Release Radar: October 2022
At the end of each month, Afterglow presents a staff-picked list of new albums and singles that left a lasting impression on our ears.
Written by Afterglow Staffers
Here are our favorite albums and singles released during October 2022. For more reviews of recent releases, check out our album review page!
Photos courtesy of Colectivo Multipolar, Leigh Ann Rogers, and Aaron Sinclair
Shiny Singles We Loved This Month:
“quiero que seas tú <3” by Carols Unger and Karina Galicia
To call this moody collaboration between Carlos Unger and Karina Galicia alluring is an understatement. Unger’s raspy vocals harmonize seamlessly with Galicia’s velvet cadence alongside sultry electric guitars that close the track with a moody solo.
“Not The One” by Zöelle
Zöelle’s lush vocals sugarcoat the fact that she’s breaking your heart in her latest single, “Not The One.” Amid a captivating rhythm, the singer-songwriter switches between English and Spanish as she warns her lover that she’s wrong for them.
“El Club” by RENEE
Rising starlet RENEE encourages you to party your worries away with “El Club.” The pop-rock track will instantly transport listeners to the early 2000s with its heavy electric shreds and layered vocals.
“You’re Nobody” by Loyal Lobos
Colombian-American singer-songwriter Loyal Lobos proves herself to be a relatable pop songstress in “You’re Nobody.” Synth beats accompanied by drums and guitar complement her angsty vocals that connote her frustration with someone who refuses to let her go. With the confident, demeaning lyric, “Don’t start with me / So fucking dumb,” Loyal Lobos fits right into the Gen-Z pop genre.
“Perreo Maldito” by Six Sex
The neo-perreo queen delivers a tantalizing single on the most important matters in life: el meneo and el perreo. Bragging about her “perreo maldito” (“damn twerk”), Six Sex recounts a steamy encounter at the club over a catchy beat driven by a sitar-like synth.
“Mi manera de querer” by Natalia Lafourcade
The genre-bending Mexican singer-songwriter is back with a jazzy single from her latest record, De Todas Las Flores. She sings cryptically queer lines like “No me importa si eres hombre o si eres mujer / Yo te veo como un ser de luz de cabeza a los pies” (“I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman / I see you as a being of light from head to toe”) over a sultry piano and electric guitar line in the chorus, making for a soon-to-be Hispanic queerbait classic.
“Stressed” by Doechii
A bulk of queer rapper Doechii’s discography was built this year, with her most recent release being “Stressed.” The calm, yet buzzy track is an honest inner monologue that alternates between destructive and prideful self-talk with smooth flows and spit-fire raps.
“Noble Metals” by Adrian Quesada
Listening to “Noble Metals,” the latest release from Texas native Adrian Quesada, feels like looking into a kaleidoscope: all color and shape. Mellow guitars, ephemeral as bubbles, float around the track, while the carefree beat bounces along. This song is essential for those late-night dorm conversations, when your roomie’s face is hazy and half-hidden behind a cloud of smoke.
Shout at the Hetero by Middle-Aged Queers
Image courtesy of Middle-Aged Queers
As the self-described queercore supergroup “on a mission to make punk gay again,” Middle-Aged Queers does exactly that with Shout at the Hetero — and much more. Recorded during the pandemic, the album is the band members’ cathartic release from the chaos of COVID-19, covering everything from TERFs (“Terf’s Up”) to Grindr body standards (“Size Queen”) with equal rage and wit. But fast-paced opener “London Breed My Hole” switches up this political tone with its sardonic subject matter. It carries the tongue-in-cheek energy of queercore classics like “Smells Like Queer Spirit” and “F-getarian and D-ke,” as vocalist Shaun Osburn describes all the ways he’d like his anus to be treated: “Make it shine / Make it clean / Scrubbin’ it clean.” The band matches this energy in the standout “Satanic Mills,” wherein Osburn screams, “Go back to the ‘90s, f-ggot!” before a sea of gritty guitars envelopes him. The track’s accompanying music video contrasts its angsty anti-capitalist lyrics with concert footage to “spread [the band’s] queercore gospel to the masses … in the midst of the apocalypse.” All in all, the unrelenting energy and introspective lyrics of Shout at the Hetero prove a pandemic can’t keep a good queer down — or in the case of Middle-Aged Queers, a whole supergroup of them. — C.S. Harper
Femme Fatale by Miranda Santizo
Image courtesy of Live on Video Producciones S.A. de C.V.
