Under The Current is our guide to the best new releases from artists that need to be on your radar.
The weather is getting cold but these artists will keep your earholes and your dancing feet warm all winter. This time we have dark Haloween-inspired tracks, blissful indie-pop, fresh hip-hop, and everything else your heart could want.
Check out our favorite new releases below, and stream our entire Freshly Picked Beats playlist, featuring these tracks and more.
Evan Giia – Sidelines
Brooklyn-based electro-pop artist Evan Giia popped up on our radar last year with “Westworld” which debuted on ODESZA‘s Foreign Family Collective. Her newest evocative single is atmospheric and infectious and is a sign of more amazing music to come. The single dropped along with the news of Giia’s own headlining tour in 2020 to follow her current stint supporting Big Wild.
JEANIE – Purge
One of my favorite up-and-coming artists made a track is inspired by one of my favorite movies and favorite holidays, so naturally this one is an absolute banger. Inspired by her love for the movie Purge and all things Halloween, Brookly-based producer JEANIE has crafted a chaotically delicious track that’s heavily dubstep, with just enough psytrance influence to keep things weird.
“I made ‘Purge’ after having horrible writer’s block for months. I ended up locking myself in my bedroom for about a week and came out with 3 or 4 tracks that I was really happy with and ‘Purge’ was one of them!” – JEANIE
Blumbros x MAKJ – Thank Da Jects EP
Rising north Philly hip-hop duo BlumBros have joined forces with DJ and producer MAKJ for their five-piece EP Thank Da Jects. Armed with refreshingly confident sass, the EP takes listeners through the brotherly duo’s charming humor and versatile sound. Infused with catchy lines in “LS6”, heartfelt rhymes in “Love Me”, funky instrumentals in “Ur Wifey”, the trio’s brilliance and versatility shines through in Thank Da Jects.
Sarah Gargano – Second Chance
21-year-old Sarah Gargano is an indie-pop singer-songwriter from New York City creating beautifully written and infectiously fun music. “Second Chance” is the newest track from her poignant Paper Girl EP to get the music video treatment, and it’s a blissful adventure through New York City that matches the optimistic tone of a song about second chances.
DeathbyRomy – Love u – to Death EP
It’s hard to categorize DeathbyRomy’s sound. It’s dark pop but with an upbeat twist and cinematic production. She has the melancholy of Lana Del Rey with the confidence of Halsey. However you want to categorize the young phenom, it’s undeniable that she’s a rising talent and Love u – to Death is her shining moment.
“The EP’s definitely a roller coaster of some very intense emotions, but there’s a confidence that’s unmatched compared to anything I’ve done before,” she says. “I’ve stepped into what I believe my purpose as an artist is, and I hope that when people listen they feel a similar confidence for themselves.” – DeathbyRomy
Vermyllion – Yonkers Flip
Chicago-based bass producer Vermyllion takes Tyler, The Creator’s classic “Yonkers” and completely flips it on its ass. Building upon the original instrumental in the intro, he breaks down into a filthy bass-heavy track, slowing down only once to give way to the iconic line “I’m a fucking walking paradox” before exploding into an experimental finale.
AXEN – Droid Bass 2 EP
One of the slew of new Australian producers taking over dance music, AXEN has released the second chapter in his Droid Bass series. Stepping away from the of his previous work’s chaotic and menacing vibe, Droid Bass 2 helps demonstrate a more melodic side of AXEN that he states stemmed from “emotional stories in robot-themed series.” The whole EP is worth a listen, but album opener and dancefloor-ready “Room” is our favorite.
LX – Automatic
Detroit-based singer LX is here with her first solo single after lending her talents to artists like Smallpools and Diamond Pistols. “Automatic” is an addicting high-energy track with a melodic build and a trap-inspired drop that fans of Krewella’s new improved sound are going to love.
“The song was inspired largely by cars. My dad is a car fanatic and growing up I attended many car shows and races. When I wrote this record, it was after a day I spent trying to learn how to drive a stick shift. When you find someone you are physically and emotionally compatible with, everything seems to just fall into place – similar to how an automatic gear shifts while you are driving.” – LX
These are just a few of the songs in the newest update to Freshly Picked Beats. Be sure to check out the Spotify playlist in its entirety below.
Featured Image: LX