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Something about the tilt of the earth tells me it’s summer

24 Jun

Summer songs! Become instantly intoxicated on fumes of fun with this here collection of songs. SPF 30 recommended for maximum enjoyment.

Flyte – Closer Together

“Closer Together” is a romantic take on wishing someone ‘bon voyage’ that turns the typical summer fling on its head. Both the guitar riffs and message contribute to its sweetness. This tune marks the return of Flyte from the confines of their studio, so there is surely more to come.

Find Flyte on: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | tumblr

Lion’s Head – Firecracker

“Firecracker” has the title and attitude of a July tune, at least for me as an American. I would listen to this track on loop rather than those played out anthems during Fourth of July celebrations. Also, Lion’s Head sounds similar to Whilk and Misky, with their combination of acoustic guitar and drum machines that make anyone want to move his or her feet.

Find Lion’s Head on: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Swiss Lips – U Got the Power

Swirling synths open this track up and though they can sometimes overshadow the main vocals, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. After all, they are the lifeblood of the song and the main force that has me tapping my toes.

Find Swiss Lips on: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Jimmy and the Mirrors – Still I Fall

Those horns! How can you not want to dance in the warm moonlight with those trumpets tooting in the background?! Jimmy’s gruff voice gives this song a very Americana vibe, which is endearing unto itself. Pack a picnic to enjoy under the stars, and let this be your soundtrack.

Find Jimmy and the Mirrors on: website | Facebook | Twitter

Young Buffalo – My Place

A rhythmic song to rock ­gently to on your porch swing. The falsetto and polite percussion is what really sells “My Place” for me. Allow yourself to enjoy the breeze, you deserve it.

Find Young Buffalo on: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Body of Songs: the Brain with Goldie

19 Jun

GoldieCurated by BBC Radio 1’s Gemma Cairney and composer Llywelyn ap Myrddin, Body of Songs is a project that explores the human body through music. The Music Court will profile each track in the compilation. The final four tracks will be announced this summer, and an album will follow. The concept is described best on their website:

“A collection of 10 songs by some of the UK’s most talented artists, inspired by the body’s organs.

Hidden from view, suctioned together in dark flesh, the organs are the core of our physical functioning, and our emotional and feeling world.

Each artist explores an organ with the help of experts, to find out how it works and unlock its mysteries and myths. Along the way they ask profound questions about their own lives; about illness and disease, and age and suffering.”

More information can be found at bodyofsongs.co.uk. 

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I’ll be honest, this was a tough one to write. The brain is all-but incomprehensible, so Goldie’s sonic take on it is just as hard to wrap my mind around. The song starts softly, and grows into a beast that takes on many forms. I have come to terms with the fact that I cannot really describe it. It is true to its name and becomes an abyss of synapses, firing from so many different angles, it is impossible to foresee the end. But of course it does eventually come to a close, meandering as mysteriously as it had at the start. Play it on loop, and it sounds like how reincarnation must feel.

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Body of Songs: Blood with Afrikan Boy

1 Jun

afrikan boy

Curated by BBC Radio 1’s Gemma Cairney and composer Llywelyn ap Myrddin, Body of Songs is a project that explores the human body through music. The Music Court will profile each track in the compilation. The final four tracks will be announced this summer, and an album will follow. The concept is described best on their website:

“A collection of 10 songs by some of the UK’s most talented artists, inspired by the body’s organs.

Hidden from view, suctioned together in dark flesh, the organs are the core of our physical functioning, and our emotional and feeling world.

Each artist explores an organ with the help of experts, to find out how it works and unlock its mysteries and myths. Along the way they ask profound questions about their own lives; about illness and disease, and age and suffering.”

More information can be found at bodyofsongs.co.uk.

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Afrikan Boy is proudly Nigerian, and the next track from Body of Songs is called “Eje Aiye,” which is Yoruba for “Life Blood.” He even sings large part of the song in his native language, but he makes it work with spatial left-field composition similar to the rest of the songs in the project. This is once again another unique take on an aspect of our biology.

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Meddling Medley: Wicca Woo, Kojey Radical, and Trails and Ways

29 May

Context can sometimes change the feeling of a song. Today, I describe three songs, and give them their own context, which may subvert your expectations.

Wicca Woo – “Detached”

THE SCENE: You are at a rowdy house party, this song comes on. The crowd is sparse and has quieted down, because most people have moved outside to the pool. A drunken man makes a subtle pass at you, prompting you to move away from the kitchen, where people keep going to refill their drinks. You glumly look around to see if anyone you know is nearby, but you only see that polite but disinterested girl wearing a baseball cap that greeted you earlier. You approach her to begin a new conversation, but she doesn’t realize you are headed her way and turns to leave. As you watch her walk in the opposite direction, credits roll over your face.

