
Sound Off: 10 Songs You Need to Hear Now
By Shaad D'Souza
Feb 16, 2024
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.
Subscribe to our Sound Off Spotify playlist here and check out this week's tracks below.
Jessica Pratt - "Life Is"
After five long years, Jessica Pratt is back, and, amazingly, she’s brought a full band along for the ride. Mauro Refosco’s percussion on “Life Is” adds an amazing new sense of grounding to Pratt’s rich, romantic folk music; hit play and feel transported.
Vampire Weekend - "Capricorn"
“Capricorn” is lush and beautiful, as so many Vampire Weekend ballads are. But it’s shot through with a devastatingly fatalist point of view, its no-hope attitude conveyed gracefully and brutally.
Hikaru Utada and A. G. Cook are a match made in heaven: After last year’s “Gold,” “A Flower of No Colour” is another song that begins as a sleek 90s-style ballad before slyly shifting tone into something more slippery.
Waxahatchee - "Bored"
Katie Crutchfield’s music has never had as much insouciant swagger as on “Bored”, a country-rock barnstormer that’s as saturated and detailed as the Tigers Blood album cover.
KUČKA, FLUME - "One More Night"
Desire transmutes into outright worship on “One More Night”, a skyward-reaching pop track that has all the reckless lasciviousness of peak Weeknd.
Sam Short, Harmony - "Aphrodite"
This vampy trap-pop track is a blast thanks to commitment to the bit and deeply creative lyricism: “That’s a man with some broken values” is threatening and horny in equal measure.
Bb trickz - "VIVA ESPAÑA !!! - Hoodtrap RMX"
Bb tricks, not content with bulldozing the competition on the original version of “VIVA ESPANA,” juices things with this ferocious, blown-out remix.
Bryce Xavier - "Sharp"
A muted 2-step beat adds depth and groove to this wounded piece of spaceboy pop from actor and singer Bryce Xavier.
VINCINT - "Good II Me"
VINCINT returns today with “Good II Me,” a fast-paced dance-pop track anchored by soaring vocals and lyricism.
Kim Petras - "Head Head Honcho"
Kim Petras returns with a Miami-themed sequel to her 2022 Slut Pop EP. “Head Head Honcho” sees her teaming with longtime collaborator Dr. Luke for an '80s-inflected track that throws back to early singles like “Heart To Break.”
Photography: Samuel Hess
From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
MORE ON PAPER
Music
Role Model Isn’t In Kansas Anymore
Story by Tobias Hess / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Grooming by Jerrod Roberts / Set design by Allegra Peyton
Story by Tobias Hess / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Grooming by Jerrod Roberts / Set design by Allegra Peyton
14 August
Internet
Quen Blackwell Takes Over
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Kimora Mulan / Hair by Malcolm Marquez / Nails by Kimmie Kyees / Set design by Allegra Peyton
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Kimora Mulan / Hair by Malcolm Marquez / Nails by Kimmie Kyees / Set design by Allegra Peyton
11 August
Music
Ravyn Lenae Enjoys the View
Story by Erica Campbell / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Matthew Fishman / Hair by Jacob Aaron Dillon / Nails by Kimmie Kyees / Set design by Allegra Peyton
Story by Erica Campbell / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Matthew Fishman / Hair by Jacob Aaron Dillon / Nails by Kimmie Kyees / Set design by Allegra Peyton
04 August
Beauty
Lizzo Is Living and Loving IRL
Story by Mickey Boardman/ Photography by Williejane Dent / Styling by Wayman + Micah / Hair by Jared Henderson / Makeup by Alexx Mayo / Nails by Eri Ishizu / Set design by Allegra Peyton
Story by Mickey Boardman/ Photography by Williejane Dent / Styling by Wayman + Micah / Hair by Jared Henderson / Makeup by Alexx Mayo / Nails by Eri Ishizu / Set design by Allegra Peyton
31 July
Music
JoJo Wants To Feel Alive
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Porsche Cooper / Hair by Dom Forlette / Set design by Allegra Peyton
Story by Ivan Guzman / Photography by Richie Talboy / Styling by Angelina Cantú / Makeup by Porsche Cooper / Hair by Dom Forlette / Set design by Allegra Peyton
25 July