Friday Mix Tape #3
Thank god it’s Friday, here’s some new tunes to kick start the weekend…
SLAYYYTER releases new song and self-directed video, crank 2 out everywhere now via RECORDS / Columbia Records / Sony Music Australia. The release arrives amid her sold-out WOR$T GIRL IN THE WORLD TOUR and off the heels of single ‘brand new chanel$’, which marked her debut on the Billboard Hot 100, and her first VMA nomination for her track DANCE… in the Best Dance category.
Composed of sharp verses and a relentless hook, crank 2 channels betrayal into an unapologetic statement of power. Premiered on tour this summer, crank 2 has quickly become a standout moment in SLAYYYTER’s live set, with crowds erupting from the opening bars through the final, rebellious refrain. The accompanying music video, directed by SLAYYYTER, is heightened in intensity by tight choreography performed by SLAYYYTER along with a troupe of dancers as a twister rages on the horizon.
This past spring, SLAYYYTER released her critically acclaimed album WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, marking her most authentic and fully realized body of work to date. The album marked her debut on the Billboard 200 at #22 and was named Best New Album by Pitchfork.
The entirely sold out WOR$T GIRL IN THE WORLD tour began in July with three shows in SLAYYYTER’s hometown of St. Louis before heading to down under for a sold-out Australian tour. The tour continues this fall with shows in major cities including New York City, Toronto, São Paulo, Paris, and more before wrapping in London on November 5, 2026.
Marking a decade of Nothing But Thieves last year, with four albums, billions of streams, thousands of worldwide live shows and a global dedicated fanbase, the Southend five-piece made their musical return recently with new singles Evolution, Baby Kool (Evelyn) and the title-track of their forthcoming 5th record Stray Dogs released on 25th September via RCA/Sony Music. This week, the band shared the final teaser of their new record with new single ‘A Different Kind of Happiness’.
Premiering on BBC Radio 1 as their Hottest Record, new single A Different Kind of Happiness is a track about both reflection and reinvention and is a letter to themselves.
On the single, the band say “A call from your future self, a call from your past. It’s about being haunted in both directions. Like a promised version of yourself that never materialised and you got something else. Still trying to learn to deal with that.”
Multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and Emmy Award-winning actress Dove Cameron returns today with When In Rome. The track, which is the first single off Cameron’s forthcoming debut full-length album, arrives alongside a visually stunning music video shot throughout the streets of Capena.
When In Rome finds Cameron leaning into a surrealist, cinematic, dream-like reality, and the playful, joyful track pairs her unmistakable vocals with sleek, left-of-center pop production. The track is produced by CJ Baran, known for his work with MARINA and Carly Rae Jepsen, and the music video is directed by Hannah Devries.
Cameron has been setting the stage for this release with postcards from Italy and glimpses from the streets of Rome, teasing the song across social media ahead of its arrival. When In Rome marks the beginning of an exciting stretch of new music from Cameron, with more to come. In November, she will be joining Sombr on his You Are the Reason Tour for 13 North American cities, which includes two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
As they continue to unfold their next chapter, multi-GRAMMY Award-winning US rock band Cage The Elephant shares new song Dying In Reverse today, which premiered on Zane Lowe and arrives alongside a visualizer directed by vocalist Matthew Shultz.
The release is a kaleidoscopic dose of swirling indie rock that sees the Nashville-based sextet at their most untethered. The track takes an honest look at self-destruction and repairing psychological damage by moving forward with a new lease on life. Singer Matt Shultz’s vivid imagery of a broken parachute in free fall is met with freedom rather than fear, embracing everything that’s coming next.
Additionally, Dying In Reverse is part of the EA SPORTS FC™ 27 soundtrack, which will launch globally on September 25th. Speaking about the new song in his own words, Matthew shares: “‘Dying In Reverse’ is essentially about a fresh start or a rebirth of sorts. More in terms of death to ego, renewing the mind and heart. The journey of turning your perspective away from self in order to see more clearly through the lens of love and connect to deeper purpose.” Much like recent single ‘Beaches In Tennessee’ which was penned by Schultz while receiving treatment in a mental health facility following a medication-induced psychosis diagnosis, ‘Dying In Reverse’ offers surreal yet hopefully reflection on resilience, recovery and embracing new life.
