Leap Day arrives this week, giving everyone an extra day that only comes once every four years. But pop artists also gave fans something extra this week. Selena Gomez debuted a studio version of a b-side from her recent album, BTS collaborated with Sia for an upbeat track, and Grimes finally unveiled her long-awaited record, Miss Anthropocene.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new releases. Listen up.
Selena Gomez — “Feel Me”
Selena Gomez may have shared her third studio record, Rare, earlier this year, but that doesn’t mean she’s done with releasing music. In the vinyl version of her record, the singer included the fan-favorite track “Feel Me” as a special treat to those buying physical copies of her music. Gomez has finally released a digital version of the track, and it was worth the wait. Gomez’s soaring vocals cut through bright, layered synths and resounding production.
BTS — “On” Feat. Sia
K-pop supergroup BTS matches powerful Sia’s vocal delivery with the revved-up track ‘On.’ Arriving ahead of their upcoming album Map Of The Soul: 7, BTS’ RM previously said the song is a culmination of their time as a group. “It is like a big diary for our past seven years… a shrunk version of the BTS identity. We can stumble from time to time, but we got back up. The title ‘On’ is very brief, when we say ‘On,’ it can be interpreted to anything. It is a declaration that we admitted our destiny.”
Grimes — “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around”
After months of promising a new record, Grimes’ Miss Anthropocene is finally here. While Grimes copes with an image of a war-torn future on much of the record, “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around” stands as a refreshing break from the haze. The most straightforward pop song on the record, slow snares pound below Grimes’ crisp vocals as she sings of leaving her loved ones for the afterlife.
Boniface — “It’s A Joke”
Boniface just released their self-titled debut record after teasing its debut with the singles “Giving Up” and “Oh My God.” But “It’s A Joke” stands out as a velvety synth-pop number. Pulling inspiration from ’80s pop ballads with a contemporary spin, Boniface adds intricate percussion to color the already bright track.
Banoffee — “One Night Stand”
Though she’s been working in music for seven years, Banoffee just released her debut record Look At Us Now Dad, and “One Night Stand” is a standout. Banoffee said about the album, “Each track is about a struggle and achievement that anyone could experience, the ones that seem so trivial. We’re all survivors for one reason or another.” “One Night Stand,” in particular, is about blaming yourself for not doing things differently after a relationship goes sour, a feeling that oftentimes arises after a short-lived fling.
Clairo — “February 15, 2020 London, UK (Demo)”
Clairo released her debut record Immunity back in August, but a recent demo uploaded to her YouTube page signals the singer is already working on new material. The lo-fi track features washed out, echoing vocals and fuzzy guitar chords, calling back to her early days as a bedroom pop songwriter. “I’m drunk again / I should be embarrassed but you embrace it / don’t make me feel nervous / I wanted to be / Close to you,” Clairo sings over a rolling beat.
Allie X — “Susie Save Your Love” Feat. Mitski
Allie X finally debuted her record Cape God, and it saw an unexpected feature with Mitski. The two singers’ soaring melodies punch through a bright beat. “This record is dedicated to you, who can’t find simple words to explain your pain,” Allie X said in a statement. “You who feel like an outsider for life. You who feel disconnected from your body and dissociated from your feelings… May you find solace in this record and in your own arms.”
Afrojack — “All Night” Feat. Ally Brooke
Producer Afrojack teamed up with ex-Fifth Harmony member Ally Brooke for the pumped-up single “All Night.” If Brooke’s previous singles “Higher” and “No Good” are any indication, the singer is positioning her music towards expansive sounds and club-like remixes. “All Night” is no different, with Afrojack providing a spacious beat to compliment Brooke’s soaring vocals.
Milck — “Gold”
Milck broke out onto the scene when her track “Quiet” became the unofficial anthem of the Women’s March and was named Billboard’s No.1 protest song of the year. Milck is showing off her strengths as a songwriter with her rich debut EP Into Gold.
Lauv — “Modern Loneliness”
Lauv makes sense of his complicated relationship with technology and its effect on his life in “Modern Loneliness.” The track is Lauv’s way of critiquing the existential isolation felt by a generation connected through the internet but disconnected in the real world. With lyrics like, “We’re never alone but always depressed,” Lauv explores these intricacies in four buoyant minutes.
Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. .
