Today's Top Tune

Born and bred in Western Kentucky, S.G. Goodman is an old soul of a storyteller whose work points to ancient traditions and lost ways of life. Her new album, Planting by the Signs, is her first in three years — and most likely her best work yet. Over eleven songs, Goodman puts forth the notion that the only way forward for any of us is together. Her devotion to the natural world comes to the fore on songs like “Snapping Turtle.”

London’s Night Tapes are set to release their hotly-anticipated debut album,  portals//polarities, on September 26. While we wait, they’ve given us “Pacifico,” a trip hop-flavored number inspired by a friend’s journey to Oaxaca. It’s a state of mind that we all need to reach. (Crate-diggers may also recognize the Billy Cobham sample from Souls of Mischief’s “93 ’Til Infinity.”)

Colombian chanteuse Lido Pimienta broke out in 2020 with her third album, Miss Colombia. And now she’s returned with a masterful new release, La Belleza, which ups the creative ante even further. Pimienta co-produced the album with Owen Pallett, who arranged the album’s nine movements for a 60-piece orchestra. Check out “¿Quién Tiene La Luz? (El Perdón)”, which Pimienta sings from beneath a veil of heartbreak and loss, with an opening section that brings to mind a Gregorian chant.

Erick The Architect is a man with a résumé: his recent collaborators include Jungle, L’Imperatrice, George Clinton, James Blake, and Channel Tres, among many others. But now he’s stepped out on his own again with the third installment of his ARCSTRUMENTALS series. The  EP has a perfect top-down summertime sound, flavored with house and R&B influences, including the tasty “All That I Need” (feat. Haile Supreme).

During the pandemic, Silvana Estrada found herself home alone and broken-hearted. She was also facing some serious insomnia so she picked up her guitar and went to work. “Como Un Pájaro” (“Like A Bird”) is one of the songs that emerged from this period. And now that Estrada is playing live again, it’s become a fan favorite. Get it now as a free download, let it live forever in your digital collection.

AI can’t feel the beat, but Mocky can. That’s why this groovy single uses live instrumentation and analog recording to celebrate the power of the human voice. “Music Will Explain” is the title track from a forthcoming LP which has many songs dedicated to exploring this theme. Grab Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1) on June 27 (via Stones Throw), and see Mocky and friends do it live at Zebulon on Tuesday, July 1. 

Brooklyn-based artist and producer url just dropped this indie-pop love song that’s built from English and French vocal samples. It’s the sonic equivalent of a developing love story, and it’s just the thing to soundtrack daydreams about your latest crush.

Yaya Bey’s “raisins” is all about the bravery required to pursue a career as an artist; dreaming big and keeping the faith through the more sobering realities of the job. Find this song on Bey’s forthcoming album do it afraid, out this Friday, June 20. Catch Yaya Bey live in LA on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Lodge Room. 

LA band Sparks always delights us with their sophisticated-yet-playful songwriting. The duo of brothers Ron and Russell Mael have been at it since the early 1970s and they just dropped their 28th studio album, MAD!. “Running Up A Tab At The Hotel For The Fab” is one of the typically witty offerings from that album, and you can download it for free right now. Also be sure to mark your calendar for their LA show at the Greek on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Earcandy, the debut album by Japanese-British singer and producer Miso Extra, is an infectious mix of K-Pop, UK Garage, tongue-in-cheek sensibility, and sultry, ear-catching textures. Experience this magical combo for yourself by tuning into “Pop.”