The Strokes: Drag Queen

In a surprise move last week, NYC indie-rockers The Strokes dropped not one but all three songs off their brand new Future Present Past EP—at roughly the same time via three different radio shows. Each track pushes the band’s signature sound in new directions but “Drag Queen” jostles and jangles along with such force it warrants further attention. There’s definitely an essence of Joy Division …

Unknown Mortal Orchestra: First World Problem

After the wild success of their third album Multi-Love, New Zealand/American Unknown Mortal Orchestra has released a new track: “First World Problem.” The song (whose cover art is by Henrietta Harris) is everything we’ve come to expect from UMO—boppy, upbeat and with just a little modern-day anxiety in the lyrics.

Braids: Joni

Montreal-based three-piece Braids is making some of the most intricate electronic pop we’ve heard: take “Joni” where Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s voice snaps and stretches, yelps and exhales—setting the pace for the ricochets of synth and drum hits. Braids releases a slower-paced music video to match, where Standell-Preston figures things out with a fictional partner while telling herself: “We don’t know where we are going / I …