These LITM Pop Picks come to you from artists like Still Ruins, Exzenya, Angel Aoba and more, inviting you to introspect and reflect.
1. Still Ruins – Our Penance
Our Penance walks the line between being melancholy and uptempo, showcasing Still Ruins’ skill for writing moody songs while retaining the upbeat atmosphere. The drums dominate the landscape skillfully without being overwhelming, while the melodic instrumental remains clean and minimal – this gives the song restraint, allowing the vocals to carry the emotional weight that makes the song so special. Our Penance is infectious and deeply effective at carrying different kinds of emotions, with lyrics that’ll stay with you for a while like “You′ll be left on your fragile knees / With all of this paying from what you keep,”; listen to it here!
2. Exzenya – Till I’m Drunk & Confused
Exzenya’s Till I’m Drunk & Confused is bright and breezy while being disorienting and tense. The song opens with light strumming, creating an approachable folk-pop sound, drawing you in. When the vocals start is when the disorientation hits: Exzenya’s vocals are distorted in real time, twisting and turning, refusing to stay predictably on beat, leaving your head spinning in the best way. Lyrically, the song explores the feeling of “downing alcohol till I’m too drunk to call”, as Exzenya puts it – the destructive, vicious cycle of using alcohol to forget pain, and using more to numb any further pain. The contrast between the melody and lyrics makes for an interesting listen – check it out!
3. Angel Aoba – WILDFIRE
WILDFIRE blends melodic sensitivity with synth-forward production, resulting in a pop-driven sound that’ll worm its way into your brain. With a polished, stylised production – Aoba’s autotuned voice over the lush synth-dominated landscape – the song is glossy, but the way it resonates with you goes far beyond just this gloss. The song carries deep emotional impact – “Run myself to the ground, hope you don't notice this / Something tells me deep down, I know something′s amiss / I’m desperately chasing after a train just for one kiss,” Aoba sings, and the moment you listen deeply, these lyrics punch you in the gut. Listen here!
4. San Sebastian – In My Dreams
In My Dreams opens strong with smooth production and a heavily danceable beat. Reminiscent of Troye Sivan’s music, the song balances this pop-forward rhythm with lush melodies and airy vocals that make for a great listen. Vocally, Sebastian delivers with energy, clarity, and sincerity, giving the song a repeatability that’s hard to find otherwise. It floats somewhere between fantasy and reality: with sections that go into a dreamlike state of what feels like a memory, and then pulling you back into reality sharply, the track is unpredictable and takes turns that are hard to see coming, and that keeps you hooked throughout the song’s runtime – listen here!
5. RIOT SON – What Makes You Think
Opening with a hint of sorrow and bittersweetness, What Makes You Think immediately draws you in, putting you into an introspective, reflective mood. RIOT SON delivers with a warmth and vulnerability that makes the song fragile yet strong – like a ball of glass that’ll break when it falls, but holds itself together regardless. Production-wise, What Makes You Think goes between lush nostalgia and sharp modernity, while it thematically conveys emotional, deeply personal experiences in a way that’s universally relatable. By the time it ends, it leaves you with a weight that compels you to think and feel – listen here!
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