Sunday Spin: New Releases From KiiiKiii, Ayra Starr and ZAYN, Tinashe, KIMIKO, and WayV
Sunday Spin is EnVi‘s weekly music showcase, where we bring you the hottest global hits in our curated playlist. Join us every Sunday for new music that sets the perfect tone for your upcoming week.
With the sun still out and skies remaining clear, there’s still time to plan your next trip to the beach, have a picnic at the park, or go on a nice stroll around the neighborhood to get those steps in. What would be better company (aside from your loved ones and some cold treats, obviously) than a fresh roster of new music to soundtrack your week? Turn the heat up with high-octane beats or wind down with some easy-listening tunes from EnVi’s Sunday Spin playlist.
KiiiKiii – “Pop Off Pop Off”
After their debut and a sophomore EP that marked their turning point, KiiiKiii returns with a third outing that solidly sets their new era. WhyKiiiKiii continues the group’s foray into dance and electropop, borrowing its sonic identity from the late 2000s and early 2010s.
This stylistic direction is most evident through the lead single “Pop Off Pop Off,” which dropped alongside the new EP. Femme Fatale-era Britney Spears and early-days Kesha are written all over the song’s production. K-pop isn’t a stranger to time warps between decades of global music. Between the high energy, beat drops, and symphony of synths, KiiiKiii is taking listeners back to the clubs of an era when DJs got us falling in love again and we’re popping bottles in the ice like a blizzard.
Marbles – “Catch Me”
The glory days of Indonesian girl groups seem to be returning, and Marbles is among the names heralding this resurgence. While the quintet has yet to make a buzzy splash, they’re slowly working their way to it one song after another. Their sophomore single, “Catch Me,” is setting them off on the right path.
Upon pressing play, the intro might trick you into thinking it’s another hip-hop track. After all, it is the follow-up to one — Indonesian girl group Marbles’s debut, “Hompimpa.” But, a couple seconds in, you’d realize there’s a subtle difference: hints of undulating and bouncy beats, a slight lilt in the vocal delivery, some tinniness in the production. These are all telltale signs of hipdut, the Indonesian fusion genre, popularized by up-and-coming artists like Naykilla and Tenxi, born from a marriage between hip-hop and the nation’s dangdut styles. Though “Catch Me” veers a lot closer to the former, the incorporation of one of Indonesia’s trendiest genres right now (on top of the language itself interpolated throughout the lyrics) only furthers Marbles’s efforts in spotlighting the nation’s contemporary culture.
Ayra Starr ft. ZAYN – “Heaven Baby”
“Heaven Baby” brings together Afrobeats star Ayra Starr and ZAYN for a celestial collaboration about the all-consuming feeling of finding someone who feels almost too good to be real. Opening with Ayra Starr questioning whether someone could truly understand the lengths she would go for them, the song quickly settles into its romantic core — the instant, undeniable feeling of knowing when you’ve found something special.
Starr’s airy vocals weave through the track’s atmospheric production before ZAYN enters with his own declaration of devotion, promising he would go “past the sky” for the person he loves. Their chemistry shines as they come together on the chorus, comparing their lover to an angel and describing life without them as unimaginable. The two’s musical partnership in “Heaven Baby” is euphoric and heavenly.
Ayra Starr Socials: IG | X | YT
ZAYN Socials: IG | TK | X | YT
Tinashe – “Melatonin”
Although titled “Melatonin,” Tinashe’s latest release might have quite the opposite effect on you. This third preview from her upcoming album, Popstar, is anything but a lullaby. It builds upon the high-octane energy of preceding lead single “Too Easy,” expanding upon the musical style one has come to expect from her since breaking through to the mainstream with “No Broke Boys.”
Constant beat drops keep the energy high throughout the nearly four-minute run of this techno-influenced house track. It never wanes as the multi-hyphenate compares those sleeping on her as the sleep-inducing hormone, continuing the narrative set forward by “Too Easy” and second single “Crash Out.” These songs are Tinashe at her most unapologetic and defiant, a testament to her individuality as an artist — and she’s flexing the wide breadth of it through this era, extending that vision through the choreography and visuals that accompany the addictive tunes.
grentperez – “always”
With the addition of “always,” grentperez’s highly anticipated and characterized EP, g00se, is finally here. Except this time, something is different — “always” has taken this heartwarming crooner and brought out the existential side of him. Instead of being a relationship- or love-driven song like the other four tracks on the EP, “always” focuses on the dread and fear of being stuck in one life, having one dream, and the constant unknown feeling that something isn’t fully right.
