlake with "Charlie"; Major Murphy delivered the epic down but not yet out unfettered and indefatigable ballad “Unfazed” visualized by New Archive and Greg Sheppard, from their second album Access via Winspear; Slow Pulp presented the world with a look at the visual for "Falling Apart" directed by Jake Lazovick off the Winspear album Moveys; Delaney Jane brought the electro shine of "Want You Now"; Tomberlin delivered a look at their nostalgic youthful visual for "Wasted" that illustrates the idleness of summer Saddle Creek EP Projections (co-produced by Alex Giannascoli, aka (SANDY) Alex G); Guadalajara duo Uay released the sweet psych synergistic stylings of La Selva via Halfshell Records; Once & Future Band presented the vintage video game visual for "Problem Addict" from their Castle Face release Deleted Scenes; Psychobuidings delivered a look at the CGI-rendered visual for "Mlia"; Body Double brought the big bold sound of "Ready to Die" with the visuals from Dalton Blanco; Tanzos delivered the inquiring and pointed expressions of pop with "Birdy"; Ilithios delivered the title track side-walk stepping visual from Jen Meller from the debut album Florist; Color Palette shared the sincere and serenely stitched pop single that is timely titled "Distance"; The Darcys' took us "Off the Deep" end with the bombastic new single; Leonardo Varella delivered the sweet sidewalk shuffle styles of "Pocket Full of Change"; Wyn Starks delves into the sources of core division on "Split in Two"; Smokescreens brought the pristine power pop of "Working Title" off the Slumberland release A Strange Dream; and in more Slumberland news, Lunchbox presented the Christina Riley visual for the modernist aesthetic of "I Really Wanna Know"; get mesmerized to far away locales and stunning vistas with Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains' new track "Coucou" from the Domino release Banane Bleue; GOD-DES delivered a state of the broken union with "Living in America"; new J Dilla box set Welcome 2 Detroit - The 20th Anniversary Edition dropped; Psychedelic Porn Crumpets brought all the stop-action animation fun with the "Tally-Ho" visual from the Marathon Artists album SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound; Sara Noelle shared an enchanted pop baroque cover of Judee Sill's "Emerald River Dance"; Future Islands signed massive deal with Third Side Music; Bob Mould released the new boxset Distortion; Tony Njoku delivered the head-space flipping "Death Dimitri"; Northwest shared the entrancing visual epic "Before the Spell" from the album II; Thebandivory, fronted by Venezuelan, American Frankie DeRosa, released the autobiographical album of discovery, identity, adversity and adventure on Anthropocene; Maria DeHart delivered the DIY portastudio majesty of "In My Head"; NIVO delivered the atmospheric and hazy hymn "Runnin It Up" ft. Rexx Life Raj; Palm Ghosts dropped the obfuscated and muddied visions of "Blind" featured off the album Lifeboat Candidate; Sculpture Club brought the big emotive pop passion with the Chaz Costello-directed video for "Just One More" from the Funeral Party Records album Worth; GOLDEN presented the ambient soft primavera season atmospheres with the Air Volle remix of "Eye"; Oak House's Gresham Cash delivered the space-bound swan song "Why Not Mars" off the solo album Any Day But Today; LA's Grey Factor woo'd and wowed with the electro pop anthem "You're So Cool" from The Perils of Popularity EP; Kid Dakota, aka Darren Jackson, released the masterpiece Age of Roaches via Graveface Records; Sanya N'Kanta delivered the introspective and evocative track and visual for "Waste My Time"; Nashville's rising electro rocker James Levy dropped the fuzzy jam of obfuscated identities "Myself Anymore" from the Side Hustle album Soldier; Cole Koch delivered the big fuzzy industrious pop with "Lockdown NYC";

The roads towards light and new frontiers of inspiration; press photo courtesy of Kerri O’Malley.

Mick Dimitri delivered the heart and soul pouring pop chart ready ballad "Oh My Friend"; Clara Jones delves beyond the hubris, facades and fronts in life with the back to reality basics of "Ordinary Person"; Thee Conductor shared a viewing of the the art animated videos captures by Scott Shellhamer for "Night Light" that features vocals from Bonnie "Prince" Billy from the album Spirit of a Ghost; Guspy delivered the laid back style of "STEEZ LUÍZ"; Nick Andre dropped a ray of hope with "Life is Awesome" featuring bars from Lil B, Zion I, Casual that keeps the focus on rebuilding a better life and world; Milly shared the throwback alternative nation-looking 90s-styled visual for "Denial" from the Wish Goes On EP; live the iced out high life with Young Dolph and Key Glock in the Colorado baller visual for "Aspen"; Generationals shared a spirited remix of Okey Dokey's "Delicious"; Sour Widows offered a listen to the sincere slow and glow burner title track from their Exploding in Sound album Crossing Over; Vegyn delivered the electro odyssey "B4 the Computer Crash" featured off the Warp Records EP Like a Good Old Friend; Imaginary People present the adonis worshiping weirdness and passion of the "Renegade" video from James Hartley and Justin Repasky off the album Alibi; ATL icon Dani Stevenson delivered a testament to the power of perseverance with "Love Me"; Jay Swinn in collaboration with guitarist Phil Miles delivered the catchy classic hung over headache jam "Empty Bottle"; SF by way of ATL artist Kelly McFarling delivered the earthy and earnest album Deep The Habit; Lisa Gerrard & Jules Maxwell (of Dead Can Dance) have been working with MAPS' James Chapman on the album sharing a look at the dramatic art/fashion house b/w visuals for "Noyalain (Burn)" directed by Jacob Chelkowski; Remember Sports delivered an ode to the things in life that weigh us down with "Materialistic" from the album Like a Stone via Father/Daughter Records & Big Scary Monsters; Cool Ghouls returned at last with some foggy and lovely San Francisco sunshine with the album At George's Zoo courtesy of Empty Cellar/Melodic Records; in the world of the illustrious Moon Glyph imprint we explored a first taste of Nuke Watch's experimental atmospheres of The Manhattan Project - Live In NY, the strings and woodwinds that encompass the nu-chamber graces of Songs of the Marsh from Henry the Rabbit, Beatrice Morel Journel & Semay Wu, Angela Wilson & Brian Griffith, aka the aptly applied moniker of Electric Sound Bath brought us to mind lifting new realms with Of This World, the psych streaked sounds from Ryan Garbes' Tabbed View, redefining chamber pop with Günter Schlienz on Orphée aux Enfers, Omni Gardens (the moniker of MG's own Steve Rosborough) brought us the therapeutic album Moss King, Mark Tester's transportive electro odyssey Super Hiss, Grapefruit's experiments with the aural luster of ambience on Light Fronds, the percussive chutzpah of Secret Drum Band's Chuva, the otherworldly Fishland from Aaron Space & His Terrestrial Underlings, to Cole Pulice's conscious twisting Gloam and a whole new set of creative dimensions waiting for you at Moon Glyph; King Krule remixed Eyedress’s “Jealous" (with the visual for the original previously premiered via Week in Pop) The Weeknd versus the Grammys; and we remember cassette tape inventor and hold in heart the memory of the millions of all we have lost to the pandemic worldwide.

