When I made my way to the subway, scarf around my neck and umbrella in one hand, I had to pause for a moment and acknowledge that summer is truly over. Climate change had been stringing us along with some picturesque late summer days, spent browsing the Maybachufer flea market or watching the sunset from Viktoriapark, but meanwhile the cold started creeping up our sleeves and the days became shorter. This change in seasons calls for the right soundtrack to go along with it. Something a little bit more mellow than Midnight Sun summer that captures the smooth feeling of transition and nostalgia that autumn carries. Songs that feel like rays of sunlight seeping through withering leaves or soft rain against the window while you curl up in each other’s arms. I’ve collected my favorite new releases from artists whose music moves between alternative R&B, soul, hip-hop, and bedroom pop. Still niche enough to put on your crush’s playlist and let them know you have distinct taste, but with music so good that I’m certain it won’t stay this way for much longer.
Avara—why do women jump in the fire
I first came across Avara on Instagram, where she was promoting her song “yasmeen” with a dance video titled “apparently r&b needed desi sapphics”. Dance? Sapphics? Say no more. I went ahead, watched the full music video, and was left in awe by Avara’s angelic voice, the gorgeous styling, and tender choreography. why do women jump in the fire is Avara’s first album after the 2025 EP, a softer place to land, which included the singer’s viral hit “Paradigm”. Raised on classical Indian melodies and R&B playlists, Avara weaves sitar-inspired textures with soulful vocal runs and creates music that resonates beyond the diaspora. “I want to build bridges, not box offices”, she says. While her look and sound are on par with the big pop girlies of the music industry, Avara’s in no rush and celebrates every milestone of her journey. Directing and editing her own videos, training for months to master choreography and dedicating songs to family members—there’s an honesty and vulnerability that makes Avara’s artistry truly special to witness. About her debut album, she writes: “Every song on this album is a different spell, each carrying its own kind of magic.”
Love Spells—LOVE IS THE LAW
This one’s for all the lover boys, girls, and they/thems out there. Love Spell’s debut album LOVE IS THE LAW is the soundtrack for cuffing season, for falling in and out of love. An introduction to the Houston-born artist’s dreamy world, the album blends alternative pop textures with ethereal vocals and shoegaze elements. “It’s just like a grand declaration; it’s in your face.” Love Spells explains in an interview. “The album name is literally what it means. It’s nothing to hide, and it’s almost something I want to declare as I continue to make music.” At the same time, the album is a love letter to Texas, a place that will always contain a piece of the artist’s soul. Songs like “Keep It To Yourself” and “Crutch” carry that country-esque charm; there’s some harmonica, pedal steel, and that overall feeling of Americana. It takes you straight to the 80s even if you were born much later, and there’s no AI involved. What inspires Love Spells most is the idea of making music that holds memories for others, music that becomes the soundtrack to their lives. “You’ll be 60 years old, and you’ll be like, oh, I remember listening to this song with my wife.”
Alewya—Zero
Even though Alewya has been releasing music since 2020, this year’s Zero marks her debut album. Born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Sudan by Ethiopian and Egyptian parents, Alewya’s sound is heavily influenced by her Arab and African roots, mixed with the energy of London, the city that raised her. Nothing captures that feeling of blurry city lights through a car window better than her song “Night Drive,” featuring Ethiopian artist Dagmawit Ameha. Or “Eshi,” a song about reincarnation, whose gentle gospel sounds remind us that after winter, spring will come again. Alewya’s music defies easy categorization but instead flows freely between tempo, mood, and meaning. Zero takes us into a world that feels unknown but like home at the same time, reflecting the artist’s fascination with philosophy and spirituality. “I made a creative bible around ZERO, trying to figure out its visual language,” Alewya says about the album. “I broke it down into five DNA strands: roots, instinct, space, deconstruction, and feminine assertion.”
EPHRAIM—Radiant Reflections
If you’re looking for that 90s rom-com, strolling-through-Central-Park-during-golden-hour feeling, Ephraim’s Radiant Reflections is the perfect album for you. A friend of mine who has a knack for discovering great music on YouTube showed me his song “Anyway,” and its catchy bassline immediately got me hooked. Heavily inspired by artists like Brandy, Michael Jackson, and Imogen Heap, Ephraim’s music reflects his love for 2000s R&B and pop music. With velvety harmonies, riffs, bouncy basslines, and melodic beats, Ephraim creates his very own sound that’s nostalgic and modern at the same time. On social media, the singer, dancer, and producer takes his audience along the process of creating R&B from scratch with videos like “bring back songs where the artist sings the melody of the instrument” or breakdowns of beats he’s created on BandLab. And even his visuals are carefully thought out. For every album, Ephraim uses a different camera to create a specific aesthetic. Radiant Reflections was fully captured on a Lumix Panasonic G7. “Alone” is my fave music video I’ve ever made,” the artist shares on his website. If the autumn blues are getting to you, I recommend putting on the song “Ecstatic,” and you’ll see the world in a different light.
Mekdes—The Boy I Am
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve listened to the live version of Mekdes’ “The Boy I Am,” which gives me chills with the beauty of his voice and the vulnerability of the song. The Danish-Ethiopian singer wrote the song about realizing his trans experience, not knowing if he would ever share it, but since its upload, it has resonated with a great number of people online. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, Mekdes has been nominated for several awards in the Danish music industry, with “The Boy I Am” being his debut album. Personally, I’m a huge fan of anything live and acoustic, so I would recommend letting yourself be soothed by his voice and guitar in the forest, by the lake, or in the car on Instagram. The songs on his album tell the stories of a young person growing into their true self, of learning how to love and how to live. They come straight from the heart, which is precisely what makes Mekdes stand out.