In the visualizer, Perez, or “g00se,” is seen in black and white as he searches his room for something wrong, missing, or maybe even an answer. He then arrives at an office where there are five Backflips in a Restaurant versions of Perez working, until they look at him and disappear, leaving everything for current Perez to do. Profits are shown going down, “goose” is said to be a lie, and the question, “How about the dream?” is posed. It isn’t until Perez escapes the office, a possible metaphor for the structured business side of art and dreams, that color comes to the screen and wonder returns to Perez. Freeing himself from the idea that his dreams have to remain the same for the rest of his life, he steps into a new world, and with g00se, he is showing the world a new side of himself as well.
Wasia Project – “Vogue”
When you think of a Wasia Project single, dancing deep into the night at the club may not be what comes to mind first — or second or third. Though with “Vogue,” that’s exactly where you will end up. Consisting of siblings Will Gao and Olivia Hardy, Wasia Project have released their new pre-release single off their upcoming album, Nocturne, and it’s exploring spaces and sounds completely new to their discography.
Starting with a thumping synth beat and a freeing exhale, “Vogue” immediately sets a tone of movement and uncontrollable dance. Mixed with Hardy’s airy voice, the track builds with anticipation until it hits the chorus, where there’s a relief of a subtle drop and the intertwining of new instruments with the original steady thumping. Over the encapsulating tone, Hardy sings about her own form of intuition release while letting herself fall fully into the idea of someone.
Sandwiched in between “2515” and “Whale Call,” “Vogue” offers an ounce of freedom from the intensity of the former before leading into the sinking feeling of the latter. It also proves that Gao and Hardy could surprise their listeners with music of any sound and feeling on Nocturne and its imminent drop on September 18.
yung kai – “stay with me”
Yung kai is back with not one, but two new single releases. Alongside the highly anticipated “i think of you the most,” the alternative indie-pop singer is showing a fresher side to his musicality with the breezy “stay with me.” Debuting during his North American tour, the song is full of warmth as it dives into the feelings of wanting to prolong time and stay with someone just a little longer. Yung kai’s melodic vocals and smooth instrumentals make the track an effortlessly replayable listen, blending an upbeat rhythm with his dreamy sound. There’s an easygoing charm woven throughout the song, with its light production creating a sense of movement while keeping the focus on yung kai’s soft, expressive vocals.
WayV- “鸢 (Vision Wings)”
WayV is back and better than ever with their eighth mini album, Vision Wings. The title track of the same name pairs traditional Chinese sounds with hip-hop and jungle beats. It’s high-energy and packed with the confidence and swagger we know and love from the group. The song is inspired by a bird soaring through a storm. The members sing about the dreams, values, and determination that continue to motivate them seven years into their career.
The music video is set at a dramatic Shoalin temple. The quintet step into their warrior era with martial arts-inspired choreography and cinematic visuals. They take on the roles of fierce warriors as they fight through the storm. The video is bold and perfectly matches a song all about power and resilience.
KIMIKO – “Modern Dance”
Photo courtesy of Kimiko Glenn/Press
KIMIKO dances through the messiness of modern dating on her latest single, “Modern Dance.” The bright, bouncy track takes all the frustration of a situationship and wraps it in sugary, power-pop melodies. She hops on the track, immediately asking, “Wait am I supposed to text you first?” With playful lyrics throughout the track, KIMIKO sings about wanting someone who wants her back, but without the emotional vulnerability. On top of the upbeat instrumental, she’s vulnerable and honest about the exhausting game of pretending not to care. KIMIKO’s able to turn a universal draining experience into a cheeky, catchy, very fun tune.
The music video takes all that playful energy and runs with it. KIMIKO and her dance partner, Vinny Balbo, tango through bedrooms, stages and moving cars in a very stylish split-screen visual. “Modern Dance” is the title track on her recently-released EP of the same name.
Other tracks in this week’s Sunday Spin playlist include “Stay Gone” by Bella Poarch, KATSEYE’s “Hootie Frutti,” “Miku-Maxxing” by BEYOND BORDERs, and Hearts2Hearts’s “ICONIC HEART.” Listen to everything mentioned and more, curated by Team EnVi only for you on Spotify.
Want more of the latest releases? Check out our previous Sunday Spin!