As the world turns toward a chance of hope and progress, Week in Pop's ever evolving news section will work to present snapshot glimpses at various pop aesthetic developments of interest.

Wandering into the equinox where winter transforms into spring; photograph by Kerri O’Malley.

Week in Pop has remained dedicated in covering the news beat of media evolution and the development of output from today and tomorrow’s upstarts. In recent weeks and months the speed of art and life movements have been on accelerated trajectory (to put it mildly). As we report from our respective quarantine locales with Week in Pop HQ on lockdown — we learned that the U.S. Senate passed a $2 trillion coronavirus bill, the global fallout of COVID-19 related fatalities and infections continues and add narco-trafficking shenanigans in Venezuela to the mix. As the pop world carries on in solitary, we bring news that Caroline Says announced the new Western Vinyl EP and shared the mystical and endearing title track "Ohio River"; U.S. Girls delivered the grand album Heavy Light; Rosalía delivered the raw and passionate "Dolerme"; Tierra Whack delivered the quarantied anthem "Stuck"; Boulevards along with La Roux busted out the boss move modes of "Too Far"; Caroline Polachek presented a look at the sensational and suave Matt Copson co-directed visual for "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings" featured off the solo album Pang; AKA George brought some down-home snot and sass for the quarantine era with the literal homemade visual for "bad for you"; Lil Uzi Vert gifted the universe Eternal Atake - LUV vs. The World 2; The Head and the Heart delivered the dramatic Tamar Levine visual for the perceptive pop of "See You Through My Eyes"; (SANDY) Alex G covered Shania Twain's "You're Still the One"; Banoffee announced the album Look At Us Now Dad for Cascine and delivered the glam Quinn Wilson visual for "Tennis Fan" ft. Empress Of and rolled out the visual for the sparkling and stylish new jam "Count On You", as well as “Contagious”; buzz for Frank Ocean's vinyl only singles "Dear April" and "Cayendo"; Diet Cig shared the imploring, chic and smart new single "Who Are You?" off Do You Wonder About Me?; Milk For the Angry presented a look at the electrifying performance visual for the throwback-steeped pop rock of "My Sugar" off the album Extraterrestrial Desert; San Francisco's No Vacation shared some of the shimmering new from their Topshelf album Phasing and shone even further with the single "Days"; Natie delivered the intimate, earnest, personal and sensual visual for "HKHT" (His Kiss, His Touch); Yalee collaborated with his mom on the track "Momma Sorrows" that spills some wisdom with a multigenerational weight of consicence and consequence; Shana Falana delivered the heavy electric luster of "Darkest Light"; Hamilton, Ontario's Dan Edmond cut us off something from the album Softie with the sweet, spirit swelling and swirling single "another try” featuring visuals by Masocre; Hannah Diamond released the anticipated debut album Reflections with the grandiose and illustrious LED-bathed electric anthem "Invisible" following up "Part of Me"; Paul Cauthen shared a live rendering of the blazing "Holy Ghost Fire" off of Room 41; the iconic Hinds sent word of The Prettiest Curse via Mom + Pop with a look and listen to "Good Bad Times"; Charly Bliss delivered the rocking Supermoon EP out of nowhere; Maria Lindén with I Break Horses return with the illustrious "Neon Lights" off the new Bella Union album Warnings; Micah E. Wood and Bobbi Rush rolled out the illustrious and expressive ballad of beauty and affection, "Day2Day"; Mothermary dropped the incendiary and wild "Catch Fire" visual; Post Animal delivered the song of securities and sincerities with "Safe or Not"; Jeremy Pascal delivered the dramatiste aches and angst of "Heart Scars"; Linen Closet presented a look at the mesmerizing visual for the electric signals of "Warning Sign"; WEEKS shared the elusive electric wonder "Plastic Screens"; Pastel delivered the new powerful and vulnerable single "Moon Landing"; Paco Versailles set sail with the gorgeous pop panorama "Unwind (Acoustic Version)"; Victoria Langford delivered the mystic moving "Psalm"; Mokita dropped some sentimental pop emotion with "Colorblind"; Work Drugs kicked off 2020 with an essence that captures the wonder of the season with "Winter Keys"; Erin Bowman delivered the passionate cycle of raw sincerity with Apartment 101; New Politics delivered a look at the action-angled lyric visual for "Comeback Kid"; Trinidad James returned with all the chills and thrills via the single and video for "Ugly"; Lightouts returned with the big bold single "Lucky Strikes" featured off the new album Wake; DAWN dropped the tracks "Slim Thicc" ft. Trakgirl & "Ay Papi" ft. Brooke Candy and the wild corresponding visual from Monty Marsh; Midnight Vesta shared a slice of sentimental Americana with "Complicated Pony"; Lisa Prank delivered the creative Stacy Peck-directed visual for the break-up rocker ballad "IUD"; Christopher John, of Dead Ceremony, delivered a listen to the earnest and vulnerable earnest expressions of "Be Honest"; Hoops are back with a gentle fury bringing us a cup of cool sophisti-pop excellence via "They Say"; Philly's own cool cats theaterkids delivered another jubilant slice of joy via "echoes"; Griff delivered the celestial seeking visual for "Paradise" from the Mirror Talk EP; Eyedress delivered the reflective chill of "Trauma" b/w "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend"; Clams Casino returned with the visualizer for the new album Moon Trip Radio; Choir Boy delivered the throwback Halloween in spring visual for "Toxic Eye" filmed by Annie Avila and Andrew Aguilera from the new Dais album Gathering Swans; Julia Jones elevated our consciousnesses to an upper level with "Lift You High"; King Von presented the visual for the suspicious minds and more of "Trust Issues" ft. Yungeen Ace; Toronto's Kiwi Jr. dropped the title track jam "Football Money"; Frances Quinlan presented the cool creative keys of the slick sequenced and mind-lighting single "Now That I'm Back" from the Saddle Creek