5 Songs to Hear This Week: Sonic dreamscapes from Melody’s Echo Chamber, Amaia, and more

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Are you ready to get lost in the music? Each of these tracks are here to transport you to a new corner of your imagination.

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Are you ready to get ~lost in the music~? Each of these tracks are here to transport you to a new corner of your imagination. From the Sims-esque fantasy of Melody’s Echo Chamber, to a Japanese garden in Spain, to a friendly night time carnival, to dance floors of both the vintage and very current variety, this week’s Five Songs are taking you on an epic journey.

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Melody’s Echo Chamber - “Looking Backward”

Escape into another world with this mellifluous dreamscape from the French songstress behind the eponymous Melody’s Echo Chamber. With light-as-air vocals and a psychedelic bent, this single and its video present an image of future femininity that is as adventurous as it is vulnerable. Click, but beware — it’s gonna make you want to call your hairdresser.


Amaia - “Yamaguchi”

Let’s go back to basics: all Amaia needs is her remarkable voice and some super-clean Spanish guitar to leave you quivering. An ode to a Japanese garden in her native Pamplona, this track is a perfect introduction to the young talent, whose preternatural singing is as precise as it is emotionally fluid — a rare symbiosis of pure perfection. 


Renata Zeiguer - “Sunset Boulevard” 

Calling all mystics and witches — this track’s an incantation. Featuring mellow, metronomic instrumentation topped by song structure-busting vocal ascension, what starts as a friendly lullaby evolves steadily into a dizzying trip. Have no fear — Renata makes sure you level out before waking up from this midway dream. 


The Reds, Pinks & Purples - “Let’s Pretend We’re Not in Love”  

Whether you’re feeling a little lonely these days, overwhelmed with love, or anything in between, this feelings-forward track is here to help you work through it all. Calling to mind the deep-rooted flavors of their Slumberland Records labelmates The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and spiritual successors like The Cure, this one should be played with a box of tissues nearby.


Fred again.. - “Lights Out feat. Romy & HAAi” 

Musical Swiss army knife Fred again.., known for his heady remixes and mega-star songwriting credits, teams up with heart-wrencher Romy and DJ HAAi for this moody dance floor gem. With cascading synths and a long, slow build, this track will take you there — just gaze into the light to find what you’re looking for.