Get your psych-pop on with another characteristically odd yet catchy song from Ariel Pink at the top of this set. It’s sure to prepare you well for “Another Weekend” (sigh, I know). You may be familiar with Jack Cooper from his band Ultimate Painting, but he’s venturing out for his debut solo album Sandgrown, which will be out at the end of August. You can hear a pretty chill yet lovely track from it below, following in the tradition of many other singer-songwriters before him. Thee Oh Sees have been around for quite awhile now, but with their next record they’re making a change. Specifically, the “Thee” has been chopped off to leave just Oh Sees. Good thing they haven’t lost any of their edge, as “The Static God” absolutely destroys. And then there’s Chicago’s own Twin Peaks, back with a new track as part of a “Sweet ’17 Single Series”. It’s a nicely fuzzed out jam that may not be their loudest or catchiest, but still very nice for your summer playlist. Other tracks in this set come from Action Bronson & Big Body Bes, B Boys, Nidia, Peaking Lights, Pierce, Secret Colours, Slotface and Tyga (ft. Vince Staples).

Ariel Pink – Another Weekend

Jack Cooper – North of Anywhere

Oh Sees – The Static God

Twin Peaks – Tossing Tears

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The line between pop and R&B continues to be blurred with EXES’ “Cain,” a song that evokes feelings of Lana Del Rey or The xx filtered through Frank Ocean. It’s lovely and sweeping and minimalist while firmly planting its tender hooks into your ears. If you’re a fan of glitchy electro-pop, the latest from FEMME will satisfy quite nicely, as it bounces and loops with recklessly joyful abandon. Instrumental tracks don’t show up on Pick Your Poison playlists too often (not purposely, I assure you), but Mikey Young’s “Walking For Pleasure” is an offbeat delight, taking synths and other electronic elements into an almost sci-fi or outer space type of atmosphere. Then there’s EDM artist RL Grime, who teams up with Miguel for a new single, which basically blends airy beats and drops with R&B flair. Other artists in this set include Gramatik & Eric Krasno, Jaymes Young, Lunice, NOTS, Sleep Party People, Tall Friend, Todd Terje (ft. Det Gylne Triangel) and more!

EXES – Cain

FEMME – Fire With Me

Mikey Young – Walking For Pleasure

RL Grime – Stay For It (ft. Miguel)

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There’s warmth radiating out of Anna of the North’s new song “Lovers,” even as its synths tend to take on an almost icy distance. It’s her vocals that really re-center it, I think, in the most lovely and sensual way. Speaking of lovely and sensual, Mutual Benefit are doing more of what they do best, which is stunningly gorgeous folk music. They’re taking on a full album cover of Vashti Bunyan’s 1970 classic Just Another Diamond Day, and you can get a sample via “Jog Along Bess” below. A little more upbeat and catchy is the new single from synth-pop scenesters VHS Collection, which might make a nice addition to your summer playlist. Other tracks in this set come from Beauty Sleep, Cousin Stizz (ft. G-Eazy), Gang of Youths, Institute, Novo Amor, SahBabil, Shanti Celeste, Tora and more!

Anna of the North – Lovers

Mutual Benefit – Jog Along Bess (Vashti Bunyan cover)

VHS Collection – So I Met Someone

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Last weekend saw the revival of the campy Baywatch TV show, now turned into a film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Zac Efron. Reviews were…not kind. Neither were moviegoers, as its abysmal performance at the box office would appear to indicate. But that’s no reason to associate the word Baywatch with bad things. The same could be said for Guantanamo. See, the band Guantanamo Baywatch makes some quality garage rock that’s far better than the other things associated with their name might imply. Also really liking the bouncy and hazy R&B groove established by Lion Babe’s latest single “Hit the Ceiling,” as well as the dynamic power punk of Pet Symmetry’s “LTCTLYB”. Other artists with tracks in this set include Alex Lustig (ft. Akacia & OnCue), Forever, G-Eazy (ft. Snoop Dogg), Jabu, Jakob Ogawa (ft. Clairo), JMR, Makeness, The Polyseeds (ft. Chachi), and Chicago’s own Secret Colours.

Guantanamo Baywatch – Video

Lion Babe – Hit the Ceiling

Pet Symmetry – LTCTLYB

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Memorial Day weekend is dead ahead, and Pick Your Poison is here to supply a fresh batch of tunes to keep your BBQ going strong. There’s something utterly compelling about Children of Pop’s new song “Poids” that defies easy explanation. It skitters and scrapes along at an almost minimalist level with vocals that barely rise above exhaustion, yet you don’t really want to turn it off or ignore it. DAWN continues her streak of spectacular R&B with an emotional yet soaring unreleased track. Chicago’s own Pink Frost return after a short break, and it’s clear things have changed in a big way for them, particularly since the light, semi-psychedelic acoustic guitar strums and piano combination is a far cry from the intense, loud and not-very-radio-friendly noise rock/drones of their earlier work. I mean, they had softened up a bit on their last album in 2013, but this is almost completely defanged. But it’s still pretty great, and I’ll happily recommend that you give it a shot. Other tracks in this set come from ALASKALASKA, Allure, Braqueberry, David Nance, DonMonique, Elysia Crampton, French Horn Rebellion, SAM F (ft. JVZEL) and Wafia.

