Bop Shop: Songs From Alex G, Hemlocke Springs, Enisa, And More

The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?

Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business.

Alex G’s cover of “All You Wanted,” a key Michelle Branch track from her seminal 2001 debut The Spirit Room, pulls more from Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” than anything that could conceivably be called radio-friendly pop-rock. That’s the charm of Alex G. His work doesn’t necessarily mean to bury prettiness in favor of an eerie sheen; that simply happens naturally. He opts for the hard route, emphasizing the sharp corners of this typically bright song. And throughout God Save the Animals (one of the best albums of the year), he’s never more at home than when he’s reckoning with the difference between ugliness itself and how, from another angle, the grime looks positively beautiful. —Patrick Hosken

Hemlocke Springs has skyrocketed on several social-media platforms for this synthpop bop, and it’s only the start! Springs’s hit is all about being a “novia” this November, as cuffing season has officially commenced, but she challenges the role and the one who seeks to put her in it. What knocks the song out of the park is its infectious and inciting bridge – the already pumped-up momentum is further amplified by an alternating vocal scale, and somehow this effect has reinvigorated my ‘80s obsession. To answer the question posed in her lyrics, Springs has certainly created “a rhythm that exceeds my expectations.” —Gwyn Cutler

While I might consider myself an ambivert who gets energy from both socialization and solitude, DIY auteur Ade uses ambiversion as a metaphor for spectacles and superficiality within the current internet landscape. One such example he vocalizes is of slacktivists “taggin’ pictures at the demonstration.” And there are the implied pressures of conforming into the superficiality despite wanting both connection and being authentic, thus leading to doubt and confusion. “And maybe I’m a waste of time / All I ever wanted was to stay inside with you / Move to California like a lot of my friends do,” he vocalizes, referencing the state where most aspiring influencers end up. “But I just draw a blank sometimes / Blowin’ all the money on a mango-flavored Juul.” Pop-punk electric guitar chords intensify his anxiety and overwhelming thoughts. With a bizarre music video accompanied by electronic synth sounds straight from the bedroom keyboard, you’ll get lost in a colorful trip to space and a million little stars in retrograde with this bop. —Athena Serrano

Contemporary mastermind Yves Tumor has released a striking single with a buzzing bassline and a beat based on gasping breath. “God Is a Circle” details the artist’s cyclical reliance on romance and religion, both of which abandoned them, to withstand the cruelty of the world. Silence is the only solace left they seek. Yves Tumor represents this loss of hope in an engrossing and experimental dystopia of delicious sacrilege: “Sometimes it feels like / There’s places in my mind that I can’t go / There’s people in my life I still don’t know, yeah / Wander ’round, I just feel like a ghost in a well.” —Gwyn Cutler

It takes precise skill and a discerning ear to recreate a song built primarily from samples. Grace Cummings is up for the challenge, assembling Fatboy Slim’s 1999 big beat staple “Praise You” from the ground up with live instrumentation and a powerful vocal performance that does justice to Camille Yarbrough’s original. The new take could’ve been a fun curio; Cummings and her band make it a dazzling showcase of musical prowess. —Patrick Hosken

The bad news first: “Vibes,” as a descriptor, is over. But the good news? “Vibes,” conceptually,  are still very much enjoying a golden era — never more emphatically than on this hazy gem from Los Angeles duo Lannds. Rania Woodard and Brian Squillace create a world in motion, yet the misty vocals provide a constant, even amid all the sonic fog. This song sounds just at home in 2022 as it would’ve in 2009. Meet the new chillwave boss, same as the old chillwave boss. —Patrick Hosken

You will be lured into a challenge to defrost Enisa’s icy heart, and she will drive you crazy with this captivating, flirty track. “Come, go ahead and try / Baby, you’ll never be my type,” she sings. “One thing you’ll get tonight is just a little kiss goodbye.” Infused with musical elements from her Albanian heritage, as well as influences from traditional Turkish instruments, the Brooklyn pop-R&B singer brings upbeat rhythms to dance, flirt, and sway your hips to. Enjoy at a wedding or any party. Muah! —Athena Serrano

Sipho., another signee of the U.K. label Dirty Hit, is rising to fame faster than his flawless riffs from low to high notes. His latest single delineates fleeting sensation and tender commitment – how he wants both in his grasp but acknowledges its impossibility. It’s the type of tune you’ll find yourself singing and nodding along to more and more intensely as it escalates. It’s got that echoing, atmospheric sound that elevates the emotional experience embedded in his isolating lyrics and impressive vocals. The synthesis of string instrumentals at its conclusion had me covered in goosebumps. —Gwyn Cutler

Alexa Cappelli has had enough of toxic friendships. Her latest single molds all her frustrated feelings and emotional exhaustion into an expeditious alt-pop anthem. “Here we go again, thinking when will this end?” she sings on the chorus. “Wish I knew / You say you love me but then criticize my evеry move / You can’t be happy for anyone, no, not еven you / I can’t win, I can’t move, I just can’t.” After experiencing a friendship breakup, the pop singer shared in a release that writing the song “helped me process and validate myself after consistently validating this person for years, only to still be blamed for their problems and sadness.” This song will help you feel less alone if you are grieving over losing a good friend. —Athena Serrano