A fierce hip-hop score, an easy-going jazz number, and a leftfield pop concoction form the core of tracks we’ve spotlighted from music released in May 2026.
khokkosh – ‘freeuse .org’
Kolkata-based independent musician and sound artist Yashomati Parveen, who operates under the moniker khokkosh, cast out her latest single, ‘freeuse .org.’ It leads the tracklist of her impending debut album, ‘Public Fluid and Digital Remembrance,’ and according to the artist, it “speaks of desires of release, exploring life and death through the act of self-pleasure and self-harm.”
‘freeuse .org’ swells up an alternative electronica theme, sitting comfortably at the intersection of noise music and fluid experimental textures. Guided by khokkosh’s silken voice, the single is cobbled together with coarse synths, bleak key stretches, and ripples of distorted sounds.
Find khokkosh on Spotify | Instagram
croonish – ‘Ehsaan’
Leaping ahead from his 2025 single, ‘Ghar,’ singer-songwriter croonish unshackled his latest Hindi-language single, titled ‘Ehsaan.’ It is stitched together with plucky acoustic guitar and gloomy string sections and builds to a steamy, intense crescendo with echoing drums and booming production.
As per croonish, “the idea behind the song talks about the favours of life. It further talks about how life is unfair sometimes to so many people, as the issues rooted in capitalism.”
Find croonish on Spotify | Instagram
Mikaela Cougar – ‘Still Mine’
Laying the road to Auckland-based pop rock musician Mikaela Cougar’s upcoming EP is the evocative new single, ‘Still Mine.’ Mikaela’s silky vocals break into the song as strokes of guitar, steady drum work and a swirly synth masterfully mask the daunting lyrics with its pop-leaning tonality. ‘Still Mine’ explores the aftermath of a relationship unwinding and the emotional relapse that comes with it.
“This track is about those moments after a breakup where you think you’ve finally moved on, but then all of a sudden you find yourself back on your bedroom floor writing a song about it,” said Mikaela in a press release.
‘Still Mine’ follows the hit singles ‘The brain song’ and ‘Pity Party’ from the impending EP. This would mark Mikaela’s third EP to date, with ‘Lucky Stars’ (2020) and ‘Streets Of My Mind’ (2024) already in her roster.
Find Mikaela Cougar on Instagram | Spotify
Maanuni – ‘Love Again’
Multi-talented singer-songwriter Maanuni drummed up ‘Love Again,’ her newest offering, pleasingly sealed with a breezy indie-pop sound and easy-going R&B vibe.
Listeners can effortlessly follow the beat and snap their fingers to its rhythm, which is crafted with sequences of picky guitars, warm synths, and a groovy chill-pop motif. Maanuni delivers a flawless vocal performance over the production, which, according to the songwriter, “captures the journey of rediscovering trust, softness, and inner strength.”
“This song has been a really important step for me into a soundscape and style of storytelling that feels the most honest and authentic to who I am as an artist. Somewhere between breaking and rebuilding, softness and strength,” Maanuni said about the release.
Find Maanuni Desai on Spotify | Instagram
DHP – ‘Ride’
Bengaluru-based wordsmith, DHP, fired out ‘Ride,’ a stunning hip-hop track forged with grit and delivered with a cinematic feel. Released via hip-hop frontrunners Azadi Records, the track is anchored by a by shor9’s bass-led production, which houses DHP’s vicious rap delivery.
Its music video, directed by Anush Surya Kuma, is set in monochrome and offers a tantalizing spectacle of lights, slow choreography, smooth transitions, and body movement to create an entrancing visual experience.
Find DHP on Spotify | Instagram
Anchal & KIMKID ft. DeepC – ‘Remember December’
Singer-songwriter Arjun Mukherjee, aka KIMKID, reeled in the vocal talent of singer Anchal Sethi to shape a sublime jazz outing titled ‘Remember December.’ It soothingly takes you back to the calm and celebratory month of December and pins a debut release for the classically trained Anchal Sethi.
Penned by KIMKID, Anchal’s dulcet vocals shine through airy guitar strokes, brushed percussion from DeepC, and steady bass tugs courtesy of Vedanta Razz. According to KIMKID, “The song is a memory of a lonely holiday. A holiday spent alone, far from family and friends, and nowhere to be to feel the joy of a commune. It expresses the absence of a sense of belonging during a festive season.”
Find Anchal on Spotify | Instagram || Find KIMKID on Spotify | Instagram
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