Atwood Magazine is thrilled to present our Editor’s Picks column, curated and penned by Editor-in-Chief Mitch Mosk. Each week, Mitch will provide a selection of songs, albums, and artists that have resonated with him. There is an abundance of remarkable music out there just waiting to be discovered, requiring only an open mind and a willingness to listen. With our Editor’s Picks, we aim to highlight our personal music discoveries and feature a diverse range of new and recent releases.
This week's Editor’s Picks includes NoSo, James Smith, Billy Nomates, Brian Dunne, Glitterfox, and Mon Rovîa!
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There’s something about “Sugar” that captivates and holds your attention. Every time I hit play, I’m drawn in until the final note fades away – enchanted by a shimmering guitar melody that twinkles like sunlight on a morning sidewalk, elevated by tight drum beats and NoSo’s glorious, soaring voice. It’s a song that seems to pulse with life – deeply personal and irresistibly sweet, with a slight sting that sticks around long after the last chorus ends.
In a box of power
A mouse is too loud
Move like a hiker,
Indebted to you now
Sugar – NoSo
Two years after their debut LP, Stay Proud of Me, introduced us to singer/songwriter Baek Hwong’s richly cinematic exploration of self-discovery and vulnerability, NoSo returns with something grander, bolder, and beautifully confident. Released in mid-May, “Sugar” sets the stage for the LA-based artist’s eagerly awaited sophomore album, When Are You Leaving?, set to be released on October 10th via Partisan Records. This track not only moves forward musically but also emotionally.
“My first album was mainly about dreaming of what my life could be like if I fully embraced my identity,” Hwong shares. Indeed, Stay Proud of Me was an album of personal reckoning, reconciliation, and profound self-reflection. Its track “Parasites” was initially written prior to Hwong’s top surgery in 2020 and completed afterward, reflecting on their past and present selves. “Feeling Like a Woman Lately” delicately balanced “empowerment and dysphoria,” as they candidly noted at that time.
In contrast to their first record, a sense of self-assuredness permeates NoSo’s current music and emotional state. “This record is grounded in reality and directly addresses my enlightening yet tumultuous experiences,” they express.
This grounding is evident throughout “Sugar.” Beneath its dreamy disco rhythm and radiant pop surface lies a heartfelt meditation on compassion, boundaries, and the quiet struggle of supporting someone in pain. “‘Sugar’ reflects the delicate interaction with troubled individuals,” Hwong elaborates. “It’s an exploration of these experiences, aiming to approach them with understanding rather than anger. I’ve realized this is the only way I can progress – by not empowering those memories and allowing them to control me.”
Only in silence
And I fell for your
Waning sugar kindness
And I fell for your
But you needed to be touched
And I could tell your
Sickness had enough
That maturity resonates in the song’s sparkling chorus, home to some of its most poignant lines – “Only in silence, and I fell for your waning sugar kindness… but you needed to be touched, and I could tell your sickness had enough.” There’s warmth and weariness in that refrain, but also conviction and clarity; a reclaiming of power through kindness instead of revenge.
If Stay Proud of Me was NoSo inviting us into their dreams, When Are You Leaving? offers a glimpse into their reality – a new chapter that embraces unfiltered self-expression, possession, and emotional depth, where vulnerability intersects with determination, infused with refreshing vigor and sonic intensity. “Sugar” radiates with unwavering empathy and steadfast strength, embodying an artist fully in their element, advancing without compromise. This is remarkable growth in action – and if this is an indication, what’s next will be even more brilliant.
This song may contain multiple layers, but ultimately, it’s as sweet as it is alluring. I’ve been attempting to limit my sugar intake in my 30s, but NoSo is making it quite difficult. Consider me hooked.
Hold the land above me,
carrot on a string
Call me the problem
But you needed me
Only in silence
And I fell for your
Waning sugar kindness
And I fell for your
But you needed to be touched
And I could tell your
Sickness had enough
“Dancing With You (Baby)” by James Smith
The first time I heard that initial guitar line – warm, slow-burning, and filled with longing – I felt transported into a faded photograph. “Dancing with You (Baby)” captures you immediately, intertwining memory and melody into something rich, raw, and utterly
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This week's Editor's Picks, curated by Mitch Mosk, showcases music from NoSo, James Smith, Billy Nomates, Brian Dunne, Glitterfox, and Mon Rovîa!