Finnish rockers, The Rasmus, are thrilled to share their rousing cover of Alphaville’s ’80s classic Forever Young.
The band chose the song not only because it transports them (and listeners) to another time and place but because it remains incredibly current 42 years on from its initial release. The Rasmus truly put their stamp on it — remaining faithful to the spirit of the original in the verses, but turning up the fury and the guitar energy, giving it a fresh and unexpected punk rock twist, picking up the pace and adding more grit and energy to the iconic song. The track takes on a static-charged edge as the band puts its own punchy spin on the familiar melody, making it feel faster, louder, and further alive. It’s a fun take on a classic that feels right at home in The Rasmus’ world.
“This song ‘Forever Young’ originally performed by German artist Alphaville is kind of like a soundtrack of our youth,” says Ylönen. “Covering this song feels nostalgic but lyrically also quite relevant considering what’s happening in the world right now.” Facts are facts.
Saves the Day are excited to present INVADER, the first original track in eight years from the celebrated emo/indie band. Featuring guest vocals from New York City hardcore icon Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools), INVADER presents itself as a spiritual successor to Disengage by 1980s hardcore crew Youth of Today that continues to evolve the spirit of hardcore music with its message of unity and transcendence. The single is out everywhere today via Equal Vision Records/Civilians.
“It was a dream to work on ‘INVADER’ together with our hero Walter Schreifels at his studio in Upstate New York, and we’re still pinching ourselves that he co-wrote this song with us,” Saves the Day’s Chris Conley says. “Bringing the song to life with Steve Evetts in Nashville and New Jersey was like coming home after a long stay away, and we couldn’t be more proud of the results.”
Global artist RAYE releases the official video for Joy., her latest euphoric single featuring her sisters and fellow artists Amma and Absolutely.
For the video, the three sisters took to the streets of London in a van they named the “Joymobile”, surprising passersby with sunflowers and capturing their reactions as they brought a little unexpected happiness to the capital. Clips from the shoot went viral across TikTok and Instagram last month.
Australian powerhouse trio Sheppard kicks off spring 2026 with a bold new confident single Night Drive which showcases their most evolved sound yet.
The track marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the ARIA Award-winning siblings, who have spent the past decade establishing themselves as one of Australia’s most successful musical exports. Night Drive leans into a vintage, larger-than-life pop sound, telling the story of wanting to rewind a relationship back to its best moment, before things got complicated.
“We’ve always loved that vintage era of pop where every melody felt huge and timeless, and ‘Night Drive’ is us going all in on that, telling a story about wanting to rewind a relationship back to when it was at its best, before things got complicated,” says George Sheppard. “It came together in the room very quickly, and almost fully formed, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. I think that’s a pretty good sign.“
Sydney-born, Morocco-steeped multi-instrumentalist Julian Belbachir today unveils M’Bara Meskin, the first single from his forthcoming new album.
M’Bara Meskin is a traditional Moroccan Gnawa song recorded across Morocco, Mali, Australia, Canada and Jamaica, bringing together the musical heritage of these connected traditions reimagined with the deep influence of dub and reggae.
It tells the story of Mbara, the “poor” or unfortunate one, left standing outside the sacred shrine in ripped clothes, brewing tea from discarded leaves, while Sidi and Lalla remain comfortable within, sipping tea in their slippers. Framed by repeated invocations of God and Allah, the song carries a spiritual weight alongside its themes of devotion, hardship and marginalisation, preserving, within the wider Gnawa tradition, the memory of those left on the margins.
“M’Bara Meskin brings together my musical family across continents, all united in a vision of creating accessible, contemporary traditional music together,” says Belbachir.
“Diving deeper into the music of my ancestral homelands in North Africa, I’m honoured that my collaborators have shared this journey with me, bringing their own understanding of culture into the concept. Working on this song while travelling between countries has opened up so many creative possibilities — each one leading me somewhere new“.
