Welcome back for installment number eight! Just a reminder about what this is: My colleagues and I have taken it upon ourselves to curate the best new tracks that dropped this week–the point being to save you time scrolling through Apple Music or Spotify for fresh music, and to make you more productive. Just a heads up I will be out next week, so there will be no playlist updated until I am back! See you in two weeks, playlisters.
Track 1. Haim – “Kept Me Crying”
Today we are championing the sibling trio of musicians–no, not Hanson, or the Bee Gees or the Jonas Brothers! We’re talking about Haim. The Haim sisters have released their sophomore album Something To Tell You, which has this booming feel throughout that can only be described as that arena sound we all know and love from the early years of rock, complete with exploding drum beats and guitar solos. Example: “Kept Me Crying.”
Track 2. 21 Savage – “Dead People”
Atlanta rapper 21 Savage has been known for his style of trap music and hi slurred-sounding flow, i.e. “mumble rap.” On this new record Issa Album, 21 Savage has stepped outside his comfort zone with some singing. Albeit rap-singing, it still has a decent melody. The track “Dead People” is what I’m recommending to bridge between the older songs in Mr. Savage’s catalog and this newer, lighter pop sound he’s packaged on this record.
Track 3. Leikeli47 – “Miss Me”
Want to know the secret to the perfect work/life balance? A Mask. Masked musicians tend to be more dramatic in separating their stage personas from their personal lives. These artists want you to judge the music and nothing more. In the same vein of Slipknot, Pussy Riot, Lighting Bolt, Daft Punk, and MF Doom, I want you to start thinking of this masked musician as well. Rapper Leikeli47 has delivered her new jam “Miss Me,” and it’s a real gift for the playlist. Need proof? Check out these lyrics:
Charged up like a Tesla
Out here mad stuck like a Mexican wrestler
This a gift from God, baby, I’m just a messenger
Track 4. Mura Masa & Bonzai – “Nuggets”
WARNING: Love is addictive–as is this new song from producer Mura Masa and vocalist Bonzai. The track leads with a PSA of sorts detailing the chemical reactions love can create and the algorithms we’ve created to achieve it. Welcome to summer, aka “Swipe Right Season.”
Track 5. Joywave – “Going To A Place”
Rock outfit Joywave’s upcoming album Content is due at the end of July, but they’ve been releasing singles over the past couple of weeks. Today, they’ve debuted “Going To A Place,” a nice, subtle indie rock track that’s the perfect ending to this week’s playlist. The main thing I always love about Joywave’s songs is the programming and keys they layer on top of their tracks. I recommend checking out Joywave’s 2016 album SWISH for a fun 30-minute “layered” track.
Bonus Track. Jay Z & Blue Ivy – “Blue’s Freestyle/We Family”
This morning, Jay Z put out his Tidal exclusive 4:44 on Apple Music, and with that move came bonus tracks–one of which being a freestyle by his daughter Blue Ivy. There’s no official stream of the item at the time of this posting, but the track features the young rapper just mumbling gibberish over a beat, and it is adorable.
This was one of my favorite reactions on Twitter last night.
https://twitter.com/Scott_CEOofSUH/status/883149454806626304
Hey Mommies, Take that Spotify playlist to go. Thanks jeans!
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