This month we asked our Mass Mix contributors to share songs they are listening to on repeat, no matter the genre or theme. Here are the local gems you should know about.

Chris Walton, “Whatcha Say”

Since Chris Walton, the Boston-based singer, songwriter, and producer recorded an exclusive at-home performance with WERS 88.9FM this past month, and I've been listening to his newest EP, Fade, on repeat. The second track on his EP, "Whatcha Say," blends neo-soul, jazz, and funk with DIY and lo-fi effects to tell the story of a tumultuous breakup: "It's always fun and games 'till you're the one to blame / It's all in what you say and what you don't." As layers of complex percussion, smooth, soulful keys, and jazz-influenced guitar rhythms build, Walton belts the end of the chorus, and the song erupts into a fuzzy, Hendrix-inspired guitar solo. "Whatcha Say" is a fantastic track about breakups on its own, but it sounds even better if you listen to the entire three-part, genre-bending love story told on Chris Walton's EP. -Lea Tatoris, Programming Coordinator and Playground Host at WERS 88.9FM

CZARFACE & MF DOOM, “Break in the Action”

Among the jewels that make up Super What?, the 10-track, 30-minute collaboration with the late MF DOOM, "Break in the Action" is a fine piece of work that captures the nostalgic feeling so often tied to posthumous releases. Deck and Esoteric drape their rhymes in pop culture ("Last name Lannister, call me Kingslayer/None this ill since Kareem was a Laker") and playful boasts ("Let's be honest, yo, these rappers just a boring mess/Actors ought to thank the Hollywood foreign press"), while DOOM serves a dark and densely textured first course, all held together on a beat that's somehow evocative of both a lazy poolside afternoon and a midcentury grocery store. But despite (or perhaps mischievously in spite of) any nostalgia listeners may feel, "Break" is an amuse-bouche for the later offerings that almost certainly will emerge from the Villain's vault. -James Bennett II, Arts & Culture Reporter, GBH News

Sunshine Riot, "Everything's Going to be Alright"

The self-described "absolute jabroins" in Boston foursome Sunshine Riot are the latest local act to knock me on my ass. In late April, they released Electrical Tape, a new 4-song EP recorded with the legendary Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago. The band's sonic approach, coupled with Albini's production, has cooked up a tasty slab of rock that would've been as much at home in the Boston scene of the mid-'90s as it is in the Boston scene of the early '20s. I hear "Everything's Going to be Alright," and I hear a bit of Pie — a Boston band of yore I loved — and a lot of what makes today's local scene so strong. How lucky are we to have a city full of music to bowl us all over on the regular? -Adam 12, Weekdays 11a-4p, ROCK 92.9

Sunshine Riot, “Too Old For Love Songs”

Though usually not my go-to, the post-grunge thrash of Sunshine Riot was actually exactly what I needed this month. I snagged their 4-song EP Electrical Tape and immediately gravitated towards “Too Old For Love Songs” because I’m me and I’m bitter and I brood. It doesn’t take a direct approach to darkness but with the way each instrument seems to just... slam... makes the the process of coping with love/loss and COVID-despair even more cathartic. Jonny Orton’s vocals carry the track with such vigor that the vocal and musical pairing is nothing short of immaculate. -Ashley Kreutter, Music Section Manager & Editor, Boston Hassle

Izzy Gazelle, "Sleep Tonight"

Local blues-rocker Izzy Gazelle has got the sandpaper roughness and kicking-over-amps energy of modern guitar-wielding acts like Reignwolf and Black Pistol Fire. On "Sleep Tonight," she captures a "levee-breaking" moment that, for many, was the murder of George Floyd. As she sings, Gazelle stretches out each word — much like Mavis Staples does on a track like "Your Good Fortune" — allowing the lyrics to unravel slowly. In a way, it feels like a reflection of the gradual build of grief as the number of violent anti-Black incidents and racial injustices continues to rise. "Oh, and you've known this all along / George, you hold on," she sings, before a marching drumbeat and rapid guitar tremolos kick in. As the song comes to a close, there's a screech of frustration and release of emotion: "I can't sleep tonight / Something really gotta get right." - Knar Bedian, Editor in Chief at Sound of Boston

Kaiti Jones, "Weak Days"

Kaiti Jones may be of this moment, but she sings and makes music like she is from another era. She takes sounds and styles from all the best songwriters of decades past and brings them to the modern era. After she recorded an outdoor Front Row Boston session (in a snowy field!) I started to listen to her more and started loving this track from her new album, Tossed. It’s about appreciating the days you have, no matter how hard they can be: “And I’ll say Hallelujah / I’m alive on a Tuesday / And I’m tired, and I’m grieving / But I’m fine, and I’m breathing.” -Meghan Smith, Digital Producer, GBH