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Silky, sultry, soulful and psych-inflected new songs from the week

Ruthven: Don’t Keep It To Yourself Released on Jai and AK Paul’s label-meets-collective Paul Institute, Ruthven’s hypnotic “Don’t Keep It To Yourself” is a spacious, slinky and sultry track about pillow talk and secrets—”bedroom feels,” the UK-based singer-songwriter and musician says. Blending elements of future funk, ’80s R&B and more, Ruthven (aka Sean Nelson) effortlessly transitions between delicate falsetto and big, soulful pop vocals. MICHELLE: …

Charli XCX feat. Christine and the Queens + Caroline Polachek: New Shapes

Charli XCX has officially announced her upcoming album Crash (out 18 March) and from it released “New Shapes” featuring French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queens (aka Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier) and NYC-based artist Caroline Polachek. The glittery, ’80s pop-inflected track features plenty of synths, over which the three singers trade verses. The album will include cameos by Lotus IV, Rina Sawayama, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jon Shave …

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A sad farewell to Daniel Johnston, pretty synthpop, psychedelic indie and more music

Daniel Johnston: True Love Will Find You In The End An inspiration to so many other artists and musicians, Daniel Johnston‘s vast contribution of simple, honest and haunting works find balance between outsider art and mainstream acceptance. The singer/songwriter and visual artist’s laundry list of accolades ranges from inclusion in the 2006 Whitney Biennial, adoration for this “Hi, How Are You” mural in Austin, a …