Lucky Number

Middle Kids' debut album, Lost Friends, is the kind of album that sucker-punches you in the gut, revealing its nuances only after repeated listens. The songs’ edges are jagged, the production clean, stray imperfections imbue warmth and a human touch. The trio craft classic hooks and riffs that tangle up in your brain like licorice and choruses that linger long after the song has faded. And they’ve bonded over a greater sense of what their music should accomplish.

“In a time where a lot of division is growing, we want to be part of the conversation that unites people around certain ideals that are universal, like hope and love,” says singer and songwriter Hannah Joy. “That’s so much a thread throughout this album: Even though things are tough, it’s worth believing in something good and in the idea that we can heal. And in some ways, I wanted the music to be beautiful and a respite from what’s going on.”