Station Breaks: The Best New Songs From NPR Music Stations

NPR Music's Station Breaks is all about new discoveries, so if you're looking for a truly original set of music off the mainstream radio dial, you've found it. August's selection of tracks has something for everyone: ambient, funk, jazz, acoustic and more.

Just watch the diverse creative visions displayed in these music videos. Dhani Harrison's "Motorways (Erase It)" will leave you grinning as you join Fido on a thrilling world adventure. Great Time's "Rushin" transports viewers to their summer days of roaming the neighborhood with their essential squad, while Lola Marsh's "Echoes" draws psychedelic parallels between an echoing voice and echoing images.

The songs on this month's Station Breaks list are also available to stream on the NPR Slingshot Spotify playlist and the NPR Slingshot Apple Music playlist at the bottom of the page. —Maya Eaglin

Bandits On The Run, "Potted Plant"

This song would fit perfectly in a montage scene of mischief. The creators used "Potted Plant" as an entry for the 2015 NPR Tiny Desk Contest; the track is now being released on their new EP, Bandits Live at the Power Station. —Alisa Ali, WFUV, New York, New York

Beeef, "I'm So Sorry"

"I'm So Sorry," featuring NPR Slingshot artist Sidney Gish, uses deep bass and a call-and-response style to summon the lo-fi indie-rock sound of the '90s. —Stacy Buchanan, WGBH, Boston, Massachusetts

Bernard Fowler, "Sister Morphine"

Rolling Stones backup singer Bernard Fowler pays homage to the band on his album Inside Out. His treatment of the Stones' brilliant "Sister Morphine" is both timely and noteworthy. —J. Michael Harrison, WRTI, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

CAPYAC, "Ceasefire"

Now in L.A., this once-Austin-based duo has an insatiable appetite for mixing deep house, R&B and future funk, with in-studio collaborations that are just as good as CAPYAC's long-running live sets. —Jack Anderson, KUTX, Ausitn, Texas

Dan Dan, "Circuit"

"Circuit" is dreamy and danceable, as this Portland quartet mixes sleek vocal harmonies and glittery synths with groove-heavy rhythms and an incredible video-game-inspired freakout. —Jerad Walker, OPB, Portland, Oregon

Dhani Harrison, "Motorways (Erase It)"

There are high expectations when the son of a Beatle releases new music, and Dhani Harrison delivers in spades. While he credits artist Banksy as the inspiration behind the lyrics (and dog video), the heartbeat of "Motorways (Erase It)" is a nod to his father George's signature sitar. —Malayna Joy, NV89, Reno/Las Vegas, Nevada

Erin Rae, "Wild Blue Wind"

Nashville's Erin Rae explores mental illness in "Wild Blue Wind," a tale of a man off his meds who braces against elements both internal and external. —Troy Schulze, Houston Public Media, Houston, Texas

Great Time, "Rushin"

If there weren't already a song called "Feel Good Hit of the Summer," this would be called that. Singer Jill Ryan and Great Time work the grooves hard on this one. —Bruce Warren, WXPN, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Iguana Death Cult, "Bright Lights"

The Dutch quintet concocts a frenzied mix of garage, psych, post-punk and surf-rock with slight hints of new wave. This jam would fit on playlists with Parquet Courts, Ty Segall or Television. —Tyler Hale, KCRW, Santa Monica, California

Lola Marsh, "Echoes"

The Israeli band is back with a song that offers a nice juxtaposition of haunting (if not ominous) vocals and an indie-pop drumbeat. Think Lana Del Rey meets Fleet Foxes, but with a bit more momentum. —Amy Miller, KXT, Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas

Neal Francis, "Changes, Pt. 1"

Chicago's Neal Francis channels '70s New Orleans R&B and funk on this late-night summer jam, with smooth vocals and a tight groove that'll have you nodding your head and feeling mellow. —Brian Burns, WUNC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The Commonheart, "Do Right"

Soulful vocals fuel the band's hyper-passionate blues-rock, backed by a stellar band. —Rosemary Welsch, WYEP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Get Ahead, "Deepest Light"

The Get Ahead brings forth a swampy roots/R&B delight, "Deepest Light." You can dance if you want to, while you plumb the depths of love on the title track from the band's latest album. —Jessie Scott, WMOT, Nashville, Tennessee

Rosenau & Sanborn, "Sharon"

Brings to mind the part in Midsommar where you decide that it might actually be kind of nice to join the cult. —Justin Barney, Radio Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Stream this month's Station Breaks picks on NPR Slingshot's Spotify and NPR Slingshot's Apple Music playlist.

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