album Likewise; Kilo Kish dropped the electric aura of "Spark" off the Redux EP; Lil Durk along with G Herbo shared some bars from the frontlines of Chi-town with "Chiraq Demons"; Kentucky's Joshua Brooks pays a tribute to Stephon Clark and takes a stand against police brutal Kentucky's Joshua Brooks pays a tribute to Stephon Clark and takes a stand against police brutal Kentucky's Joshua Brooks pays a tribute to Stephon Clark and takes a stand against police brutality with the powerful strummer "Ballad of Love Lost (The Death of Stephon Clark)"; Jay Whiss presented the bossy visual for "Valet" ft. Puffy L'z and production courtesy of Murda Beatz & Cubeatz; Billie Eilish presented a look at the self-directed visual for "xanny"; Sløtface shared the gift of "New year, new me"; Ester shared a very apt single and Emulsion Labs visual for our time with "Lock Me Up" off the album Turn Around; Ásgeir presented us with "Lazy Giants" directed by Guðmundur Kristinn Jónsson and Ásgeir Trausti Einarsson; Loving presented us with the mellow and meditative "Lately In Another Time" off their Last Gang Records release If I Am Only My Thoughts; Kid Froopy dropped the expressive emotive dump in the tear streaked pop of jagged hope "Some Nights I Feel Like Crying" off the Dead Beats album Silver Silver; DRAMA delivered the urgency of "Nine One One" from the Ghostly release Dance Without Me; Bananagun presented the creative cool pop tones of "Out of Reach" via Full Time Hobby; our friends En Attendant Ana announced the album "Juillet" for Trouble in Mind with the inquiring rhythmic intrigues of "Do You Understand?"; Disq presented a look and listen to the new radical single "Daily Routine" from the Saddle Creek album Routine; Joey Trap announced the new release CHAMP; Frances Quinlan shared the suave ode to epistolary patience with "Your Reply" from the Saddle Creek album Likewise; Post Animal delivered the moody track "Fitness"; Ringo Deathstarr gave the world the blazing wonder of "Gazin'" from their Club AC30 self-titled; Milk for the Angry brought the angst and anachronistic rock visuals with "My Sugar" featured off the album Extraterrestrial Desert; YlangYlang shared the sinewy sparkle of "Limitless" off the Crash Symbols release Interplay; Lil Gotit delivered some intimate down low views with the visual for "Slime Hood" feat. Slimelife Shawty produced by London On Da Track; FLAX, aka Sean Flax, shared the evocative exhibitions of "More Love" produced by the Revivalists' Zack Feinberg; Loose Koozies shared some earnest and organic light with their anticipated album Feel a Bit Free from Outer Limits Lounge Records; Best Coast presented a look at the vintage styled Ryan Baxley game show visual for "Everything Has Changed" off the album Always Tomorrow; Fatal Jamz' own Marion Belle delivered the cinematheque styles of "Soundcheck"; East Memphis emcee Big Moochie Grape rolled up with the fretch batch of "Clusters” featuring production courtesy of Bandplay; Soko presented a look at the melancholic performance art chic visual for "Being Sad is Not a Crime" directed by Gilbert Trejo featured off the album of the same name; Sløtface presented the new slick punk pop single "Tap the Pack" from the new album Sorry for the Late Reply; Comethazine announced the new album Pandemic with the flashy single "No Front"; Soccer Mommy presented the single and visual for "yellow is the color of her eyes" and delivered a look and listen at the waterpark/skatepark visual for "circle the drain" off the new album color theory; Ellis delivered the single and visual for the cosmic and floral fascinations of "saturn return" from the artist's debut album born again; Catholic Action presented the call to action "People Don't Protest Enough" off the album Celebrated By Strangers; Kesha released High Road; Disq delivered the cabin essence of winter warmth with the visual for "Loneliness"; TOPS returned with the wicked majesty of "Witching Hour" off the new album I Feel Alive; Portland's Olivia Awbrey delivered the deep dive into the throes of entropy and a gravity greater than the imagination with "Advanced State of Decay" off the release Dishonorable Harvest; Human Potential, Andrew Becker of Medications and Screens, released the life-affirming work I'm Glad You're Alive; somegirlnamedanna emerged on the scene with the introductory single "hello i am"; Rockie Fresh shared the single about sentiments and considerations with the spring steez of "Feelings Hurt" ft. Casey Veggies; Fox Violet delivered the grandiose anthem of grandeur and grith a la "Trenches"; Katy Perry delivered the single and visual from Manson (consisting of Pau Lopez, Gerardo del Hierro, and Tomas Pena) for "Harleys in Hawaii" and the big baby-bump reveal via the never “Never Worn White” visual; massive buzz for the deluxe edition of The Weeknd's After Hours replete with remixes; Mo3 shared some insights on localized hazards overlooked by much of the press on the effects of COVID-19 on under-served communities with "Black Corona"; Lena Machina shared an organic, evocative and acoustic rendering of "Dark" off the debut Secret Shame album Dark Synthetics; Hare Squead delivered an illustrious for our times (and perhaps for all time) with the wade into the weird of our world with the tape Superweird; Classixx dropped "One More Song" ft. Roosevelt; Deerhoof shared the electric energy of amour with "The Loved One" off their new Joyful Noise album Future Teenage Cave Artists; Big Sean announced his fifth album Detroit 2; Bright Eyes delivered the new song "Persona Non Grata" via Dead Oceans; Nine Inch Nails delivered Ghosts V-VI; Dr. Dre's iconic is set to be archived via the Library of Congress; Lightning Bug covered Townes Van Zandt's "No Place to Fall", Ellis covers Yuck and The Districts cover T. Rex via Fat Possum's KAGED series; Bob Dylan released the moving epic “Murder Most Foul”; the entire world of festivals/concerts/conferences/gatherings and the like have either been cancelled or postponed and we remember Gabi Delgado-López of D.A.F., legendary drummer Bill Rieflin, composer Krzysztof Penderecki, 28 Degrees’ Jinsen Liu, Psychic Ills' Tres Warren and the iconic Manu Dibango.

