[2026] Great for drives too! A roundup of the latest stylish Western music

HandsupMura Masa

Mura Masa – Handsup (Official Video)

Curve +1 is a four-track EP dropped in October 2025 by Murda Masa, the genius producer from Guernsey, via the independent label Pond Recordings.

Closing out the record, this track is a floor-focused banger that distills the raw energy of rave and electroclash into a minimal framework.

Its ebb and flow—driven by looping handclaps, filtered vocal chops, and a throbbing sub-bass—is engineered precisely for those hands-in-the-air moments in the club.

Directed by The Reids, the music video leaves a strong impression with close-ups of interlacing hands on the dancefloor, emphasizing the intimacy of dance and its tactile quality.

Situated as a direct extension of the previous album Curve 1, which made a bold return to rave aesthetics, this song showcases a new frontier for Murda Masa that prioritizes the body’s immediate reaction on the floor.

I Don’t Speak FrenchRose Gray

Rose Gray – I Don’t Speak French (Official Video)

Singer-songwriter Rose Gray, who honed her club sensibilities on East London dance floors and channels them into razor-sharp pop songs, released her debut album “Louder, Please” in January 2025 and unveiled a new track in October from the deluxe edition, “A Little Louder, Please (Deluxe).” Co-written with Justin Tranter, the song is a dance-pop number that portrays a night where two people who meet in a Paris hotel lobby are drawn to each other across a language barrier.

Set to a four-on-the-floor beat, it conveys an intimate promise—“I have words I speak only for you”—with sleek house textures intertwining exquisitely with a luscious melody.

The music video, featuring Lucas Bravo from the film Emily in Paris, has also generated buzz; its cinematic depiction of nighttime Paris richly expands the world of the song.

CHANELTyla

Tyla – CHANEL (Official Music Video)

South African singer Tyla, who gained worldwide attention with her Grammy-winning hit “Water,” has released a new single in October 2025.

The track masterfully weaves buoyant Amapiano rhythms with melodic R&B lines.

Centered on the theme of “luxury brands as proof of love,” it goes beyond mere materialism to assert a powerful demand that one’s partner recognize her self-worth.

The song is co-produced by Ian Kirkpatrick—known for his work with Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez—and Afrobeats luminary P2J.

Balancing instant dancefloor appeal with a sense of luxury, it stands as a definitive statement of late-2020s world pop.

Deep DivingAfter

After – Deep Diving (Official Music Video)

After is a male-female duo based in Los Angeles.

The two, both born on August 23, 1995, met on a dating app and have been gaining attention for their unique sound that fuses trip-hop with Y2K pop.

Released in June 2025, this track feels like diving underwater, with floating, immersive synths and lo-fi drum loops weaving a dreamlike atmosphere.

The lyrics delve into deep emotions, beautifully harmonizing with a soundscape that reinterprets early-2000s nostalgia through a contemporary lens.

The vocal timbre—reminiscent of Caroline Polachek—is captivating, making this a perfect piece for nighttime drives or quiet introspection.

Body GoMOLIY ft. Tyla

MOLIY ft. Tyla – Body Go (Official Music Video)

This track brings together Ghanaian singer-songwriter Molly and Grammy-winning artist Tyla.

Blending South Africa–born Amapiano with Afrobeats, it’s crafted as a global dance anthem.

Centered on themes of a night out with girlfriends and a sense of liberation, the confident vocals and heavy bassline really stand out.

Released in October 2025, it was produced on the momentum of Molly’s previous hit, “Shake It to the Max (FLY),” which surpassed 1 billion streams.

It’s the perfect song for dancing at the club or turning up the energy at a party with friends.

DesirePuma Blue

Puma Blue – Desire (Official Video)

Puma Blue is the musical project by London-born singer-songwriter Jacob Allen.

Known for blending elements of jazz, soul, and R&B with his own sensibility, his new track released in October 2025 is a distilled embodiment of his sound.

Falsetto vocals—both aching and sweet—intertwine with airy guitar and saxophone, unfolding a sensual soundscape that feels like surrendering to the stillness of the late night.

While introspectively exploring the theme of desire, it maintains a deft balance that never becomes too heavy.

Following 2021’s In Praise of Shadows and 2023’s Holy Waters, this release signals a further evolution in his discography.

It’s the perfect song for unwinding before sleep or for moments of solitary reflection.

chrysalisL’impératrice

L’Impératrice, Louve — chrysalis [Audio Video]

As a leading figure in French disco based in Paris, L’Impératrice has long captivated listeners with exquisite sounds rooted in the golden era of the ’70s and ’80s.

In 2024, vocalist Flore Benguigui departed, and the band welcomed Maud Ferron.

This milestone track, created under the new lineup, was released in October 2025.

Its title means “chrysalis,” and the image of awakening—breaking out of the shell to take flight—runs throughout the piece.

The fusion of a theme symbolizing the band’s rebirth and transformation with a characteristically nu-disco, groovy track makes it a fitting opening to a new chapter.

Starting in November, the band will embark on its first-ever Asia tour, so if you’re into French pop, be sure to check them out.