To call January an eventful month for music might still be an understatement. From mainstream heavyweights to indie comebacks, the start of 2026 served as a reminder that the music world truly is nonstop. Amidst this constant plethora of weekly new releases, the KSDT Radio Media Department is introducing Fresh Picks: a recurring column highlighting our personal standout singles released within the past month.
An eclectic mix of genres, acts, and languages—we hope our January roundup offers something new, compelling, and, of course, fresh.
Click HERE to stream our January Fresh Picks!
A$AP Rocky: "Punk Rocky"
Coming off a six-year hiatus, A$AP Rocky drops "Punk Rocky" as the leading single of his fourth studio album, DON’T BE DUMB. The track starts off with a beautiful guitar riff, followed by strong drums, before soothing vocals trail behind. This single meshes elements of punk and hip-hop, and its production is a beautiful amalgamation balancing melancholy with a dash of resentment. It's gripping and has this sort of dark yet relentless demeanor—the perfect song to introduce the rest of the album. This single reminds me of “Sundress,” released in 2018, reflecting how his musical abilities extend beyond a single genre or skill and into an artistry that cannot be encapsulated into singular categories. Overall, the single, singlehandedly, reminds us of how iconic A$AP Rocky’s productions continue to be. –Katelyn Villon
Borderline: "Tainted"
Borderline, a rising indie pop band from New Zealand, made up of four childhood friends, brings a strong sense of nostalgia into their music. Their brand new single,"Tainted," combines dreamy synths, disco, and experimental sounds to produce a groovy, captivating track. The song explores the lingering effects of past experiences and relationships while trying to move forward—hence "Tainted." The lead singer's raw vocals adds onto this reflective effect, creating a smooth, intense feel that lingers long after the track ends. Drawing on 1980s-inspired synthesizers, Borderline pushes the boundaries of their sound, experimenting with new sonic textures, creating a fresh soundscape of hypnotic, catchy melodies. With its retro undertones, "Tainted" bridges the gap between past and present, showcasing Borderline’s talents of creating a familiar but modern music style. It’s no wonder Borderline is breaking the boundaries into the international music charts! –Caitlyn Williams
Chinese American Bear: "No No Yeah Yeah (不不好啊好啊)"
Indiepop duo, Chinese American Bear, rang in the new year by dropping the single "No No Yeah Yeah (不不好啊好啊)" following widespread acclaim for their unique blend of English and Mandarin lyrics over ambient/chamber-pop and occasionally heavily percussive sounds in their previous album, Wah!!!.
Anne Song's feminine and bubbly voice is a great addition to the single's strikingly bright tone. To me, the song is reminiscent of skipping rhymes or playground taunts, which consequently renders it an incredibly catchy tune. While the simple lyricism, often consisting of "no" or "yeah," doesn't hint at deeper meanings, it lends itself to the song's fun, colorful, and upbeat nature. The opening riff of the track seems to pay homage to early 2010s hazy electronic icons like Washed Out, Heartsrevolution, Ladytron, etc., where the lyrics are often reduced to soft whispers or playful chanting anyway. By incorporating Mandarin into their songs, Chinese American Bear brings their own refreshing take on the genre which often feels limited to English, making them stand out among the numerous new-gen indiepop bands. –Michelle Gao
Heavenly: "Excuse Me"
Heavenly brings their signature twangy and bouncy guitar riffs to their latest single, "Excuse Me,” which will be featured on Highway to Heavenly, their first new album in 30 years. Layering sweet vocals and delicate chimes on top of explosions of fuzzy guitar, Heavenly creates a charming, old-school blend perfect for a little pick-me-up. The main hook, “Excuse me / I thought that you were someone else,” is delightfully catchy, and its punchy rhythm throws you back to youth and nostalgic memories. The bridge then breaks into a pop punk frenzy, which leaves you feeling energized. –Jamie Lim
Holly Humberstone: "To Love Somebody"
“To Love Somebody,” Holly Humberstone’s second single off her upcoming album Cruel World, arrives right on time for anyone struggling with the complicated aftermath of love. The confessional pop track reframes love as a worthwhile life experience, rather than a source of tension and disappointment. When she sings, “They tell you that you feel too much / You bet it all on a summer crush / It all breaks down, it always does / It all works out, it always does," Humberstone captures the human inclination to invest oneself fully in another person while knowing that the ending may result in heartbreak. But she also provides reassurance that flowers will bloom after the rain.
