• Beyonce, Texas Hold ‘Em (Country)- The first single from Queen Bey’s upcoming country album- and your Feb 16 Neuphoria vote winner.

  
  

• Kasey Musgraves, Too Good to Be True (Country)- This is Musgraves 2nd single released from her forthcoming album- and like “Deeper Well” features a personal lyric and an arrangement reminiscent of the mellow 70’s California sound.  The closing lyric “If this is what dreams are made of, please don’t wake me” is both simple and moving.

  
  

• SZA, Saturn (R&B/Pop)- SZA (pronounced Sizz-Uh) is likely the hottest new property in R&B music, having recently won the 2024 Grammy’s for Best R&B Song, Best Progressive R&B Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (with Phoebe Bridges)- giving her a combined 13 major music awards since 2019.  “Saturn” is already the #2 top streamed song in the US- so her hit streak continues!

  
  

• Lenny Tavarez & Feid, Empelotica (Latin)- Tavarez (Puerto Rico) and Feid (Colombia) are Reggaeton artists, with Feid being the more popular.  Feid (pronounced Fade) has charted 4 #1’s in Spain and is presently the hottest act in Colombia, having 5 of the top 6 most streamed songs there.  Even though I just finished a Spanish immersion program there, both Google Translate and I still don’t know what “Empelotica” means….. 

  
  

• Glass Beams, Mahal (Middle Eastern/Indian)- Glass Beams is a mysterious masked Australian band, whose music borrows heavily from 70’s Anatolian (Turkish) psychedelic rock, 70’s Indian music and Jazz and their songs have been featured on several DJ music compilations.  Sounding a bit like the indie hipsters Khruangbin, “Mahal” leans toward the Turkish influence.  Note that “Mahal” is both an Arabic and Hindi word for a “Mansion or Palace”.

  
  

• Bryson Tiller, Whatever She Wants (R&B/Rap)- Although only 2 weeks old, “Whatever She Wants” is currently the #3 most streamed US song.  While many of you may not be familiar with Tiller, the Louisville native’s 2017 album, “True to Self” peaked at #1 in the US (overall chart)- and two of his three past albums have been #1 on the US R&B charts.

  
  

• Free Nationals, Anderson.Paak & A$AP Rocky, Gangsta (R&B/Rap)- The LA-based Free Nationals, were originally known for being Anderson.Paak’s backing band, but are now headliners in their own right.  On “Gangsta”, they reunite with Paak and Rihanna’s Baby Daddy, A$AP Rocky- whose raps juxtapose with the Free Nationals’ trademark tight retro soul sound. 

  
  

• Rachel Chinouriri, What a Devastating Turn of Events (Alternative)- Ms. Chinouriri is the most recent in an exciting new group of 2nd generation African immigrant music artists in the UK (including Arlo Parks, Little Simz and Anz), who display a broader music palate than just the traditional Rap/R&B or Jamaican influences.  Accordingly, “What a Devastating…..”, the title song of Chinouriri’s brand new album, lays a somber lyric against a britpop instrumental track. Florence Pugh is a big fan of Chinouriri’s and stars in her new video.

  
  

• Selena Gomez, Love On (Pop)- Ms. Gomez who has won numerous major awards for her music, acting, TV producing and voiceover work, returns to music with “Love On”.  Those Neuphorians who like sugary pop, will find “Love On” to be high sucrose.

  
  

• Caroline Polachek, Spring is Coming With A Strawberry in the Mouth (Alternative)- The critically-acclaimed Polachek has had a varied career, including fronting indie/alternative bands and a 2015 Grammy nomination for her work with Beyonce.  The eclectic “Spring is Coming…..”, shows Polachek’s influences, such as synthpop and Enya.

  
  

• Omar Souleyman, Rahat Al Chant Ymme (Middle Eastern)- “Rahat….” is the brand-new release from the unlikely hipster, Mr. Souleyman.  Starting as a wedding singer in Syria, Souleyman has since become a cult hero by developing an electronic version of the traditional Levantine dance music known as “Dabke”.  Now living in Turkey as a refugee from the Syrian civil war, Souleyman now features in major European music festivals and counts Diplo and Bjork among his champions.

  
  

• Charli XCX, Von Dutch (Pop/Dance)- “Von Dutch” is Ms. XCX’s first single from her forthcoming album, “Brat”, which is the follow up to 2022’s “Crash” which reached #1 in the UK and Australia.  Ranked as the Best New Track of the Week by Pitchfork, “Von Dutch” is a true banger featuring a searing electroclash riff behind XCX’s electronically-treated vocal.

  
  

• St. Vincent, Broken Man (Alternative)- “Broken Man” is the first single from St. Vincent’s forthcoming album “All Born Screaming”, which is the follow up to “Daddy’s Home” which won the 2022 Grammy for Best Alternative Album.  St. Vincent unleashes a pent-up rage of indignance and abrasive guitar riffs in “Broken Man”, which also reveals her belief in gender fluidity.

  
  

While not included on the playlist, I’m giving recognition to Donny Benet’s, “Consensual Loving” (https://open.spotify.com/track/5zjCsq1Ut6bhnpBXlYGXLO?si=494880e7fbee4cc4 )-

an ode to consent, with lyrics “You say you want me now, but I need to hear it first…….one question is all it takes, to fulfill our desires” and an 80’s smooth jazz accompaniment.    This song is featured on Benet’s “Infinite Desires”  and in fact, Donny Benet’s identity appears to be largely ironic (actually Aussie bassist, Ben Waples), based on his album cover(s) and his website which states “behold the timeless, elegant, sophisticated man that is Donny Benet.”  

Happy listening!