Returning to a bit of normalcy with Warm Selections after a week of wackness. This week has some good stuff though, with new songs popping up from Nu Genea, Cola, Diles que no me maten and more.

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Brandy – “All In Me” [Atlantic]
Starting off this week’s installment with a track that was released in 2002, but could have been released in 2028. I finally gave Brandy’s Full Moon some shine this year after coming across a video of Darkchild in the studio with Lady Gaga making “Telephone.” I had not given Darkchild the flowers he deserves for his righteously insane production over his career, and he’s on 11 here. Hyperpop could never. And same goes for Brandy, who absolutely needs to be given her due, and time in the sun, for influencing so many modern pop voices to this day. Generational voice, y’all!

Cola – “Skywriter’s Sigh” [Fire Talk]
Montreal post-punk trio Cola have a new album Cost of Living Adjustment arriving this Friday, May 8th, via Fire Talk. I dig the songwriting on this song more than some of the other singles, thinking about a skywriter nitpicking their work from below once they’ve written a message in the sky. Plus, I have a forever debt to Cola drummer Evan J Cartwright, who made one of the best albums of all time, bit by bit, in 2022. Thanks Evan! And the rest of Cola!

Diles que no me maten – “Perquisidor” [Moonlight Activities]
Mexico City band Diles que no me maten recently dropped this poetic new single “Perquisidor” (english translation: Investigator) via their upcoming album Escrito En Agua, out June 12th. It’s an open and atmospheric track that progressively opens up into a deeply emotional, wrenching finale that’s reflected in its beautifully-shot music video. Check them both out here!

Jump Source – “Shattered (feat. Helena Deland & Ross Meen)” [NAFF]
Canadian producers Patrick Holland and Priori have done the Dragonball fusion dance and have formed Jump Source, and have released a new album Fold, out now via NAFF. It’s got some great features like Helana Deland, billy woods, CFCF, Loukeman and more, and this track “Shattered” embraces that y2k aesthetic, where the textures and feel of reality feel like they’re at their thinnest. 

Kelsey Lu – “Better Than That” [Dirty Hit]
Kelsey Lu has a new album coming, So Help Me God, out June 12th – her first since 2019! This new single features Sampha and goes all over the place, but it’s a slow-developing, orchestral piece of experimental pop. It’s got some cool ideas, definitely curious about how the rest of the album sounds from here.

Molina – “Golden Brown Sugar” [Escho]
Escho continues their hot streak with a new single from Molina, who put out a great record back in 2024, When you wake up, and tours in ML Buch’s live arrangement. This new single is another installment of great, abstract, exploded pop with guitars smeared across the stage like a paste. Another great addition to her catalog, and hopefully a sign of more new music to come.

Ms Ray – “You’re Here” [Scenic Route]
Shout out my buddy Carmine, and Ergot Records in NYC for putting me onto Ms Ray, who just put out a new EP via Scenic Route. I think I’m only familiar with them for putting out Nourished By Time’s Erotic Probiotic 2, and this falls in line with that: fat retro grooves that’ll get ya grooving. “You’re Here” is the final track on the EP and ends things on a great note, and encourages endless repeats.

Nu Genea – “Carè” [NG]
The sound of the summer has arrived. Naples duo Nu Genea soundtracked my summer of 2022 with their album Bar Mediterraneo, and are set to it again this summer with their new album People of the Moon. Initial listen standout “Carè” ripples with disco flavor, with a tight rhythm section and great Portuguese vocals / lyrics. It’s distilled party in a bottle, an instant mood-improver.

Quiet Light – “Self Tape” [True Panther]
As someone whose partner soldiered through medical school, I deeply respect anyone who’s able to have a life outside of it. For Quiet Light, she’s been able to release a few albums and support tours all while in school. Hot damn! She just released her new album Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2 via True Panther, a sweet, dreamy synth poppy record that I need to spend more time with. “Self Tape” was a standout for me on first listen, containing more of a sharper edge than some of the more bucolic tracks on the record. Excited to spend more time with it, and best of luck to Quiet Light with the rest of med school.

Sosyete ’25 – “Oyun” [Tru Thoughts]
Kit Sebastian’s Merve Erdem has a new side project + album on the way, with trio Sosyete ’25’s new album Yaygara arriving May 22nd via Tru Thoughts. If you love Turkish music, you cannot miss this. It’s another excellent, supple slice of Turkish disco and funk, with Merve’s lovely vocals powering the whole thing.