It’s coming dangerously close to the end of the year which means everybody is rushing out music before people replace new music with the Mariah Carey christmas album (the first one, of course) for a good two months. That’s very good news for us, as a website that likes to dabble in new music, because we have a plethora of things to choose from each week. Here’s 10 songs that we will be keeping locked away for the Christmas period new music drought.
Little Simz x Jakwob - Time Capsule
If you don’t know Little Simz, it’s time you got on her Soundcloud and got to know this London rapper. She’s firing off some killer verses over beautifully crafted beats and her latest, Time Capsule proves that. This retrospective track, goes from warm and encapsulating to industrial and hard in a matter of seconds, providing a thrilling listen.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/littlesimz/little-simz-jakwob-time-capsule-ft-caitlyn-scarlett[/soundcloud]
Nao- Good Girl
You may know London songstress Nao from the killer track she did with Jai Paul’s brother A.K., So Good. Good Girl proves that the singer has even more to offer, with a soulful, personable voice that finds just the right route through distant beats. It’s got the same kind of effortless pop vibe as Solange’s True EP and we’re more than ok with this.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/thisnao/nao-good-girl[/soundcloud]
Collarbones- Only Water (Feat. Oscar Key Sung)
We’re big fans of Australian duo Collarbones, basically just because they’re cool guys but we’re also very much obsessed with their music. A new album, Return, will find its way into your ears by the end of November but in the meantime they’ve dropped Only Water with Oscar Key Sung. The pair make perfect sense together and the track is a bubbling, dense creation of beauty.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/collarbones/only-water-feat-oscar-key-sung[/soundcloud]
Klo. - Under Lie
From one Australian duo to another, Melbournites Klo. have been churned out two great songs already and their third, Under Lie, may just be the best. It seems more ambitious than its predecessors, with the vocals of Chloe Kaul far more self-assured than we’ve heard before. She ducks in and out of the heights of her range over a broken-down, minimal beat that gives plenty of space for a slinky melody. This isn’t hype anymore, these guys are good. Real good.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/klomusic/underlie[/soundcloud]
BenZel- Touch (Feat. Ryn Weaver)
So Ryn Weaver popped out of nowhere to become the popstar most likely to in 2014 and BenZel also seemingly came out of nowhere (but then it turned out they were actually Two Inch Punch and Benny Blanco, so yeah). As such, this pairing makes total sense as a fresh little pop song of budding stars. Weaver delivers a few stunning verses in between BenZel’s beat-heavy assault. It’s an aesthetic we haven’t heard from them yet and makes us excited for the diversity of the Men EP
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/officialbenzel/touch[/soundcloud]
Future- Never Satisfied (Feat. Drake)
A clip of this track was actually on Future’s brilliant Honest, which is a little odd. The album was obviously snatched from them before they could finish the song but thank goodness Drake and Future got back to work and finished the track. The difference with this version is that there’s an extra Future and Drake verse and you don’t get that overwhelming sense of disappointment that comes with a song finishing at 1 minute and 56 seconds. Ugh.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/mikewillmadeit/future-never-satisfied-ft-drake-prod-by-mike-will-made-it[/soundcloud]
Tourist- Illuminate (Feat. Years & Years)
One night I got drunk and proclaimed that Years & Years were going to be the biggest band this year. Obviously, that was slightly hyperbolic but I still believe they’re going to be a big deal. Maybe more in the Alt-J way than The Rolling Stones way. Anyway, they’ve teamed up with budding British producer, Tourist for the delectable Illuminate. Basically, it’s one of the smoothest cuts we’ve heard since Disclosure’s Latch. The voice is velvety and malleable and the beat flicks and rush as if to orchestrate the heart.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/touristmusic/illuminate[/soundcloud]
CHVRCHES- Dead Air
It’s really not a week at all if Glasgow trio CHVRCHES aren’t in the news in someway. This week they’ve contributed to the soundtrack of small independent movie, The Hunger Games, which has actually been curated by fresh 18 year-old, Lorde. CHVRCHES suit the whole, dim-lit, serious vibe of The Hunger Games and bring a finessed loveliness to the table on Dead Air. The chorus is gloriously climatic, reminding just how freekend good this band is.
Azealia Banks- Ice Princess
If time is money, then it’s no wonder Azealia Banks is broke. Oh Azealia, how we’ve waited for this album. For all the fuss she’s created over the past few years, she dropped Broke With Expensive Taste with relatively little fanfare just dropping it straight on iTunes like she’s Beyonce. Upon first listen, Ice Princess, is the standout. A quick tongued track that oscilates between a traditional hi-hop instrumental and a four-to-the-floor dance beat. Banks sounds completely in control and refreshingly laid back.
Ryn Weaver- OctaHate (Feat. Cashmere Cat)
So this week is obviously all about Ryn Weaver, which we’re fine with if we’re going to jump on the next big popstar train. Our last mention of Weaver comes in the way of the remix Cashmere Cat did of her song Octahate, which he actually produced in the first place. The remix sounds far more CC than the original, with solemn, building verses and hell-raising drops. He keeps Weaver’s vocals pretty much intact which is nice because we quite like her voice.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/cashmerecat/cashylovesryn[/soundcloud]