Keep up with all the buzz and hype via Week in Pop’s news department.

Exploring the aquariums of infinite intrigue; photos courtesy of Kerri O’Malley.

The latest headline tickers report the tragic police fracas in Fort Worth, Saddleridge wildfires in Southern California and the ongoing and incessant maelstrom of civic controversies that continue to spin out of control (and beyond comprehension and conventional measure) without any sign of slowing anytime soon. Bring you now some of the buzz you may have missed, billy woods returned with the mighty solo album Terror Management via Backwoodz Studioz; post art dance pop provocateurs Guerilla Toss returned to their home at NNA Tapes with the new album What Would the Odd Do? with a listen to the mind and world expanding "Plants" that features the character of Laura existing in worlds inspired by What a Plant Knows and The Hidden Life of Trees respectively, along with the new track “Future Doesn’t Know”; Luxe Malone went on a Japan tour and released the sinewy and sultry new single "Horses"; phem dropped the visual for "Grim Reaper" ft. Lil Tracy and the intimate video for "Who Cares" and the visual for the title track 'vixualixer' off the Vacum Head EP; Claire George graced the world with the incredible single "Alone Together" along with the alternate version; 24 Caltdo presented a look at the Dan Fromhart-directed performance visual for the sentimental and candid cool of "Ding Dong Scrambled Eggs" off of Literally Main Street; Portland's Sea Caves shot a "Dart" direct to the heart of star-crossed lovers everywhere; Brooklyn cool cat Alexei Shishki charmed our hearts with the lovely pop vignette "Clean Thru" featured off the forthcoming self-titled via Forged Artifacts; Serafina Steer provided a close and keen look at the Oliver Marchant and James Ormiston visual for the electro-ethereal pop of "Provides Common Ground" off the album The Mind is a Trap; The Cabin Fever announced the new EP Alone Together with a listen to the emotive and earnest track "Window Pain"; Tony Njoku presented the MMA visual for the electronic and intimate reflections of "Confident" off the album Your Psyche’s Rainbow Panorama via Silent Kid Records; mxmtoon delivered the endearing visionary and sentimental shining pop with "dream of you"; Chastity delivered the sophisticated house party visual for "Flames" off the Captured Tracks album Home Made Satan; Reality Something keeps that dream of the 90s raging and radical with the cool rocking single "Dirty Money"; New Lealand rising pop legend Miss June dropped the oddly amazing and intriguing single "Anomaly" featured off their Frenchkiss Records album Bad Luck Party; Missions presented the synth-sparkling visual for "Feelin" from Hampton and Katie Mills off the Holodeck Records album Subcreature; Baltimore pop mastermind Joshua Stokes is Madmastermind who just dropped a slice of future vibes and styles to follow with "Focus"; Young Mister delivered the endearing ballad of "Best" off the Refresh Records album Sudden Swoon; prodigies of prolific and earth shattering future pop HTRK returned with Venus in Leo via Ghostly; ATL rising star Blaatina dropped the cautionary cool of "Watch Out" ft. NLE Choppa; G Flip dropped About Us via Future Classic; Lil Tecca dropped We Love You Tecca; Gigi Rowe dropped the battle cry bop of "Warrior"; Rose Dorn presented the domino-themed Julia Ling Kelleher visual for the saudade and hard hitting single "Champ" taken from the Bar None release Days You Were Leaving; Somos dropped the epic and mighty album Prison On A Hill via Tiny Engines; Trentemøller dropped the jagged electro jam "Try A Little" ft. Warpaint's Jenny Lee; Boy Scouts delivered the album Free Company via ANTI- and offered a look at the warm DIY Ramez Silyan visual for "Get Well Soon"; Lana Del Rey delivered the album Norman Fucking Rockwell and delivered the grand Rich Lee visual for "Doin' Time"; Katy Perry dropped the Tanu Muino visual for "Small Talk"; TOOL dropped Fear Inoculum; Jenny Tolman dropped the glamorous visual for the candid "So Pretty"; Leeroy Stagger dropped the jam about moving beyond the deepest depths of the bottle with "Deeper Well"; Stone Jack Jones dropped the atmospheric "O Brother" off of Black Snake; Humbird released the organic and earnest album Pharmakon; touring with Com Truise, Beshken released the remixes for Aisle of Palm; Ryahn delivered the radical single "Sad Boy" off the debut Light Blue EP; Sassy 009 dropped the visual for "Thrasher" from the Kill Sassy 009 EP; Chicago's King Von sent us word of the tape Grandson Vol. 1 via Only The Family/EMPIRE and dropped some knowledge with the slapping "What It's Like"; Clipping delivered the visualizer for "La Mala Ordina"; DaBaby dropped KIRK; Empress Of and Kito dropped the autumn cool collaboration "Wild Girl"; Krin J Callinan dropped "Return to Center";

