December 29, 2017

The week between Christmas and New Years Eve isn’t real. It’s where time and space stretch and thin to a borderline fantasy world. Money hardly moves. Phones seldom ring. The streets are (generally) uncongested. In fact, it’s the best time of year to be in Los Angeles because all of the transplants leave for the holidays. For that, I must acknowledge the elephant in the room: I never sent out the 12th day of the cmd+vent calendar. Please accept my apologies; you’ll have it before the end of this year. Consider it an extra treat over the weekend.

For the final Friday of 2017, there isn’t much going on musically. While I have dug up some tunes that’ve likely slipped under your radar, I’m not going to be sharing those with you today. Instead, I am doing what I swore I wouldn’t - a “year end roundup.” Yeehaw!

This isn’t your ordinary round up though - nay, this one consists a list of my top 15 favorite music videos released in 2017 for very specific reasons. I started compiling this list back in November, before I dreamt up the idea of cmd+vent, and honestly, I knew you’d feel cheated if I didn’t share this list with you.

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!

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-Best Makeup | “Atletico” - Rae Morris

    I initially placed Rae’s “Reborn” video under this slot until the “Atletico” single dropped. In this video she roams the streets of New Orleans donning a coppery red cat eye under a blinding spotlight that washes out her face. What sounds like Vampira-chic actually is an effortless cool that actually makes her blue eyes POP. Paired with a barely there but definitely noticeable Yves Klein Blue mascara, it’s having me reconsider my entire makeup kit when traveling next year. Are we leaving the "play it safe" makeup trend behind in 2017?

-Best Original Screenplay | “Selfish Love” - Jessie Ware

    Bitch...I want to live in this god damn music video. Homegirl Jessie lays out an intricate and intimate display of a marriage falling apart at a luxurious Spanish estate. Jessie’s swaddled in mid-20th century inspired clothing, ignoring her sexy but obviously trite husband, and settles the score with him all in 4 minutes. Almost convinced Tom Ford drafted the storyboard for this video.

-Best Use of Boomerang Clips | “Say My Name” - Tove Styrke

    “Say My Name” is still one of my top 5 favorite songs released this year. The vibrant video grasps the cheerful, bold attitude striped over the song. Tove sways to the beat in an endless succession of clips barely a second long each. The video comes across as effortless with the monochrome backgrounds and ACNE wardrobe, but was likely an editing nightmare. Someone get Stefan a round of shots, please. He deserves it.

-Best Location Scouting | “Perfect Places” - Lorde

    Like Jessie’s video above, I’d also love to live inside the locations of the “Perfect Places” video. Whomever did the location scouting for this video had a lot to live up to considering the song title – and they nailed it. Shot on a resort in Jamaica, I’m suddenly itching for another vacation.

-Best Use of Incorporating Los Angeles Architecture, Raf Simons’ Visions for Calvin Klein, and a Stranger Things Star | “I Dare You” - The xx

    I mean, the superlative says it all. Emma-Watson-in-training Millie Bobby Brown is hardly the star of this video. There’re also appearances by Ashton Sanders, Paris Jackson, Ernesto Cervantes, Lulu, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sowden House! The xx deemed this video as a love letter to Los Angeles, and that it very much is. Though highly idealized with warm tones and the somewhat organically manicured Hollywood Hills, it shows LA at its best.

-Best Visuals of Dacre Montgomery Looking Like an Idyllic Boyfriend for 4 minutes and 49 seconds | “Chateau” - Angus and Julia Stone

    Second best use of a Stranger Things star goes to Angus and Julia Stone’s “Chateau” starring Dacre Montgomery, aka the leather jacket, Fabio mullet MILF bait Billy from season 2 of Stranger Things. The video’s a rom com road trip in the deep south, featuring a very beautiful, young couple smooching on every possible surface, cuddling in a drop-top convertible, and crashing a wedding. Sounds corny, but every once in a while there’s great wine with a little cheese.

-Best Use of Lil Kim Wigs | “LMK” - Kelela

    Kelela went full on Lil Kim Wig in this video, and I am eternally grateful. All of the visuals for “LMK” scream Y2K steez: a bold colored hallway, a “futuristic” inspired wardrobe (including spaghetti straps and The Matrix-esque sunglasses). Oh, and there’s choreography for time occupied in this hallway! The video ends at Diddy’s White Party in a flurry of flower petals falling from the ceiling, and honestly, it looks like heaven.