Breakout singer / songwriter Julia Wolf has shared her new single lamb, which features a guest appearance from Sleeping with Sirens vocalist Kellin Quinn. lamb is joined by an official music video directed and animated by Dylan Oscroft. lamb follows Wolf’s 2026 single Deep End, and finds her examining the fragile space between trust and fear – reflecting on what it means to surrender yourself to someone while never knowing whether they’ll become your anchor or the person who breaks you.
Commenting on lamb Wolf shared: “After listening to Kellin’s music for so long, and always feeling inspired by his voice and the sonic world he’s built, I was honored to have him be part of ‘lamb’ in only the most fitting setting—a Portland studio covered in clouds and rain. No one else could have brought what he did to the song!”
Australian singer-songwriter Grace Woodroofe today releases her relenting new single Circling The Drain, out now independently. Continuing from where she began on Rotate on the Ache (Part 1), the track marks a descent into the rawer, more devastating territory of her story.
Circling the Drain pulls the floor out from under you, arriving where exhaustion and surrender reach a breaking point, and emotional depletion gives way to the fight. Inspired by the heavier rock textures of Mogwai, Ween and Beck, the track was built to feel like being inside someone’s head as it unravels: hypnotic, disorienting and increasingly claustrophobic. Distorted guitars and pounding drums pull against a detached vocal, creating the sensation of a slow descent underwater.
Grace Woodroofe shares on the track – “The vocals on the final track are actually from the original demo I recorded slouched over on the studio couch, holding the microphone in my hand. I tried to re-record them properly, but nothing ever felt as real or raw as that first take. The song was never about perfection. It just had to feel like the truth.”
Australian indie-pop sensation merci, mercy today makes her commanding return with new single and video, Butterflies. To celebrate, merci, mercy has announced a single launch show at Sydney’s Golden Age on Saturday 3 October. Butterflies captures the initial surge of falling in love for the first time – that exciting anticipation of discovering someone who makes your world feel brighter.
Exploring the delicate blending of identities in a relationship, the single serves as a reminder that the best kind of love lets you grow without losing who you are. Written across two days in the studio with long-time producer Robby De Sá, the track seamlessly bridges merci, mercy’s present with her songwriting roots—anchored by opening lyrics drawn directly from a song she wrote as a 16-year-old.
“’Butterflies’ was just one of those songs that came together real easy,” shares merci, mercy.
“The first two lyrics were from an original song I wrote when I was 16, the rest was all magic created in Robby’s studio over two studio days. It’s about falling in love with someone for the first time and how euphoric it feels, but also how that intense feeling can make you lose sight of yourself. “
“I love how the song turned out and, as per usual, I’m grateful that Robby pushed me to try out things I haven’t before vocally and lyrically.”
Kat Greta’s new indie-pop single I Know What This Is has her exploring the universal sting of rejection, those ‘almost’ relationships and the bittersweet, frustrating dance of it all.
Melbourne/Naarm-based artist Kat Greta released her debut Indie-pop EP Rhythm and Reverie last year and received support across Australian community radio, with her latest single Audacity reaching #1 on the AMRAP Indie/Alternative charts. She has been a guest on Introducing with Tim Blackwell (NOVA), while her music has also been featured on ABC Rage.
Throughout I Know What This Is, Greta balances energetic, driving beats and bright pop textures with raw, vulnerable lyrics, creating an honest and vibrant indie-pop singalong. Co-written and produced by Seetali Mack and mixed by Matt Voigt (Powderfinger, Midnight Oil, KISS), the track layers expressive instrumentation, soaring vocals and roaring electric guitar into a powerful sound that remains warm and vulnerable.
Greta unravels themes of rejection and unrequited love, woven with the signature humorous energy that permeates her songwriting. The repetition of I Know What This Is becomes a point of self-awareness, capturing the clarity and acceptance that comes with recognising when an ‘almost’ relationship isn’t going to materialise. As Kat Greta explains:
“‘I Know What This Is’ is about an ‘almost’, and the moment you realise that sometimes silence is the answer. It explores uncertainty, anticipation and the feeling of knowing what something is without ever having it fully defined. Bright, energetic production sits underneath a more bittersweet story, creating a contrast between how the song sounds and what’s happening beneath the surface.”
