Mitski announces her eighth studio LP with a gorgeously odd track and video, Arlo Parks returns with news of a third album with a progressive sound, and Gorillaz have further raised hype for their new record with a duo of brilliant new teaser singles: 2026 has kicked into gear this week in Wonderlist.
Mitski – “Where’s My Phone?”
The titanic talents of Mitski are back front and centre, thanks to the exciting news of a forthcoming eighth studio album. Entitled Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, the body of music will be shared on 27th February via Dead Oceans. Our first teaser, a fuzzy, melancholic rock joint, is accompanied by a gloriously oddball video.
Arlo Parks – “2SIDED”
Brit and Mercury Prize-winning British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks will be sharing her highly anticipated new studio album, Ambiguous Desire, on 3rd April via Transgressive Records. With this first teaser single, “2SIDED”, it’s clear Parks’s musical vision has shifted. Gone are the tender, soulful sounds of her prior work; in comes immersion and atmosphere, cinema and experimentation.
A$AP Rocky – “STAY HERE”
The day has finally come. At long last, rapper, actor, fashion mogul, cultural heavyweight A$AP Rocky shares his first album in seven years. Don’t Be Dumb clocks in just under an hour, and is the most eclectic body of work Rocky has ever shared. “STAY HERE” epitomises such.
Gorillaz – “The Hardest Thing” // “Orange County”
Set for release on 27th February via their own brand new label KONG, the new Gorillaz record, The Mountain, is undoubtedly one of the most exciting releases this year. We’ve had a handful of fantastic teaser tracks so far, and now have been blessed with two more: “The Hardest Thing” with Tony Allen, and “Orange County” with Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar.
Kim Gordon – “NOT TODAY”
Legendary Sonic Youth visionary Kim Gordon is continuing her deeply absorbing solo adventure with the announcement of a third solo album, PLAY ME, due on 13th March. Lead single “NOT TODAY” has been unveiled, alongside a trippy visual, and is emotionally punchy and jaggedly beautiful.
Skrillex – “Kora”
Not many producers have as progressive, varied, and surprising a catalogue as Skrillex. Shared on his birthday, the beatsmith follows a prominent 2025 with a surprise EP, “Kora”, some of his most ambient and pensive music to date. The title track is particularly affecting and off-kilter.
Charlotte Day Wilson ft. Saya Gray – “Lean”
Two of Toronto’s leading lights, Charlotte Day Wilson and Saya Gray, have clearly been working closely together of late. Gray provided production for Wilson’s incredible single from late last year, “Selfish”. And now, the pair have once again released in coalescence, with this genre-bending masterstroke, “Lean”. It’s one of the most interesting and forward-thinking tracks of the year to date.
Fcukers – “L.U.C.K.Y”
New York duo Fcukers dial the chaos all the way up on “L.U.C.K.Y”, a relentless, high-voltage rush of club-ready swagger and unruly energy. Lifted from their upcoming debut album Ö on Ninja Tune, the track captures the band at full throttle, sharp, muscular, and engineered for sweat-soaked dance floors. With production from Kenny Beats and a reputation built on explosive live shows, Fcukers feel primed to soundtrack the wildest nights of 2026.
waterbaby – “Memory Be a Blade”
Stockholm’s waterbaby sharpens her emotional edge on “Memory Be a Blade”, the title track from her forthcoming debut album on Sub Pop Records. Darker, richer, and more vulnerable than ever, the song cuts deep into nostalgia, heartbreak, and the way memories reshape themselves over time. Wrapped in distorted bedroom-pop textures and lush orchestration, waterbaby’s writing feels both fragile and fearless, cementing her status as one of alt-pop’s most quietly devastating new voices.
SLAG – “Face Off”
The lead track from their early March-set debut EP, Brighton quintet SLAG have unleashed their first track via cult indie label Big Scary Monsters. “Face Off” is full of attitude and atmosphere, with razor-sharp production, anthemic to the core.
BXKS – “45”
Kickstarting the year the way she means to go on, Luton rapper BXKS unleashes her latest EP “FEAR OF ECLIPSE”. That attitude and energy is carried onto the stand-out track “45” that may be short but packs a real punch. With thumping 808s and a braggadocios cadence, it’s the Luton-bred artist at her very best, showcasing why she’s one of the frontrunners in UK rap.
Shy One ft. George Riley – “I Can Tell”
London production favourite Shy One has announced news of a fresh full-length, Mali, due on 12th March via South London hub Touching Bass. Teaser joint “I Can Tell” borrows the silky smoothness of underground heavyweight George Riley, and is an understated electro-dance jam.
Sophia Stel x Mura Masa – “I Take It”
One of ours – and everyone else’s – ones to watch for the year, Sophia Stel kicks off an exciting year with the announcement of a deluxe version of her stunning breakout EP, “How to Win At Solitaire”, out 30th January. The news comes alongside a glimpse at the extended work, with the Vancouver artist and producer enlisting the services of renowned producer for “I’ll Take It” (Mura Masa’s ‘Can’t Feel A Thing’ edit).
Westside Cowboy – “The Wahs”
If you’ve not heard of Westside Cowboy by now, you must have been living under a rock (or not reading Wonderlist because they’ve been omnipresent). The quartet have dropped their second EP “So Much Country ‘Till We Get There” via Island Records imprint Adventure Recordings, a glorious collection of cuts, alongside edgy lead single and live favourite, “The Wahs”.
elsas – “NIÑO”
elsas is industry certified. Alongside comparisons to Rosalia, she’s also got co-signs from artists like Sampha and Little Simz. Her latest single, “NIÑO”, is her take on an avant-garde pop song, with smooth vocals in her mother tongue of Spanish. She might be from Barcelona, but she’s making London her very own, so make sure you tune in.