Sonically, the track trades Humberstone’s typical melancholic, gothic fairytale sound for uplifting pop synths and a prominent bassline rumbling through the mix. Visually, however, the music video still falls in line with her familiar persona, incorporating references to the Brothers Grimm and Nosferatu. In the end, “To Love Somebody” is an optimistic gem that serves as a reminder of a poetic truth: losing someone can be a necessary sacrifice for the privilege of having loved them at all. –Lola Dogat
James Blake: "Death of Love"
“Death of Love,” the first single from James Blake’s upcoming album, Trying Times, explores the uncertainty and fragility of relationships, or perhaps, society as a whole. The song opens with a sample of Leonard Cohen’s “You Want It Darker,” a beautifully haunting melody that precedes Blake’s chilling lyrics, “I don’t know how we got here / I think we might be sleeping / I think we might be walking / to the death of love.”
Like most of Blake’s songs, “Death of Love” embraces simplicity; the empty space is filled with layered, time-shifted vocals and heavy, glitchy sub-bass to create an atmosphere so vast and eerie that it almost feels otherworldly—a skill that makes Blake’s music instantly recognizable and undeniably unique. –Sarah Yoo
KiiiKiii: "404 (New Era)"
KiiiKiii takes you back to the early 2000’s in their new comeback song, “404 (New Era).” On brand for the new year, the lyrics talk about leaving the past behind, "(Bye) And it feels good / (Bye) All left behind (Bye) I’ll leave all burdens behind" and surfing into the “new era.” This dance, electronic pop track is like pure joy to your ears. The break out from the chorus to the second verse “404 all the girlies to the floor” instantly hooks you in. Its melody is so addicting with high energy bass and a house beat drop, it feels like something you could break down to at the club. The track also features a bridge, which is an extremely rare treat nowadays, emerging into a cascade of dreamy synths and vocals. For a short moment, the song is reminiscent of “Midnight Sun” by Zara Larsson, and then it finishes with the infectious chorus once again. –Jamie Lim
King Gnu: "AIZO"
King Gnu, an alternative J-rock band, released their first single after three years, titled "AIZO." The track starts off quietly with light drums, chimes, and ambient sounds before revealing its true tone: chaos. The song erupts with electric guitar riffs while they scream "Love me! Love me!" paired with its counterpart "Hate me! Hate me!" These are the only English phrases throughout the entire track, as the rest of the song is sung in Japanese. The chaos amplifies as powerful drums roll in alongside the guitar, creating an urgent, relentless energy. King Gnu shouts about how love and hate are two emotions that go hand in hand; you cannot have one without the other. Mid-track, the chaos dies down as a piano, synthesizer, and Tsugaru shamisen—a traditional Japanese string instrument—take over. The vocals shift from shouting to a neutral talking level, like a direct conversation with the listener. Clapping emerges in the background as the urgency builds again, ramping back into chaos. "AIZO" masterfully balances its explosive moments with quieter reflections, driving home the message that love and hate are chaotic and raw. The song closes with only the electric guitar lingering, leaving us with a sense of rawness, just as King Gnu has bared themselves to us with their song "AIZO." –Nadia Royal
LNGSHOT: "Never Let Go"
K-pop remains highly competitive as listeners debate CORTIS, contending against their evil half. This four-member idol group, newly formed and freshly picked, boldly aims for the LNGSHOT in the K-pop industry, venturing to infuse EDM-R&B into K-pop. In their debut album, Shot Callers, the closing song "Never Let Go" shoots for the sweet spot with its attractive R&B approach, struggling to acknowledge that letting go is not the end of a relationship. Never let go of the chorus, as Louis Lim embodies the Bieber spirit, overpowering audiences with electronic soul. This song is as if 2016 Justin Bieber and Chase Atlantic were just introduced into the K-pop industry. Keep LNGSHOT on your radars as they reach 4.9 million listeners on Spotify in over a week, as their debut album emerges in the ranks as Shot Callers. –Julian Gonzales
Mitski: "Where's My Phone?"