-Best Norman Bates Covered in Confetti Glitter Impression | “My Smile Is Extinct” - Kane Strang

    This video had barely 100k views when I initially stumbled upon it this summer, now look at it grow! My favorite thing about this video is how fucking EXTRA and melodramatic the lyrics are for how utterly indifferent he appears in the music video. In fact, he looks like he is about to drop dead any moment, and I commend this commitment to being that furious. My guess is Kane Strang is a Scorpio.

-Best Carl Barât Cameo | “Boys” - Charli XCX

    Did you even notice Carl Barat was in this video? Do you even know who Carl Barat is? The “Boys” video was an instant viral hit, and I must say I had hearts in my eyes for a few weeks after it came out. This video is one for the pop history books, kiddos.

-Best Video to Fulfill My Wildest Goth Fantasies | “Little Dark Age - MGMT

    Presented without comment.

-Best Use of Cotton Candy | “As If It’s Your Last” BLACKPINK

    This video has cotton candy everything - from literally mounds of floss, to a soft aura of cotton candy pink glowing over every frame of the video. I remember the internet went absolutely nuts when this song dropped this year. While the concept doesn’t differ much from most KPop group music videos, the song still goes off.

-Best Biotin Advert | “Honey Sweet” - Blossoms

Biotin, not Bitcoin - biotin. The Blossoms dudes have the lushest locks of hair in the game, and they let those manes fly in the wind for the “Honey Sweet” video. The video is essentially the band cycling around an overcast English town (I’m guessing near Manchester somewhere??),  until they stumble upon Doc Brown’s DeLorean locked away in a storage unit. What year is it again?

-Best “Always Wear a Helmet” PSA | “Motion Sickness” - Phoebe Bridgers

    The juxtaposition of this seemingly OTT preparation for a karaoke stint (suit and tie, helmet on a scooter to the bar, and singing your lungs out in the mic until your pass out), and the earnest anxieties unraveling in the lyrics of “Motion Sickness” makes this one of my favorite videos of the year. Phoebe is a phenomenal songwriter who’s also got a great sense of humor.

-Best Politically Active Music Video | “Feel It Still” Portugal. The Man

    First of all, “Feel It Still” was the surprise blockbuster indie hit of 2017 that seemingly came out of left field, but that bassline is undeniable, y’all. I remember when the interactive music video first dropped for this bop earlier in the year (shortly after 45’s inauguration), and the video inserted 30 tools to “fight apathy and injustice” to spot when viewing the music video. I honestly watched it 10 times that night trying to find the hidden tools all in one go, over and over again. The concept is cool as hell.

-Best Video That’s On Everyone Else’s “Best Of” Lists | “HUMBLE.” - Kendrick Lamar

I’m wrapping this shit up with the King of Greatness: KDot. Kendrick ushered in a new era with this surprise single release back in March. The visuals for “HUMBLE.” are fierce as fuck, sparred with busy patterns of bodies and sun-soaked empty spaces with each frame holding Kendrick at the center of the screen for nearly the entire video. The immediate charge and feeling evoked from the video is immense, too. Kendrick stands out in every clip he’s in: from the only head with cornrows in a sea of bald heads, to the only one in a white hoodie in a group of people in fitted black tees with heads wrapped in kerosene-dipped ropes, to Kendrick seated at the seat of Jesus in a reenactment of da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Kendrick knows he’s at the top of his game and can be picked out of the crowd, but knows he can’t let the notoriety get to his head. The visuals are so clear cut and stunning, it’s damn right deserving of being in virtually every 2017 music video roundup I’ve seen.

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If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal December 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 in past cmd+f newsletters are archived into a single playlist on Spotify for you to follow here. I will be creating a brand new playlist for the 2018 year starting next week.

See you next week, and Happy New Year!

November 17, 2017

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!

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“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

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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!