Just Like Honey shared the expressive and emotive gestures of "How Does It Feel?" from The Wood Room Sessions; Harry Cubberly aka Treatment presents the anticipated album Pond Life; Frogi released the anticipated Introvert EP; CHAD delivered the maudline single "Leonard Nimoy"; Highcard, aka Benjamin Zamora and Douglas Meadows, released the cool club lounge styles of absence and emotive connections via "Without You"; Angel Olsen released All Mirrors via Jajaguwar along with the epic Ashley Connor visual for "Lark"; Nudity continue their covers spree with their Southern goth rendering of the Everly Brothers' "Wake Up Little Susie"; Pass By Catastrophe released all the autumn feels with their debut self-titled EP; Portland artist Corinne Sharlet shared the illustrious chord shimmer and shine of "Hail Mary"; Laura Reznek delivered the melancholy pear motif visual from Nicola Fuller for the ballad of blame, shame and transcendence "You Are Bad"; Noah Cyrus delivered the emotive and earnest video for "Lonely" co-directed by Symone Ridgell; Anna Meredith delivered the electro-edged artifice of "Inhale Exhale" off the Black Prince Fury release FIBS; LA's own fakelife delivered the electric rhythms and sentimental blues with "Your Love is a Flood"; Ness Heads presented the visual of transit line trajectories for the boss track "Pull Me Up" off the release Numb; Junkyboy, Mik & Rich Hanscomb shared a look at the duo strumming away into the clouds with the visual for "Fulfil" off the album Trains, Trees and Topophilia; Brooklyn's Public Practice dropped the jam "Disposable" and their cover of Yukihiro Takahashi's "Extra-Ordinary"; Sassy 009 dropped some sleek fun for the autumn season with "Maybe in the Summer" from the Kill Sassy 009 EP; Sandy sent out translucent electro beams with "Signals" off the Geographic North release Traces; Matt Valentine delivered the epic cosmic journey of "Minor Rager > Calliphygian Niekro > Minor Rager >" off the Beyond Beyond is Beyond release Preserves; Carvi shared the sentiments and sensations of "VIBE" off the the Fueled the Crazy EP; Rhymes shared some cool club-crafted visuals for the festive single "Party" ft. Summer Dennis; Jackie Venson presented the Andrew Bennett visual featuring art by Chris Rogers for the celebration of jubilant choices "Joy"; Lez Zeppelin covered "Immigrant Song" originally by the band that inspired their altered-namesake; Paul Mosley and The Red Meat Orchestra presented a listen to the timeless slice of day seizing "Because I Did Not Die Today"; Nick Murphy presented a look at a rooftop performance of "Dangerous (live from Orchard Street)"; Bblasian dropped a toast to the high and good life with "Above & Beyond"; Most People provided the smoky and sultry Seth Mendelson visual for the displays of desires on "Need a Little More"; The Cabin Fever got their karaoke on with the visual for "White Dwarf and a Supernova" off the Alone Together EP; Tiny Hueman delivered the shore shining single "Up the Coast"; Caribous delivered the sweet new single "Home"; Helado Negro provided a look at the Jason Evans visual for "Seen My Aura" from the album This is How You Smile; Lucy Dacus covered Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight"; Kim Gordon rocked the world with "Hungry Baby" off the new album No Home Record; FKA twigs provided a look at the visual for "Home With You" from the new album MAGDALENE; Gucci Mane dropped "Big Booty" ft. Megan Thee Stallion; Travis Scott dropped the mystic "Highest in the Room"; Channel Tres remixed Tyler, the Creator's "EARFQUAKE"; Danny Brown dropped the JPEGMAFIA-produced track "3 Tearz" ft. Run the Jewels; Trends delivered a new single with the endearing and evocative "Branches” accompanied by visuals from animated and designed by Jeremie Carreon and Aileen Alexandra; Neil Young announced the documentary Mountaintop chronicling the creation of the new album Colorado; Young Thug dropped the celebratory Hidji Films visual for "What's the Move" ft. Lil Uzi Vert; Chance the Rapper shared the visual for "We Go High"; Big Thief dropped the lauded album Two Hands; James Blake opened up in an essay about mental health and more; Rolling Loud removed a handful of artists due to NYPD safety concerns; former SOB x RBE member Lul G apprehended for murder; Tricky announced autobiography Hell is Around the Corner; CupcakKe is apparently quitting the music game; Lil Peep's mom versus the late artist's management team; we remember the life and times of Ginger Baker, the Muffs' Kim Shattuck and Eddie and the Hot Rods' Barrie Masters.