Indie rock duo Tommy Lefroy has shared new single Angel in the House, one of the most defiant moments from their forthcoming debut album, The Precariat, out Friday 23 October via Thirty Tigers/Civilians. Built around sludgy, distorted guitar riffs, the song draws inspiration from Virginia Woolf’s landmark 1931 speech Professions for Women and its depiction of the Angel in the House, a metaphor for the idealised, self-sacrificing woman whose obligations to others come at the expense of her own ambitions.
Nearly a century after Woolf described the struggle to “kill” that Angel in order to write freely, Tessa Mouzourakis and Wynter Bethel found the idea newly resonant as traditional ideals of femininity resurfaced across social media and popular culture. Angel in the House connects those eras, examining the roles women inherit, resist and sometimes find reflected back at them by the people closest to them.
The song culminates by bringing past and present into direct collision, layering excerpts from Woolf’s Professions for Women with contemporary language surrounding the trad-wife movement. The end of the chorus echoes as a haunting reminder of the Angel’s presence: “(I can’t) do away with her.”
Don’t you feel nice when you’re dancing
Don’t you feel nice in the park
Feel it in your heart in your heart
Shot in Tokyo and Minakami in December 2025 on a 2001 Sony Handycam, this MiniDV PAL format beautifully documents an Avalanches pre-production road trip and a series of recording sessions. The now-obsolete MiniDV PAL format complements the technology and memory-storage themes The Avalanches have been exploring throughout 2026. Tokyo has long been a second home for the band, dating back to the late ’90s and their work with fellow sample pioneer Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius).
“We spent a beautiful London summer working on a number of tracks with John, this track in particular captures that blissed out lysergic feeling of dusty evening light, soaking up music with friends as the light filters through the trees and feeling as if we’re living in a shared dream.” – The Avalanches
Based in Tunisia, Khadija Al Hanafi’s music is a blend of raw, kinetic dance tracks alongside some of the finest blissed out footwork around right now. “Her knack for flipping a sample completely re-inspired me, it’s been a joy collaborating with Khadija on this album” says Robbie Chater.
Kodaline have released their brand new single Vultures, the latest song to be taken from their fifth and final album We Were Only Young out October 2nd via Concord.
On Vultures, the beloved Irish band are able to make light of the industry pressures they faced over the years. Buoyed by a jubilant folk bounce with uplifting guitars and rousing percussion, the mood of ‘Vultures’ is celebratory even as frontman Steve Garrigan jokingly sings: “Early morning sky is falling/ television people talking/ man, is this the end of it all?”
There were certainly times through their career of over a decade when they felt the vultures circling: “But it’s a fun song about sticking to your goals, learning to forget all the outside noise and making it through,” Garrigan says.
The new album We Were Only Young weaves a rich sonic tapestry between beautiful ballads, from the soft and soaring acoustics of All I Ever Need Is You, to the piano and gospel-laced Learn To Lose. These tender songs are joined by huge such pop anthems, such as the bright It’s Not Over, and the propulsive harmony driven Get Me High, while cavernous sounds mark the beginning and end to the record, which launches with the bold and brooding ‘Who Will Save You Now’ and closes with the uplifting yet solemn The One For Me.
Saying goodbye is never easy, but Kodaline have written the perfect closing chapter to their story with We Were Only Young. A band born busking on the streets of Swords, Dublin to go on to triumph against the odds and deliver a chart-topping, multi-platinum and multi-billion streamed career to touch the hearts of fans across the globe.
“It’s amazing to be going out on our own terms, and I think the decision has given everybody a lot of time to reflect on what the band’s meant to them,” drummer Vinny May says. “We’ve been in this band for over half our lives, and we’re definitely ending it on a high.” Garrigan agrees that “a lot of bands can fizzle out, and I think it’s better to call it a day yourself, and step away with intent into a new era”.
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