Hallelujah, it’s a long weekend ahead of us!
I’m going to keep all of this brief, as this week the spotlight is off of me, and instead I handed over the reigns to cmd+f’s very first guest contributor, Agnes! I’m thrilled to deliver a fresh voice and perspective to help spruce up your personal playlists. I can’t thank her enough for taking the helm of this newly instated monthly feature of the newsletter, and expanding cmd+f’s mission of fostering a community that supports emerging musical talent!
If you’re interested in contributing to cmd+f, please see the end of the letter for more information.
Remember: if you like what you hear, spread the cheer. Tell your friends about these artists and share the love.
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Hello everyone, it is I, the harbinger of sad jams, graciously allowed back to cmd+f to give you all some more recs! This summer has been a weird one for me, to be honest, and now, at its twilight, I can see that I spent most of it just trying to make it through one day to the next. This is pretty clearly reflected in my listening history, as the last 3 months are full of sugary K-pop and radio friendly bangers. I’m sure we all devoured and clung to the hope and earnestness of the new Shawn Mendes, Ariana Grande, and of course, Robyn, and who could blame us! This year was shit! And although I adore some sad pop, it’s hard not to feel like we’re being inundated with music trying too hard to speak to the anxiety of the times. What feels radical and refreshing right now is joy. So take my hand, let me guide you through some uplifting deep cuts to get you through these dog days of summer unscathed, or at least jamming.
“Is Now a Good Time to Ruin Your Life?” – Bloodboy | Self-declared “eager OC girl who wanted very badly to GTFO of the electronic music world and be in a #postpunk band,” Bloodboy is a solo project by part time school teacher and all around badass Lexie Papilion. By fusing the sweeping guitars and drama of glam rock and post punk with her distinctly pop sensibilities, Bloodpop feels on the cusp of becoming the next big name in angry girl pop. “Is Now a Good Time” has all the bluster and bravado of a 70s rock record but still feels distinctly of the moment, largely due to Papilion’s powerful vocals. Listen here
“Can’t Be Mine” – Disco Hue | The 80s may have permanently altered the fabric of American culture for the worse (see the success of 45), but no one can deny that those drum loops are perhaps the best thing that’s ever happened to music. Singaporean synth-pop quartet, Disco Hue, seem to be of the same mind, and this first single off of their upcoming record is awash in them. I dare you not to break out into a Rosie Perez style dance solo when this bop comes on. Their full album is due for release June 2019, so we will be FLUSH with summer jams. Listen here
“Forbidden Fruit” – Gabriela Francesca | This sun-drenched bop about wanting what you can’t have comes from Chicago native Gabriela Francesca. Her brand is danceable tongue-in-cheek, most notably her song “Kris Jenner” where she prays to our mighty overlord for success and riches, but “Forbidden Fruit” has the syncopated reggae beat and splash of big band to become your ultimate poolside anthem. Be a slut! Do whatever you want! Listen here
“Retro Future” – Triple H | You want 90s hip-hop infused dance-pop by way of Korea? You want quirky pseudo-polyamorous vibes? You want real life dating gossip? Meet Triple H, the Cube entertainment formed co-ed K-pop trio of Hyuna, Hui, and E’Dawn. It was recently made public that Hyuna and E’Dawn have been a couple for 2 years, which, if you know anything about K-pop, you know is a major scandal but spicy tidbits aside, the group is fun and sexy and flush with bops. If you have a convertible, may I recommend blasting this with the top down? Listen here
“Daytime” – Lunar Vacation | Now to pivot and wind down, we’ve got a bit of dreamy “pool rock” to finish off this list. Lunar Vacation are an Atlanta based band fresh out of high school and already crafting dreamy indie rock jams perfect for that last morning of vacation. Their vocals and chord progressions have dashes of Beach House and Best Coast so I was shocked to find out this band had no ties to the west coast, but what they are deeply connected to is that hazy feeling of a summer afternoon coming to an end. Listen here
Some honorable mentions: “Leaving” – MILKK, “Mercedes Benz” – Harry Teardrop, “u never did that 4 me” – Sage Charmaine, “Notice” – Boy Blue
You can find Agnes on Twitter and Instagram
New Music Friday Selects
- Troye Sivan’s highly anticipated sophomore album Bloom is now out in the world!! First impression: it’s the white boy Channel Orange, including all the critical praise and clout Listen here
- NCT Dream, my absolute favorite group making waves in the K-pop circuit have returned for a jovial, late-summer bop, “We Go Up.” They’ve dropped the music video ahead of their third “mini album” (K-pop code for EP) Go Up, out MONDAY!! Watch here
- Lord! MNEK’s debut album drops next Friday and I am NOT READY. He’s dropped “Correct” as our final taste before Language is out, and honey, I am BALD. Listen here
- Dreampop outfit Wild Nothing’s fourth studio album Indigo is out! Listen here
- As the Number 1 Sucker for Boy Bands, I can’t not alert you about Why Don’t We’s new, cleverly titles 8-track album 8 Letters -- so good! Listen here
- cmd+f alum No Rome has dropped his first EP, RIP Indo Hisashi, which includes the track “Narcissist” featuring The 1975 Listen here
- Nothing But Thieves have a fiery new single, “Forever & Ever More” Listen here
- UK glam rock quartet The Struts dropped their rambunctious new single “Body Talks” featuring Kesha Listen here
- Doja Cat’s viral “MOOO!” is finally on Spotify Listen here
- Everybody’s fav neo R&B singer Gallant has graced us with a smooth new jam, “Haha No One Can Hear You!” Listen here
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All of the tracks Agnes has shared in this week’s letter, and previous cmd+f letters, are archived into a single playlist on Spotify for you to follow here.
Subscribe to that playlist, share it with friends, or take some inspiration from the ever growing list to compile some of your own.
If you’re interested in listening to what I’m rinsing this month, you can follow my August 2018 playlist here. There I will dump a hodgepodge of new and old songs that fit my mood and the trends of the month. Having a personal monthly playlist makes a year in review so easy. Share your playlists with me!
See you next week!
P.S. If you’re interested in contributing to cmd+f like Agnes did this week, please be sure you’re subscribed to the cmd+f newsletter and reply to the email in your inbox!