Song of the Day

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July 19, 2024

arya: “USE ME”

By: Jack Anderson

It’s a twofer this Friday! We’ve got a brand new release alongside a weekend show recommendation. And both arrive on behalf of arya.

arya’s not just another dime a dozen bedroom pop Billie Eilish wannabe. No, this Belgrade-born bae is almost overqualified for saturated world of pop-hip-hop-R&B; after a decade in Serbia playing classical piano she received a formal jazz degree here in Austin. Still, even in this decidedly contemporary endeavor, arya retains her status as a one woman show – having scored her first ACL Fest appearance and official ACL Late Night Show last Fall.

And speaking of last Fall, following up last October’s “LOVE ME”, today arya shares the second installment from her upcoming EP Insides – a six-song visual album and narrative set for release later this year. In the immediate forecast, arya’s got a free performance midnight tomorrow night at Empire Control Room as part of Hot Summer Nights, where she’ll certainly perform her latest pop-R&B banger, “USE ME”. We wouldn’t be surprised if we heard a sped up/nightcore version of this new one pop up on TikTok, but for us personally, we love the tune’s relaxed tempo. Because it gives plenty of space to breathe between richly textured drums, fat-as-hell synth bass, and arya’s incredible vocals that could end up making Ariana Grande sound more like GoT series finale Arya Stark in comparison.


Episodes

September 17, 2025

Tear Dungeon: “Kill For Health” [Live In Studio 1A] RE-RUN

It’s Weird Wednesday, and I aim to keep it that way. And what better to stay on theme than to revisit a recent favorite of mine from Studio 1A? Tear Dungeon is truly to be seen. Between the uniform of all-white street clothes paired with leather gimp masks and the perpetual question, “what will hit […]

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September 16, 2025

West Texas Exiles: “Division” (ft. Kelly Willis)

All musical motifs of the Lone Star State converge in Austin’s West Texas Exiles. The quartet, made up of members hailing from El Paso, Amarillo, and Lubbock, draws inspiration from all squares of the Texas music quilt, from Willie to Buddy and everyone in between. Their debut full-length album 8000 Days came out last Friday, […]

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September 12, 2025

Yuno: “Blest” [LIVE IN STUDIO 1A]

Jacksonville, Florida’s Yuno is DIY-defined. The self-taught musician and producer has been fine-tuning his brand of indie-pop mixed with reggae, hip-hop and skate culture influences to boot for some time, and that perfect mix of luck and talent caught the eye of Shabazz Palace member and Sub Pop rep Ishmael Butler, and the rest is, […]

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September 8, 2025

Lola Tried: “Hot Shot Barbie” [PREMIERE]

After several amuse-bouches of singles, Austin’s Lola Tried are ready to let us feast. OG members Lauren Burton and Ray Garza are joined by newcomers Gianni Sarmiento and Austin Norman for the group’s third EP, out this Friday. Perfect for your workout (or rageout) playlist is “Hot Shot Barbie.” She’s got her foot on the […]

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September 5, 2025

Noods: “Slip Up”

As the not-so-great Kyle Cooke once said, “Summer should be fun.” And to remind you that summer doesn’t end until September 22nd is the latest single from Brooklyn’s Noods. The ironically fully-clothed quartet returns with their sophomore album I Never Dream About You next month, and today they release its debut single “Slip Up.” True […]

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September 2, 2025

Silvana Estrada: “Dime”

No longer in her ingenue phase, Mexico’s Silvana Estrada has maintained her wunderkind rise. With her birdsong voice and her signature Venezuelan cuatro guitar as a vessel to carry her stories of love, grief, and growth. Ahead of her newly announced international tour and album, Vendrán Suaves Lluvias, out in October, Estrada’s released “Dime,” a deceptively […]

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September 1, 2025

Grackles: “There Will Be Time”

Well howdy! Happy Labor Day! The weather may or may not be participating in our final romp of summertime, but Austin’s Grackles are here to make the day sunny despite Mother Nature. What began as a side project made up of touring and studio musicians for A-list artists such as the Chicks and Paul Simon […]

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August 28, 2025

Adrian Quesada: “Bravo (ft. iLe)” [Live In Studio 1A]

At this point, Adrian Quesada is a man who needs no introduction. With a musical curiosity rivaling Beck, project to project, he conjures up albums thoughtfully marrying tradition or inspiration to Quesada. On both iterations of the Boleros Psicodélicos albums, Quesada explores the centuries-old, Cuban-rooted tradition of the Bolero, beautiful, dramatic love songs deep with […]

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