Jessica Mauboy, Porij and more comprise this week’s batch of staff picks, just in time for a scorcher of a weekend.
We’re well into the new year now, and while our over-ambitious resolutions might still be unmet, we can at least find solace in the form of new music and staff picks.
2024 is primed to be a stellar year for both established household names and emerging stars, a trend best showcased by this week’s round of staff picks.
From debut albums to shimmering pop gems, we’re sifting through the past week’s biggest heaters, just in time for a scorching weekend. So what are you waiting for? Crack open a cold one and get to spinning Happy Mag’s latest batch of staff picks.
Vegyn — The Path Less Travelled
Pioneering DJ, label head and musician Vegyn offered the first preview of his new album this week, an evocative new single titled The Path Less Travelled.
Dazzling electronica and skittering beats provide the groundwork for a stirring taste of what’s to come when The Road To Hell… arrives in April.
Porij — My Only Love
The hype around Porij’s imminent debut album Teething reached fever pitch this week with My Only Love, a tender yet commanding cut that serves as the lead single.
The track sees the Manchester four-piece draw from an array of genres, and showcases the ever-changing fluidity that has become Prij’s signature.
Will Swinton — Harmless
With Harmless, NZ artist Will Swinton cements his place among music’s upper echelons, continuing on from the breakout success of 2023’s Better Days.
On the new single, Swinton delivers melodic vocals atop electric guitar licks and head-nodding beats. That the track also brings incisive lyrics is simply the cherry on top.
IDLES — Gift Horse
Gristly grooves and charismatic delivery form the basis of Gift Horse, the latest single lifted from IDLES’ upcoming album TANGK.
There’s a menacing throughline that courses through the track, which is more intense than the band’s recent releases but commands attention all the same.
RIIKI REID ft. Balu Brigada — Like You
The term ‘rising star’ gets thrown around a lot, but it feels a fitting descriptor for NZ’s RIIKI REID, who leaves her mark with new single Like You.
Enlisting fellow NZ artist Balu Brigada, the track brims with enrapturing melodies and a raw, vulnerable undercurrent.
Sleater-Kinney — Little Rope
Sleater-Kinney made good on the hype with the long-awaited arrival of Little Rope. The 10-track album traces the Washington band from moments of brokenness to triumph, with songs that feel both anthemic and deliberately hard-turning.
Jessica Mauboy — Forget You
Australia’s sweetheart Jessica Mauboy reminds us of her undeniable charm on Forget You.
It’s the latest single lifted from the Idol alum’s upcoming album YOURS FOREVER, and if its sweet melodies and catchy hooks are anything to go by, we’re in for a treat.
Merryn Jeann — SUBCONSCIOUS LOVE CONNECTIONS
Love, friendship and unbreakable bonds are top of mind with Merryn Jeann’s SUBCONSCIOUS LOVE CONNECTIONS.
The single — the third to be lifted from the singer’s upcoming debut DOG BEACH — is adorned in the regality of orchestral strings, and timeless piano, and is a reminder of Jeann’s unflinching ear for music that transcends.
Adrianne Lenker — Sadness As A Gift
Adrianne Lenker’s vocals remain infectiously alive on Sadness As A Gift, the latest preview of her forthcoming project Bright Future. Poetic in its storytelling and timeless in its production, Sadness As A Gift is just a precursor for the greatness yet to come.
