New Music Roundup: Leith Ross, Pool Kids, Ada Lea, and more
August delivered a wave of incredible new music, and I spent countless hours with my AirPods in, sifting through it all to narrow down my top picks. From surprise album drops to long-teased singles, the month was packed with releases that felt both fresh and will be on repeat for the rest of the year.
Taiwanese pop band, 落日飛車 Sunset Rollercoaster surprise released their sixth studio album QUIT QUIETLY that is as romantic as it is comforting. 落日飛車 Sunset Rollercoaster blends city pop, soul, and psychedelic grooves and they are one of those bands that never miss for me. “Believe U” reminds me a lot of Ginger Root’s 2021 EP, City Slicker — its bassline is irresistibly catchy, paired with romantic lyrics that make you want to dance in your room. What I enjoyed about this release is how it’s perfect for those slow mornings, it’s not too heavy on the ears, yet rich enough to keep you engaged. The songs flow with an ease that feels unhurried, while the grooves carry enough rhythm to lift your mood without overwhelming it. With its mix of intimacy and warmth, QUIT QUIETLY captures that rare sweet spot: a record that can hum gently in the background or pull you in so deeply you forget everything else.
Winnipeg’s Leith Ross teased their song “Stay” on TikTok, which is off of their upcoming album I Can See The Future, which is set to drop on September 19th. It was a teaser that I listened to on repeat the moment I heard it, and even though there was only 15 seconds of the song available on TikTok, I played the video for what felt like an eternity, addicted to the hook and desperate for more. Co-produced by Rostam Batmanglij, this track feels so incredibly intimate and the production adds to that feeling. “Stay” captivates both the feelings of community and yearning for togetherness, something that I feel like is a universal feeling. The track feels like walking into a room with all your favourite people and being to celebrate the fact you are in a space with those people. The intention of togetherness shines through in this single, and all I can say is thank you Leith Ross for writing a song that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of connection and wanting connection.
Florida’s math rock and emo band Pool Kids released their third studio album, Easier Said Than Done, an incredible follow-up to their 2022 self-titled that I found myself adoring the moment I heard the track “That’s Physics, Baby,” blasting through my headphones. A standout track for me was “Dani,” where drummer Caden Clinton pulls back into a slower, steadier groove while Christine Goodwyne’s vocals glide smoothly overtop, brimming with emotion. The song marks a confident evolution in their sound, with sharper dynamics, tighter riffs and an incredibly polished emotional delivery. Pool Kids aren’t just refining their craft, but rather they are expanding it. Easier Said Than Done pushes the boundaries of emo and math rock, while keeping their identity intact.
I first encountered Montreal singer-songwriter Ada Lea at the inaugural winter edition of Sled Island, Bob Sled. In the basement of the Palomino, her sparkly silver boots caught the light, and I remember thinking she was effortlessly the coolest person in the room. That night, she played “baby blue frigidaire mini fridge,” a standout track from her third album when i paint my masterpiece, released on August 8th.
My first listen of this release had me in tears, I won’t lie. The album arrives at a moment where intimacy in music often feels overproduced. Ada Lea has a gift of songwriting from a stream-of-consciousness style, where it feels like she is ripping pages straight out of a journal. That unfiltered honesty is what makes the songs so relatable, even when Ada Lea’s lyrics become abstract or dreamlike. A standout track for me is “something in the wind,” where she sings, “Life without love is a plant / A plant going without water / Life without love is no life at all.” It’s a line that perfectly captures the open, lived-in space this album creates, landing effortlessly on the ears. when i paint my masterpiece resonated so deeply with me because, lyrically, it gives voice to the emotions we often long to express out loud.
One of my most anticipated releases this year was Dijon’s Baby. I caught wind of Dijon at the ripe age of thirteen (circa 2018) when I had discovered him through BROCKHAMPTON, as he did backing vocals for their tracks “SUMMER” and “1998 TRUMAN.” His 2020 EP How Do You Feel About Getting Married? And his 2021 debut album Absolutely has stayed in my album rotation since their release.
Baby is weird in the best way possible. Dijon pushes the boundaries of production, and though some songs risk feeling over-produced, the experimentation gives the album its restless charm. The production is reminiscent of Jai Paul meshed with Bon Iver with a hint of the ghost of Prince haunting the entire album. Layers of distortion, 80s-like synths, and intimate vocals create a sense of unpredictability that feels chaotic and deliberate. In a time where it feels like a lot of alternative R&B sounds all the same, Dijon captures moments of raw honesty wrapped in unconventional textures that integrate exploratory and experimental choices, making the music feel unpredictable yet undeniably authentic.