Today's Top Tune

Latinx crooner Nick Pagan’s “Hardly Use My Hands” is a down-tempo jam that draws from the ‘70s sound of John Lennon, David Bowie, and Neil Young, and taps into self-discovery.

The Puerto Rican, LA-based Pachy García, or Pachyman to his fans, was weaned on local reggae heroes and classic dub. Now he creates his own style of dub influenced by Caribbean rhythms. The latest recipient of the Latin Alternative Music Conference Discovery Award, Pachyman’s “Big Energy” sees Garcia playing all the instruments heard on the song.

Sofia Rei took off on a solo trek through the rugged terrain of eastern Chile with two backpacks filled with recording gear to gather her thoughts and the sounds of this awe-inspiring landscape. An ardent student of South American folkloric traditions and a Professor at NYU, Rei’s “Un Mismo Cielo” or “The Same Sky” pays tribute to the past aided by digital technology.

Joan Armatrading’s is the first female singer/songwriter out of the U.K. to receive international success via her recordings. Since the release of her first album in 1972, Armatrading’s unmistakable sound continues to evolve with raw emotion and poetic authenticity. “Already There” is the latest song by an incomparable singer.

Vibraphonist Masayoshi Fujita is based in the magical place of rural Japan where life flows with the seasons. Fujita takes a departure from his usual instrument, the vibraphone, and builds an album’s worth of instrumental compositions around the organic sound of the marimba. But on the thoughtful piece “Morocco,” the two instruments meet and create their own dance.

We think The Marías are about to strike big, and we’re eager to get our hands on their new album, “Cinema,” which draws on what brought this band together in the first place. Let’s check out the sexy beat behind “Hush.”

You may not have heard of Bahamian guitarist Joseph Spence, but his guitar work was significant in the ‘60s and directly influenced many artists, including Richard Thompson and Taj Mahal. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has collected never-before-heard recordings of Spence’s, including “Run Come See Jerusalem,” which recounts the sinking of the ship Pretoria in 1929, which Spence witnessed firsthand.

Grammy-nominated Bomba Estereo found time to regroup in the last year, reconnect with family and friends, and still get a little work done. You can hear their message of mindfulness in the song “Ahora” or “now,” as they ponder being in the present moment.

Mykki Blanco can’t wait to share their first new album in five years, “Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep,” coming out later this month. Here’s a taste of what you’ll hear as “Love Me” features the incomparable Jamila Woods and Mykki’s real-life brother Jay Cue.

An experimental rock/electronic band formed in Cincinnati, Gone to Color make use of their moniker as a collaborative space to work with other artists. Their debut album features a slew of guests including Martina-Topley Bird, Wilco’s Pat Sansone, Ade Blackburn of Clinic, and Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner, but on Today’s Top Tune, Jessie Stein of The Luyas is the voice of “The 606.”