#10. Tove Lo - "Cool Girl" from 'Lady Wood' Genre: Dance-Pop
This kinda sounds like a Wal-Mart discount version of something off of Britney Spears' iconic 'Blackout' - but for that very reason is why I think it's lowkey great.
#09. Powell feat. Frankie - "Frankie" from 'Sport' Genre: Industrial Techno, Glitch Pop
Oscar Powell usually makes noisy, industrial techno music, but on the lead single from his proper debut album he's gone... Pop? In his own twisted way, of course. Frankie (actually Jonnie Standish from HTRK) delivers a very cold but catchy performance that reminds me a lot of Factory Floor and Holly Herndon.
#08. Katie Dey - "Fleas" from 'Flood Network' Genre: Hypnagogic Pop, Glitch Pop
Katie's vision of pop music is very twisted, just like her debut EP 'asdfasdf' proved, but maybe this one of her poppiest, most accessible moments ever - but that doesn't mean it's any less weird, it's just that the weirdness is a bit more... controlled, I guess, but in a good way!
#07. WIFE - "Glass Interruption" from 'Standard Nature'' Genre: UK Bass, Glitch Hop
Yes, WIFE's debut project, 'What's Between' was, indeed, super dark, but this song, taken from his upcoming EP 'Standard Nature', via Profound Lore, it's not only that, but also glitchy, industrial and heavy (despite having a beautiful... ambient? passage), his vocals are buried deep within the mix, yet you can hear them more clearly than ever.
#06. Gaika – "3D" Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, UK Bass
Brixton rapper Gaika has always embraced his Jamaican roots by making Dancehall-influenced music, but this song takes those influences and make them sound more aggressive than ever, not being that far from acts like Death Grips or B L A C K I E in terms of abrasiveness. Also, this is being released via Warp, which is super cool too.
Joe Williams' debut album as Motion Graphics is coming in a few weeks, released under Domino, the same label of people like Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. In the meantime, he released this song, which has elements from post-social-media IDM acts such as Holly Herndon, Oneohtrix Point Never or Arca, but it still manages to sound unique in it's very own way.
#04. Katie Gately - "Tuck" from 'Color' Genre: Art Pop, Glitch Pop
After releasing one of my favorite Björk remixes ever, electronic musician Katie Gately is releasing her debut album under the Tri Angle label, and surprisingly, this is definitely her most conventional track to date. But that doesn't make it any less dense or complex, it just makes it more and more interesting, and impossible to get out of your head.
#03. Bon Iver – "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" from '22, A Million' Genre: Art Pop, Electronic
I feel like Justin Vernon's Bon Iver project needed some kind of change in its sound. I don't know if this is what I expected, or even wanted from him. But I think that's actually exactly what I needed. I don't know for sure if James Blake was involved in this, but it kinda sounds like it.
#02. Jessy Lanza – "Oh No" from 'Oh No' Genre: Alternative R&B, Synthpop
The title track is definitely one of the best on Jessy Lanza's latest album. It is just so upbeat and 80's influenced that, while it sounds like it could pass as a Junior Boys track, Jessy's style of songwriting and her voice make it totally her own. And the video is actually one of my favorites of the year so far! All those colors!
#01. BANKS – "Gemini Feed" from 'The Altar' Genre: Art Pop, Alternative R&B, Electropop
To be honest, I really wasn't a big fan of "**** With Myself", not because it was a bad song, but it felt like a bit too much like an FKA twigs copy than anything else. But this track, produced by SOHN (who also did "Waiting Game" and "Alibi"), sounds about as good as anything BANKS did before - with a bouncy electropop beat and dark lyrics about a breakup - maybe even better than that, probably one of my favorite BANKS songs to date.
These are all so good my favourite is probably Frankie, it was one of the ones I hadn't heard before this week but it's amazing, I've had it in my head all day Fleas too, I'd heard of her and discounted her because of the album cover but the song was really good, probably the best of the album (which would have been better without all of those interludes ddd).
I also really like the Bon Iver song (I don't even like him but I'm a sucker for when guitar driven artists go electronic), but I'm waiting for the actual album version before I really spam it
#10. Kuedo feat. Hayden Thorpe - "In Your Sleep" from 'Slow Knife' Genre: Alternative R&B, UK Bass
On the first single from his upcoming new album, Kuedo collaborates with Wild Beasts' Hayden Thorpe - which seems like an odd mix at first, but they sound very nice together! He mixes with usual style with Hayden's R&B-ish vocals and it works surprisingly well.
#09. Phantogram - "Cruel World" from 'Three' Genre: Indietronica, Glitch Pop
One of the most common complaints from Phantogram's fans about their new stuff is how much it changed from their earlier output. But this new track seems to take the best from their first two records and puts it into a single piece. I wouldn't be surprised if this became a single soon.
#08. M.I.A. - "Bird Song (Diplo Remix)" from 'AIM' Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Moombahton
It's been a while since M.I.A. and Diplo collaborated – and I don't know if this song comes off as a collaboration per se, but it's not bad at all! It combines the chaos of tracks like “Bird Flu” (from 'Kala'), the simplicity of the “atTENTion” (from 'Matangi') lyrics, with the new records by Major Lazer – and it's fun!
#07. Ian William Craig – "Contain (Astoria Version)" from 'Centres' Genre: Ambient Pop
The opening track from Ian William Craig's latest album is tense, to say the least. The first half sounds kind of like, Bon Iver making gregorian chants. But the rest is peaceful (although very, very dense and droning) ambient music. And both pieces fit perfectly with each other, somehow.
