Weekly Roundup
Roundup by Carson Huffer
Okay Alright’s latest single “October” is a heartfelt and honest confession to a former love who has moved on. Equating the change of seasons found in the month of October to the change of love, Okay Alright’s earnest passion and well wishes for their former flame while grappling with their own personal strife over the situation is all too relatable. Cushioned by the comfort of the acoustic guitar, “October” is a perfect breakup song for anyone struggling with the passage of moments and people.
what do i do by min.a and Laiko
min.a’s innovative and expansive brand of pop shines on her new EP i hope i get well soon, out last week. “what do i do” stands out on the EP as a track both reminiscent of major pop music today while also forging forward her own path of synthpop glory. The track prys through min.a’s emotions as she tries to navigate life post-college, a recurring theme on the EP that strikes a very resonant chord for me. Do not miss the rise of min.a!
Classifying themselves as “pop & drum and bass,” new duo out of the UK piri & tommy have floored onto the scene with new single “on & on” off of their new mixtape froge.mp3. Vibrating through bouncy energy and woozy synths, “on & on” highlights the duo’s energetic and dance ready sound that you cannot help but love.
Following runs as a member of Eyedress and The Simps, LA’s zzzahara has released their own debut solo project Liminal Spaces. Showcasing their strengths as a guitarist, Liminal Spaces discusses zzzahara’s experiences in love, lust, loss, and the impacts of being queer on all of these things. I feel a specific pull to single “lust,” which finds softer melancholy as zzzahara debates this lust back and forth as a queer person. This single, and the album as a whole, explore the all too familiar experiences of navigating life in a second rebirth as a queer person, and I could not love zzzahara’s trajectory forward more.
Pulling both power and pain from the experiences of sadness and anger, “GRENADE” explores the dualities that come in moments of high emotion. Sval is a long established artist at just 23 years old, but “GRENADE” creates a new sound for the singer and cements her growth into young adulthood with more mature themes and bigger experimentation sonically. The first release of this year from Sval, “GRENADE” leaves us here at Tongue Tied incredibly excited about what comes next!
KAIRO’s newest release “Brokenhearted” features heartfelt lyricism and bright production that shows just how incredible this Nigerian-born and Houston-raised duo is. The track is vulnerable while also trying to give the facade of being unbothered and laid back through its production, showcasing the far too relatable themes of heartbreak and trying to hide one’s deepest feelings away. KAIRO’s sophomore EP RETURN TO SENDER is due out later this year, and we cannot wait to hear what else the duo has to say!