Keep up with all the buzz via Week in Pop’s news department.

Danny Brown brought the world the inspiring and amazing "Dirty Laundry" from the new album uknowhatimsayin¿ via WARP; Monster Rally gave us all the throwback action and more with "Adventure" from Adventures on the Floating Island via Gold Robot Records; Frankie Cosmos released the album Close it Quietly Sub Pop; Crystal Myslajek delivered the illustrious piano painted Cove via Moon Glyph; Sean Cronin, aka Ghost Warning, delivered the minimalist musings of "Very Good" and the single on the ins and outs of adulting with "Adulthood"; Chelsea Wolfe delivered the desperado style Gilbert Trejo visual/single "Deranged for Rock & Roll" and the single/video for the maudlin moods of "American Darkness" both from the album Birth of Violence via Sargent House; Tove Lo dropped "Really Don't Like U" ft. Kylie Minogue off the new album Sunshine Kitty; Pharmakon delivered the wild visual for "Devour", a collaboration between Margaret Chardiet, Jacqueline Castel and Caroline Schub; Wellington, New Zealand rising stars Mermaidens released Look Me in the Eye via Flying Nun Records; Sui Zhen dropped the powerful and empowering single "Being a Woman" via Cascine; Big Wish presented a look at the magical, mystical visual of life's mysteries with the mind-flipping beauty of "Through & Through" from their debut EP Real Angels Caught on Camera; LA's own Future Feats announced that their debut album will be arriving this fall via FADER Label and delivered the suave visual and single for "Nights Like Tonight" https://youtu.be/YQwABmLkqII; Emotional Indulgence, formerly Ethereal and the Queer Show (oka EATQS), released their celestial and otherworldly self-titled via Noumenal Loom; No Swoon delivered the dramatic visual for the epic single "Don't Wake Up, Wake Up" off their Substitute Scene Records self-titled; Boyscott are re-releasing Goose Bumps via Topshelf / Babe City Records; Black Marble gave us all the "Feels" in the visual off their Sacred Bones debut Bigger Than Life; WRENN delivered the empowered angst and triumph of "Psychosexual"; My Golden Calf presented the arty Blake Lange visual for "Rodent Roommate"; New York's Office Culture graced us with the serene single of first world grinding and struggles via "Hard Times in the City" featured off their album A Life of Crime; WesdaRuler delivered the album Ocean Drive via HHBTM and shared the stay-cation styles of "Stay at Home"; Vagabon, aka Lætitia Tamko, delivered the 16mm catpured Maegan Houang visual for "Water Me Down"; West My Friend delivered the oceanic swell of the "Salt Water" visual from the album In Constellation; Belgian group Portland dropped the masterful and delightful menace of "Killer's Mind" https://Portland.lnk.to/killersmind; Oakland artist Billie Gale released the Tiny Telephone-recorded album Imprint; Elizabeth presented a look at the evocative evening emotions of "beautiful baby" courtesy of Triana Hernandez and Dyllan Corbett; Lisa Prank dropped the cool rocking and radical "Ignore It" off the Father/Daughter album Perfect Love Song; Baby Shakes set the scene with the NYC takeover visual for "Cause a Scene"; Philadelphia's breakout act theaterkids released their debut single "pratfall" to shake some thoughtful dance moves into the fall solstice; Tyler, The Creator the classic, timeless and tense visual for "A Boy is a Gun"; Lee "Scratch" Perry to release the dub wise for the album Rainford with Heavy Rain; Chromatics shared the incredible new single "I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around" and released the album Closer to Grey; Xuan Rong delivered the electro beat experimentation essences of "Lay Apart"; Young M.A delivered the debut Herstory in the Making and the jubilant and bossy "No Mercy (Intro)" visual; Rod Wave delivered the reflective Logan Fields visual for the sentimental and sincere "Heart On Ice (Remix)" ft. Lil Durk; Sea Girls delivered the pop glow and luster of "Violet"; Space Above shared the electric sheen and entrancing energy of "Stolen Days" ft. Alisa Xayalith; Stawcrawler delivered the skint and spirited "No More Pennies" off the Rough Trade release Devour You; Kiwi Jr. dropped the careerist calamities of being a "Salary Man"; Tei Shi delivered the exotic visual for the duet "Even If It Hurts" with Blood Orange from the album La Linda; Trentemøller dropped Obverse; Poolbood delivered the emotive and earnest track "I'm Sorry" off the Accidental Popstar Records (Shamir's imprint) release Yummy; Vancouver Sleep Clinic strummed some endearing aural gestures of sincerity with "Fever"; Penelope Isles delivered the tumbling and tubular track "Round"; Julien Cheng shared a look at the trippy visual for the mesmerizing "Memory Loss" courtesy of Haoyan of America;

Capturing the spirit of summer 2019 in our collective hearts; photographed by Kerri O’Malley.

