Hot on the MIC 1/18

Hello and welcome to our new series Hot On the MIC!

In this series, MIC members will be highlighting a few tracks they love, breaking down why the songs and the artists behind them are worth your time and why they deserve a spot in your rotation. We can’t promise a strict schedule, but we can promise that every issue will showcase music we’re genuinely excited about.

Like many others, I was absolutely unbearable during Spotify Wrapped this past December. I had the overwhelming urge to post my top songs from 0 to 100, explain why each one ruled, why the artists were geniuses, and why everyone I know needed to listen immediately. Then it hit me: instead of being annoying, I could publish it (which may be even more annoying). So here we are, officially kickstarting MIC’s Hot on the MIC series for 2026.

A goal of mine is for every issue I personally write up to showcase fresh songs that have come out in the past month. This issue’s picks:

Asha Banks is an English actress and singer-songwriter with a killer folk-pop sound. Her new EP, How Real Was It?, is full of gems, and my favorite track has to be Saltwound, though honestly there’s no skips on this EP. Listening to her music feels like stepping into a world full of frolicky energy and sweet, feminine charm, and her voice is gorgina. You know that feeling when you hear a song and immediately think I need to cover this. She is able to make me feel that every time I hear her voice. Her songs are contagious and I can see her career taking off in a big way. Highly recommend checking her out, you’re witnessing the beginning of something truly special.

**“CSIRAC – Effy Remix”** by *Ninajirachi, Effy*

Crazy genre switch up, I know. Like many others, I’ve recently discovered Ninajirachi. She’s an Australian electronic DJ and producer who’s currently touring off the release of her debut album I Love My Computer. I tried to grab tickets for her DC show at ClubGlow’s Soundcheck, a 300-cap venue, and resale tickets were hovering at around $200. The takeaway is clear: the girl has blown up.

Like much of Ninajirachi’s discography “CSIRAC” feels like live video game music with electric surprises that make you want to get up and move. Effy’s remix, meanwhile, smooths out the edges and layers in more emotional depth, giving the track a mellow, almost introspective vibe. But whether you stick with the original or the remix, both versions are impossible to sit still through.

Arlo Parks is gearing up to release her new album, Ambiguous Desire, on April 3, and she’s kicked things off with the lead single “2SIDED.” The track is a soft pop, romantic moment and it instantly got me excited for what the full project might sound like.

“2SIDED” was produced in collaboration with Baird, who’s worked with artists like BROCKHAMPTON and Kevin Abstract, which says a lot about the direction Arlo is heading in. Definitely give it a listen.

It’s true. Over winter break, I threw a Heated Rivalry watch party with themed drinks and full commitment from the guests. People dressed up. We had an Alexander Ovechkin jersey, and we even had a coordinated pair, one shirt reading “gay,” the other “sex.” The energy was undeniable.

There is no denying that this show is beautiful. I found myself in endless debates about the dialogue and the chemistry, but regardless of where those conversations landed, everyone agreed on one thing: the cinematography and music direction were exceptional. Peter Peter understood the assignment.

When I listen to this song, I am immediately taken back to one of the best times of my life, watching Heated Rivalry for the first time, surrounded by people who cared just as deeply. The original score leans into a techno trance sound that fits the show’s emotional world perfectly. “It’s You” stands out as a romantic, beautiful track that gives the series its emotional core.

Weekly Gems 2/18