Starlet Miranda Santizo doesn’t hold back in her energetic debut album, Femme Fatale. She kicks off the record with the groovy “Bla Bla Bla,” where ultrapop melodies complete the powerhouse dance track. This is followed by a stunning collaboration with Alaíde in “Nunca Es Tarde.” The gem showcases the duo’s vocals seamless harmonies as they effortlessly drift along resonant basslines and punchy beats. Next is “LSNC,” a funk-inspired track that features bass-driven beats and distorted synths that complement Santizo’s brazen voice as she relentlessly sings, “Sé qué dicen tus cartas / Soy tu futuro y soy tu karma / Lo siento, no es cierto” (“I know what your letters say / I am your future and I am your karma / I’m sorry, it’s not true”). The singer slows down the pace in “Quédame,” with mellow instrumentals and wavering electric guitars, but quickly picks it back up with “Capricho.” The fast-paced vignette emulates a ‘70s-esque flare with its vibrant rhythm, sharp guitar flicks, and wavering violin samples. In title track “Femme Fatale,” Santizo’s lush vocals pair nicely with a dreamy arrangement of synths and keys. The album closes with an acoustic rendition of “Quédame,” bringing a soft close to the contrastingly animated album. — Miranda Garza
Support Miranda Santizo on Spotify and Soundcloud.
Cyclorama by Ariel Zetina
Image courtesy of Dylan Bragassa
Breaking through the white male domination in electronic music, Hispanic DJ Ariel Zetina makes her mark with debut Cyclorama. The album's title references a large curtain that makes up the background of the stage. It picks up those theatrical influences with sounds resembling light movements, phasers swirling, and video game-esque quips. The 8-track album is mostly instrumental, but its lyrics focus on Zetina's journey as a trans woman of color. Debut single "Have You Ever" discusses the fear cis men feel about their attraction to trans women, poignantly posing the question, "Have you ever been with a girl like me before?" While most of the album is sonically light and airy, the Chicago-based producer deviates darker on “Slab of Meat,” where a deep, pulsing beat couples with lyrics that express feelings of abandonment and invisibility. Overall, this long-awaited debut from the established DJ dives into the journey of trans women everywhere, but could also be the next soundtrack to your Saturday night out. — Olivia Abercrombie
Love Me Forever by Pinkshift
Image courtesy of Hopeless Records
Two years after the success of their first single “i’m gonna tell my therapist on you,” Baltimore punk trio Pinkshift wins the hearts of listeners with their explosive debut album, Love Me Forever. The influences of ‘90s grunge and aughties alternative shine through the band’s dark lyrics and danceable melodies, walking the line between these sounds and ending up in the midst of a mosh pit. Lead single “nothing (in my head)” juxtaposes feelings of numbness with energetic guitar and pop-punk percussion, as does album opener “i’m not crying you’re crying,” which is as anthemic as it is angsty. Pinkshift’s heavier influences are heard in the grungy riffs of “BURN THE WITCH” and a brief breakdown on “let me drown,” but the vulnerable piano ballad “in a breath” proves the album’s softest moments are just as impactful as the hardcore ones. Love Me Forever is a fantastic debut for Pinkshift and a potential punk classic in the making. — Audrey Vieira
Amor Hardcore by Isabella Lovestory
Image courtesy of Isabella Lovestory
Already having accrued several millions of streams and a spot on a Netflix-curated playlist, Isabella Lovestory has quickly become an artist to watch in neo-perreo. But with her debut album, the queer Honduran singer proves she’s more than just a viral playlist feature — she’s an inimitable artist in her own right. In hit single “Cherry Bomb,” the Latin-futuristic femme fatale seduces a woman while out dancing. Over a mid-tempo reggaeton beat, she recounts how her lips are “Juicy como cherry bomb” (“Juicy like a cherry bomb”). While the club is Lovestory’s domain, she takes to the runway with “Fashion Freak.” Over a beeping synth line, she hypes herself up with the mantra “Ella es una bad bitch, super chic” (“She is a bad bitch, super chic”). In trademark Isabella Lovestory style, the track’s accompanying music video showcases her immaculate taste in rave fashion with throwback Y2K aesthetics. But despite Lovestory’s campy panache, she doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight with other artists. She enlists the help of femme neo-perreo legend Ms. Nina in the catty “Gateo,” where the pair describes getting down and dirty like a frisky feline: “Mami, gatéame!” (“Seduce me!”). Lovestory also doesn’t shy away from spotlighting smaller artists: in “Tacon,” she recruits glitch reggaeton artists Six Sense, Meth Math, and OH!DULCEARi, to create an authentic, hyperpop-influenced sound. With the musical versatility and catchy beats of Amor Hardcore, Isabella Lovestory establishes herself as the rising reina of neo-perreo. — C.S. Harper