THE SONG: Living up to its title, “Detached” is unobtrusive. It could be on in the background for hours and that subtle bass line would keep me relaxed. The vocals are muffled in a strained whisper, but that, too, feels faraway and enrapturing. Fitting as a somber and ambiguous film ending.

Wicca Woo’s debut EP, Woo Wicca, is out now.

Kojey Radical – “Bambu”

THE SCENE: This video.

THE SONG: We don’t usually feature rap, but the audiovisual experience here is worth too much to not cover. The meaning behind it all is limitless: the lyrics, music production, images, and actions therein, all have moving purpose. The words are thought-provoking and delivered like a beat poem, emphasizing certain syllables specifically. My favorite line is “Can’t see the truth when it’s six feet deep.” This takes ‘burying the truth’ to a completely new level; explaining that it is six feet under suggests that not only are we hiding it, we murdered it and got rid of the body. This then brings to mind the very beginning of the track, when Kojey “used to walk past the cemetery” when he went to spend time with friends, imagining the lives they wanted. Oh, the irony: simultaneously, names like Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Freddie Gray spring to mind. Our own law enforcement erased their lives, and by extension, their truth, but we won’t allow the Truth to be completely extinguished.

For more information on Kojey Radical, follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Trails and Ways – “Jacaranda”

THE SCENE: You take a hike with friends through Griffith Park, but it is years ago, before the drought. The mountains are lush with foliage and flowers, at points creating pockets of shade where the path gets narrow, and occasionally leading to large clearings with soft grass to sit on. Everyone generally takes part in tomfoolery, undoubtedly including climbing a Jacaranda tree.

THE SONG: I love hiking at Griffith Park myself, so I’ll admit that wanting to see it not starved of water is more of a fantasy than anything. But I also don’t think Jacarandas grow on mountains, so this whole scenario is based on a falsehood. Either way, if we ever get any rainfall, I would honor the renewed flora with this track. It is so bright that you need shades, sunblock, and a hat to protect yourself from the UV rays. Like most of what Trails and Ways creates, it is also as catchy as Yogi Berra. And the cherry on top is obviously the fact that they made the word “Jacaranda” work so smoothly in a song. Magnificent.

Trails and Ways are releasing their debut LP, Pathology, this Tuesday, 6/2. Pre-order it here. Find more information about Trails and Ways on their website, and be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and tumblr.

Bridging Ears Back to Soul

24 May

Leon Bridges

When I first heard Leon Bridges my immediate reaction was that Sam Cooke had come back from the dead. I’m serious. The black-and-white soul sound sent me back to that magical moment when I first explored the inception of Soul music: the early 1960s sounds of names like Cooke, Wilson, and King. Then, I shook myself out of this initial daze. Sam Cooke – A man widely regarded as one of the finest vocalists of all time!?! How could I make such a wild comparison? But, as I took more time to listen to some tracks off Bridges’ soon-to-be-released debut album Coming Home, I realized that the comparison, while lofty, was not ridiculous. Bridges’ voice “sends me” to the soul-saturated sounds of the early 60s, and, while it may not in full bring back the mainstream popularity of slow horns and vocal harmonies, the music is certainly bridging that sounds to the ears of soul ingénues.

Bridges, who was born in Atlanta and now resides in Fort Worth, reached viral success with his song “Coming Home,” which caught the ears of several and helped him secure a record deal with Columbia Records. The overflowing bucket of talent that Bridges exuded did not stay hidden for long. With the help of Austin Jenkins and Joshua Block from White Denim, Bridges recorded his first few tracks – employing the aid of vocalists and bands that helped complement the 60s sound. His renown and success will only skyrocket with his release in June.

Coming Home” immediately takes on the feel of “You Send Me” with tastes of “A Change is Gonna Come,” and Bridges soft croon, a smoother Hozier (to make a modern comparison), has a rich Gospel feel to it that is just the right kind of sweet, not mawkish and not overpowering – it’s a voice that you can sink into, like silky gelato. The song itself is classic early Motown. It is carried by a bluesy piano and guitar mixed with traditional percussion. It is not difficult to imagine Sam Cooke or Otis Redding singing this song, and Bridges’ voice is not really a step down; heck, I am almost willing to go so far to exclaim that Bridges parallels the singers in a sense. Not too shabby.

From the slower “Coming Home” to the early Marvin Gaye-esque “Better Man.” The song features a literal doo-wop backdrop that is combined with a sweet horn section. It is almost minimalistic in its approach, and perhaps that is what I like so much about Bridges and his throwback tunes. In a musical world dominated by heavy electronics where artist after artist attempts to impress with eclectic sounds and instrumentation, Bridges takes a more traditional approach, fitting a wonderful track into a little more than two minutes.

Bridges is an artist worth tracking. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or his Website.

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