Amid the inescapable hype of international trade war debacles, the Amazon rain forest fire, and a tropical storm afoot — Week in Pop presents a quick look at some of the developing buzz from the pop culture circuits. Our top news story is that DIY pop's most innovative and enlightened star Jay Som just dropped the highly anticipated third album Anak Ko; Lady Lazarus returned with the incredible new single "I Know What It Feels Like" and the sentimental reflective single "Driving the Streets of Your Town" and visual featured off the new album Impossible Journey of My Soul Tonight; Missy Elliott is once again poised to takeover the entire world; Esther Rose released You Made it This Far via the independent contemporary vanguard imprint Father/Daughter; Fat Tony and Brady Watt delivered the bass thumping and kinetic new cut "Runnin'"; San Francisco band Nobody's Baby released their self-titled debut EP; Montreal's own Pascale Project graced us with the club-cut wall to wall jammer "Let Us Go" off the Orange Milk album Be Urself; Under Violet, the new outfit from Sara Bischoff previously from Web of Sunsets, presented a look at the haunted and bewitching landscape visuals that comprise the video for "Blame Me" featured off the previously released debut album; Mechanimal presented us with a look at the John Karabelas tech art visual for the synth-studded "Red Mirror" from their Inner Ear Records EP; Peaer announced the Tiny Engines album A Healthy Earth; ESS SEE arrived on the scene with the aptly titled breakout single "No. 1" that strives to be the one and only (with no time for second place); Oakland's pop wonders Parentz dropped the sensational synth soaked single "Dead Mall"; Micah E. Wood wowed the world with the elaborate Samantha Mitchell performance visual for "Ghost" ft. fellow local Bmore legend Bobbi Rush; Oakland's rising act Shutups rocked our world and the entire world at large with the monumental anticipated full-length Everyday I'm Less Zen; IDK launched the imprint Clue with a look at the hyper-real visual for the mind-opening "Digital" off of Is He Real; Mike Sempert released the moving album Reunion of Sparks via the artist's imprint Infinity Maps; Mustardmind delivered the experimental and exotic dulcets of "Docent"; American Football delivered a look at the intimate David M. Helman-directed visual for the candid and expressive "I Can't Feel You" ft. Rachel Goswell; Detroit's own Two Cheers shared the galactic coordinates of "Future Constellations"; Blossoms delivered a look at their monster-masked visuals for "Your Girlfriend"; Newcast dropped the ultimate summer road trip anthem with "Winona, Come On"; Cones present a look at the DIY moon pop visual for "Moonstone" from the Dangerbird album Pictures of Pictures; Twen presented a look at the sweet summer biking visual for "Damsel" off of Awestruck; City and Clour spilled their guts on the emotive energy of "Strangers"; Sheer Mag made everything wonderful in the world again with the radical jam "The Killer" off A Distant Call; Beak> shared a look at the surreal montage of masks video for "Life Goes On" from Alfredo Lopez from the Temporary Residence/Invada Records EP Life Goes On; Richard Spitzer delivered the holistic acoustic strummer "Synthesizer"; Sanctuary Lakes (members of Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts) delivered the their self-titled debut album via Cutters Records; Clipping announced the new Sub Pop album There Existed an Addiction to Blood with a listen to the throwback horror flick styles of "Nothing is Safe"; Lil Tecca delivered the statement of status with "Ransom"; Drake dropped the Theo Skudra video for "Money in the Grave" ft. Rick Ross;

