It feels like summer is slipping through our fingers faster than a melting popsicle, and while 2025 might be lacking an official “song of the summer,” that doesn’t mean your playlists have to suffer. In this week’s instalment of What’s Going On, we’ve got five fresh new tracks ready to bring the heat, boost your mood, and keep the vibe alive until the season’s last golden sunset. As always, if you dig what you hear, be sure to stream and follow these artists.
Weakened Friends – We’ve featured indie rockers Weakened Friends on What’s Going On before. The trio is back with “NPC,” the latest preview of their album Feels Like Hell, due out October 10 via Don Giovanni. The track features a mind-melting Buckethead solo that shreds like a computer crash. Inspired by simulation theory, the track toys with the idea that our lives might be pre-programmed, blurring free will and fate. Sonia Sturino’s defiant vocals cut through the existential haze, offering raw, spirited resistance in a world teetering on apathy.
Listen to Weakened Friends’ new single “NPC” featuring Buckethead below.
Winona Fighter – Nashville-based rockers Winona Fighter put their own fiery stamp on a classic with their new acoustic cover of Violent Femmes’ “Blister In The Sun,” out now via Rise Records. Frontwoman Coco Kinnon channels the original’s jangly charm while injecting high harmonies, sharp edges, and a last-minute rocket-fueled tempo shift that sends it soaring. Even Violent Femmes’ Brian Ritchie gave it his thumbs up and stamp of approval, praising the cover’s energy and gender-fluid spirit. The track appears on the upcoming My Apologies To The Chef deluxe edition, out September 5, alongside acoustic reworks, a Beastie Boys cover, and more.
Listen to Winona Fighter’s cover of “Blister In The Sun” below.
JayWood – Montreal-based queer artist and self-described astrology fiend Jeremy Haywood-Smith aka JayWood is stepping into his boldest era yet with LEO NEGRO, out September 5 via Captured Tracks. Blending playful experimentation with vulnerable self-exploration, the album spins through identity, memory, and the myth of “black confidence.” Pretty deep stuff. His new single “PISTACHIOS” captures that balance perfectly, pairing childhood bravado with grown-up self-awareness. This track and previous singles “ASSUMPTIONS,” “SUN BABY,” “UNTITLED (Swirl),” and “BIG TINGS” with Tune-Yards prove JayWood’s genre-fluid vision is sharper, braver, and so needed. Way cool, right?
Listen to JayWood’s new single “PISTACHIOS” below.
dying in designer – Alt-rock sensation dying in designer is out now with “Endgame,” a brutal, nu-metal-seque gut punch diving into emotional collapse, toxic love, and rebirth. The third single in his darker new era, it’s a raw detonation of gritty guitars and cathartic vocals, paired with a visually intense music video. Written amid a breakup’s wreckage, Rob O’Brien turns pain into unrestrained sonic chaos, pushing listeners deeper into the interconnected world of his new animated series.
Listen to dying in designer’s new single “Endgame” below.
3OH!3 – We’re in the dog days of summer, and 3OH!3 are keeping the good vibes going with their latest single “SLUSHIE” and its nostalgic new music video. Directed by Cole Santiago and shot on an old cassette camera, the clip captures the chaotic joy of aimless days with friends, frozen treats, and unexpected adventures. Even accidental found footage makes the cut, adding to its authenticity. If you’re like me and you remember the guys from their days collaborating with Katy Perry, you can catch 3OH!3 on the road this summer with Simple Plan, Bowling For Soup, and LØLØ.
Watch 3OH!3’s new music video for “SLUSHIE” below.
