As March comes to an end, WLUW would like to appreciate the artists that helped us get through the cold Chicago weather. This month’s releases did not disappoint us music junkies. Wether you are dancing to Charli XCX or crying to Aldous Harding’s folk melodies, WLUW has got you covered.

Strawberry – Caroline Loveglow

100% Electronica signee Caroline Loveglow meets listeners at the intersection of dream-pop and chillwave with her debut album Strawberry. Loveglow’s smooth vocals dance in and out of lush synths and light keys as gentle but bouncy vaporwave-like drum tracks carry listeners through reverb-laden guitar notes. Strawberry will surely carry you into ethereal bliss. – Makenzie Creden

Warm Chris – Aldous Harding

Like her earlier releases, Aldous Harding’s fourth release (her first signed to 4AD) is lonely, playful, and introspective. Harding largely sticks to sparse, psychedelic folk on this album, though it also contains some of her catchiest melodies and most interesting experimentation. Harding’s excellent lyrics and clever songwriting will likely provoke questions. – Mark Monette

PAINLESS – Nilüfer Yanya

The soulful Indie pop artist, Nilüfer Yanya, has released her third album within the span of four years. An essential artist to the indie scene, Yanya has brought an album filled with self reflective lyrics and immaculate instrumental detail.The echoes of Yanya’s guitar on songs like “Midnight Sun” are Radiohead-esque, with moody descending and ascending of chords. The brit singer-songwriter’s album sonically paints a story of heartbreak, numbness, and rejection, yet it is done light and effortlessly through the beauty of her voice. – Jess Dominguez 

Tell Me That It’s Over – Wallows

It’s finally here! After the release of their single, “I Don’t Want to Talk” last year, Wallows has brought their A-game to their sophomore album, Tell Me That It’s Over. It’s a wonderful feeling of home whenever Wallows comes out with new music, combining nostalgic sounds with the familiar musicality and vocals of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston. The album has a different energy from their first album Nothing Happens, trading out that prevalent young adult angst for forward facing growth and love. Somehow, Wallows were able to create a new sounding album while retaining their consistent indie pop charm. It couldn’t have come at a better time, as Chicago starts finally warming up and mother nature brings that hopeful feeling of Spring. Favorite songs off the album include “Hurts Me” which has some 80’s instrumental influence, and the bouncy dance in your room, “I Don’t Want to Talk.” –Josie Stahler

R Entertainment – Sports Team

Sports Team always knows when to make a comeback. During those cold months that make us feel as if we drudge through each day, Sports Team comes knocking down our door with a rocking single to wake us out of our stupor. “R Entertainment” is the first single in preparation for their upcoming album, Gulp, and it does not disappoint. Lead vocalist Alex Rice throws his tough yelling vocals into the ring of hard hitting instrumentals. It’s a song that makes you ride a wave, speeding up and slowing down just to keep us on our toes. It’s a great star to their summer release in July. –Josie Stahler

Crash – Charli XCX

Crash is Charli XCX’s explosive foray into mainstream pop, and she hits the nail on the head with her 80s inspired tracks such as title track Crash and Lightning. Coming from an artist that has been praised for being on the cutting edge of pop for many years, with this album she embraces the genre wholeheartedly, slightly turning away from the style of her previous projects, which fell much more into dance-pop and electronic categories. In interviews she has expressed the desire to do an album like this for a long time, but the pandemic unfortunately delayed this project. However, this did not stop her from releasing her previous full length album in the meantime, how i’m feeling now. I love Crash because she addresses a lot of different types of relationships in her lyrics, all the while demonstrating her talent for songwriting and production. Go listen to Crash and soon enough it’ll be on constant repeat, just like it is for me. -Clara Copps