The past month has been packed with fresh, new tracks—perhaps proving there was more than just love in the air this February. Check out some of KSDT Media's favorite February releases as we round off another exciting month of music!
Click HERE to stream our February Fresh Picks!
American Football: "Bad Moons"
Who understands Midwest emo better than a white boy from the Midwest? ME! After a seven-year hiatus, American Football has finally returned with their leading single, “Bad Moons,” an 8-minute song, for LP4. I highly encourage those who have not listened to this song but are interested in doing so to watch the music video. There is something truly gut-wrenching and anxiety-inducing about the visuals that accompany the song. The song dives into themes of aging, adolescence, and ruminating on these memories, mistakes, and regrets. This song is divided into three melodic sections, my favorite being the ending, which is three minutes of muddy-shoegazey-noisy instrumentals that almost brought me to tears (again, watch the music video). Even though this song is nothing like LP1, which is amazing, artists can and will change, as they reference in this song. However, just because this track leans into more math rock elements, that does not disregard all of AF’s quintessential emo-ness, like what’s more emo than creating cheesy lines about being an individualistic white boy… –Emma Cam
Andrew Garden: "Are You Still In Love?"
From the song’s very first note, Andrew Garden draws listeners into a light, melodic blend of guitar, piano, and soft drums, creating a gentle pop atmosphere. At first listen, the song sounds upbeat, but it is sharply contrasted with its core meaning. Beneath the music is a story that tells the uncertainties of a relationship and the fear when love begins to fade. As the song progresses, Garden’s vocals become increasingly emotional, revealing the tension of growing distance in a relationship. Specifically, in the chorus, when he repeatedly sings “please” and stretches out the word “love,” his delivery almost sounds pleading, seeking reassurance that the feelings are still mutual. This heartfelt ballad still lingers, creating a quiet reflection on love. –Caitlyn Williams
Baby Keem: "$ex Appeal (feat. Too $hort)"
"$ex Appeal (feat. Too $hort)," the seventh track off of Baby Keem's newest release, Ca$ino, is an unbelievably underrated song. The beat—insane. The whispered chorus—irresistible. It is such a well-executed production, and it has genuinely been on repeat since its release. Baby Keem's shrill voice balances well with Too $hort's methodical cadence. The loops, deep bass, and heavy 808s paired with the two's vocals are just flawless. The darkness and grittiness, with a hint of seductiveness, are just right. On a project with overarching themes of vulnerability, risk, and introspection, this track was a nice surprise of groove and fun. –Katelyn Villon
Bruno Mars: "Risk It All"
I'm ready to RISK IT ALL for Bruno Mars as he releases his newest album, The Romantic. He's been feeling risky nowadays as he challenges the heated atmosphere of the musical world with all his songs having no features and solely focusing on Bruno's story. Starting from smooth pop ballads, to crashing every party with his funky throwbacks, then kicking R&B back to life with his 24K Magic. "Risk it all" starts the album with a slow tempo, high emotional vigor, and a mariachi-inspired instrumentation. He mentions wanting the moon and learning to fly—referencing his hit song "Talking to the Moon" as he sways listeners into his world of closing the distance with his lover. With simple beauty and yearning, I highly recommend getting romantic with Bruno's newest album and song. –Julian Gonzales
Eloise: "For You"
Released on the eve of Valentine’s Day, London-based singer-songwriter Eloise’s newest single, “For You,” is ironically anything but romantic, presenting instead a heart-wrenching vulnerability that feels far more poignant.
Backed by jazz-infused acoustic guitar and a percussive, clap-driven rhythm, Eloise’s soulful, velvety vocals melt into the instrumentation as she sings about losing herself in a toxic relationship. “Broke me down and hid me till I lost myself / Becoming someone else for you,” Eloise confesses in a final thought. A soft trumpet closes out the track, letting the thought linger quietly in the air.
The track’s warm instrumentation is beautifully challenged by its gloomy lyricism, inviting a tension that makes “For You” all the more captivating. –Lola Dogat
Frost Children, Ninajirachi: "Sisters"
With their glitchy, frenetic, and explosive energy, Frost Children and Ninajirachi have continually embodied the newfound hyperpop resurgence. As two of the scene’s most prominent rising acts, their latest collaborative release, “Sisters,” showcases both their exuberant sound and individual influence on this rising electronic sphere.
