header image: maya j'an by @stolenbesos
words: echowave hq
you know what time it is!
january rang in the new year with not only fireworks but also a plethora of wonderful new releases. naturally, this had to be reflected in our soundwave spotlight, too – making it our biggest one yet.
from stellar debuts to powerful singles ushering in highly-anticipated project announcements, here are some of our favourite songs that dropped last month.
daniela andrade — i see red
a chic offering from daniela andrade’s forthcoming debut album, oda. ‘i see red’ moves like a free-flowing river – the track’s fractured beats steer it through a masterful lyrical narrative that marries anger and discomfort with an opportunity to understand the reasons behind such feelings.
girl group — superdrug
you can always rely on girl group to deliver fearlessly conceptual storytelling. the liverpool band’s high-octane new single ‘superdrug’ employs sparkly, synth-forward melodies and razor sharp lyrics that criticise doctors who casually push birth control to teens and young women without comprehensive guidance.
“It is something that we have always wanted to write about, as each of us, as well as most women we know, have had terrible experiences with hormonal contraception – most of which occurred before the age of 16,” girl group commented in a press release. “The sentiment of this song is certainly not ‘anti-pill’ and we are wholly aware of how it has benefitted the feminist movement, however we find the freedom with which birth control is given out to young girls and women who have not been made aware of the side effects concerning.”
‘superdrug’ is bold, witty, and satirically humorous – a thrilling taster before girl group’s newly-announced ep, little sticky pictures, drops next month.
maya j’an — cul-de-sac
alt-pop singer-songwriter maya j’an steps into the spotlight with a courageous, subtly percussive debut. “i wrote this as a love letter to my hometown Pasadena and the places of my childhood that disappeared in the LA fires,” she revealed in an instagram post last year. the cathartic ‘cul-de-sac’ is a stellar introduction to a musical powerhouse with a prominent legacy in the making.
zachdoa — pick up
after teasing the track on his socials for a few weeks, aussie storyteller zachdoa has finally put an end to his year-long hiatus with a dynamic new offering. “i was just calling to see if you’d pick up / i heard your voice i ain’t know what to say,” the sydney-based artist sings in the chorus of ‘pick up’ – a fun pop number that paints a vivid picture against the backdrop of snare kicks and meticulously layered production.
bella kay — iloveitiloveitiloveit
“You’re a bad idea / But a real good time,” bella kay admits in ‘iloveitiloveitiloveit’. the highly-nuanced single taps into handpicked guitar melodies and rich vocal distortion to cope with the eternal tug-of-war that catches you off guard when you feel like you love someone but understand they are not right for you all the while.
max allais — wherever you go
poignant, candid, and unapologetically sincere – french-new zealand artist max allais kicked off 2026 with a charming pop anthem for the yearners.
“‘Wherever You Go’ is a song I wrote about the connection you feel with someone, no matter the distance or the things that are going on in your life,” he confessed, saying that he wanted to the song to include “some real moments that happened during a relationship” he had. “what makes this song so special is how naturally it all came together. It feels like a snapshot of real emotion,” allais also added. indeed, ‘wherever you go’ is a track that’s undeniably full of heart – it perfectly sets the tone for allais’s debut ep, anywhere & everywhere, which is set for release in march 13th.
mercedess — affirmations
copenhagen newcomer mercedess wears her heart on her sleeve in ‘affirmations’ – a lyrically straightforward, sonically Trascendental voyage through the singer’s psyche. it finds the danish musician in search of much needed self-assurance, which she seems to successfully track down with each word that she releases into the universe.
jenny on holiday — quicksand heart
jenny on holiday’s debut solo album, quicksand heart, marks a truly exciting chapter in the brit superstar’s career; the ten-track record is a captivating coming-of-age story that’s equal parts gritty and graceful, spearheaded by its title track – a pulsating collection of love declarations and catchy programmed drum sequences.
“i used to get this feeling that everyone had hearts made of different materials – and I felt like mine was a bit defective,” the alt-pop musician opens up. “I feel like my heart and my head are all made from the wrong things. That image is about wanting to be loved, and to love and live as a human does, despite the fact you’re maybe like the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz.”
stella lefty — thinking ’bout you
it didn’t take long for the world to fall in love with stella lefty’s adorable new track – way before it was even released, in fact. like many others, we knew that we’d be simply obsessed with ‘thinkin ’bout you’ as soon as the los angeles-based singer and songwriter first started posting about it on social media.
the twangy, guitar-led single was born out of pure love for music and, most importantly, a deep appreciation of the magic that true friendship is capable of creating.
check out our spotlight playlist xoxo
echowave 