This week’s three new songs cover a lot of ground, from spooky folk rock to raw trap-pop confessionals to a Mexican rock classic. Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields bring Dead Man’s Bones back after 17 years with “Lost In The Night.” DeathbyRomy gets uncomfortably honest on “Heavy Metal,” the thesis track of her new album Teenage Fever Dream. And Adrian Quesada and Angélica Garcia team up again to put their own spin on Zoé’s fan-favorite “Nunca.” Listen to all three below, and find them on our best new songs of the month playlist.
Dead Man’s Bones “Lost In The Night”
Dead Man’s Bones return from the grave with their newest single, “Lost In The Night,” out via ANTI- Records. While the band hasn’t released new music in 17 years, you’re likely familiar with the band’s two lead members: Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling.
RELATED: See Photos of Dead Man’s Bones at FYF 2009
Originally bonding over their love for the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, they began making music together in 2007 and stayed true to their Halloween aesthetic. “Lost In The Night” is no different, with skeletal synths, a gravelly bass, and reverb aplenty.
For those even remotely familiar with Gosling’s voice, his ghostly vocals will pop out immediately. But he carries an aimlessness in his voice, in part due to the production but also because of the desperation that’s palpable. To top it off, he shows off his singing chops by the second half.
Prior to the single’s release, they tried several studios in LA before journeying to a farm outside the city with two guitars, two drum machines, and two synthesizers. That effect was certainly achieved in this simple yet fun new wave exercise, and a tease at what might be another run for the two as Dead Man’s Bones.
Listen to “Lost In The Night” the new single from Dead Man’s Bones.
DeathbyRomy “Heavy Metal”
Coming off of her latest album, Teenage Fever Dream, DeathbyRomy takes on stalking and exhibitionism on the full-length project’s thesis, “Heavy Metal.” True to the album’s overarching coming-of-age theme, drawn from Romy’s own upbringing, the track is a hard-hitting confessional that lives up to its title through abrasive trap-style production and vulnerable lyrics.
Contrast, whether in the lyrical content or the production itself, is what drives the album forward, and that’s especially the case with “Heavy Metal.” While the song understandably conjures up her familiar journeys into industrial and metal textures, she uses those sounds as a blanket over intense songwriting.
Lines like “Lonely girl, she’s temperamental” and “Call girl…She’s skin and bones” tease at the darker narrative under the surface, challenging you into repeated listens. It isn’t until the climax that the production catches up to her lyrics, slowing down into a faux end before launching back into the abrasive beat.
If you haven’t heard the rest of the album, “Heavy Metal” is a good introduction to a project that actively keeps you on your toes.
Listen to “Heavy Metal” the new single from DeathbyRomy.
Adrian Quesada & Angélica Garcia “Nunca”
Covering a fan-favorite track from 2000s Mexican rock, Adrian Quesada and Angélica Garcia are reuniting after their “No Juego” collaboration for the new single, “Nunca.” As a cover of the original song by Mexican band Zoé, the single is part of an upcoming tribute project that revisits their 2006 album, Memo Rex Commander y el Corazón Atómico de la Vía Láctea.
Since the full album is meant to spotlight other Latin artists from around the world, it’s only right that Quesada, a Texas native, and Garcia, an El Monte native, came together on a track all about being unchained and freeing yourself from others’ expectations.
Compared to the original, a rhythmic psych-rock daze with a purposeful pace, the Quesada and Garcia reimagining leans more into soul, albeit keeping the same dreamy production. Garcia, who takes on lead vocal duties, is a worthy substitute for Zoé lead singer León Larregui. Even with the song’s familiar rhythm, her bursts of energy match the hazy production.
As a teaser for what’s to come for the rest of the Memo Rex cover album, Quesada and Garcia set the bar high, relying heavily on the original’s proven charm while updating it with a sheen.
Listen to “Nunca” the new single from Adrian Quesada & Angélica Garcia.
Current Best New Songs of the Month
Want more new music in your life? Stream our best new songs of the month playlist, featuring our hand-picked selections of the best new indie and alternative music. Always curated, never cluttered, only the goods.
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