Children of Pop – Poids

DAWN – Break Me

Pink Frost – Avian

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There’s something about “If Before I Wake,” the new song from The Districts, that feels like a gritty mixture of Interpol and Joy Division. Granted the vocals are largely responsible for that comparison, but there’s also some gripping aesthetics at play as it charges forward, like a man walking against high winds during a storm. Much more mellow and heartfelt is the slowed down, acoustic version that Maggie Rogers put together for her hit single “Alaska”. It makes a good case for the original version, which is not to say this acoustic one is bad, just so different that you understand better why the final record version earned her so many fans. If you prefer dreamy songs with a heavy synth component, I’ll also recommend the gorgeous new one from Sleep Party People. Other artists in this set include Amine (ft. Missy Elliott & AJ Tracey), Love Theme, Madou, Marnie, T-Pain & Lil Wayne, Xan Griffin (ft. WILD) and a whole bunch of remixes.

The Districts – If Before I Wake

Maggie Rogers – Alaska (Acoustic)

Sleep Party People – The Sun Will Open Its Core

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In terms of disco revival sounds, Luxxury do a remarkably good job of blending those classic flourishes with modern era influences to create something unique and fun and addictive on their latest single “I Need You”. After scoring a moderate radio hit earlier this year with the gospel-tinged acoustic ballad “Shine”, Mondo Cozmo keeps soaring with a sky-high anthem that burns bright with positivity. Then to balance it out, STRFKR create an emotional black hole on the appropriately titled mellotron ballad “Downer”. They can’t all be upbeat party songs. There’s plenty of other great stuff in this set too, from artists such as Baba Stiltz, The Floozies (ft. Ryan Zoidis), Jay Prince, Nina Las Vegas, Sofi de la Torre, Two Inch Astronaut, USA/Mexico, VACAY and Zola Blood.

Luxxury – I Need You

Mondo Cozmo – Automatic

STRFKR – Downer

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Pretty much once a week, there’s an edition of Pick Your Poison that really hits it out of the park. I mean, every one is great in some form or another, but ten great songs is still better than eight great songs, y’know? Anyways, I can’t think of a better way to head into the weekend than with this collection of tracks. Briana Marela has a new record out this August titled Call It Love, and you won’t be able to “Quit” the ethereal and catchy first single below. There’s a great playfulness that oozes out of Dent May’s “Across the Multiverse” as it blends the sounds of ’70s MOR pop with squiggly synths for a very Of Montreal-meets-The Clientele sort of feel. Throw in some guest vocals from Frankie Cosmos and it’s an early summer delight. Fans of Broken Social Scene’s early, mostly instrumental recordings (think Feel Good Lost) will find a wonderful kinship with Public Service Broadcasting’s latest, which surges and sparkles with horns and glockenspiels. I don’t know about you, but I can’t ever recall Rivers Cuomo lending his vocals to any sort of electronic or dance track. Of course I’m not keeping that close of an eye on Rivers’ activities outside of Weezer, so maybe I’m wrong. But his collaboration with RAC actually works better than you might expect. Then again, given Weezer’s recent trend skewing even more pop than usual, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Still worth a listen though, as are tracks in this set from Hayden Calnin, Holmsey, Jackal (ft. Josh Congress), The Kickback, Mutoid Man, Oumou Sangaré, Travis Scott and Young Thug.

Briana Marela – Quit

Dent May – Across the Multiverse (ft. Frankie Cosmos)

Public Service Broadcasting – They Gave Me A Lamp

RAC – I Still Wanna Know (ft. Rivers Cuomo)

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I’m not a huge fan of describing any music as angsty, primarily because it has come to denote a certain style of music that doesn’t always have positive connotations associated with it. Yet Great Grandpa’s latest track “Fade” kind of perfectly fits the angst label without succumbing to a lot of the red flags that might otherwise come to mind. It’s also a fantastic vocal showcase for Alex Menne, so give it a shot! If you’re in the mood for something a little funkier and more soulful, Kwaye has you covered with his new single “Little Ones”. You may be pleased to learn that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are putting out a new record this July. The first single from it is called “Anymore,” and it’s pretty much right on target with their throwback dream pop style, complete with fuzzed out guitars and keyboards. There’s a certain appreciation I have for slightly off-kilter, genuinely odd pop songs. The hooks might not grab you immediately and the obtuse melodies may make you want to shut it off initially, but sticking with it brings rewardds. Plus, who doesn’t like the excitement of not knowing where a song will go next? Palm tends to do a solid job in making that sort of music, and their latest “Shadow Expert” is a strange delight you need to hear. It’ll grow on you, I promise. Other tracks in this set come from Abhi//Dijon, Carneyval (ft. Hudson Thames), Doldrums, Jaymes Young, Steve Aoki’s remix of Mangchi, Mothica, No Vacation and Stillwave.

Great Grandpa – Fade

Kwaye – Little Ones

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Anymore

Palm – Shadow Expert

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