June 30, 2017

It’s Independence Day next Tuesday here in America, and global affairs and chaos aside, I’m very much looking forward to enjoying a four day weekend. Part of me thinks a beach may or may not be involved, but for sure fireworks, my camera(s), and a whole lot of crazy food from local vendors and barbecues will be gobbled up across these days. Bring on all the Korean dumplings, short ribs, and mangonadas, y’all.

This week I’ve hand-picked six tracks to help you shimmy your way into the long weekend.

Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or on the cmd+f Twitter at @cmdf_me with your thoughts about any of the tracks I’ve selected this week. 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.

________________________________________

“Try to Fight” - Cathedrals | Oh. My. God. Remember Alphabeat???? Cathedrals are filling the void Alphabeat has left in my heart. “Try to Fight” straight up sounds like Keisza singing over a Years & Years instrumental. With a relentless bass looming beneath a bubbly synth and infectious hook, “Try to Fight” is “King” at half-speed, but still gets full marks on the campy electro beats. High key suprised this hasn’t made it onto the H&M In Store Music playlist, to be quite honest. Listen here

“Body Bounce” -  Lao Ra feat. Konshens | This is the second time I’ve thrown Lao Ra down in the cmd+f letter (here is the first), and she’s thrown down yet another fine “pineapple pop” dancefloor banger. “Body Bounce” features Jamaican artist Konshens, fusing a delicious blend of Lao Ra’s Colombian roots with tropical and dancehall beats. Get ready to pop-pop-pop-pop. Listen here

“Flash” -  The Belligerents | Damn: The Belligerents’ new single “Flash” is better than good. Underneath all that psychedelic flare, this song is undoubtedly bigger than it was likely intending to be. This song deserves to be performed in a damn stadium. I want to hear this at full volume, amps screeching. “Flash” is the first single off The Belligerents’ upcoming debut album (!!!), and I honestly can’t WAIT to hear what they pull off.  Listen here

“Lonely Now” -  Lover | Who on earth is Lover? I’m surprised there hasn’t been an artist already named Lover by this point, but here we are. UPDATE: he actually goes by LØVER, but he’s on Spotify as just Lover. Anyway, LØVER is an R&B-lite artist from Norway. “Lonely Now” sounds like a long lost Michael Bolton track in a 1980s teen movie, meaning it’s essentially perfect. Listen here

“Trampoline” (Saint Etienne Remix) -  Kero Kero Bonito | Sickly sweet J-pop (in English) reworked over a ska beat - sounds like it’d be a mess, but I assure you it’s BRILLIANT. Kero Kero Bonito have been around for a minute, churning out ironic, blissfully bonkers pop music on speed. Saint Etienne have kicked “Trampoline” down a few notches and rubbed the tune down into a beachy-keen day dream. Listen here

“Call Me Out” -  Sea Girls | I leave you with one last big tune: Sea Girls have come out the gate at breakneck speed with “Call Me Out” - it’s an unrelenting, contagious tune. What a freaking debut single, my friends. I’ve sent this off to two people this week, and both of their reactions were variations of “into it.” If you’re a fan of British indie pop (a la The Kooks, et al), BUMP THIS. Listen here

BONUS

• JAY-Z dropped his 13th studio album 4:44 on TIDAL. Literally everyone who has a TIDAL subscription confirms it’s incredible (likely to justify the fact the have a TIDAL subscription). And if you’re curious and don’t have a Sprint phone plan, seems like you’re “never” going to hear this album as it’s not only a TIDAL exclusive, but it’s now a TIDAL with Sprint exclusive. It’s like this man thinks he’s Beyoncé or something...

• Astrid S is ready to take on the globe!! The Norwegian pop princess has dropped her new Party’s Over EP  Listen here

• The only album you’re gonna need with you by the pool this weekend: Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 Listen here

• EVERYTHING I DREAMT UP ONCE UPON CAME INTO REALITY IN A MUSIC VIDEO!!! The xx’s new video for “I Dare You” was styled AND DIRECTED by Raf Simons and Alasdair McLellan, filmed in Los Angeles at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Sowden House and John Lautner’s Rainbow House, starring Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things, and Ashton Sanders in a crisp ass turtleneck. WHEW! Watch here

• Mura Masa has dropped two new tunes: one with Christine and the Queens, the other with the legendary Damon Albarn. Listen here

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If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal June 2017 playlist. 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!

