Some bands take decades to find the right synergy and groove together. For Black Country, New Road, it took only a few songs. The British band hit the ground running with their 2019 single “Sunglasses,” a nine-minute track that transverses between post-punk/rock and experimental jazz. Ants from Up There, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut, For the First Time, is a dynamic and exhilarating project. The album’s first song, “Intro,” an instrumental preface to the band’s trans-genre influences, won’t properly prepare you for the intense break-up experience that is to follow in “Chaos Space Marine,” the album’s lead single—which the band says is the best they’ve ever written—and the three-track run from “Concorde” to “Bread Song” to “Good Will Hunting.” Former lead singer Isaac Wood’s eclectic vocal performance is made more bittersweet with the announcement of his departure from the band just four days before the album’s release. The band plans to pursue music in his absence. But with their future sound now up in the air, it’s clear that Ants from Up There is a project to be truly cherished.

Parannoul is an artist that is shrouded in mystery. The anonymous Korean rock singer, who composes and produces all of his music in his bedroom, first gained traction with the release of his music on Bandcamp, a platform that helps musicians get paid directly for their work. His latest EP, White Ceiling / Black Dots Wandering Around, is no exception, and can be streamed online for free. The EP is a B-side anniversary gift to fans of his second studio album, To See the Next Part of the Dream, and is the continuation of self-prescribed themes of “escapist, fantasy and disillusion, struggle, and most ordinary existence.” Parannoul, who describes himself as “below average in height and appearance and everything,” croons distorted vocals that fade behind heavy guitar for a psychedelic style that is signature of the shoegaze genre. Standout tracks are “Escape,” “Soft Bruise,” and especially “Growing Pain,” which offers a rare glimpse at Parannoul’s slightly off-tune, mostly unobscured singing.

Korean-Canadian producer Luna Li, born Hannah Bussiere Kim, wants to reconcile her two halves: the part of her that’s Korean and the other that’s Canadian. Not only that, but she’s extending her aptly named debut album, Duality, as a source of comfort to women who may feel similarly in their pursuit to define all sides of themselves. To advance her purpose, the producer outsourced vocals from women of color, including Jay Som, Dreamer Isioma, and Beabadoobee, in combination with her own dreamy vocals for the culmination of a stunning and warm collaborative effort. Kim has said that she chose the moniker Luna Li to be able to slip into a fiercer alter ego. But Duality is suffused to the core with the singer’s kind and empathetic nature, with tracks like “Trying,” a heartfelt song about trying one’s best despite what life throws at you. Duality is set for full release March 4.

Hyperpop queen Charli XCX is ready to step down from her throne, at least for the time being. The artist announced her fifth and final album for her record deal with Atlantic Records, Crash, by declaring a departure from her last album’s (How I’m Feeling Now) sound: “RIP hyperpop. To become the new flesh you first have to kill the old flesh,” wrote the singer in an Instagram post. Instead, Charli XCX, born Charlotte Emma Aitchison, seems to be embracing more mainstream pop, with the release of four singles off the album: “Good Ones,” “New Shapes,” “Beg for You,” and “Baby.” Crash signals a new era for the singer, one with disco lights, as the singles display a transition towards dance-pop—most notably “Beg for You,” featuring fellow British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama, with bouncy synths and an addictive, but simple hook. Crash is set for full release on March 18.

TikTok has become quintessential to the music industry, with fresh talent finding their big breaks on the platform simply by going viral. Taylor Gayle Rutherford, known professionally as GAYLE, is one such artist who has won the hearts of the TikTok generation, quickly amassing over 3.5 million views for her song, “ABCDEFU,” a breakup anthem about her anger towards her ex and his family. The track, released through Atlantic Records, soon blew up to become the biggest song in the world, overtaking Billboard’s Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. US charts at the number one spot for consecutive weeks in January, and has since amassed over 500 million streams on Spotify. The singer announced her debut EP, A Study of the Human Experience Volume One, in late February, which will include “ABCDEFU” and her equally sarcastic follow-up single, “Ur Just Horny.” The EP is set for release March 18.