Another week, another chance to dive into the depths of New Music Friday
The weekend is just around the corner and we’ve made it, friends!
Before we clock off and crack a cold one, we’ve rounded up this week’s standout new releases. Here’s whats spinning.
Gorillaz – ‘Orange County’ / ‘The Hardest Thing’
Gorillaz are back with a double whammy. ‘The Hardest Thing’ honours the late Tony Allen with a haunting meditation on loss, while ‘Orange County’ lifts the mood with Kara Jackson and sitarist Anoushka Shankar.
Produced with Bizarrap, this 8-minute pairing from The Mountain is out now.
FRIDAY* – ‘skins’
Western Sydney’s FRIDAY* returns with skins, his first new track since his debut EP.
Inspired by a New Year’s Eve night with friends and early 2000s NYC indie-electro, the song mixes flickering synths and skittering drums to capture a euphoric, restless energy.
It’s impulsive, fun, and full of movement.
Borderline – ‘Tainted’
Kiwi indie-pop outfit Borderline kick off their 2026 with ‘Tainted,” a polished blend of shimmering synths and catchy guitar hooks.
Emerging from a playful session at Auckland’s Roundhead Studios, the track finds a balance between experimental textures and radio-ready melodies. I
t’s a confident, upbeat return for the band, marking a sharp and inviting start to their new musical chapter.
Riley Pearce – You Won’t Be There (Time Zone Version)
Riley Pearce revisits his indie-folk gem as a duet with Sorcha Richardson. You Won’t Be There captures the tug-of-war of chasing dreams and being present for loved ones, now voiced from both sides.
Pearce says the new version feels more like a tender and raw conversation.
MUKI – ‘Gasoline’
Mukul Jiwani, aka MUKI, ignites the week with ‘Gasoline,’ a debut single blending indie-pop hooks and folk textures.
Dubai-born and Melbourne-based, he pours raw emotion into soaring melodies, marking him as one of the freshest voices on the rise. Expect more from this one over the next six months.
Avalon Emerson & The Charm – ‘Jupiter and Mars’
Avalon Emerson previews their new album Written into Changes with ‘Jupiter and Mars,’ co-produced with Rostam.
A shimmering, reflective electronic track, it feels like cosmic daydreaming – a snapshot of life on the move.
Youngn Lipz – ‘2 Shots’
Sydney’s Youngn Lipz returns with ‘2 Shots’, a high-energy R&B anthem that nods to early 2000s vibes.
Blending his signature Hybrid Flow with trap and melodic influences, the track captures nights out, love, and ambition.
Infectious rhythms and soulful vocals make it both personal and instantly danceable.
WILL K – ‘Loose Pt. 3’
WILL K links with JAY1 and Ms Banks for ‘Loose Pt. 3,’ a bass-heavy club banger built to dominate.
Fast, hard-hitting and unrelenting, it’s a 140 BPM onslaught that shows why the Melbourne producer, fresh from triple j Unearthed acclaim, is fast becoming the standard-bearer of contemporary bass house.
LSF – Haunted
Rising alt-rockers LSF unleash Haunted, their DIY masterpiece of grit, emotion, and explosive hooks.
Produced in-house by frontman Blake Lauricella, it’s a raw, ‘90s-inspired record that matches their chaotic live energy.
With a national tour starting Triple J’s Hottest 100 Day, 2026 is shaping up to be their breakout year.