June 23, 2017

The summer solstice has already eclipsed here in the northern hemisphere. I officially have to check if the tires of my care haven’t melted into the asphalt before I start my car, have taken to liberally applying sun cream on my face every 2 hours, and still haven’t increased my water intake. If this heat continues to press on like this, you’ll be receiving music recommendations from a golden raisin starting next week.

Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or on the cmd+f Twitter at @cmdf_me with your thoughts about any of the tracks I’ve selected this week. 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.

________________________________________ 

“Times We Had” - SG Lewis feat. Toulouse | Let me start off by apologizing for holding out on you. I was initially going to drop this tune in last week’s letter, but it was very late and I wanted to have enough clarity and peace of mind to completely GUSH about “Times We Had.” UK producer SG Lewis has once again blown my mind. The mysterious Toulouse (who’s dropped a handful of tunes over the past year) offers up some soulful vocals over the kicks and snares. I swear me talking about it do it justice, so I’ll stop talking and let you go have a listen. Listen here

“As If It’s Your Last” -  BLACKPINK | If you’re a K-pop music fan, without a doubt you’ve already seen/heard this BOP. At the time I’m writing up this newsletter, the video has been up for 20 hours and has already amassed over 11 MILLION views on Youtube. Gah damn!! I saw a lot of friends screaming about this on Twitter when I came home from work last night, and so I turned it on and got my damn life. This is the gummiest, bubbliest, sweetest chorus. The melody will burrow its way into to your ear, and you’ll be sashaying your way through the day. Listen/watch here

“Desolately Devoted” -  Denai Moore | From the first note I heard come out of Denai Moore, I was moved. My entire core was soothed, I just clocked with her music instantly. Her new album We Used to Bloom is a seamless, glorious 37 minute journey. The first time I ran through it, I felt like i was covered in aloe after a day in the sun. I was sold on “Desolately Devoted” as soon as the choir came in toward the end. Listen here

“Will You Dive” -  Hot Dreams | This tune is a ghost of an early 90s Madchester daydream. Stuffed with delicious reverb, the tune starts out begging for a bit of shoegazing, all until it goes all balls out in the last minute and a half. It balls itself up before all crashing down on a loud, vicious jam session. Rock out, my friends. Listen here

“Reborn” -  Rae Morris | For those who do check out/listen to my monthly playlists, you’ll likely have heard this little joint already. It’s been placed in my June 17 playlist for the past two weeks. What made me put it in the letter this week happened this week after listening to Switched on Pop, a music podcast that breaks down and dissects pop music theory. Their latest episode broke down a few contemporary examples of songs riding on the “rule of 3s” in which the song can be split between three different distinctive layers in order to gain our maximum level of attention. While a seemingly simple formula, the listener can focus more on the content of the song. Using less also leaves open for more, while I be extra flourishes here or there. Well, what would you know: “Reborn” fits right on in with that rule of 3s.  Listen here 

BONUS

• If you’d like to listen to the full episode by the Switched on Pop podcast I mentioned above, the link is here. I can’t recommend their podcast enough; Nate and Charlie break down pop music in a way that’s interesting, and exciting. They’ve actually helped explain the appeal of so many hits on the charts I could not wrap my head around!

• VINCE STAPLES’ BIG FISH THEORY IS THE MOST WELL PRODUCED AOTY. THE HD BASS?? I SWEAR YOU HAVE LITERALLY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS. KEY TUNE: “Yeah Right” Listen here

• Rita Ora’s video for “Your Song” is out, and I want names for this corporate affair she’s “working” at that allowed her to stroll in wearing a fishnet Comme des Garcons piratesque two piece suit and ballet flats because I wanna drop them my CV Watch here

• The xx have dropped a deluxe edition of their new album I See You. The star bonus track is “Seasons Run” - very much the seasonal affective disorder cousin of Lana’s “Summertime Sadness.” Go give that baby a few spins Listen here

• Go give ASAHD a pat on the back for all his hard work: DJ Khaled’s Grateful LP is out today (fav tune is “I Love You So Much” with Chance the Rapper) 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 June 2017 playlist. 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!