“Mitski is back!” I say riding around town on horseback with my lantern. After taking a mini hiatus in 2024, Mitski has come back to tease the release of her 8th studio album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me. In the wake of her lead single, “Where’s My Phone?,” Mitski writes of her missing phone, of course. However, through the absurdity and mundane insanity of losing your phone and falling into a neurotic spiral of not having anything together, I think we are all losing our phones…
Mitski is the epitome of yearning for purpose and a sense of internal freedom in an existentialist mind. Lyrics like, “I just want my mind to be a clear glass / Clear glass with nothing in my head / I keep thinking, ‘Surely, somebody will save me’ / At every turn, I learn that no one will,” are packed with enjambment and anadiplosis, further enunciating the hysteria that is packed nicely with this 133 bpm track. Regardless, she has brought back her famous cathartic rock instrumentals from Bury Me at Makeout Creek, so we know 2026 is going to be great. –Emma Cam
Oxis: "Dogfish"
The sonic landscape of Oxis is derivative of the deep sea: an intricate layering of synths, drums, and tranquil vocals that embody the same ambient complexities of the marine world. While this oceanic theme and electronic experimentation serve as a throughline to every Oxis project, “Dogfish” off her latest record, Oxis 8, offers a minimal yet ethereal twist to the contemporary digital soundscape.
With its one-by-one instrumental layering, “Dogfish” plays much like a real-time, looper pedal arrangement. Opening with a simple guitar melody, the track eventually stacks on a percussive backbeat, background harmonies, and vulnerable lyricism that ultimately crescendos into a glitchy sonic apex and breakdown at its halfway point. Thematically, “Dogfish” finds Oxis navigating the emotional difficulties of moving past heartbreak. “I'm in my head and now I find it really hard not to call you”—an honest yet deeply human confession that, when artfully paired with the rise and descent of the track’s instrumentals, serves as a sonic reminder to life’s ephemerality. –Megan Hirao
Puma Blue: "Hush"
In the wake of his 2025 sister albums Antichamber and Extchamber‚ “Hush” arrives as the third single from London-based Puma Blue’s upcoming Croak Dream. Abandoning the maddening solitude of confined acoustic guitar arrangements, a live jazz band haunts the shallow space beneath a thin, membranous veil; dissonance‚ whispered confessions‚ and lackadaisical desire hang heavy in the air as lo-fi textures and lethargic trip-hop ambience coalesce, drowning listeners’ ears in slick tar and a thick haze of smoke.
In its opening moments, “Hush” drifts through the room with tension and murk. Like shadows through an open window, glassy pianos chime an eerie treble against the low hum of growling static and baritone saxophone. “Such torment / Such a waste / all my loves are wounded, disgraced” his tortured entries reverberate, echoed by a phantom chorus of vocal harmonies. Altogether, it’s gripping—yet somehow fails to demand attention; instead, it resists it. It lulls and grasps with seduction, content to caress and ensnare the listener in its love-drunk stupor, even if just for a single fleeting moment. –Julian Aguilar
Sarah Kinsley: "Lonely Touch"
“Lonely Touch” is the second single release of Sarah Kinsley’s soon-to-be-released EP, Fleeting. Ever since the end of December 2025, Kinsley has been teasing this track. From its jam-packed synths and its roots traced back to Kinsley’s inspirations drawn from Luca Guadagnino’s film, Queer, this song is the epitome of yearning. Its melody, which is reminiscent of Sky Ferreira’s “Everything is Embarrassing," accompanied by Kinsley’s vocal climax, creates the filmic and visceral feeling of just wanting connection. This track shapes vulnerability and romance in a light that feels like you can only do it justice by screaming, “I want to feel it all / The edges of your soul / One body in the dark / Where do I put my heart?”
Nothing about this song is simple. Sonically, there is so much going on, and you are submerged in the drums, piano, synths, etc. Quite literally bass in my bones—I am one with the music. Then you have Kinsley’s voice, which alone has such amazing progression, beginning slow and silent, ending strong and belting. This EP has teased itself to be a vulnerable and free expression of yearning. Whether it be love, connection, a better life, whatever you yearn for, do it without filter. –Emma Cam
Solya: "Tell Me It's Over"
Solya's "Tell Me It's Over" is her second released single and track four on her upcoming album, Queen of Texas, dropping this March. The song opens with a haunting guitar melody alongside Solya's raspy, deep vocals, reminiscent of Chappell Roan's melancholic, soul-baring delivery. The song is Solya's final confrontation with an ex-lover, where it's clear she craves closure. She pleads for them to admit it's over and stay away, the lyrics revealing the toll this toxic relationship took on her. The song serves as both a testament to what she endured and a declaration of freedom; she deserves to move on and reclaim her life without her ex-lover haunting her every waking moment. The guitar blends seamlessly with rhythmic drumhits and bass, amplifying the song's melancholic weight. Each instrumental layer feels deliberate, building the emotional intensity as Solya lays herself bare. By the end, you're left aching for her, not out of pity, but out of respect for her vulnerability and strength in walking away. "Tell Me It's Over" is Solya demanding the closure she was never given, and in doing so, she gives it to herself. –Nadia Royal
