Another October has come and gone, but in Northern California my favorite month was unseasonably hot (which is probably fine, right?). Usually, I would have easily made a fall playlist crammed with spooky favorites like The Beach Boy's cover of "The Monster Mash" or one thats packed with jazzy faves from Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. This year, however, it was a bit hard to get into the spirit, so, after facing a prolonged period of writer's block, I figured I would share what I've actually had on repeat during this heatwave. Below is a multi-genre list of 10 of my favorite new songs released this Fall, becoming progressively more party-oriented as the playlist goes on. From ballads by Sophia Stel to club anthems by Tinashe, here is your roundup of what's been happening recently in the worlds of electronica, indie, and pop.

"Now I've Got A Lot You Know" - Sophia Stel

Sophia Stel recently released the greatest album of all time, and, with a name like that, how can you not be excited? "Now I've Got A Lot You Know" is a deceptively simple, ballad-style single that was released in advance of the rest of the album. The hyper-minimalism and intimacy of the first half of the track leads to a great payoff when the synths and beats hit. The song consists of the same extended refrain repeated three times and with the phrases "Now I've got a lot you know" and "And if we stay so high, / we don't worry about any low" repeated to end the track. 

Sophia Stel blends the aesthetics of rap, electronica, and pop to create expansive tracks that revel in innovative uses of autotune and heavy beats, all grounded by her endlessly laid-back vibes. The result approximates trip hop and certainly borrows from hyperpop, but largely evades being boxed into a particular scene or genre.

If you like this song, I would wholly recommend her others "Molly In The Club," "Power," and "Everyone Falls Asleep in Their Own Time (Cecile Believe's Version.) 

"Wishing Well" - daine

The vocals and the acoustic guitar on this track give the song a raw, stripped down feeling, in which daine's songwriting prowess translates beautifully. Their debut album, In Endless Awe and Agony, released November 6th. I've been obsessed with their other singles from the album: "PQC," "Product of Profit (P.O.P)," "Love Love (Love Love)," and "I Used to Kill." daine intricately weaves feelings of social and capitalist alienation into buzzy twee anthems and emo-tinged electronica. I've been obsessed with the chant-style chorus of "PQC" for months:

The Bassvictim remix of "PQC" is likewise awesome (but not without some behind-the-scenes drama, if you're into that). daine recently garnered online attention for a killer live version of "Hello" by Martin Solveig and Dragonette on Triple J's Like a Version and claims of reviving "Millennial Optimism" for Gen Z . This has been one of my most anticipated album drops of 2026, and I'm beyond excited I have tickets to see them live in December.

"Fuck This Stress" - Otha

I recently saw Otha perform live at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco with Tricky FM as an opening act. I was instantly hooked on the Norwegian artist's blending of shoegaze and indietronica. Her vocals are effortless and songs like "Baby I Forgive You" create such immersive textures that they really feel akin to diving into a deep pool of water when they lyrics "I was deep down in the ocean blue with you / Now I'm floating on the surface without you." "Fuck This Stress" is perhaps the song we all need and deserve at this time. The lyrics speak of feeling trapped and stagnant within a relationship, yet Otha somehow makes songs that feel equally acceptable for rave culture or having a good cry at home.

"Dying in Reverse" - Cage the Elephant

I was very excited to see Cage the Elephant drop three new singles this fall: "Dying in Reverse," "Beaches in Tennessee," and "Make it Easy." Frontman Matt Schultz has bravely opened up about his medication-induced psychosis that tore his life and the band apart for years. He struggled with extreme paranoia and delusions:

First of all, I am just relieved that Matt has begun to recover from such a traumatic experience and has received the support he needs to do so. And, as a fan for over a decade, I'm so happy to see the band back on better terms and touring again. The Visualizer below helps capture a fraction of the distortion Matt experienced and helps inform the lyrics of the track. The full album Dying In Reverse drops February 5, 2027.

"Une seule vie" - Angèle

Angèle is a Belgian artist who has collaborated with artists ranging from Dua Lipa on "Fever" (definitely check out the Oklou Remix!) to performing "Nightcall" live with Kavinsky. For her most recent album Instinct, she began garnering attention from her track "Love Triangle" with Caroline Polachek and Sebastian. Her performance on The Tonight Show features her combined with the limbs of various backup dancers in mind-bending ways to emphasize the central conceit of the song: there are too many bodies in her love triangle to feel natural. Her vocals are hypnotic against the introspective lyrics, with most of the album being in French. On "Un seule vie" she croons:

To translate to English:

"White Flag" - Bassvictim

I have already detailed my thoughts on Maria Manow and Ike Clateman of Bassvictim in a review which can be read here. So, when I saw they were DJ'ing a late-announced Portola afterparty with The Hellp, I had to get a ticket. Pro tip: the name of their band is not a joke, definitely bring (and wear!) ear protection.

