Despite the ease of access that streaming has brought to the distribution of music, the volume that's released can make it a daunting task to find unique new stuff every week. In this recurring weekly feature we put together a short list of new songs that stand out amongst all the noise and deserve a spot in your rotation.

All songs featured in this recurring series can be found in our scrmbl selection 2025 playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.

AprilBlue — "Kotonoha No Kuni"

The centerpiece of sometimes shoegaze, always indie-pop project AprilBlue's second album yura swells from the get-go. Backed by some of the most forceful feedback the outfit has let surge through its work to date, "Kotonoha No Kuni" lays off the distortion to allow the verses to build up tension, only for it all to roar back come the chorus for an emotional gutcheck.

Billyrrom — "Apollo - Single Version"

Buzzed-about band Billyrrom shows what has launched them towards hype on its latest single "Apollo." At its core, the trio play swift rock floating in indie orbit, with this song dashing ahead on every front. Electronic touches and bell chimes hover on the edges though, adding a glow to the song, while samples provide emotional takeoff.

Creepy Nuts — "japanese"

Somehow, someway, J-pop-rap duo Creepy Nuts' new album LEGION features a lot of self-reflection. I guess a crazy 12 months made the pair of R-Shitai and DJ Matsunaga reflect more than usual, as the album features songs devoted to the bizarre "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" powered journey they've been on. There's also cuts like "japanese," a very silly but also surprisingly sharp dissection of the stereotypes their nationality conjures up...and the desire to push past it.

Foi  — "NO ONE"

Tokyo-based Japanese/Chinese singer-songwriter Foi comes out of the gate strong in 2025 with this A.G.O produced single. A welcome departure from her last single, this track has a smooth R&B meets pop styled beat that gives her vocal styling plenty of room to breathe. Lyrically it may be a simple love song, but the production makes smart use of effects and vocal layering to give it additional depth that create an attention worthy total package.

Lovely Summer Chan — "The Great Time Killer"

Lovely Summer Chan’s latest EP Music For Walking (Out Of The Woods) is, as to be expected, start-to-finish excellent but something about “The Great Time Killer” makes it stand out amongst the rest. It could be the perfectly crafted pop-rock sound, or possibly the lyrics about just living life, or maybe it’s just how upbeat it is that is catching me given everything else going on in the world as of late. It’s not a particularly deep track, but it’s also nowhere near a guilty pleasure. Calling it “pure-fun” might be the most appropriate.

NIKO NIKO TAN TAN — "Souzou"

Plenty of artists play around in a range of genres in their music, but NIKO NIKO TAN TAN are the type to jump around even within the realm of a single song so it’s impossible to ever know what to expect from them. “Souzou” is a track that almost feels like it’s mashing up decades of electronic music rather than specific genres. Sometimes brooding, sometimes bright and poppy, it’s a track about imagination that will hook you all the way through. It’s not an easy thing to describe in words, but thankfully the track is strong enough to do the speaking for itself.