It’s the weekend!
Well almost and in the midst of all that relaxing and chilling, you have a chance to think and ponder and wonder.
And what better way to do that than with some awesomely good music that is deeply transportive but also richly intelligent?
These five artists have all that covered and more and trust us, you’ll find great joy in just listening and thinking and feeling.
“Out of Love” by Strong Asian Mothers
Sporting what Bit Candy calls “triumphant horns and bombastic drums”, “Out of Love” from Strong Asian Mothers (cool band name of the week!) is all brooding melody, with all the punch and presence you could ask for in an emotionally-resonance piece of electronic pop.
Hailing from London, the band members Amer, Kalim and Josh have been friends from childhood and making music together for almost as long.
All that hard musical work growing up has paid off bigtime for the talented threesome who has crafted music that they describe as a blend of Hip Hip and Trap with Pop.
It is eminently listenable music that dares to you to ignore it; emotive, commanding and rich with lyrical meaning, “Out of Love” underlines why this band, who have acquired a deserved reputation for brilliantly good live performances, are a band to watch.
“What Will Life Make of You?” by L U M E N
An artist who clearly respects the need for capitalised letters to have their own personal space, L U M E N, who calls Aintree, Liverpool home has a knack for crafting airy, light pop that sounds incredibly intimate and yet removed all at once.
Asking one of the most pertinent questions any of us can ask ourselves, especially those on the cusp of good things like he is, “What Will Life Make of You?” is the perfect summer anthem when the removal from day to day drudgery gives you a chance to not only chill but the time to think about Big Things.
This is the perfect music to ponder expansive life issues with all throbbing guitars and insistent beats that carry you along on a wave of idle musing, made all the more impressive by the fact that the artist is just 17.
For someone essentially starting out, he’s reflective of a lot of very cool influences as Killing Moon points out:
” … you’ve got the quirky digitalism take on indie music that you get with like likes of Postal Service, Daniel Wilson and St. Lenox; one the other, a clear stab at the poppier end of the spectrum, re your Bombay Bicycle Clubs, The Drums, The Cure. So some seriously good shit spread in a pleasantly non-suspecting and unassuming way.”
It’s everything you could ask for – great music that makes you think by a man who’s clearly got a lot of great music (and thinking) ahead of him.
“Everything Beta” by Phoria
This is richly atmospheric music, with melodic lushness spreading languorously throughout “Everything Beta”, a song which finds its identity partly in the ethereal but emotionally powerful vocals of Trewin Howard.
Along with fellow members of the Brighton, England-based five piece band – Seryn Burden, Tim Douglas, Jeb Hardwick, Ed Sanderson – he has crafted a song that dazzles and shimmers, swoops and weaves itself into your soul.
This is beautifully muscular music that retains an ephemeral shimmer throughout while building and building in powerful, gloriously-evocative intensity.
It is well nigh impossible not to be moved or changed by “Everything Beta” and the band’s earlier hit “Evolve” which bring together acoustic warmth and edgy electronica as The Line of Best Fit notes.
This is music to sink deep into and frankly if you were to never emerge again, would that be such a bad thing?
“Easy” by Molly Moore
Even with its trippy, blippy sound and edgy sensibility, Molly Moore’s song “Easy” is richly warm and affecting.
Much of that is due to the beautifully moving vocals of the Los Angeles, California singer and songwriter whose love of pop is on full display on this atmospherically-transcendent track.
“I loved pop music so much,” she says. “As soon as I figured out big songs on the radio were written by songwriters, I became obsessed with who wrote what and wanting to write for other people.” (source: mollymooreofficial.com)
You can help but notice her influences – her father who is a working musician and her mother who sings for the love of it and a musical diet that included everything from John Mayer to Britney Spears and even Art & Garfunkel – in “Easy” which while deliciously cutting edge still speaks to the heart with the warmth and soul of a good friend.
This is music of the future that clearly values the past that has informed it so much.
“Open Fire (feat. Daniel Johns)” by SLUMBERJACK
Featuring the magnificently-nuanced vocals of Daniel Johns, electronic duo have crafted a song in “Open Fire” that is all jittery melody and beats but utterly beautifully, movingly immersive.
It’s a cutting-edge sound sure but still redolent with lots of humanity and warmth, reflecting the fact that the best electronica out there remembers that its heart it needs to tell a story and reflected the soul of those who make it and listen to it.
And I can’t help but agree with Music Feeds that this is music that should go on and on and …
“It is beautifully produced, brimming with deliciously rich synths and pulsating fat beatsy bass breakdowns. Johns’ lusciously layered vocals hit you right where it hurts, but damn, it feels good. The grunge turned R&B ex-Silverchair singer features perfectly in this setting, following up from his particularly impressive 2015 solo release. This is one of those tracks that just ends way too soon.”
Given how fruitful this collaboration has been, we can only hope it is but one song of many to come.
NOW THIS IS EXTRA EXTRA!
If you have ever wondered what a 1000 year old song repertory sounds like, wonder no more.
According to Gizmodo, the music was a common example of the type of musical entertainment available at the time:
“It’s called “Songs of Consolation,” and it was a medieval musical retelling of Roman philosopher Boethius’s magnum opus, The Consolation of Philosophy. Back then it was common practice to take classic works, such as those written by Horace and Virgil, and assign a melody to the texts. This was done to learn and ritualize the texts, which often consisted of love songs and laments.”
There’s a new Star Trek movie in cinemas, Star Trek Beyond and with a bold new theme song by Rihanna called “Sledgehammer”.
And yes there’s also an amazingly funny new Ghostbusters movie from Paul Feig which also has a theme song by Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott, which is good but not great.
Better is this Japanese take on the old 1984 theme song by Ray Park Jr. which is suitably kooky, quirky and brilliantly catchy and features 4 Japanese comedians (Tomochika, Oniyakko Tsubaki, Naomi Watanabe and Shizuyo Yamasaki
(source: Screenrant)