Vegas Water Taxi – “jamie xx”
East London band vegas water taxi open their new EP “first time listener” with “jamie xx”, a laidback, tragi-comic slow-burn that disguises emotional collapse beneath starry-eyed choruses. Sounding like a love song until it very much isn’t, the track unpacks the quiet devastation of staying put when everything’s already fallen apart. Wry, observant, and painfully relatable, it’s another sharp entry in the band’s growing catalogue of alt-country existentialism for the chronically online.
Surfbort – “Jesssica’s Changed”
Surfbort bottle-up punk delirium and bittersweet nostalgia on “Jessica’s Changed”, an anthemic swirl of chaos, catharsis, and mirror-dancing defiance. Dani Miller romanticises a world in free-fall, balancing doom-laden reality with the reckless joy of youthful freedom. Taken from upcoming album Reality Star, the track embodies Surfbort’s signature contradiction, raw yet dreamy, unhinged yet deeply human, and proves once again that no band does joyful rebellion quite like them.
Hetta Falzon – “Belly Laugh”
With the announcement of her upcoming EP “Henrietta”, Manchester’s Hetta Falzon starts the year off with her new single “Belly Laugh”. This is Falzon at her most self-aware, with emotionally-charged lyrics about the absence of something in a relationship atop a melancholy piano instrumental. It’s music that talks about heartbreak, without being afraid to smile at it.
Raf-Saperra ft. Benny the Butcher – “Butcher’s Scale”
British-Punjabi disruptor and visionary underground phenomenon Raf-Saperra marks another milestone moment with the release of “Venomz Vol II” — the highly-anticipated follow up to his “5 Deadly Venom”z EP — boasting star-studded features from US hip-hop icons past and present in Griselda’s Benny The Butcher, with whom Saperra shares a visual for “Butcher’s Scale”, and legendary Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. The project consists of nine immaculately produced, culturally resonant tracks interlacing Raf’s signature Punjabi sound with the brightest minds in East Coast and NYC rap, taking the listener on an artfully curated journey through his now global steppings.
Tiana Major9 ft. Keyon Harrold – “energy!”
Giving us a sneak peek into what we can expect from their forthcoming debut album November Scorpio, arriving 13th February, Tiana Major9 is back with their latest single “energy!’. Having written and recorded the track in Jamaica alongside producer J.L.L, it’s a groovy jazz-infused song that adds an extra bit of magic from trumpeter Keyon Harrold and production wizard PRGRSHN.
threetwenty – “Say It”
Fast-rising R&B duo threetwenty continue their quietly powerful ascent with “say it”, a deceptively intimate cut that pairs warm, lived-in textures with emotional clarity. Shot in Bangkok, the accompanying visuals mirror the song’s analogue warmth as Ivana and Filip drift through suburban streets, underscoring lyrics that challenge people-pleasing, integrity, and moral compromise.
Master Peace x Declan McKenna – “Fuck It Up”
Showing off a more vulnerable side, “Fuck It Up” is all about embracing your flaws and not being embarrassed by them. The track combines the London artist’s raw, melodic vocals with Declan McKenna’s smoother, groovy sound on a catchy guitar riff for a song that sounds like it would fit right in in the early 2010s.
Ady Suleiman – “Chasing”
Ady Suleiman’s Chasing is a rich, soul-soaked body of work that feels self-assured while leaving room for questions. It oozes neo-soul, jazz, reggae, and hip-hop; the project moves fluidly between genres, anchored by Ady’s introspective songwriting and warm vocal delivery. Standout moments from Kofi Stone and Jah Digga, and finessed production from Miles Clinton James, unveil a deeply personal meditation on love, identity, and mental health — navigating the grit with grace and confidence. The title track leads the way.
SAÜD ft. Bas and The Circle – “Be The Way”
SAÜD’s second single off of his upcoming album, “High Octane”, is a smooth, self-assured reminder of his understated power. Executive produced by Don Cannon, the track is effortless, balancing grounded hip-hop with a reflective edge. Joined by Bas, G Salih and Eaz Da Bully, SAÜD leans into intention and clarity, in the way he does best, letting the song unfold as a quiet affirmation.
Leigh-Anne ft. Valiant & Rvssian – “Most Wanted”
Leigh-Anne kicks off 2026 in full command with “Most Wanted”, an unapologetically fierce new single. Reuniting with Jamaican hitmaker Rvssian and joined by rising star Valiant, the track is a siren-led slow burn where dancehall heat meets sleek-pop-polish, affirming her power.
HAAI x Weirdcore – Absynth 6 Visualiser
On the more left-field, experimental front of music digitalism, Native Instruments and London-based visual maverick Weirdcore have combined to create visuals for the newly released Absynth 6. They have commissioned some of the best avant-garde producers out there to create exclusive music alongside the visualisers. HAAI is first up, and the results are as zany and compelling as you’d expect.
Dirty Blond – “Empty of You”
It’s the heart-wrenching indie ballad that has done the rounds on TikTok, and now, it’s ready for your playlists — Irish-Welsh band Dirty Blond releases their new track “Empty of You”. With a melody that follows the rhythm, ebb and flow of calmed waters, a gentle acoustic guitar running alongside, and orchestral hums, it’s a deeply poetic expression of wanting – maybe needing – love, that is no longer yours for the taking — ouch!
