Welcome to “Cut Through the Noise,” an entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering new music releases. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role as writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.

boygenius — ‘$20’ ★★★★★

As a big time admirer of Phoebe Bridgers, I was more than excited to listen to her indie rock supergroups’ fresh tracks off of their upcoming studio album, “the record,” set to drop March 31. “$20” is a spiky, energetic and chaotic track, that is so clearly Julien Baker but the rest of the groups’ vocals tie it all together and bring it home. While the length of the song and lyrics are relatively short, which is the only prominent flaw about this track, it makes for a good introduction into their new album. The sound is very guitar heavy, but when it is mixed with the soft vocals of Bridgers, it creates a contrasting but alluring blend. Out of the three tracks that have been released from “the record,” “$20” reigns as my favorite because of its loud, eccentricness. 

Niall Horan — ‘Heaven’ ★★★★★

Known for his infamous early 2010’s boyband – One Direction, who I was a superfan of as a child — Horan veered off into a solo career which I haven’t kept up with much. Horan recently released a new single called, “Heaven” for his upcoming album “The Show” out June 9. In this song, Horan tackles the important message of appreciating the little things in life, as well as living in the moment. Right off the bat, the song starts off very energetic with some choral elements in the opening. I really enjoyed this song because it’s truly warm, with airy vocals and thumping percussion. Since listening to Horan last, his vocals have immensely matured and the growth from his previous albums are definitely there. Each verse flowed well together in a catchy, groovy manner. Overall, this song is a fun listen and is definitely a great addition to any of your feel-good playlists. 

Logic — ‘Paradise II’ ★★★★☆

Even though I haven’t listened to Logic since 2017, I was eager to listen to  his most current single from his anticipated album “College Park” releasing Feb. 24. The song addresses the feeling of wanting to escape the difficulties in life in return for nirvana. The track itself has a very upbeat, bubbly tone. It’s definitely a song that makes me want to roll down the windows in the car and blast it on a warm, summer night. The tempo of the song, in my opinion, is very rap influenced, but not in an “in-your-face” way. Although I usually can’t keep up with rapping songs (besides “The Real Slim Shady” by Eminiem), this is a fun, cheery song to listen to and attempt to sing to. The featured artist, Norah Jones, ties in great to the track. Her soft vocals make for a refreshing but lively component of the song. I could see myself listening to this song in the future and will probably check out the rest of his album when it comes out.