Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears has an obsession with dance floor hedonism and making tasty queer pop art, whether by providing lyrics for the musical “ Tammy Faye ,” writing his memoir , or shaking down bangers. Let your hair down to the vivid sound of “Radio Eyes.”

Let’s flow in the new direction of Afrobeat brought to us by Nigerian-born and London-based artist Obongjayar , who thinks everyone is on edge all the time and offers a little respite from it all on “Just Cool.”

Listen to the heat sparked by the burning love Arlo Parks emotes on “Devotion,” from the ‘90s alt-tinged new album My Soft Machine. Sharing the idea behind her song, Parks says that, “‘Devotion’ to me is a song about feeling so in love it’s almost like being ripped apart — there’s an intensity, a wildness, and a tenderness. This is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever made. It draws from the bands that made me fall in love with music, from Deftones to Yo La Tengo to Smashing Pumpkins to My Bloody Valentine ."

Durand Jones devotes his debut solo album Wait Til I Get Over to dissecting/unpacking his Southern and Black roots alongside his hometown of Hillaryville, Louisiana (a place established as part of reparations to formerly enslaved Black Americans). A departure from his work with band The Indications, Jones’ record leans into every aspect of his life — from his barefoot childhood on the blooming Gulf South to his relationship with his elders and his queerness. “See It Through” sheds light and optimism on persistence.

Delivering the first song after her Best New Artist win at the 2022 Latin Grammys, Mexican singer Silvana Estrada shares an ethereal ballad.

Mark your calendars for July 7, when PJ Harvey delivers her tenth studio album, I Inside the Old Year Dying. A commanding poet, visual artist, musician, and songwriter, Harvey’s work is utterly striking in scope and imagination. According to Harvey, the new songs offer “a resting space, a solace, a comfort, a balm — which feels timely for the times we’re in.” It’s a natural lead-in to her song “A Child’s Question, August.”

John Tejada and March Adstrum, the duo behind Optometry , follow-up on their debut album with an EP of star-studded remixes by the likes of artists like Dntel and Plaid . It’s slated for a mid-summer release, plus a couple of new singles, including the banger “Television Screen.”

Seattle-based soul innovator and multi-instrumentalist Brittany Davis is a non-binary, blind artist we’ve recently become acquainted with. “So Fly,” explains Davis, “is a playful but potent perspective on how I’ve learned to see myself through sound. You could say it’s my sonic reflection. This song, with its disco throwback vibes, fills up the empty places within my soul. And reminds me to remember the full-body beauty and vitality that I possess.”

In these uncertain times, turning to artists we love is a great way to cope. An optimistic voice for almost six decades, Yusuf — you may also know him as Cat Stevens — is back to warm our hearts and bring joy.

The award-winning director of the 1992 period drama “Orlando,” Sally Potter , has created her first studio album, Pink Bikini. A semi-autobiographical batch of songs reminiscing on her youth in ‘60s London, Potter narrates a striking scene as a teenager on the title track.