With the temperatures finally dropping and fall coming in full swing, there is nothing like some brand new music releases to keep you going through the year. With many rising artists releasing new music, this month has been a fantastic one with plenty songs to listen to on a chilly night by the fire.

“Suncity” – Khalid

On Oct. 19, recent R&B star Khalid released his second collection of songs with his new EP “Suncity.” Following the release of his first album “American Teen,” the 20-year-old out of Texas reached almost instant stardom.

Khalid has been widely popular with fans of all genres due to his calm voice paired with mellow, bass-heavy beats. This combination creates a relaxing overall tone in his music that many fans love. His newest album, much like his previous ones, uses the same formula but manages to create seven songs that each stand apart from the others.

With the song “Vertigo,” Khalid demonstrates his powerful voice and wide vocal range. Using both electronic beats and string instruments in the background, this song is one of the best on the album. Though “Suncity” uses a very similar style to much of Khalid’s earlier music, this new EP will be great for fall.

“BALLADS 1” – Joji

On the last weekend of October, Joji released his sophomore album, “BALLADS 1.” This twelve-song compilation is not only his second full-length album ever but also his second album of 2018. This year has been a busy one for this rising star with two albums and five singles already released.

Joji is one of the many up-and-coming artists experimenting in a new genre of music. This genre, a mix of alternative and pop, is part of a new wave of music that sounds like pop music, but also incorporates elements of R&B, rap and electronic music. Joji, also known as George Miller, did not start out as a music artist. In the late 2000’s to mid-2010’s, Miller was a Youtube star under the name “Filthy Frank.” However, he recently made the full transition from a crude-humor youtuber to a soft, emotional singer and producer.

Much like Joji’s previous music, “BALLADS 1” uses a trap style beat with a melancholic melody, all with Joji’s soft, echoing, and soulful voice. Many of the songs such as “Slow Dancing in the Dark” utilize this style to create a smooth, calm, and sad yet beautiful-sounding song. The entire album has a very sad overall tone, almost to the point of being dark. The songs “Yeah Right” and “R.I.P” show the melancholy side of Joji’s music, as the slow beat and sad mumbled lyrics create two great songs to cry to.

“Tints” (feat. Kendrick Lamar) – Anderson .paak (explicit)

In early October, R&B artist Anderson .paak released “Tints,” his third single of 2018. These three singles are his first releases since his two albums in 2016. Though the star has only seen mediocre success through his four years in releasing music, he is hoping to change that with this newest single.

Anderson .paak’s style blends many genres together to create an upbeat and happy overall tone. In this single, as well as his earlier releases, he mixes R&B music and lyrics with an almost funk background beat. This original style is what is separating .paak from the rest of the R&B world.

This newest single starts, like many of .paak’s earlier works, with a funky, groovy beat before .paak takes the first verse. His distinct voice combined with smooth piano and happy melodies drives the song from the very beginning. After the first verse and chorus, Grammy-winning rap artist Kendrick Lamar takes the helm. Kendrick’s rapped verse is a nice change of pace from .paak’s singing verse as it makes the song sound not as repetitive. With these two talented artists collaborating, it makes sense that “Tints” would be as good as it is.

The music of October has given us several great songs and albums to listen to this fall. With more and more albums being announced for release this fall and early winter, the end of 2018 could prove to be better than the beginning.