Clairo has become one of the year’s most unanticipated but delightful success stories in music, with her top tracks, “Pretty Girl” and “Flaming Hot Cheetos,” racking up millions of plays on Spotify. There’s no sleek production or gimmick in her tunes: Clairo makes vulnerable and intimate music, like a loving voicemail made without ever leaving bed. Her voice is muffled and cozy, nuzzling into the pillow made by warm beats like blankets. On December 31st, Clairo will play with Diiv, Hoops, and Chorizo at Baby’s All Right’s New Year’s Eve celebration in Brooklyn. – Cameron Carr

In early October, experimental beatmaker Christian Tremblay, otherwise known as Catman, released his crisp debut EP Liminal, a collection of hazy, glitched out beats reminiscent of Los Angeles beatmakers Flying Lotus and Mndsgn. “Garden”, a single song collaboration between Tremblay and heady guitar-smith RVRSR, was released in late November on SoundCloud. While still capitalizing on the Catman beat model of stutter steps and whirling synths, RVRSR brings a soft, cool edge to the bubbling track. Listen below. - Charley Ruddell

For many bands just starting out, the first album is viewed as an experiment with a questionable final product, or a nervous test drive with challenges at every juncture. In the case of Jamaica Plains’ folk-indie group Modern Painters, the confidence, sincerity, and precision in their self-titled debut is not unlike a veteran band with several good albums under their belt. Lead singer Gabe Goodman sits soundly on top of the crisply produced album, echoing the sounds of  Andrew Bird’s vocal talent and Father John Misty’s storytelling. At its peak intensity, Modern Painters mirrors the exciting points of Arcade Fire’s first EP, while their softer dynamics resemble the gentle cruise of Real Estate’s soft rock. Check out the album below, or on Spotify. -Charley Ruddell

Gentle Temper, a self-described “Ocean Folk” duo comprised of guitarist/vocalist Ryan Meier and bassist/vocalist Marion Earley, have released Sleep It Off, a charming documentary/live EP that captures the songwriters performing live in the studio, and follows them through the streets of Boston with a series of short interviews. Between elegant performances of the harmony laced “Mouthful of Saltwater” and the earnest, smokey folk of “Heavy Handed”, Meier and Earley describe how they met, their creative process, and their interpretation of Ocean Folk, ultimately concluding Sleep It Off with a spirited performance of the epic “Sunnyside.” Check out the video below. -Charley Ruddell

Experimental-noise newcomers Service have released an aggressive debut EP, cheekily titled CHARM. The Boston quartet covers plenty of ground in the three track release, shifting from assertive punk dudes to meandering noise-heads by opening up tight, mathy structures into longform explorations. Though the momentum of CHARM dips from intensely focused to wayward abstraction, the volume is always up to 10, and there’s a great deal of integrity behind every note. Check out Service on December 17th at Deep Thoughts in Jamaica Plain, doors at 8pm. -Charley Ruddell