Missing out on an album release feels like waking up late on the day of a big event — a sinking feeling of disappointment and regret. It’s akin to missing a crucial meeting or realizing you’ve overlooked something essential. So, apologies to the almighty critic gods for missing any important releases this week (or ever). In our ongoing mission to keep you tuned in to the freshest sounds, here’s a roundup of this week’s latest releases!

Chanel Beads – “Embarrassed Dog”
Leaning into the darker tones of experimental pop, Chanel Beads finds his groove. As the solo project of New York City based musician Shane Lavers, Chanel Beads artfully constructs lofi pop tunes that skate on the the surfaces of electronic, post punk and dream pop. The outcome is a mesmerizing fusion of influences that coalesce into some of the most captivating dream pop I’ve encountered this year. His latest single, “Embarrassed Dog” is a dreamy exploration of what I assume it might feel like to fall deeper and deeper into something halfway between a nightmare and wakefulness. His debut record Your Day Will Come is out 4/19 on Jagjaguwar.

Hana Vu – “Hammer”
LA-based singer/songwriter Hana Vu’s newest single “Hammer” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being on a loop; reliving and relearning the same lessons over and over and over and over and over and –. Punctuated by crunchy guitars and a vocal melody that dances delicately atop a bed of lush instrumentation, “Hammer” seamlessly blends elements of indie rock and dream pop. Her newest album, Romanticism, is out May 3rd on Ghostly International.

Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements – “Nest of Earrings”
“Oh my god, Mary! Do you see the babies?” Opening gently and with the care and ease a mother might give to her child, Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements “Nest of Earrings” grows slowly in its eagerness and beauty. Eventually, teh piece envelops the listener in a warm and sparkling mosaic of brightly plucked melodies. The duo recorded their new album “Rain on Road” on a rainy Los Angeles day in 2023, and the improvisation between the duo speaks to their attunement to each others creative process. “Nest of Earrings” is a stunning addition to their repertoire. Rain on the Road is out May 10.

Rinse – “Stranger” (ft. Caroline Loveglow)
The opening notes for RINSE’s newest single “Stranger” are enough to catapult you head-first into their world of ethereal dream pop and keep you there forever (but that’s okay because I LIKE it here). The Melbourne-based project is the solo effort of Joe Agius (of The Creases), and has actually existed in some iteration for many years, though hadn’t released any music officially until 2020. With “Stranger,” Agius enlisted LA-based dream pop maestro Caroline Loveglow to create an ethereal and sparkling tune replete with soaring choral melodies that feel like the embodiment of sunshine.

Words by Conor Rooney