This is our weekly compilation of bite-sized reviews of newly released songs by our talented music writers. Discover new favorites, read nuanced criticism of the week’s hottest releases, and much more. Who knows, you might walk out of this with a new fave or two. Some of the featured artists include Nailah Hunter, Julianno Sosa with Big Soto, and Helado Negro. Follow our playlist featuring these tracks and more on Spotify or Apple Music.
Nailah Hunter - “Bleed”
Harpist, composer, and Fat Possum Records signee Nailah Hunter basks in seaside auras on “Bleed,” the latest single from her much-awaited debut album Lovegaze. “Bleed” is an ambient vignette plush with soft and delicate harp fractured by deep, heartache-purging verses that stand as some of the artist’s strongest songwriting material to date (“I can’t stand it/the way you run out on me/fight much harder/or throw away the key”). Equally tumultuous and enchanting, Hunter harnesses her grief and melancholy into a haunting but serene soundscape to tap into what she describes as “the essence of profound human emotion.” – Nayeli Portillo
Julianno Sosa - “Frank Lukas (feat. Big Soto)”
Chile and Venezuela team up this week on “Frank Lucas,” courtesy of (respectively) countrymen Julianno Sosa and Big Soto and their mean mug trap stylings. Over a room-shakin’ beat, the two formidable rappers check off all the pleasures and luxuries they’ve amassed due to their success, with obligatory sly teases of their less “on the up AND up” side businesses. The song is a soundtrack for those living the life and those who want to but need a bit more push. For them, just as for many over the years who idolized the real Frank Lucas, this track might be their blueprint. — Juan J. Arroyo
Helado Negro - “Best For You And Me”
On his latest single, Helado Negro conjures some of his most melancholic soundscapes to date without sacrificing the warmth and melody that characterizes his best work. “Best For You and Me” features a beat not unlike what we’re used to from Roberto Carlos Lange. But the lyrics about Lange’s parents splitting up get a subtle yet poignant feeling from the arrangement thanks to the piano and marimba that recall the work of avant-gardists Philip Glass and Steve Reich, adapting the percussive notes to this emotional pop song. “Best For You And Me” promises to become one of the best tracks in Helado Negro’s catalog. — Marcos Hassan
Caribe Ácido - “La Carrera de los Perros”
From the breezy guitar ruminations of Yasser Tejeda to the utterly confounding sax diatribes of Jonatan Piña Duluc, there is no shortage of mind-expanding Dominican jazz. Entering the fray in 2024 is trumpeter and composer Ysmel Abreu, who, under the moniker of Caribe Ácido, has just unveiled his debut EP Ciudad Nueva. Co-produced with Diego Raposo and Adriano Sang, the record is filled with moody, immersive pieces that take on a pseudo-noir energy. EP opener “La Carrera de los Perros” shimmers and shakes under cascading mambo percussion while Abreu’s trumpet blares like a hot knife through the buttery wall of sound with dazzling narrative clarity. – Richard Villegas
Daniel Noah Miller - “You Never Fight On My Time"
“You Never Fight On My Time” is Daniel Noah Miller’s newest taste of his upcoming album Disintegration, due on Feb. 16. With this new emotional offer, the Nicaraguan-American recounts his raw sentiments about a miscommunication between two lovers, backed by a colorful reverb bass-driven indie rock production by Jack Hallenbeck (Haim, Maggie Rogers, Girlpool). Through his pleading croons, we hear why the once amorous companionship fell apart: brushing off your partner’s needs. “When we are unable to fully acknowledge another’s needs in this regard, a chasm opens. And this song emerged from that space,” he said about the track. This new track follows his previous singles “Typical” and “Opening Me,” which are all further demonstrations of what’s bound to be Miller’s most intimate body of works yet. – Jeanette Hernandez
Omar Courtz - “UNA NOTi”
As Omar Courtz is in the midst of working on his highly-anticipated debut studio album, he releases his first song of 2024, “UNA NOTi.” Playing in the genre of the moment from his native Puerto Rico, the reggaeton artist expresses his passion and adoration for his love interest. Courtz adds that “showing the intimacy you can have with someone who makes you feel like you’re high just by their very presence” is part of the track’s inspiration. “UNA NOTi” joins the Omar Courtz canon, along with the track’s music video directed by the artist and Gian Rivera. His vision and ear for beats are undeniable, making him one to watch. — Chelsea Quezada
No Light, Yaka - “Caminata Con Yaka”
