Newcomers and returnees light up the charts this week, going heavy on the sorrow with just a sprinkle of sultriness. Lady Gaga satiates fans with a promising return to form on “Disease,” the galvanizing lead single from her forthcoming, untitled seventh album. Also making a splash is Addison Rae, whose shimmering new track “Aquamarine” captures the longing in the siren songs from those original mermaid myths. A pair of melancholic debuts give romantic fantasies a reality check: Muna frontwoman Katie Gavin’s folksy first solo record What A Relief, featuring Mitski collab “As Good As It Gets,” and ‘90s-laced debut EP Generation Numb from emerging singer-songwriter Kate Peytavin. Last but certainly not least on MOOD’s release radar this week is Sofie Royer’s irresistible “Indoor Sport,” a subdued song about love gone sour. Keep reading for more details on the new music that’s exactly what’s been missing from your rotation.
“Disease” - Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s seventh album is on the way, and the inimitable pop legend is finally giving her monsters a taste with EDM-tinged lead single “Disease.” The new song was teased on Spotify earlier this week through a cryptic puzzle spelling out the title (which isn’t “seaside,” as some misguided sleuths thought). “Disease” thrills as a pulsing, Halloween-ready anthem that will “make you believe” Gaga can cure whatever ails you. Hinting at a darker version of her iconic Born This Way era, the thrumming single is just what fans have been craving from the veteran artist.
“Aquamarine” - Addison Rae
If “Diet Pepsi” left you thirsty for more music from rising pop artist Addison Rae, “Aquamarine” will refresh you. The splashy pop tune finds the TikToker-turned-singer unapologetically embracing her desires while evoking shimmering images of a sun-kissed coast through her breathy serenade. It’s hard not to see inspiration from the 2006 classic Aquamarine—a film about a secret mermaid, featuring the unstoppable trio of Emma Roberts, Sara Paxton, and JoJo—as well as Madonna’s 1998 masterpiece Ray of Light.
“under it” - Kate Peytavin
Speaking of ‘90s music, Kate Peytavin debut EP—potently titled Generation Numb—channels the decade’s trademark angsty sound to lament the desensitization of the social media age. Penultimate track “under it” is a standout, allowing the singer-songwriter to show off her seamless range in a dancey outing about obsession. “You were on top of my skin/ but now you’re under it,” the singer laments in the surprisingly soulful chorus. If you’ve been left numb by your latest doom scroll, Peytavin’s promising first record will gently jolt you back to feeling.
“As Good As It Gets” - Katie Gavin ft. Mitski
How long has it been since you listened to a proper slow jam? Muna frontwoman Katie Gavin has you covered with her folksy debut solo album, What A Relief. The moody project could soundtrack many a wistful car ride, but her collaboration with Mitski on “As Good As It Gets” is a particularly melancholic excerpt. Backed by a simple guitar-and-drum beat, Gavin delivers open-mic-style vocals that flavor every word with an understated country twang. Mitski’s complementary lines add just the right lift to the chorus—though neither singer drifts too far from the sense of resignation at the heart of the track.
“Indoor Sport” - Sofie Royer
There’s something magnetic about the latest single from Vienna-based electro-pop artist Sofie Royer. Lyrically, she traverses the not-uncommon territory of relationship regret, but the poetic sensibility she brings to “Indoor Sport” elevates its subject matter to the top spot on the podium. In the already conceded competition with a lover, Royer is jaded to the point of apathy—”When you’re driving, my legs are on the dash,” she sings, listless and yet still running laps around the “danger that” she “once adored.” “Indoor Sport” is the lyrical equivalent of getting caught in the deep end of the pool—and sonically, it pulls you into its spiral for loop after loop.
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