Listen Up

From '90s R&B influences to a distinctly Motown sound, several new songs that debuted this week

Shura feat. Ivy Sole: Elevator Girl Shura (aka Alexandra Lilah Denton) has teamed up with Ivy Sole for “Elevator Girl,” a breezy tune based on a date Denton once went on. It’s “about the elation of a first date—the fact that it can make you feel kind of high without drugs,” she says. Through breathy vocals, a groovy bass line and Ivy Sole’s effortless verse, …

Låpsley: Speaking of the End

From her album Through Water, Låpsley (aka Holly Lapsley Fletcher) has released the serene “Speaking of the End.” At first featuring only a piano and Fletcher’s silken vocals, background singers join in after two minutes, creating a delicate ballad. The accompanying video (directed by Steph Wilson) complements the song with its tranquil, slow-motion underwater scene.

The Avalanches feat. Rivers Cuomo + Pink Siifu: Running Red Lights

Dedicated to David Berman, “Running Red Lights” by The Avalanches features vocals by Rivers Cuomo and rapper Pink Siifu, who delicately recites Berman’s lyrics from the Purple Mountains song “Darkness and Cold.” The upbeat track glitters amidst moments of melancholy and poignancy. The Avalanches’ Ben Chater says the song reflects “the way life is so beautiful and overwhelming and heartbreaking all at the same time.” …