Habibi — “Nice”

Brooklyn psych-pop band Habibi (which is the Arabic word for “my love”) has released a spirited cover of the song “Nice.” The original was performed by the ‘70s Swiss punk band Kleenex and sung in German, but in the Habibi version we get our lyrics in Farsi. This track is part of Kill Rock Stars’ rolling covers compilation to mark the label’s 30th anniversary. Habibi has contributed three songs to that effort that will also be released as part their own forthcoming EP titled “Nice Try.”

Floating Room — “Shimanchu”

Musician Maya Stoner fronts the band Floating Room. The Portland-based group’s new single “Shimanchu” comes from the “Shima” EP, slated for release on Nov. 12. “When I wrote this song I was following the anti-Asian violence and murders that seemed to be happening every day,” says Stoner, whose lineage traces back to the indigenous Uchinanchu people of Okinawa. Stoner’s lazy vocal swagger plays perfectly against the distorted guitar on “Shimanchu” before abruptly exploding into a cathartic and appropriately outraged primal scream.

Emma Ruth Rundle — “Return”

Oregonian Emma Ruth Rundle has just released a new song called “Return,” the opening track and lead single from her new full-length album “Engine Of Hell” (due out Nov. 5). The song’s beautiful lyrics, soothing vocal performance, and emotive piano create lay the groundwork for an intensely personal listening experience. “An examination of the existential. A fractured poem. Trying to quantify what something is definitely about or pontificating on it’s concrete meaning defeats the purpose of art making. I’m not a writer,” says Rundle of the song. Of note, Rundle directed the haunting music video for the song as well.