Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

This month's edition of Best in Pop features; an uneasy pop song with devastating lyrics, that will remind you of old toys and dollhouses; a song that sounds like it plays over a moonlight gothic fairytale; a song that sounds like it plays throughout the rooms of an abandoned concrete nightclub at 2 am; and a pop/rock song with some mid-2000s vibes that will remind you of your worth if you are feeling down.

Featuring Sadye, Mel4Ever, moistbreezy, Kit Major, Briana Wolf, RYL0, Ceara Cavalieri, Donna Lewis, Charm of Finches, and Annie-Dog.

By Eimear O SullivanMusicngear Editor

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024


Follow the Best in Pop playlist on Spotify


Heels - Mel4Ever

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

Wall-to-wall industrial synths and basslines, the production being done in a way that makes it impossible not to be fully consumed by it; the vocal delivery and lyrics in this are, in my opinion, unrivaled  (e.g “Kylies Heels but Kendalls boring / Taylor Swifts a kitten heel / Charli took em off so she could take the wheel”.

This is electro-pop fused with dark electronic; that plays throughout a club that takes place at 2 am in a vast concrete building  - Mel 4Ever is a genius.  

Connect with Mel 4Ever
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


Pop Princess - RYL0

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

This immediately has Britney Spears levels of pop perfection; the intro, the vocals, both indicate the wave of pink, high-caliber pop that awaits from producer/songwriter Ryl0’s new song.

Hyperpop elements blend together with classic pop -  the results are as glossy and perfect as the artwork suggests.

Connect with RYL0
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


The Joke Is On Me - Sadye

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

Inspired by the artist's struggle with cancer, the opening lyrics to this are heart-wrenchingly raw ‘I fought hard for my life/ Just to think about taking it myself/ Thank God I’m alive / So I can be here, miserable and traumatized”. However, these rather devastating lyrics are delivered in a playful manner, against a tapestry of experimental pop textures.

There is a slightly eerie quality to the shimmering pop sounds that make up this song; a quality that makes me think of old toys and dollhouses. In conclusion, this is another work of art from Sadye. 

On this, the artist says “The entire essence of the song is in the first two lines. It’s an idea that has haunted me a lot—physically surviving but becoming kind of mentally ruined. I had a lot of questions in the wake of what I went through and even years later. I put them into this record. I think we all wonder why we’re here for different reasons, so I feel like people will relate to that aspect of the song." 

Connect with Sadye
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


That’s My Bitch - Ceara Cavalieri

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

Fun pop rock that has a mid 00’s vibe - if someone is getting you down, destroying your self-esteem,  this song will pick you up and remind you of your worth. My favorite line being “Acting like a boy and he 31”

On the song, the artist says "I wrote this song about my best friend, who had recently gotten out of a relationship with this guy who was a total narcissist and serial cheater. She was feeling extremely sad about the whole situation and I wanted to remind her that she is “That Bitch” and she’s way better off without him. The song is a Bad Bitch Anthem that hypes her up, talking about how "she’s independent” and “doesn’t need no man or attention.”

Connect with Ceara Cavalieri
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


Headlights - Donna Lewis

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

Donna Lewis is one of my all-time favorite artists, there is a dream-like quality to her music (one of my favorite songs being Harvest Moon). Headlights is taken from the album Rooms With A View, an album that deals with Donna’s year long journey with breast cancer.

On this, the artist says “Cancer was the un-invited messenger, the dark dweller who I sought to banish with the love of my family, brilliant doctors and my art”. This album is a collaboration with producer Holmes Ives.

Headlights is a song of lush uneasy synths, and surreal textures, over which Donna’s heavenly vocals flow - the results being a truly mesmerizing soundscape. 

Donna is also an ambassador for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. To donate to this worthy cause visit https://www.roomswithaview.info/acs

Connect with Donna Lewis
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


If You Know Me - Charm of Finches

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

Gothic indie folk pop - taken from the duo's new album Marlinchen In The Snow; you can feel the mystery of the night running throughout this; like a fairytale that takes place under the moonlight, this is magical and utterly divine.

Connect with Charm of Finches
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


Best Regret - moistbreezy, Kit Major, Briana Wolf

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

This new euro pop song from moistbreezy, Kit Major and Briana Wolf brings with it the euphoric feeling of summer, of endless blue skies and the sensation of a memory; in the way that only the very best eurodance can.

Shimmering synths, perfect vocals, and your favorite early 2000s synth sound (which appears at 00:51) - summer is here early.

Connect with moistbreezy
Spotify / Instagram / Bandcamp / Twitter


violence ‘66 - Annie - Dog

Article photo - Best in Pop - Hot New Releases - May 2024

DIY pop electronic from producer Annie-Dog. This has PinkPantheress and alt-90s vibes, with glitchy experimental sampling sprinkled in, which makes this all the more fun to listen to.

I absolutely love this, and you will too. 

Connect with Annie-Dog
Spotify / Instagram / Twitter


Spotify Playlist

About Eimear O Sullivan

Eimear Ann O Sullivan is a multi-genre music producer, audio engineer and vocalist. After receiving a Masters in Music Technology from the CIT Cork School of Music, she went on to operate as a producer under the name Blakkheart. Her releases have received critical acclaim from Ireland's biggest music publications, such as District Magazine and Nialler9, alongside receiving heavy commercial radio airplay. She currently works in Cork recording studio Flashpoint CC. Previous clients of hers include the likes of Comedy Central’s Dragony Aunt star Candy Warhol, rapper Darce and Outsider YP. (Photo credit @Fabian Boros)

Contact Eimear O Sullivan at eimear.o.sullivan@musicngear.com

About Music Spotlight

In this blog section we host new music releases, artist features and handpicked playlists by the Musicngear staff.

Interested in a music feature, writing a story as a guest or joining the Musicngear team as a Contributing Author? Contact us at info+blog@musicngear.com