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.
as a sketch pad — "Come On"
As if to spare us from total devastation, as a sketch pad set up a light buffer before steering straight into the big bummer at the core of “Come On,” the final track of the emo band’s new Pegasus EP. The song opens with a weary march before launching into this deeply bruised guitar riff that swallows the chorus whole. “Come on,” the band mutters the titular hook. And from the thick melancholy surrounding the music, it’s hard to say whether it’s a call to join in on the sing-along or an expression of complete disappointment.
the bercedes menz — "Mercedes Benz"
Not quite an introduction song, but still a strong gateway into the gruff-around-the-edges rock of Tokyo's the bercedes menz. Despite the slight feedback layer on the guitars, the heart of "Mercedes Benz" is still centered around catchy melodies made a little more unpredictable by the band's hop-scotching between singing and rapping. A great intro to one of the more exciting outfits in the capital today — check out the album they put out at the start of 2025 next. Listen above.
CVLTE — "the voYd."
Rock band CVLTE has stood out in recent years thanks to a style drawing from metal, heavier guitar sounds and hyperpop, often adding extremely online touches to its sound for the social age. On "the voYd." though, they get sparse. The bulk of the song is just an electronic hum and singing...but it makes the moments when the drums roar in all the more cathartic. Listen above.
Flat Line Classics — "Daily Ops"
Knowing Flat Line Classics’s affinity for East Coast boom bap, the title of “Daily Ops” behind the rap group’s new single can suggest the dusty jazz-rap of Gang Starr. But actually, it’s the complete opposite in region and style: a bouncing G-funk cut built for low-rider stereos. Their old-school cadences remain, the rappers’ deliveries reminiscent of the Los Angeles crew Jurassic 5 and their East-by-way-of-West throwback to Treacherous Three routines. Whatever coast or era, Flat Line Classics understand hip hop is party music at the end of the day.
INI — "Pineapple Juice"
Contemporary male pop can be too try-hard. Look at this rap interlude, wow did the beat just change, oh my gosh they are singing in a different way! To listen to boys groups in J-pop, K-pop and beyond can be a mental workout. Eleven-member outfit INI have certainly been guilty of this, but offer a welcome vacation from it on "Pineapple Juice." The sonic twists and turns bogging down so many pop numbers get replaced by a chill-afternoon groove and lyrics about enjoying warmer times, with the titular beverage in hand. The group raps, but rather than feel shoved in, the verses here match the mood right, showing a great summer song captures a vibe rather than show off. Listen above.
VaVa & Roland Jones — "COLD BLOOD POWER"
After cycling through Skype ringtones and train platform jingles, VaVa lands on his next new sound: phonk. Teaming up with Ukrainian beat-maker Roland Jones for a joint EP, the rapper blows some steam over a ghastly beat led by screwed-up chants, hissing drum breaks and a dank bass line. As with all phonk, “COLD BLOOD POWER” summons the evil spirit of horrorcore heard in ’90s Memphis rap tapes, yet the song’s overall funk also seems in line with the Three 6 Mafia-meets-Swing Mob vibe of Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby.” No matter what the inspiration, VaVa can’t help but get jiggy with it.