Kleptokrat expanded our collective minds with the big fiery roars and visions of consciousness expanding towers of sound on Momentarily, To Grace; GRAACE delivered the opulent Gabriel Gasparinatos visual for the smoky new single "Have Fun At Your Party"; Ummagma announced the new release Compass with a listen to the elevated electronic essences of "High Day"; DMZ artist Maryjo Mattea delivered some earnest pop for the broken hearted and down trodden lovers with "Candlelight and Roses"; Chris Jamison dropped the ultra radio pop pomp of "Go"; Wylder delivered the summertime dreaming, sun worshipping single "The Lake"; Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello's steamy "Señorita" video; Friendly Fires returned with the shadow play glow of "Silhouettes" from the album Inflorescent; Kim Gordon presented a look at the Loretta Fahrenholz video for "Sketch Artist" off the Matador Records album No Home Record; GRLwood delivered the anthem of angst and rebellion with "I Hate My Mom"; Tennis System delivered a look at the surreal dream-world style visual for the electric and emotively charged single "Turn" from the Graveface album Lovesick; Luxury offered a listen to the shimmering and sentimental prizes of Trophies; Manchester's Cleargreen delivered the working class anthem for the masses "People" along with the everyday people visual from Tarnish Vision; Frauds delivered the eccentric visual for "Putin's Day Off"; Oh Sees presented us with a look at the throwback video game style visual from Eaten Alive Illustrations for "Poisoned Stones" off the Castle Face album Face Stabber; Jess Clinton delivered the wondrous single of perseverance and purpose titled "Make It"; States & Capitals delivered a look at the minimalist visual for the ultra feels/ultra pop single "Feelings"; Devon Welsh delivered a listen about the clashes, contras and confrontations of "War"; Phebe Starr presented a look at the introspective animated visual for the reflective and melancholy "Bad News" from Helena Papageorgiou; Tess Henley presented a look at the inspiring Rosanna Peng-directed visual for "Same Girl"; Stand Up and Say No aired the amplified sentiments of "Electrified"; Chickn delivered the frenetic, kinectic and electric fun of their new single "Infrared Panda Club" off the upcoming Inner Ear Records album Bel Espirit; dedicated to the life of the iconic Sadie Roberts-Joseph, Seratones deliver the apt visual for the equally aptly titled "Power"; Tony Harrah delivered a cycle of heart penned hymns with Unicorns; Gallery 47 delivered an an epic anthem for the weekdays and weekends with "Weeklong"; mxmtoon delivered the ode to the shifts that occur with each new solstice with the visual for "Seasonal Depression"; Joseph delivered the fight song/rallying call of "Fighter"; UMMAGMA delivered the hummingbird flutter and meditative/levitative single & visual for "High Day" from the album Compass; Shakespears Sister returned with the mighty "C U Next Tuesday"; Tei Shi shared the illuminations of "Red Light"; Oakland's Billie Gale shared the atmospheric majesty of "The Rules"; Geena Fontanella took the audience on a transportive "Trip"; Lil Pump dropped the shoulder shrugging "Pose to Do" ft. French Montana & Quavo; Haim debuted the new song "Summer Girl"; Charli XCX & Christine and the Queens delivered the visual for "Gone"; Twin Peaks presented the Ariel & Leo visual for "Dance Through It"; SOPHIE announced the OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES non-stop remix collection; Vivian Girls are back with the single "Sick" and a look at the awesome and exciting visual for "Something to Do" off the new Polyvinyl album Memory;

Eli Raybon released the epic album Supertoys; Nnena shared the JD Dillard visual for the bossy and earnest anthem "Lovesick"; Final Child presented a look at the throwback styles that comprise the "Afterlife" visual; LOVING delivered the lovely and loverly single "Visions" via Last Gang Records; Miss Eaves presented the commentary on modern romance with the Shanthony Exum visual for the Rich Matthew-produced "Left Swipe Left"; Color Palette dropped the chill road and world tripping track "Marrakech to Bombay"; West / Step mesmerized our collective senses with the post-post-tech-modernist shimmering single "Hackurwayhome"; Kacy Hill delivered the earnest and sentimentally expressive single and synchronized swimming visual for "To Somebody Else"; Starcrawler presented the visceral and rocking Jellyclaw visual for "Bet My Brains" off the Rough Trade album Devour You; Field Mouse shared the shimmering and shining new single "Black Hole, Son" off their new Topshelf album Meaning; pop icons Nudity delivered a ripping cover of The Creation's timeless "Making Time"; Young Mister presented the sweet, sincere and intimate single "What If I?"; Whitney Fenimore presented the endearing and earnest expressions of "Feel it Too"; introducing the new Brooklyn label Whatever's Clever with word of the new Field Guides album This is Just a Place who shared their lovely new duet single "Guessing at Animals"; Sui Zhen presented the world with a slice of urban ecstasy via "Matsudo City Life"; Final Child presented a look at the sci-fi war style b/w visual for "Ruthless Liar" courtesy of Wild Type Productions; WESLEE delivered the spark of sentimentality and earnest expressions in abundance via "Something Bout You"; City and Colour presented the moving number of life and illumination via "Living in Lightning" via A Pill For Loneliness; San Francisco's Bear Call arrived to "Harsh" your mellow with a whole new type of Bay Area mellow off the Resurrection Records album Fancy Acid; The Bobby Lees spilled the skronk-fest of "GutterMilk"; Girl Ray presented the expressive and introspective Crusoe Weston visual for "Show Me More"; Chromatics covered Jackson C. Frank's "Dialogue (I Want to Be Alone)" with "I Want to Be Alone"; Julien Chang dropped a slice of pensive pop via "Butterflies from Monaco"; Rose Dorn shared the sun-kissed cherished shine of "Collar"; frogi cast the reflective evening time sultry glow of "moonlight"; One High Five delivered the caloric indulgences of "Fast Food"; Iggy Pop delivered the visual for "James Bond" off the album Free; Vince Staples dropped "So What?" in conjunction with The Vince Staples Show; Blackbear helped close out the sunny solstice season with "Hot Girl Bummer"; ESS SEE delivered Waiting for the Sky to Fall; WaterPenny shared the visual for "Rules"; Vagabon re-releasing the The Women in Me as a self-titled for Nonesuch https://www.nonesuch.com/ and delivered the wonderful “Water Me Down”; Charli XCS dropped the track "Miss U" https://youtu.be/DSQEKEegiH0 GRAACE gave the world their take on modern romance with "21st Century Love"; Pusha-T dropped the Kanye West-produced track "Sociopath" ft. Kash Doll; Yo Gotti delivered the posture pop of "Pose" ft. Lil Uzi Vert; Taylor Swift-mania in full swing over the new album Lover; Dia De Los Deftones returns November 2 in San Diego at Petco Park; Tay-K's guilty verdict; Ryan Adams attempting a comeback; we remember David Berman, Bob Frank, Johnny Clegg, Neal Casal and Prince Rama called it a day with the release of the Rage in Peace EP as Taraka Larson plots a solo album.

Keep up with all the breaking buzz via Week in Pop’s news department.

Coastal escapes into the great wide yonder of Big Sur; photograph captured by Kerri O’Malley.