The set was eclectic, but the excitement was palpable when Maria got on mic and announced they would be previewing songs from their unreleased album, Peace and War. They played a few songs, including their single "White Flag."

The duo largely retreated from public life and holed up in Vietnam to make the album. In a recent conversation "Bassvictim on Growing Up and Getting Sober" with Interview Magazine, Ike and Maria spoke candidly about the experience:

Catch Bassvictim if you can for the remainder of the White Flag Tour, and make sure to check out their opening act Thoom.

"For Me" - iKeda

iKeda is an exciting emergent voice from the London music scene who has been resisting being boxed in to any particular genre or set of expectations. In a recent interview with NTS radio she stated, "There's no rules . . . Like why can't I just make up my own genre? Bubble rhythm music. That's it. Period." I loved tracks like "Mapz" and "Go!" from her recent EP Bangs N Braces. The O.J.C Remix of "Go!" popped into my head at least 10 times a day when I first heard it. Yet, I feel her sound really reached maturity on her latest singles "For Me / The Principle." Either one of them would have fit well on this playlist, and I can't wait to see whow they would anchor a full album. "For Me" compares her lover to a werewolf with catchy and playful lyrics:

The most impressive part of the tracks for me is the risk-taking in the unconventional production elements and the aggressive looping and layering of her vocals. iKeda certainly remains an artist to watch out for, and PinkPantheress recently listed her as one of the UK artists she's most excited about.

"Dancing On Your Grave - MGNA Crrrta Remix" - Madeon, MGNA Crrrta

Madeon rose to fame on Youtube with his viral live remix entitled "Pop Culture" that consisted of him mashing up 39 popular songs of the time on a Novation Launchpad using FL Studio.

In fact, Ninajirachi directly credits the "Pop Culture" on "iPod Touch" for igniting her obsession with electronic music production. Madeon recently remixed "iPod Touch," saying Nina's tribute made him emotional and creating a very cool full-circle moment for them both.

He had not released a full album in the seven years prior to 2026's Victory. "Dancing On Your Grave" was immediately a standout track on the album, and I love the MGNA Crrrta Remix. The electronica duo are actually touring with Nina right now (as an aside, I love their joint track "Angel Music"). It is always funny to feel like the world of electronic music is a collection of a few friend groups, but I think it speaks to the reverence each of these artists has for their craft and collaborators.

"Every Single Weekend (feat. Jamie xx)" - The Avalanches, Jamie xx

On The Avalanches' October release No Bad Memories, chaotic-yet-intricate sampling also comes to the forefront. The visual language of the album cover shows our idealized obsession with the music and technology of the past, when everything seemed a bit friendlier and less curated. On "Every Single Weekend" the track's sonic language and video's faux advertisement of a fictional soda brand nostalgically echoes of the "Hey QT" collaboration between SOPHIE and A.G. Cooke that helped signal the rise of PC Music and establish two of hyperpop's most prominent founders. However, unlike the futuristic and sleek ad for the fictional "QT" energy drink, the set-up for advertising the fake "el dorado" soda on "Every Single Weekend" shows a behind-the-scenes, contrived audition to be the brand's spokesperson. The first part of the video is painfully awkward and depressing before shifting to a polished, sunny, poolside ad campaign. The glossy commercial is already undermined and defamiliarized, even before the video ends with the original melancholic auditioner sitting next to a bus ad feauturing a different model.

"Brainrot" - Tinashe

It is impossible to end an article about music this past season that will impact the future of pop without mentioning—and uplifting—Popstar by Tinashe. Tinashe has always been able to craft a melody, but her new album flirts with and re-writes the rules of traditional pop song writing and structure. Pop Star is equal parts a manifestation and a self-fulfilling edict, jam packed with hits. Obviously Tinashe was a dominant force in the 2010s pop and hip hop scenes with "2 On (feat. ScHoolboy Q)," then went to a more experimental place on albums like 333. However, in recent years she has re-introduced herself to the mainstream pop scene with smash hits like "Nasty," "No Broke Boys," and her remix/collaboration with Charli XCX on "B2b," which playfully references their combined longevity and resurgence on the charts:

"Brainrot" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and I would recommend buying the Bonus Edition on Apple music to get access to a "flip" of the track from one of my favorite producers Nick Leon. I am also obsessed with the "Popstar" remix from umru. Congratulations to Tinashe on a well deserved Top 10 album!

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