Three for the Feels

First off, welcome to all my new subscribers. I’m stoked to have you here. Just so you are aware, the newsletter is sent three times a week on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday in the same format: 3 songs, 1 quote, 1 music related video and a photo from music history. I hope you enjoy my selects!

Today is another eclectic mix of vibes to ride into the weekend with. My selects feel like they belong to that golden hour stretch of summer, equal parts dreamy, moody, and honest. From Hannah Cohen’s sun-kissed groove to Mamalarky’s cathartic indie swirl, and a rare drop from Clairo’s side project Shelley and Jack Johnson inspired classic from my good friend, QuinnXCII.

There’s a very particular, almost indescribable feeling during summer golden hour when you feel the power of the sun against your skin, light cutting through the trees, a little breeze in the air and a temperature that almost feels non existent. That’s where Summer Sweat by Hannah Cohen lives. It’s just a vibe.

Pulled from her radiant new album Earthstar Mountain, “Summer Sweat” is Cohen at her most playful. Driven by an infectious bassline and airy backing vocals this track will move through your soul. According to Cohen, the title references the earthstar mushroom she discovered nearby, symbolizing transformation and mystery in the forest which serves as a central motif throughout the album.

Cohen spent the past four years working on this album which was recorded at Flying Cloud, the Catskills studio she shares with partner and collaborator Sam Evian. The album marks a sonic expansion for the songstress: folk remains core, but Cohen branches into psychedelic flourishes, disco textures, even subtle Brazilian influences.

I’ll have this song on repeat for the rest of the week.

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

Before we get into the song, can we just appreciate how good the name Mamalarky is? It reminds me of malarkey, a word I’ve always loved for no real reason. Anyway, Mamalarky is a band formed by a group of high school friends in Austin, Texas, back in 2016. “Anehdonia” comes off their fourth studio album Hex Key, and the whole project is well worth your time.

I had never heard the word anehdonia before, but it’s a symptom of depression and specifically the inability to feel pleasure from things you usually enjoy. Fittingly, the song dives straight into that feeling. Livvy Bennett says it reflects her descent into a “deep depression,” isolating herself and feeling stuck — “a song about feeling god awful.”

What hits me about this track is how it pairs that heavy lyricism with upbeat, almost cathartic production. It’s a raw personal statement, wrapped in layered, genre-blurring arrangements and it sets the emotional tone for an album rooted in struggle and survival.

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

For those that don’t know Shelley is a band formed by Clairo, comprised of Clairo, Claud, Josh Mehling, and Noa Frances Getzug. The song drops alongside its companion track “Hartwell,” marking the band’s first release since their 2020 A/B singles “Steeeam” and “Natural” .

The new songs actually date back to the same vault as those early tracks. Clairo revealed they were written about five years ago during the original sessions, but held back until now . That nostalgic 2018–2019 indie-pop sound definitely shines through.

Listen on all major streaming platforms here!

This track marks the third release from Quinn XCII’s upcoming seventh studio album, set to drop on July 25th. I had the chance to listen to the album a few months ago, and it immediately resonated with me. It’s a sonically and thematically cohesive project, blending laid-back Jack Johnson vibes with Quinn (Mike) at his absolute vibiest. What stands out most to me is how authentically it captures where he is in this next chapter of his life. This song, in particular, is definitely one of my favorites from the album.

This image comes from Bieber’s latest album shoot, part of a larger series but this one really stood out to me. First off, the couch fabric is incredible. It mirrors the detail in his tattoos and adds this lush texture that feels intentional. Then there’s the small window of white light above his head..to me, it feels symbolic, almost like a quiet nod to God, which has always been a meaningful presence in Bieber’s life. And finally, there’s the playful touch of him holding his son upside down behind his head, it softens the whole frame. The vibe actually reminds me a lot of Kendrick’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers cover, which makes sense considering Renelle Medrano shot both.

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