#06. Tegan and Sara – "Hang on to the Night" from 'Love You to Death' Genre: Synthpop
The closing track on Tegan and Sara's latest album is probably one of their best songs – a magical, dreamy synthpop track (think early-iamamiwhoami meets Carly Rae Jepsen) with an irresistible hook. This is a direction which I'd like to see them explore on their next records.
#05. DJ Earl feat. Oneohtrix Point Never & MoonDoctoR – "Smoking Reggie" from 'Open Your Eyes' Genre: Footwork
One of the things I never knew I needed (but I apparently really needed) was Oneohtrix Point Never making Footwork. Although, to be fair, his presence is only made evident by some synths that pop out here and there, since this is mostly DJ Earl's track – this one is about as fun as anything else he put before under the already legendary Teklife label.
#04. BANKS - "Mind Games" from 'The Altar' Genre: Alternative R&B, Art Pop
After releasing the amazing “Gemini Feed”, BANKS releases another epic track, “Mind Games” - which feels like a continuation of her debut hit “Waiting Game” (also produced by SOHN), and it's an emotional track with an outstanding vocal performance – it makes me feel super excited for what's to come on her sophomore album.
#03. Tinashe - “SuperLove" from 'Joyride' Genre: Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop
Is this track a very obvious attempt at getting a radio hit? Perhaps. Is this as good as the singles from 'Aquarius'? Probably not. Does it matter? With a miami-bass, post-”My Love” kinda sound and Tinashe's great vocals, I'd say it really doesn't.
#02. Danny Brown – "Pneumonia" from 'Atrocity Exhibition' Genre: Industrial Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop
With an Evian Christ-produced beat (and SchoolBoy Q ad-libs), Danny Brown goes off once again. His Warp debut is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated albums of the year, and this single, while not being as chaotic and manic as the lead single, it's incredibly weird and dark.
#01. Danny L Harle feat. Carly Rae Jepsen – "Super Natural" Genre: Dance-Pop, Bubblegum Bass, Electropop
QUEEN OF PC MUSIC. QUEEN OF MUSIC VIDEOS. QUEEN OF MESSY SHORT WIGS. QUEEN OF HUGE DANNY. QUEEN OF SUPER NATURAL THINGS. QUEEN OF BUYING WEIRD, FUTURISTIC HOUSES. QUEEN OF BANGING EDM-INFLUENCED TRACKS. QUEEN OF RELEASING A B-SIDES COLLECTION THIS WEEK. QUEEN OF SNATCHING EVERYONE'S WIGS.
Agreed on CW being a step up for Phantogram, YDGMHA didn't do anything for me so I haven't really checked for the album but the song is solid.
Stan for the superior version of Bird Song it's v/ cute, annoying but adorable, I'm far more excited for the album than I was even a few weeks ago. Not you comparing it to the overrated trash that is aTENTion though
Centres was 2edgy4me I thought that the first half had some good moments but overall it wasn't really enough to hold my attention.
Hang Onto The Night was by far my favourite album track on the disappointing new album, but the chorus is still so weak, it's barely even a hook
I agree that Mind Games sounds like Waiting Game (which is my favourite Banks song after GF so dd the accuracy) but I feel it's a bit wandering and aimless WG had an urgency to it that MG just lacks. I prefer her vocals, though.
I really really dislike Superlove she makes it so hard for me to root for her, we know she can do far better and still be radio-friendly, I don't know what's wrong with her. Great video, though!
And yes, Supernatural () did end heterosexuality for millions, yes the song is as amazing as she looks tragic in the video, and yes the whole commercial concept is cute and underrated.
Agreed on CW being a step up for Phantogram, YDGMHA didn't do anything for me so I haven't really checked for the album but the song is solid.
Stan for the superior version of Bird Song it's v/ cute, annoying but adorable, I'm far more excited for the album than I was even a few weeks ago. Not you comparing it to the overrated trash that is aTENTion though
Centres was 2edgy4me I thought that the first half had some good moments but overall it wasn't really enough to hold my attention.
Hang Onto The Night was by far my favourite album track on the disappointing new album, but the chorus is still so weak, it's barely even a hook
I agree that Mind Games sounds like Waiting Game (which is my favourite Banks song after GF so dd the accuracy) but I feel it's a bit wandering and aimless WG had an urgency to it that MG just lacks. I prefer her vocals, though.
I really really dislike Superlove she makes it so hard for me to root for her, we know she can do far better and still be radio-friendly, I don't know what's wrong with her. Great video, though!
And yes, Supernatural () did end heterosexuality for millions, yes the song is as amazing as she looks tragic in the video, and yes the whole commercial concept is cute and underrated.
OMG I love your replies. Centres is kind of like the poppiest song on his album so idk if you're not into drone music just skip it altogether. Hang On to the Night sounds like iamamiwhoami which means I love it. And I do prefer GF and WG over Mind Games but idk it's still good. SuperLove is not the best Tinashe single ofc, but it sounds good enough for me tbh and Super Natural snatched every hair on my body!
Quote:
Originally posted by TheWayWeWere
Super Natural
I like Blaqstarr version of Bird Song better tho
Actually I prefer Diplo's by a very small margin. Both versions are bops though.
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Since I just got a job and I don't really have that much time, I'm going to make this thing bi-weekly. I will update on Saturdays though. So so sorry, I just suck at updating things.