Featuring a new verse by Ninajirachi and an entirely revamped instrumental, “Sisters” remixes Frost Children’s “Sister”—the title track off their latest record. The song’s gradual buildup eventually coalesces into an emotionally-charged eruption of heavy bass punches and digital outbursts. Amidst this sonic flurry, Frost Children and Ninajirachi’s lyricism is gently personal, as they discuss change, growth, and, of course, the complexity of sibling bonds. –Megan Hirao
Laufey: "How I Get"
Beautiful, timeless, and heartwrenching. "How I Get" by Laufey is laced with pure longing and yearning for someone who, just like cigarettes, rewards the user with satisfaction yet leads to chronic dependency.
As Laufey questions her growing doom, a whirlwind of strings descends upon her. The strings continue to softly waver in and out, while rich, serene vocals are backed with delicate, melancholy piano. Laufey compares love with addiction as she wistfully laments, “Human nature is strange / I know you’re bad for me.” The song builds into a crescendo of agonizing melodies, finishing off with a choir of ethereal vocals bursting in and out of song as Laufey’s honey-like voice soars freely. She emphasizes her attachment to this relationship, how she’s “caught up in a web,” unable to escape from her insatiable hunger in “biting more than I can chew,” no matter how things may inevitably backfire. –Jamie Lim
spill tab: "Suckerrr"
Claire Chicha, better known by her stage name Spill Tab, is an alternative pop artist who sings in both English and French. On February 18th, she released her deluxe album AngieAngieAngie, which includes the single "Suckerrr." The song opens with a crisp drum kick before the guitar rolls in smoothly. Accompanied by her gentle humming, the track leaves you feeling as though you're lying in bed late at night and letting the music take over you. Spill Tab's vocals are soft and enchanting, similar to Billie Eilish's hushed, harmonizing style. Built around drums, guitar, and a touch of horns near the end, the song feels like a private concert just for you. Lyrically, it captures the pull of craving someone who isn't giving you what you need, and the vulnerability in her delivery makes every word land. –Nadia Royal
trauma ray: "Méliès"
“Méliès” arrives as the second track on Carnival, Trauma Ray’s sophomore release with LA-based Dais Records. Where Chameleon, their debut album, felt like the hazy soundtrack to a forgotten early-2000s PS2 horror game (fog-drenched corridors, low-poly dread, etc.), Carnival plays like the sequel that deepens its rich mythos and refines the mechanics players loved in the original. “Méliès” in particular thrives in this evolution. An uneasy guitar riff opens the five-and-a-half-minute track as reverb-drenched swells beget the pulsing crash of fuzzed-out rhythm guitars. Once the initial wall of sound fades, the audience is left to confront lead singer Uriel Avila’s solemn verses, “Solace in delusion / The veil is thick / Fabricated world,” he whispers like a ghost unaware of its own undeath or a dreamer lost within a projection of his own making. Sonically, while they continue to maintain much of the shoegaze architecture that is essential to their sound, this time around the group leans further into a Crowbar-esque metallic weight, crafting a far more grandiose sense of dread. The track finally exhausts its weight before giving way to a solitary guitar epilogue, sitting quiet and settling in its ominous remains as the runtime comes to a close. –Julian Aguilar
venturing: "In the Dark"
First shared as an unfinished demo on SoundCloud last year, “In the dark” is Jane Remover’s latest and last release as venturing–at least for now. Dropped on the night before Valentine’s Day, the highly anticipated single captures the torturous devastation and longing that haunt the aftermath of lost love.
The track begins with Remover’s voice against a gritty, Mk.gee-esque guitar, creating the familiar openness that distinguishes venturing’s sound from her main discography. Over these distorted riffs, she sings of a once-celebrated love until its eventual collapse, pouring her grief and yearning into explosive drums and fuzzy screams that dominate the song’s latter half. She closes with the repeated line, “I still dream of us,” a painful yet honest confession that lingers long after the fade-out. –Sarah Yoo
