Best of #NewMusicFriday: Noah Cyrus, IIRIS, Carly Rae Jepsen + More
It’s Friday once more, PopCrush readers, which means we’re (web) surfing a big ol’ wave of brand new tunes! If you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of songs, desperate to know which tracks and videos deserve your attention, consider this your life preserver: Below, discover the best six songs #NewMusicFriday has to offer.
"I'm Stuck," Noah Cyrus
Noah Cyrus does it again on "I'm Stuck," another promising glimpse at pop's future hip-hop/country princess. "No gunslinger, no fool could bring me down / I finally met my match and he's the baddest boy around," Cyrus singsongs, her effervescent twang lending itself to the track's playful melodies, while the fusion of electro-pop and earthy guitar strums results in a fresh, unlikely boot-stompin' banger.
"Stranger," IIRIS
IIRIS knows this well: "What doesn't kill us makes us stranger." On "Stranger," the Estonian pop artist submits to her eccentric brand of throbbing electro-pop, evoking the spirit of pre-2010 EDM production (think Tiesto, Royksopp, Jacques Lu Cont) while crafting something wholly modern, glittery and purely primed for the dance floor, her sugary vocal a sort of nightclub siren's call.
"Remember I Told You," Nick Jonas Ft. Anne-Marie and Mike Posner
Nick Jonas teams up with British pop singer Anne-Marie and EDM whiz Mike Posner on "Remember I Told You," a groovy, sexy slice of mildly tropical house-pop. The trio's smooth vocals intertwine seamlessly as they trade verses and merge on the chorus. It's not quite bright enough to be a summer anthem contender, but it'll definitely get caught between your ears—and it's a promising indication of things to come from Jonas' forthcoming album.
"Dream," Harrison Wheeler
Independent singer-producer Harrison Wheeler crafts a sweet love letter to Black Mirror's iconic "San Junipero" episode on "Dream." A bittersweet ode to the dreamlike state of falling in love, the track is a sweeping, neon-hued synth-pop ballad with tender nods to '80s club pop.
"Strangers," Halsey Ft. Lauren Jauregui
Halsey and Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui collide on "Strangers," an ’80s new wave-influenced mid-tempo that also serves as an inclusive anthem for bisexual girls (and the broader LGBTQ+ community) everywhere. Over a storm of flickering synths and throbbing synths, the two pop stars trade verses before crashing on the emotionally-charged, melodramatic chorus.
"Cut to the Feeling," Carly Rae Jepsen
Canada's reigning pop star (fight me if you don't agree) returns to Save Pop™ on "Cut to the Feeling," a (criminally) discarded EMOTION cut that found its way onto the soundtrack for Leap, a French animated musical. Featuring joyful hand claps, shimmering synths and a big, triumphant chorus, Carly Rae Jepsen's latest—which even samples Madonna's "Lucky Star!"—is euphoric sing-along pop at its most undeniable.
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