Goodie. We finished another week and now get to reflect on our successes and mistakes and the music that soundtracked them. Basically all we’ve done this week is listen to Anastacia and Savage Garden so forgive us if our musical radar is a little off. Given the circumstances though we feel we’ve pulled together a noteworthy list of up-and-comers, game-changers and dancefloor-murderers.
If we’re being totally honest, we were really struggling for a tenth song here, but are feeling pretty chuffed with what we dug up.
Oceaán- Grip
Oceaán is a producer from Manchester who has been putting out music recently that really requires you listen intently. The melodies are always hidden under beds of instrumental activity and the beat is intentionally off. On Grip it’s the same kind of deal. He howls from the distance onto a skittering beat which never quite feels comfortable. That’s certainly not a bad thing. There’s an art to making people feel uncomfortable. Like people who have sex in public.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/ocea-n/grip[/soundcloud]
Tink- Try Me
Chiacgo rapper Tink has it made really, doesn’t she? She could rap over a car insurance ad and it would sound good because her voice is so full of effortless personality. She flips in between singing and rapping without even letting you know on this remix of Dej Loaf’s Try Me. Need more reasons to listen? She name-drops the one and only North West and says “pussy wet”. Yeah...get those headphones.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/tink_g/try-me-tink-remix[/soundcloud]
Shura- Indecision
We’ve had mysterious, hazy Shura on Just Once and Touch and now the London up-and-comer is heading straight for the dancefloor with a quasi-disco beat and a Donner Summer-esque vocal. It’s an of the moment sound but Shura does it better than most. It’s never overdone. The whole song is full of nearlys. She nearly has a massive pop chorus, she nearly goes for a huge note and she nearly lets it stray towards a dance break. Such is the song's charm. It’s restrained and beautiful.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/shura/shura-indecision[/soundcloud]
Future Islands- Seasons (DJ Dodger Stadium Remix)
Well this is quite obviously the remix of the week. Future Island’s Seasons has become pretty much untouchable this year, but DJ Dodger Stadium don’t give a shit and thank goodness. They’ve taken the anthemic track, laid down a stomping beat, some swirling synths and sent it into euphoria. If we had to pick a season for this one we’d say it suits Spring- warm with a slight cool breeze.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/bodyhigh/future-islands-seasons-dj-dodger-stadium-remix[/soundcloud]
Tkay Maidza- Switch Lanes
The never-ending hitmaking machine, Tkay Maidza, is back to her old tricks again, releasing another new track produced by fellow Aussie producer Paces. Switch Lanes is full of ‘tude and sees her flipping once again between singing and rapping over some tropical percussion. She spits some aggressive lyrics but the song as a whole is pretty laid back. That’s the best kind of ‘fuck you’ you can give. When someone’s giving you hate and you’re just chewing on bubblegum giving zero fucks.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/tkaymaidza/switch-lanes[/soundcloud]
AOBeats- Feelsie
We’re big fangirls/boys of Moving Castle producer AOBeats mostly because he takes on this whole post-trap style that’s in vogue in the moment and injects a little energy and vigour. Feelsie sees him play it pretty cool with some some gently undulating percussion and a dense synth that punches in just when things are toning-down. Many feels, mostly good.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/runthetrap/aobeats-feelsie[/soundcloud]
Meanwhile OST- All For The Taking
We’ve posted about this Minneapolis born artist before, when he was hand-picked to support La Roux on tour. At the time we were gushing over Bigger City, but we feel this one may have just eclipsed it. There’s nothing like a huge synth-pop track with a beat that pumps in-line with your heart. All For The Taking has the grandiose of a queen song with the synth-bed of a Cut Copy track. That voice too can reach giddy heights.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/meanwhileost/meanwhile-all-for-the-taking[/soundcloud]
Swick & Lewis Cancut- Fizzy
Aussie producer Swick is a fast-moving man. Fresh from releasing an EP with Nina Las Vegas last week, he’s back with Lewis Cancut (who he crafted Wishes with) for a track that marries together the club and the island - Fizzy. Fizzy has a moombahton vibe to it alongside some tropical percussion and rushing synths. These two are pretty much a match made in heaven.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/enchufada/swick-lewis-cancut-fizzy-1?in=swickswick/sets/originals-286[/soundcloud]
Marina & The Diamonds- FROOT
Marina, where have you been? Eating plenty of sugar it seems. Electra Heart, from the last album, is seemingly dead (RIP :’( ) and in her place is a Desperate Housewife who’s found she actually quite enjoys letting loose on the dancefloor. It may take 1min 30secs to get to the chorus on Froot and there’s about three false alarms, but my goodness is it worth it. Marina has always had a knack with chorus’ and this one is one of her best. The funky riff in the back is just the cherry on the cake. Also, lets just take a moment to appreciate the way she’s written the word commonly spelt as 'fruit'.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/marina-and-the-diamonds/froot[/soundcloud]
Justin Bieber- All About That Bass
We hate this song and we’re not really fans of Justin Bieber, so how does this end up here you may say? We call this songs you need to hear rather than the best songs of the week so we can place little nuggets like this right here. Only the Biebs would turn one of the most popular songs of this year into a grind-worthy club-banger that sounds like Lil’ Jon needs to jump on it. By all means, hate, but somebody make a good case for why the original is better.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/maejorali/meghan-trainor-all-about-that-bass-maejor-remix-ft-justin-bieber[/soundcloud]
