Each week, Consequence’s Songs of the Week roundup spotlights quality new tracks from the last seven days and analyzes notable releases. Find our new favorites and more on our Top Songs playlist, and for other great songs from emerging artists, check out our New Sounds playlist. This week, Lady Gaga leans into her most hypnotic persona.
When Lady Gaga teased her seventh studio album with the release of “Disease,” it was clear that she would be using the forthcoming LP, Mayhem, as a return to form of sorts. If that first single was a murmur in the direction of more dance floor hits from the Mother Monster, then her new release, “Abracadabra,” isn’t just further confirmation; it’s a shout from the rooftops.
Lady Gaga is one of the most well-rounded entertainers we have at the moment. She’s an expert songwriter, strong actress, and an undeniably exceptional stage performer. She’s adept across genres, from her pop roots to the country-adjacent moments in A Star Is Born; while Joker: Folie à Deux was a flop, her Harley Quinn-inspired companion album of jazz and Great American Songbook standards almost made it worth it. (Almost.)
What this all comes down to is that Gaga is great at many things, but something special happens when she leans into dark pop, especially when the music plays around with concepts of the occult or taboo. In “Abracadabra,” she goes all in: “The concept is dance, or die,” she proclaims at the start of the music video, which Gaga herself co-directed with Parris Goebel and Bethany Vargas. Throngs of writhing backup dancers, a chanting chorus reminiscent of witchcraft intertwined with Gaga’s own name, lyrics about haunting trances and casting spells, and one perfectly placed feral scream come together like a lightning rod for a new generation of potential Little Monsters.
There’s a tether between the Gaga of 2009 who seduced us with “Bad Romance” and the Gaga of “Abracadabra,” but it doesn’t feel like the acclaimed artist is striving to recreate the magic of the past. Instead, Gaga — 15 years after she burst into the entertainment world with a nearly unrivaled passion for performance — is exploring her first artistic persona through a new, more experienced lens. We know more about Stefani Germanotta these days than ever before, but removing some of the mystique over the past few decades has removed none of her power.
Lady Gaga can arguably do it all — including cast a spell over her willing audience.
— Mary Siroky
Associate Editor
Crate — “Necklace”
New York shoegazers Crate offered quite the impressive debut single with last year’s “Julia,” and they’re keeping up their hot streak with new song “Necklace.” With a bit more unpredictability in the mix, like the strange, off-rhythm metronome tones buried behind the guitars, “Necklace” expands the margins of Crate’s nostalgic sound while placing them in a dynamic grey area — not exactly quiet or lowkey, and not really rambunctious and loud. If anything, “Necklace” proves that the new band have the shoegaze world at their fingertips. — Paolo Ragusa
Deep Sea Diver (feat. Madison Cunningham) — “Let Me Go”
Just weeks away from releasing their full-length Sub Pop debut, Deep Sea Diver have shared the third single from Billboard Heart. To sweeten the deal before it hits the market on February 28th, the group summoned singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham to join forces with in-house vocalist Jessica Dobson on “Let Me Go.” Together, both Los Angeles natives meld their voices and add a distinct glimmer to the instrumentation’s balmy fuzz. — Karan Singh
Deb Never — “This Alive”
The allure surrounding Deb Never has only grown with each of her releases. The Pacific Northwest native hasn’t dropped much material since 2023’s Thank You For Attending, which is why her latest offering perfectly hits the spot. Pulsating over a backdrop of sprawling guitar distortion, the bassline on “This Alive” adds an even darker shade to her shadowy voice and transports it to a spectral dimension. — K. Singh
Dora Jar — “Lucky”
Dora Jar has shared the tender, pared-down “Lucky,” her first release since last year’s excellent debut No Way to Relax When You’re on Fire. Though she sings wistfully of being “lucky,” the blooming sounds beneath her suggest a kind of awesome power; it’s like the goodness she feels is so overwhelming that it’s maybe the scariest thing she’s ever experienced. It’s all done subtly, though, showing once again that Dora Jar is a cut above her singer-songwriter contemporaries. — P. Ragusa
FACS — “Ordinary Voices”
Today, Chicago post-punkers FACS return with their new album, Wish Defense. Notably, it was the last record the late, great Steve Albini engineered — and tracks like “Ordinary Voices” prove what makes him, and the band, so incredible. The composition is sprawling and dynamic, leaning on space and repetition, while the production boasts Albini’s trademark drum sounds and intensity (thanks in part to the production instincts of John Congleton, who stepped in to mix the album after Albini passed). It’s a killer tune off a killer record that does justice to the best of both FACS and Albini. — J. Krueger
Hamilton Leithauser — “Burn the Boats”
On the latest single from his upcoming solo album This Side of the Island, The Walkmen frontman Hamilton Leithauser gets playful and groovy. Overtop of its mid-tempo, dancy instrumental, Leithauser squeezes every ounce of emotional theatrically out of his voice. All the while, unusual, woozy overdubs keep the tone light and breezy, even as he sings about longing for home. — J. Krueger
Maruja — “Aon”
Maruja, one of our emerging artists to watch in 2025, have announced their next creative endeavor, Tír na nÓg, a fully improvised EP split into four new tracks. “Aon,” the project’s opening cut, arrives as the first single. Over the course of its extended runtime, the initial ambiance slowly develops into an intense, dissonant freakout of a jam. It’s the soundtrack to a growing sense of dread, and it’s absolutely captivating. — J. Krueger
Punchlove — “(sublimate)”
There’s an irresistible hypnotism to Punchlove that makes it tough to focus on anything other than their music. The group’s latest single, for instance, almost has a tranquilizing effect that evokes no resistance amid its density. A specimen of noise, “(sublimate)” is further proof of the Brooklyn-based outfit’s proclivity for tasteful disturbance. — K. Singh
Yasiin Bey and The Alchemist — “Kijani”
Hip-hop veterans Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) and The Alchemist have been teasing a collaboration for quite some time now, with the latter having previewed their crossover joint “Kijani” at a number of shows over 2024. Cruising over the piano-centered beat with his trademark lethargy, almost as though he’s singing in his sleep, the New York MC ponders the durability of all things beautiful on this standout track. After teasing the song live in recent months, the track has officially been released today as part of the duo’s debut project, FORENSICS, available exclusively on Bandcamp. — K. Singh