New Music Friday: 6/13/25

Here are the rules: I listen to all 100 tracks of Spotify's New Music Friday playlist, except for anything that rhymes the n-word with itself more than three times, any screamo or screamo-adjacent stuff, any CCM that reveals its true intentions in time for me to hit the skip button, and any egregiously corny modern country music, typically performed by a dude with two first names. Having sifted through this week's playlist, here's what I actively enjoyed:

"Geezer," Kevin Abstract featuring Dominic Fike
There's no shortage of songs about how small-town living can make a person smaller — just ask John Mellencamp, har har — but few of them are blessed with the sort of sly humor that runs through "Geezer," a track that's further elevated by its charmingly loping beat, as well as its refusal to treat any of its characters as anything short of sympathetic: "He hasn't been around that long, he's just old for his age / And you remind me of him time to time, before he gained all that weight / He won't be around much longer, he's gettin' old for his age"

"My Love," Hannah Jadagu
Hannah Jadagu is new to me, but after hearing "My Love," I'm compelled to check out her previous release, the 2023 album Aperture. This is a fluffy pop confection with a savory streak that's enhanced by the way her vocals and the arrangement reflect the thrill of infatuation — it sounds like the thrill of falling for someone, and since that's the song's entire point, I have no reason to declare it anything short of a resounding success. Endlessly replayable.

"Hold On," Leon Bridges
With some artists — most artists, I suspect — staying put feels like creative failure, and after a while, even the most ardent fans start getting antsy for change. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, and I'd put Leon Bridges on that list: I can pretty much bank on knowing what any new Bridges song sounds like, and I'm perfectly okay with that, because he scratches the neo-soul itch far better than most. "Hold On" does exactly what you'd hope a Leon Bridges song would do. Yes, please, and thank you.

"Believer," Annahstasia
Vocally, Annahstasia hovers somewhere between Tracy Chapman and Nina Simone, which means that as soon as she opens her mouth, her voice has handed her some awfully large shoes to fill. Fortunately — at least based on the evidence handed to us by "Believer," which closes out her new Tether LP — she's got the material to support her haunting, otherworldly sound. This is a slow-building stunner, a song that shakes you to attention from the opening moments and then only grows in power over the ensuing six minutes. If she can keep this up over the long haul, we'll still be talking about Annahstasia in 30 years.

"Broken Wing Bird," Kashus Culpepper featuring Sierra Ferrell
At this point, it really doesn't mean a damn thing when a song is recorded in Muscle Shoals; as often as not, it's a signal that the music is being unfairly burdened with a lot of affectation. This is not the case with "Broken Wing Bird," a back-porch country duet that I suspect Willie Nelson would approve of. Pour yourself a gin and tonic, watch the dusk settle in, and count some fireflies.

"sundays," DE'WAYNE
"When I wrote this song, I wanted to explain the complicated bond between a father and son," says DE'WAYNE. "One where love and pain, admiration, and resentment all live side by side. It’s about seeing your father as both a hero and a human, flawed and real. In the end, it’s my way of saying; ‘Thank you, Dad — for the good and the bad. You helped make me who I am.'"

I probably don't need to add much more than that. Happy (almost) Father's Day, fathers!

"99," Olamide featuring Seyi Vibez, Asake, Young Jonn, and Daecolm
"99" sounds like the type of song a show might have in the background if some characters were sitting in the bar or restaurant at a reasonably chic hotel — vaguely exotic Eurodisco, made up entirely of smooth surfaces, that chugs along pleasantly for four minutes and makes you feel wealthier and more sophisticated while it's on.

"BBL," Brandee Younger
I feel like it's been a fairly long while since I've eagerly tossed extra points at an NMF artist for doing something unexpected in the context of this often uniform playlist. We were overdue for a nice surprise, in other words, so say hello to harpist Brandee Younger. In high school, I knew a couple of sisters whose mother played harp and had one in the living room; they were always pretty embarrassed by it, but "BBL" makes harping seem pretty goddamn cool.

"one pillow," Theo Croker featuring Estelle and Kassa Overall
One nice surprise deserves another, so let's chase Brandee Younger's harp with Theo Croker's trumpet. There's definitely a jazzy bent to "one pillow," but like Younger, Croker's playing with a variety of sonic textures; based on this song, I feel pretty good about his press kit's assertion that his new album Dream Manifest does indeed blend "experimental jazz, hip-hop, and cosmic soul."

"Godspeed," Mavis Staples
Well goddamn, here's another NMF curveball. I'm certainly not complaining about stumbling across some new Mavis Staples where I least expect to find it, but Spotify, what's gotten into you this week? And can you keep it there? Anyway, this is the incomparable Ms. Staples covering Frank Ocean's "Godspeed," and it's predictably marvelous. We're lucky to have her, and if you get a chance to see her on tour this summer, don't let it pass you by.

"Kamusale," WITCH
This one is a slow pitch down the middle for Friend of Jefitoblog Tim Ryan, who loves African music more than anyone I know, and who could probably speak at length about the story of WITCH (We Intend to Cause Havoc). The short version: This band basically set the template for Zambian rock — or "Zamrock" — in the '70s, releasing a series of acclaimed albums that came to a halt after the AIDS epidemic claimed the lives of every original member with the exception of frontman Emmanuel "Jagari" Chanda. A series of relatively recent reissues sparked a resurgence in demand for WITCH music, which led to a tour and new album in 2023. The "reunion" — or whatever you want to call it — is still in full effect, because the swaggering "Kamusale" teases the imminent release of another new LP, titled SOGOLO. I suspect you won't be able to understand a word of what's being said here, but Jagari's here to help:

"Children gather under the moonlight in the village and pretend to be preparing themselves for marriage. So we are saying as kids, be careful who you pick. Don't follow the beauty of the face or body. Go deeper into the character and make sure you are marrying the right person."

"Keep On Keeping On," Tommy WÁ
We remain in Africa for your final NMF recommendation of the week, which comes courtesy of Ghana-based Tommy WÁ. The "Keep On Keeping On" press release says the song is "emblematic of his gift for writing open-hearted and immediate songs that blend Western African influences to a wholly original effect," and I'll happily go along with most of that; while I doubt many people will be able to pick up on any specific West African influences peeking through here, it's a soul-stirringly lovely tune, and if a Tommy WÁ box set existed, I'd dive into it right now.