Melissa Kacar

"Basic Being Basic" by Djo Djo is back with the lead single off of his upcoming album The Crux ! "Basic Being Basic" is such a playful and simultaneously thought-provoking look at internet culture and superficiality. Of course, Joe's signature enigmatic performance style is on full display, as he sings about yearning for deeper, more meaningful connections. In a press release, he said that it is a "kind of a shot fired to anyone who's trying to be of the moment." It may be too early to say, but I can definitely see The Crux becoming one of my top favorite albums of the year - I can't wait to hear more from it! "The Abyss" by The Weeknd The third and final installment of The Weeknd 's After Hours trilogy of albums is here with Hurry Up Tomorow . "The Abyss" comes toward the end of the sprawling hour and a half long album, symbolizing much of what this end of an era means for him as an artist. It also features uncredited ...

"Training Season (Extended)" // Dua Lipa Training season's (finally) over! Dua Lipa is back with another smash hit, "Training Season", which serves as the second single for her upcoming album. She previewed it at The Grammy's this month and I was counting down the days until I would be able to listen to it again! It's been on repeat ever since!  Much like "Houdini" , she also released an extended cut of the song, which I absolutely love even more than the standard version. The production is absolutely incredible!  I am so excited for the rest of her album ! "Deeper Well" // Kacey Musgraves Last month I mentioned that we were long overdue for new music from Kacey and it seems like she heard my call! "Deeper Well" is the title track of her upcoming album and it feels like a return to the Golden Hour sound. It is such a beautiful and reflective song, that lets her talents shine so brightly. Her album is coming out next mon...

5SOS5 is 5 Seconds of Summer 's fifth studio album, one that marks a new creative era for the band over a decade into their career. It is very obvious that they had more creative freedom while making this album than some of their previous releases, with it being largely self-written, produced and performed by every member of the band for the first time. I have been a huge fan of 5SOS since their debut album was released in 2014 and I have truly loved seeing how much their artistry has grown and evolved since that time. Just when I think they have reached their peak with an album like Youngblood or with CALM , they always find a way to come back even better than before. The progression of their sound and style has always been very natural and has done nothing but improve since their debut album. In many ways,  5SOS5 actually feels like a more mature version of their debut album, as if they are reintroducing themselves to their audience as the band they are today. I also love that th...

Harry Styles embarked on the creation of  Fine Line   with a new state of mind, wanting to push himself a little further than he ever has before. It is deeply honest and reflective; he fully embraced his creative freedom and lets it fully shine through in the music. It's fun, fresh and modern, while also incorporating elements of the rockstars that came before him. In an interview with  NPR , he talked about the way his mindset changed going into the creation of his sophomore album, especially following the positive reception of his debut solo album released two and a half years prior.  He said, "I think I had a lot of fear — whether it was conscious or subconsciously — just about getting it wrong. When I listen back to the first album now, although I still love it so much, I feel like I was almost bowling with the bumpers up a little bit. I can hear places where I was playing it safe." With  Fine Line , he fully leaned into some of the weirder psychedelic in...