I am so happy to be doing these sort of posts again, I really missed them! Here are ten songs I've been loving in recent weeks. I've been lucky enough to come across a group of people into a wide variety of genres, therefore I've branched out. Electric Picnic this year was an unexpected surprise, but going to gigs of artists that I'd never heard before was the best thing I did at the festival. But enough talk, let's get to the tunes:
1. 'ANYTHING' // ALL TVVINS
I heard this song for the first time at Electric Picnic and I absolutely freaked out, it really made the crowd liven up and it's no secret why! There's a pulsating beat in this one that really excites me. I can imagine myself dancing to this at a house party. Yes, the same catchy All Tvvins riffs can be heard but there's a new element to this one. Lar from All Tvvins himself described it as "emotionally charged" and I have to say I agree. I am not quite sure why my heart races when I listen to it, maybe I'll keep you posted on that haha! I can't imagine someone not dancing to this, the beats are infectious! I am loving this new direction their music is going in and I can't wait to hear more.
2. 'VALKYRIE' // A BLAZE OF FEATHER
I miss Ben Howard so so much. So when A Blaze of Feather came out of nowhere, I was pretty excited. This song, in particular, caught my attention because of the obvious Ben Howard influences coming through. Mickey Smith's voice is phenomenal though and there's something really haunting about this song. I couldn't fault the combination of vocals and instruments. I found it really relaxing to listen to this and write. I can't stress enough how much this song reminds me of Ben Howard. Big congratulations to all the gang in A Blaze of Feather for creating such beautiful music. There's a strong riff that you'll first hear at 0.56 and I can't quite put words to the emotions I feel when it plays.
3. 'BAGBAK' // VINCE STAPLES
I am obsessed with this song. I repeat, obsessed. While I was at Electric Picnic, Pamela and I stumbled upon Vince Staples playing. We had no idea who he was but we were so entranced by the beats, red visuals and the man himself that we stayed for the duration of the gig. It's so catchy. If you listen carefully to the lyrics you'll hear him recount life experiences as a black man in North America. His commentary is bold but really eye-opening. I would gladly pay to see this man again, he's so talented.
4. 'GLORY' // DERMOT KENNEDY
This song was extremely interesting to me because of the mix of folk sounds and synths. It works surprisingly well and who could fault Dermot Kennedy's vocals? What struck me first about this song was the lyrics, they really touch a nerve with me. If I could hazard a guess as to what this song was about, I'd say it's the one who got away and I think many people have that person. The raw emotion in his voice when he belts out the chorus gives me goosebumps. At 2.18 the song begins to build and that's how this song earned its place on this list.
6. 'DON'T DELETE THE KISSES' // WOLF ALICE
7. 'BASIC INSTINCT' // THE ACID
8. 'PRETEND' // HOVVDY
9. 'WAKING UP SLOW' // GABRIELLE APLIN
10. '3WW' // ALT-J
5. 'SOBER' // LORDE
If I had to pick one of my favourite songs from Lorde's new album, this would be one. The chorus is where I like it the most, the blend of drum beats, synths and instruments creates a really infectious atmosphere. The story Lorde tells us through lyrics is enticing, a night out where you feel unstoppable. When the drums come in and join in with the harmonies, that's when I want to dance the most. I think Lorde would put on an electric show live, visually, vocally and musically. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next because this song really gets me going!
I'm a huge fan of this band in general, it's very rare to come across bands with a female lead vocalist. I always imagine an indie film when I hear this, which is sort of cliche. But with this song the lyrics really speak to me. I always find when I find myself attracted to someone new, I get really flustered and question everything. This song encapsulates the feelings perfectly. Wolf Alice have a really distinctive and unique sound that I always enjoy listening to when I walk down by the river at my university.
7. 'BASIC INSTINCT' // THE ACID
This band reminds me of Alt-J. I find it really soothing and sometimes listen to it before I sleep. What ticks my boxes is the blend of vocals throughout the song. The chorus is the best, it has this swaying and soothing effect that I've come to love in electronic music. The song does have its eerie undertones which makes it all the more interesting. If you listen to it with your headphones, you get the best version of it, you can hear the vocalist's voice right in your ear and it actually makes me jump!
8. 'PRETEND' // HOVVDY
What caught my attention first, was the soft and soothing instrumentals; a mixture of synths and what sounds like a xylophone. When you listen, do you think the vocalist's voice sounds like the lead singer of Snow Patrol? Perhaps it's just me. I found this song this morning randomly while watching a Youtuber's vlog. This Youtuber, in particular, is known for showcasing great music talent and uploads visually stunning videos. Yes, it's one of those Youtubers who has kids, but the man behind the videos, Stefan Michalak, is really talented.
9. 'WAKING UP SLOW' // GABRIELLE APLIN
Gabrielle has always been one of my favourite female musicians and as she's begun to experiment with a more electronic sound I've found myself still enjoying her sound. This one never fails to make me happy. I also love sunflowers, which appear frequently in her cover art. I think the premise of this song is what makes it so relatable to me. One of the best things in life is, in fact, waking up with someone you care about. She describes the dizzy feeling of being attracted to someone. Lately, for some silly reason, I've found this song to remind me of someone who makes their own electronic music. Oh dear.
I had the privilege of hearing this live in July and it was amazing. Because it was so loud, I could feel the sounds in my chest and the whole crowd was swaying to it. Such a phenomenal experience. What can I say about Alt-J? They're such an eclectic music act but they always create crowd pleasers. Their music never fails to relax me and 3WW is no exception. The loud, crackling synths from 3.30 onwards is distinctively Alt-J's sound. I think a lot of songs in this playlist are synthy and soothing, I guess that's just an indication of the music I'm currently listening to.
I suppose this post was rambly and a stream of consciousness but I hope that I've converted you to at least one of these songs!
