13 New Songs to Listen to This Week From Sebastián Yatra to KAINA

Sebastián Yatra - “Melancólicos Anónimos”

The Colombian singer/songwriter releases his final single ahead of his highly anticipated upcoming album Dharma out later this month. “Melancólicos Anónimos” is an instantly catchy, pop-leaning ode to therapy-driven recovery post heartbreak that sees the multi-talent go from desperately trying to forget his recent love to learning to accept the beauty of what was in order to move on. The song and video follow this emotional recovery via playful dialogue that explores the healing of his broken heart over different and significant periods of time between himself and a TV advertised psychologist, played by his upcoming Netflix co-star Itziar Castro. Having the potential formula for a tragic ballad, the track is instead incredibly upbeat and pop-driven, thanks to its underlying sunny disposition that the key to moving on is holding onto the good memories that come with nostalgia and the hope that better things are on their way. – Jeanette Diaz

KAINA - “Apple”

We were already counting the days for the release of KAINA’s forthcoming album It Was A Home, but our excitement has gone through the roof now that she dropped her new single “Apple.” Co-produced by Sen Morimoto and KAINA herself, the soul-pop jam is adorned with funk riffs and psychedelic embellishments, while the Chicago artist wishes for a simpler life where she can enjoy herself for who she truly and authentically is. The song comes with a fun, dreamy Mr. Rodgers-inspired music video that will surely put a smile on your face. – Cheky

Yamo Colde - “Métele”

Yamo Colde comes out of his corner ready for a brawl with “Métele,” a new aggressive malianteo, courtesy of the GLAD Empire rookie signee. The song, just like the accompanying music video, reflects Yamo’s no-holds-barred determination to project himself as a rapper to be lyrically reckoned with. With threats to those who would underestimate him and a rough-hewn voice to back it up, Yamo demonstrates he has the street guile to survive an increasingly crowded room of ambitious acts and finicky fans. — Juan J. Arroyo

Goeighta - “Sol”

Over the past few years, Mexicali singer-songwriter and producer Giovanni Ochoa, better known as Goeighta, has been painstakingly carving a signature sound steeped in romantic longing and dizzying hybrids of R&B, trap, and hyperpop. His latest release “Sol,” from his upcoming EP Mi Cuarto Es Un Abismo, delivers on the promise of bass-heavy, slow-burning torch songs–crafting an emo slow jam rooted in sadboy greats like Ed Maverick and Frank Ocean. – Richard Villegas

Renata Zeiguer - “Sunset Boulevard”

This Brooklyn indie-pop singer-songwriter delivers a song that seems bright on the surface yet sharper edges can be found in the details. “Sunset Boulevard” is a ‘60s-inspired song with delicious verses and hooks for days with lyrics about the fear and uncertainty of letting go and finding yourself. The soul-inflicted song has some intense and complex sounds brewing underneath its sunshine melodies. – Marcos Hassan

Pahua & MOÜGLI & WX//CLTV - "Aguacero Tropical"

After a good debut in 2021, Mexican singer Pahua kicks off her new year teaming up with Colombian duo MOÜGLI and Canadian WX//CLTV. “Aguacero Tropical” fuses her dreamy vocals together with ambient soundscapes, ethereal clangs, and a never-ending kick and claps cyclical drumming, which sets it to become quite a unique track. It would fit a set by electronic music genre-benders like Nicolas Jaar or Bonobo, but it would also please slow-paced dancefloors fueled by amapiano or tribal. — Felipe Maia

The High Curbs - “Try”

Burgeoning Southern Californian alt-rock quartet The High Curbs released their latest single earlier this week. “Try” is wrapped in charged guitar riffs, a catchy chorus, and relatable coming-of-age feelings that lean into the trials and tribulations of navigating the effort required in making relationships work. Initially moving through less fond experiences of annoyances and uncertainty, lead singer Ed Moreno ramps up vocally alongside a sonic build-up, to move from a spirit of defeat to admitting his own downfalls in the partnership that leads to an apology. Ultimately, a consensus is reached that both parties truly care for each other and although a gamble, making things work is worth it. All things considered, the song is a nostalgic skate-punk-esque reminder that sometimes all that is needed to keep the good in a relationship alive, is to simply try. – Jeanette Diaz

Marion Raw - “Unfuckable”

Having released a whole 13-track album last year (her 2021 debut album Deep Cuts), former Love La Femme member Marion Raw continues to rain new music on us, and this time she shares “Unfuckable.” The crunchy, stripped-back track, produced by AJ Davila, is a resilience anthem for everyone struggling with addiction and obsessive behavior. “Well, I’m unstoppable/And I’m unfuckable,” she sings, beaming with the confidence needed to smash the obstacles that come her way. – Cheky

Porsh Bet$ - “Things In the Way”

Most artists know that pain, maddeningly, begets inspiration. Harlem-raised singer Porsh Bet$ channeled the agony he felt during a long-distance relationship into his new single “Things In the Way,” the title track off his upcoming sophomore EP. His voice floats dreamlike, echoing in the vacuum left behind by sharp longing. The beat, by producers M-Phazes, helps mellow the ache with synth sounds that make the track eminently boppable. Things In the Way EP is due out Thursday, Feb. 17. — Juan J. Arroyo

Ave Delta - “Algo de Verdad”

After years of gigging, touring, and experimenting, Yucatec indie rockers Ave Delta are finally giving into the delightful pop potential that has always lurked within. Following last year’s effervescent “Inicio y Final,” their latest single “Algo de Verdad” leans even harder into ‘90s influences from Moenia, Jon Secada, and even Chayanne, unspooling a tale of idealized romances over shimmering synths and soaring harmonies. – Richard Villegas

Sofia Kourtesis - “Estación Esperanza (feat. Manu Chao)"

Opening with the sounds of a protest against homophobia in Peru, the Berlin-based artist conjures music that inhabits the spirit of unrest. “Estación Esperanza” conjures a deep groove embellished with electronic bass and trumpet flourishes. The hook comes courtesy of Manu Chao, blending his voice with Kourtesis’s to deliver a glitched-out interpolation of the chorus of his hit “Me Gustas Tú.” “Estación Esperanza” is the definition of joyful resistance. – Marcos Hassan

Do Amor - “Mãezinha”

Ahead of their next album, Brazilian indie band Do Amor releases “Mãezinha.” The single pays homage to Afro-Brazilian deity Iemanjá, a mermaid orisha that has been a central figure in the Brazilian songbook since the early days of samba. Instead of heavy Afro-infused percussion sets, Do Amor relies on overdubbed layers and broken-tempo sections. It feels like a new age AOR. — Felipe Maia

Las Calakas - “Morena”

Phoenix, Arizona’s Las Calakas are starting the year off at full throttle with a new single from their debut record, Hechizo, which is scheduled to arrive later this spring via the Los Angeles label My Grito Industries. The debut album, which has been roughly two years in the making, taps into a more noticeable hip-hop, rock, and reggae feel. In their latest track, the cumbia fusion party-starters channel their inner gearhead meets greaser — coveralls and all — and deliver a mish-mash of near psychedelic rock riffs and mosh-worthy mayhem. — Nayeli Portillo