No Light paired up with friend and fellow Mexico City producer Yaka to create “Caminata Con Yaka,” the former’s first single taken from his upcoming EP ¿Consciencia? The instrumental track is a masterful display of texture manipulation and cinematic vision, where they take us on a late-night stroll that leads us to a spontaneous visit to a banging rave. In a little over three minutes, they send us high to the skies and let us fall abruptly into pure bliss. – Cheky
rigoykarina - “Mucho Más”
A few years ago, Puerto Rican clarinetist/singer-songwriter Karina Vélez, along with Nicaraguan producer and instrumentalist Rigoazulado, teamed up to form their musical project rigoykarina. Their debut EP, Intermitente, came out in 2022, and now they’re kicking off 2024 with a return to form. Their new single, “Mucho Más,” is a folk-pop meditation on a relationship where two people are hesitant to take that extra step forward as a couple. As they both sing, joining their voices over the strums and percussion that make up the song’s catchy melody, they strike a tone that’s both melancholic yet also hopeful that love will point towards a resolution. — Juan J. Arroyo
Meth Math - "Cyberia”
Pushing the limits of pop music, Mexico’s Meth Math takes a sound that once felt futuristic and gives it a shiny new neon coat. With its frenetic techno drum machines and distorted synth lines, “Cyberia” is an ideal song for raves held in dubious parts of town where all you want to do is dance and have a great time. Best of all, “Cyberia” displays an effortless melodic streak that crawls into your brain through your ear and makes a home there. Meth Math proves that post-everything pop can provide you with music that is both nostalgic and future sounding at the same time. — Marcos Hassan
late night drive home - "Believe Me (Even If I'm Lying)"
While bands like Meet Me @ The Altar and Pinkshift stood out among the surge of Gen Z-led artists inspired by mid-2000s pop-punk heroes like Paramore, late night drive home is at the forefront of more no-frills and lo-fi revival. Lead singer Andre Portillo channels the yelps and vocals styles of emo titans like Sunny Day Real Estate and Cursive as the four-piece rages through with scratchier grunge-inspired guitar hooks on “Believe Me (Even If I’m Lying).” The El Paso indie rockers ramp up their nostalgic vision even further with a moody VHS-style music video that is sure to evoke memories of binging MTV alt-rock video hours after school. – Nayeli Portillo
Myrandas - “Cuéntale”
Started originally as a rock project, Los Angeles-based duo Myrandas made a sonic transition throughout 2023 with a wholehearted embrace of electropop and Caribbean riddims. Their latest single comes in the form of throbbing scorcher “Cuéntale,” which layers driving percussion over ethereal guitars and groovy house bass lines. Featured in the soundtrack for the Cuban telenovela Viceversa, the sensual cut unspools the mounting tension in a love triangle, making for delicious TV drama fuel. – Richard Villegas
That Mexican OT - “02.02.99”
The Texan-native rapper That Mexican OT is back with “02.02.99,” a song title honing his birthdate. Upon first listening, the hard-hitting rap track sounds like any other radio song from your average mainstream rapper counterpart. However, dialing further and dissecting the tune, we find his signature vaquero influences with peppered-in mariachi gritos and sounds of him casually rolling his R’s throughout his hoarse verses, reminding us that he’s constantly representing his Mexican roots, all while being one of today’s most promising rapping sensations from our community. – Jeanette Hernandez
Lau Noah & Salvador Sobral - “Wooden Chair”
The folksy duet between Catalonian singer Lau Noah and Portuguese artist Salvador Sobral is a masterclass in inspired storytelling. “Wooden Chair” is a love song about the titular object and the future memories that will come from it. “We can both sit on it, and we can read old stories to one another,” they sing. Noah sent the track to Sobral 10 years after they met, and the colleagues reunited to bring it to life after all that time. The graceful blend of their voices and her acoustic guitar plucking add purposeful layers to the song. “Wooden Chair” is featured on Noah’s new album, A DOS, a collection of even more heavenly collaborations. — Chelsea Quezada
Ëda Díaz - “Sabana y Banano”
With the holiday season ending, all you want is to stay in bed and avoid your responsibilities. We get it; we do, too. And now Ëda Díaz captured the feeling in her new single “Sabana y Banano.” The French-Colombian artist, who’s getting ready to drop her debut album on Feb. 2, created a track where she indulges in just falling back asleep as an escapist mechanism, but she does so backed by an Afro-inspired beat and forward-thinking production that will conjure a dance party in our dreams. – Cheky