It’s been another week in the confusing hell-scape that is life. Just because the world seems to be crumbling at an alarming rate doesn’t mean that we can’t stop and enjoy things every once in a while. Or, at least that’s what our increasingly anxious therapist says. One of the easiest things to do to brighten your mood and cleanse your news-addled brain is listen to new music. Because we love you, here are five new handpicked songs to get you on your way.
Fime ‘Better Half Of A Dollar’
If you’ve been planning an overnight drive to the depths of hell and need a song to keep you awake and focused, look no further than Fime’s latest, ‘Better Half Of A Dollar.’ Equipped with a driving backbeat, relentless guitars, and a full-throttle vocal performance that will make you wonder if you should be screaming too, the track is a tour de force of chaos. We’re borrowing your friend’s description of your life, but we mean it positively in regard to the song.
AJJ ‘Psychic Warfare (demo)’
If you’re somehow unfamiliar with the long-running folk-punk institution AJJ, just picture “Weird” Al Yankovic suddenly pivoting into earnest songwriting about some of the most depressing topics you’ve ever heard. If that sounds like something you’re into, you should listen immediately. The band just released a handful of demos from their excellent album ‘Good Luck, Everybody’ and the timing is unfortunately apt.
Squid ‘Cro-Magnon Man’
Imagine yourself in a seedy alley. A crazed man claiming to be Jeff Lynne from the future offers you a pitiful self-rolled cigarette. You quit months ago, but you decide to be polite. How often do you get to bum a square from THE Jeff Lynne from the future? You take a drag and realize you are now full on tripping on DMT. The fractalized stranger now wants your feedback on his new ‘demo.’ As it oozes from his phone, you just hear Squid’s ‘Cro-Magnon Man.’
Sleigh Bells ‘Bunky Pop’
Your friends often judge you for living in the past. The summer of 2012, in fact, when Sleigh Bells’ ‘Reign of Terror’ was in full swing. Well, friend, it’s time to start living in the new age. A magical era in which Sleigh Bells are prepping a new horrifyingly catchy rule over the guitar pop dominion. ‘Bunky Pop’ is the second single from their upcoming album ‘Bunky Becky Birthday Boy’ and it’s a hell of a lot more fun to dance to than that album name is to say out loud.
Idle Heirs ‘Pillow Talk’
Don’t let the title fool you. Idle Heirs ‘Pillow Talk’ sounds less ‘sweet nothings whispered late at night’ and more ‘apocalyptic sermon screamed through the sentient severed head of a goat.’ The crushing riffs and relentless intensity make any chance of a peaceful night in with your crush completely impossible. It’s the kind of song that rattles the walls, scrambles your thoughts, and leaves you wondering if sleep was ever an option in the first place.
If you need more songs to get through the dystopian dread, don’t worry! We’ve compiled these and others into a handy playlist that you can listen to before the intermittent internet outages of 2026 start. Listen, save, and disassociate below: