Back to our regularly scheduled programming, folks!
It’s indeed Friday, and aren’t you so lucky to have your week bookended by two issues of cmd+f? Very special.
Since next week is a Pretty Big Holiday here in the States (Thanksgiving), all notations on colonization and genocide aside, I want to take a moment to thank all of the artists I’ve featured over the past 11 months (can you believe it’s been that long already?!). There are over 216 songs on the cmd+f 2017 playlist at the time I’m writing this, with a few repeat artists jumbled in. It’s been a real pleasure finding your tunes, living in your songs, and sharing them to the world.
Thanks are needed for you too, dear reader. Knowing this letter hasn’t been going out into the void and has steadily become a growing “thing” recognized by people beyond my friend circle is exciting. Thank you for reading, sharing, and (hopefully) enjoying these tunes. There’s so much more to cmd+f waiting to happen, so please make way and keep your ears ready for 2018!
Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or on Twitter with your thoughts about any of the tracks I’ve selected this week. As you already know, I love chatting about music. Let me in on your new favorite band; they’re looking for new fans, too!
As always, you know the drill: if you like what you hear, spread the cheer. Tell your friends about the songs you liked in this letter, but most importantly, let the artists know. There’s a good chance they’ll see your comments. Let them know how good their tunes are, and they’ll crank out even more magic.
P.S. If you would like to have this letter sent to your email every Friday, please head over to this link right here to subscribe to never miss a weekly roundup!
________________________________________
“Good Together” - SHY Martin | Move over, Max – there’s a NEW Martin in Stockholm. The genius behind this stickysweet BOP, Sara Hallstrom, has penned some grooves for pop sirens Bebe Rexha and Astrid S, and has successfully claimed this infectious, lovestruck single for HERSELF. The chorus has been gnawing away at my skull for the past week. Listen here
“July 13th” - Cina Polada | Finnish dreampop five-piece Cina Polada released their promising self-titled debut EP in September, and it all sounds like the last dregs of summer you’re trying to sip out of a bottle. That’s the level of nostalgia and longing I’m yearning for from of a dreampop tune. Listen here
“Glass Jar” - Tristen | My pal Agnes tends to text me links to songs throughout the week, and this one in particular piqued my interests enough to check out Tristen’s entire album – three whole times in a row. I found myself tapping my foot in the kitchen while preparing for and making dinner, humming the songs the second spin around while taste-testing the spice levels in my chili, then full on clapping along with the hooks by the third round. The hearty little number “Glass Jar” is easily the most pop and accessible track off Sneaker Waves. Listen here
“#1 Dad” - Jonathan Something | I present to you my most pleasant surprise of the week: Jonathan Something. With the cadence of Bob Dylan and the wit of Father John Misty (though I’d hope far less sarcastic and knowingly pretentious), Jonathan Something’s album Art so Small You Can Hardly See It is a fresh exploration on 60s rock tones with (somewhat) absurd storytelling lyrics. The entire album is a joy from start to finish, so I’ve included “#1 Dad” as your little intro to Jonathan Something. Listen here
“Lady Powers” - Vera Blue | Really feeling the strength of women in the world this month. “Lady Powers” is an anthemic dark pop WARNING. You heard that – women are waking up in numbers realizing they can (and very much should) be respected without having to activate any sense of fragility or charm. To make a long story short and avoid this turning into a 9-page think piece, women are magical and won’t be taken for granted. Listen here
BONUS
The biggest news of the week is THERE WAS A JAI AND A.K. PAUL SIGHTING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR!! The reclusive, wickedly talented producer bros were appaz getting ready to break ground on fixing up a property to form their very own Paul Institute in West London, which, WHAT? You reckon this’ll become the Paisley Park of really dope dance tunes??? Anyhow, to add more to this wild as hell PR campaign hoopla surrounding the Paul Bros, the Paul Institute has dropped two tracks from newcomers Fabiana Palladino (“Mystery”) and Ruthven (“Evil”)
‘Tis the season, y’all – The xx have released a limited edition holiday sweater designed by Romy’s aunt – check it here
Tove Lo’s new album BLUE LIPS has arrived – and this week was so chill that I nearly forgot this celebratory event was happening. Still praying for “disco tits” to have its BIG moment Listen here
Good ol’ uncle Moz has finally released his new album Low in High School, an epic, operatic body of work outlining the realities of living with depression in a politically savage world Listen here
Y’all… Stefflon Don has dropped this ridiculous ass track “Ding-A-Ling” which the chorus, you guessed it, invites you to play with a ding-a-ling. Sampling a 9 second clip from the Simpsons, it’s annoying, grating, cringey, but frankly hysterical because girl, I totally get it: bottom line is fuccbois runnin up in your DMs are embarrassing and childish. Listen here
LA-based producer Will Weissenfeld’s eccentric pop project Baths’ new album Romaplasm is out – recommended listening for when you’re having a hard time justifying getting out of bed in the morning (don’t bother), so just put this album on, stay under the covers (treat yo’self), and let Romaplasm transport you to that level of feeling at peace with everything at your core Listen here
The wisest in all the land, Jaden Smith, has dropped his monstrous, 17-track debut album Syre – too many songs to attest to that I have definitely not listened to all the way thru, but it’s got a song with A$AP Rocky and one with Raury in there, so you know the production is going to be sliiiiiiick Listen here
SIA HAS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM Listen here
Charlotte Gainsbourg has a new album, too, that sounds very on brand for her if you’re familiar with her brand Listen here
________________________________________
If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal November 2017 playlist. There I will be dumping in new (and occasionally throw back) tracks as the month carries on. You can dive into the cmd+f archive to hear what I’ve been listening to in previous months this year.
A(lmost a)ll of the tracks I’ve shared this week and past cmd+f newsletters are archived into a single playlist on Spotify for you to follow here. You’re welcome.
See you next week!