In case you haven’t heard, it was an exhilarating week for pop with the release of Harry Styles’s new, long-awaited album Harry’s House, and the announcement of Rina Sawayama’s next album Hold This Girl, which came with the ferocious single “This Hell.”
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.
Harry Styles — “Music For A Sushi Restaurant”
Let’s get straight to the point and kick this off with the opener of Harry’s House, a bombastic, disco-inspired anthem with mesmeric vocals and a personable bassline. It’s a grand start to the record, welcoming the listener with its endearing charm and sparkle.
Oliver Tree — “I Hate You”
It seems like the unpredictable Oliver Tree is going in the direction of Machine Gun Kelly; this new track “I Hate You” moves at a pop-punk pace with aggressive vocals and angsty lyrics: “I hate you / You’re the worst best friend I ever had,” he declares on the chorus. Even if it’s not totally original, he makes the sound work.
Conan Gray — “Yours”
This piano-driven ballad “Yours” from Conan Gray will tug at your heartstrings in the same way that Olivia Rodrigo’s “Traitor” does. His vocals are powerful, but full of longing and pain, while he sings lines of regret: “The only thing that’s harder than sleeping alone / is sleeping with your ghost.”
Hayley Kiyoko — “For The Girls”
Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” was the upbeat, women-empowering summer anthem we all needed, and now Hayley Kiyoko is providing us with one of her own with this irresistible track “For The Girls” which confidently proclaims: “Summer’s for the girls / The girls that like girls / The girls that like boys / The girls the girls the girls.”
Rina Sawayama — “This Hell”
Rina Sawayama is unabashedly reveling in recklessness in this new single “This Hell.” The track has a ridiculously catchy melody and her vocals burst with attitude, but she also manages to confront serious issues as well: “Posing for the paparazzi / F*ck what they did to Britney / To Lady Di and Whitney,” she sings. There’s also a sick guitar solo.
Ericdoa — “Victim”
Hyperpop experimenter Ericdoa doesn’t hold back on this song “Victim,” which catapults forward with a bouncy, rapid rhythm. He sings and raps, but sounds earnest throughout all of it as he gets existential, wondering: “You’re stuck in your dead end job / What’s the point of it all?”
Ali Gatie — “IDK”
“IDK” watches Ali Gatie falling head over heels, and nervously admitting and expressing his surprise: “I lose track of time when I’m around you / I’ve never been in love / Then it hit me like a truck,” he sings, blending together pop and rap. Despite all of his worries, he’s hopeful and excited, and it’s infectious.
Mxmtoon — “Scales”
Mxmtoon’s new album Rising is finally out, and this track “Scales” is a highlight. The hallucinogenic backing vocals add to a trippy atmosphere, meanwhile Mxmtoon whisper-sings about astrology, trying to make sense of what’s going on in her life with a brave sense of honesty.
Lykke Li — “Carousel”
Another album that arrived this week was Lykke Li’s stunning Eyeye, a captivating collection of songs that glimmer and haunt. “Carousel” is gorgeous, packed with soft, ethereal harmonies and soaring synths painting a vivid scene: “Flying and I can’t come down / Yeah, I’m high as hell / And I can’t let go / Oh, carousel.”
Em Beihold — “Too Precious”
Em Beihold doesn’t want to be judged on “Too Precious,” a song about not being as reckless as other young people are. It doesn’t make her better than others, but it certainly doesn’t make others better than her: “Do what you want I can’t pretend / That I’m a rebel / Not on your level,” she sings.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
