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.

Duffy: Something Beautiful

With a distinctly Motown sound, Duffy’s new “Something Beautiful” (her first release since the 2010 album, Endlessly) premiered on BBC Radio 2 after the Welsh singer sent it to DJ Jo Whiley, saying, “It’s just something for you to play people on radio during these troubling times, if you like the song of course. If it lifts spirits.” The pared back tune is carried by Duffy’s …

The Radio Dept: You Fear The Wrong Thing Baby

Lund, Sweden’s The Radio Dept. follows up this year’s previous single, “The Absence of Birds,” with another shimmering dream-pop wonder, “You Fear The Wrong Thing Baby.” In a release, the band explains that the lyrics honor youth as a progressive force. The hazy sound, however, carries a heartbeat beneath layers of harmonious synth and guitar work.