These LITM Pop Picks are warm, comforting, and relaxed – featuring DJ Momotaro, Alen Hit, Blake Rave, and more!
1. DJ Momotaro – Better Days (feat. Aria Wren)
DJ Momotaro’s Better Days is a sleek, feel-good electropop track that brings out depth in both sound and emotion through its clean, shimmering sound. It’s a track that’s ready-made for the dancefloor’s carefreeness, pulsing lights, and moving bodies. Aria Wren’s voice adds emotional depth to the song’s rhythmic pulse and brings a warmth, a human touch to its synth-forward textures. A current of optimism and hope runs throughout the song, but it never feels misplaced or naïve; the song’s restraint allows this to shine through effortlessly. What makes it stand out is the fact that it’s never forcefully positive – rather, it sinks into you slowly, letting you take your time to absorb its message.
2. Alen Hit – Love Is the Answer - Christmas Version
Opening with a charming a cappella sequence (that continues through the rest of the song), Alen Hit’s Love Is the Answer - Christmas Version is a song that feels just Christmassy enough to feel festive, but not overwhelming. It doesn’t rely on the usual elements that make a song classically ‘Christmas’, but there are hints to point you in that direction – from the sparkly bells to the comforting warmth of Hit’s voice and the melody itself. The idea of exploring the feeling of falling in love during the holidays is a classic one, but Hit runs with it, creating something totally fresh-sounding. Listen here!
3. Blake Rave – Never Broken
Blake Rave’s Never Broken is resilience and learning wrapped in shimmering production. From its opening moments, the song sets a steady pace that never lets up, like a story is spilling out after being contained for too long. This gives the song a drive, a pace that moves it forward constantly, and the interplay between this energy and urgency with the heavy lyrics and Blake Rave’s calm, accepting voice creates a dynamic that plays out very well throughout. With a clear message of endurance and determination in the face of your past mistakes, the song doesn’t dwell on what could’ve been. Rather, through its clear, intentional production, it focuses on the future and what can be – give it a listen!
4. Cup Of Music – Night on the Moon
Night on the Moon sounds like the result of a mashup between a lullaby and psychedelia. Starting off with the same shimmer that many children’s songs do, it dissolves into something you can imagine listening to while lying down on your terrace, watching the sky move above you. Normal rules of time and structure don’t apply here: while listening to it, it envelopes you so much that it feels like the only thing you’ve ever heard, but after it ends, it feels like waking up from a trance that lasted mere seconds. A thoroughly calming, detailed track, it waits for you to come to it and then treats you to an unparalleled experience – check it out here!
5. Iberico – Stare a Milano
Stare a Milano, from its first few seconds, settles into a groovy, chill rhythm that feels unhurried, confident, and quietly observant, like Iberico is sitting on a nondescript bench watching your every move. Warm synths and restrained rhythm create a relaxed atmosphere that draws you in instantly, only amplified by the conversational tone in which the vocals are delivered. It feels like a moment frozen in time, where nothing outside it exists or matters; it’s made only more magnetic by its restraint and understated production that don’t draw attention to themselves. It’s the kind of song that lingers in the space between sound and place – listen to it here!
Follow the playlist for all new artist updates!
If you would like to submit your music for playlist or review consideration, please submit here.