It's impossible to be across all the new music out each Friday. Luckily, PAPER is here to help you out: each week, we round up 10 of our favorite new songs from artists — emerging and established — to soundtrack your life. From the surreal to the sublime, these songs cover every corner of the music world. The only criteria: they all have to absolutely rip.
Ethel Cain — "Everytime"
Ethel Cain stuns with this haunting cover of Britney Spears' immortal ballad "Everytime," transforming the track into an almost shoegaze-y vista that’s a gorgeous showcase of her lucent, honeyed vocals.
Orville Peck — "The Curse of the Blackened Eye"
“The Curse of the Blackened Eye” is a rich, classic-feeling country ballad that hits about as close to Orville Peck’s oft-discussed influences as he’s ever been, the song’s rumbling percussion adding depth and gravitas.
Alex Cameron — "Prescription Refill"
There’s nothing particularly new about comparing a chaotic romance to a prescription drug addiction, but it feels completely perfect coming from the gleefully ludicrous world of Alex Cameron.
Florence + The Machine — "My Love"
Florence Welch leads her Dance Fever era with this suitably epic house track produced by Glass Animals’ Dave Bayley. Although it’s a change in sound, it’s also so undeniably Florence.
Aldous Harding — "Fever"
Aldous Harding is so great at placing her more oblique lyrics in opposition to moments of clear, distinctive iconography, and “Fever” is one of her best showcases of that talent yet: “All my favorite places are bars” is one of her greatest, most memorable lyrics ever.
Superorganism, CHAI, Pi Ja Ma — "Teenager"
The long-awaited return of Superorganism was well worth the wait: “Teenager” is a ridiculous, totally insane clash of cultures and styles that’s impossible to pin down but totally perfect in its evocations.
Acopia — "Toxic Traits"
“Toxic Traits” is like a 2000s R&B track covered in the year 3000 — all glassy surfaces and period-specific lyrical styling. It’s a heady combination.
Floating Points — "Vocoder"
Floating Points turns the titular tool of this track into something completely alien on “Vocoder,” one of his classic dance bangers that still manages to be disorientating and wondrous.
Zheani — "Designer Sadness"
Zheani’s new track takes aim at consumerism and the culture of easy consumption that rots our society. As usual, it’s a potent mix of pop instinct and abrasive surface.
Modal Melodies — "Occupants"
The debut track from Modal Melodies is driving and hypnotic, an enrapturing mix of analog synth and murmured vocals that’s totally transportive.
Photo courtesy of Ethel Cain/ Spotify