Syd: Missing Out

Syd’s first solo release in almost four years, “Missing Out” is a mellow break-up ballad, full of elongated synths, crisp percussion and somber but silky vocals. Apart from the occasional glockenspiel-esque chime, the four-minute tune feels melancholy for the most part, but the chorus provides a welcome tinge of bravado.

Raveena’s Valentine’s Day Playlist for COOL HUNTING

The LA-based singer-songwriter's multi-track love potion

“Aren’t all songs love songs?” asks Raveena (aka Raveena Aurora), as we correspond about her making a Valentine’s Day playlist for COOL HUNTING. “Isn’t all music an extension of the loving energy of the universe, or the absence or disconnection from it?” Her just-released single “Tweety” gloriously encapsulates that energy—specifically the feeling of being lovestruck—through silky falsetto, warbling synths and tinges of nostalgia. She wrote the …

Sarah Neufeld: Stories

Sarah Neufeld, a solo musician and member of Arcade Fire, released “Stories” yesterday. Neufeld’s upcoming album Detritus was born from her previous collaborative work with dancer/choreographer Peggy Baker, and “Stories” is one of the lush, dramatic pieces from that. Minimal but textured, the music comprises ambient synths, haunting violins and otherworldly vocals.