GLOSS — Weekly Finds

¡¡¡Ya es viernes!!!

*Clink clink* for the freakin’ weekend, baby. I’m back with five songs to welcome into your next week. We’ve got new songs from music vets, reappearances from cmd+f alums, and supa dupa fresh tunes.

Before we dive into the music, did you know you can contribute to cmd+f? Those of you who have read the previous letter sent out will see I’ve copy+pasted the same details outlining how you can take part in cmd+f’s upward trajectory. Read more below:

After the success of the cmd+vent calendar, in which I asked a dozen friends to write about how music impacted their lives throughout 2017, I’ve decided to steer cmd+f into a more communal atmos beyond the holiday season… by inviting one reader per month to share their music discoveries by emerging artists, or artists likely flying under our radars.

To the dear readers currently subscribed to this letter via email, I’d like to encourage you to reply to this letter (really, just hit “reply” at the top of your box and I promise I’ll get your message), give me a hello, and let me know if you’d be interested in taking over cmd+f one week. You’ll get to write an opening monologue, introduce yourself, and gush about five songs really hitting at your heartstrings.

I’m currently keeping this invitation open to email subscribers only — so if you have a friend with a vibrant musical palette that isn’t currently subscribed, please have them head over to this link right here! Please reply to this email if you’d like more details.

Now, let’s get into the new music. I’ve got five tunes by incredible ladies that have been jumbling around my brain for many weeks now. I’m beyond excited for you to finally be acquainted.

Remember: if you like what you hear, spread the cheer. Tell your friends about these artists and share the love.

You can contact me by replying directly to the newsletter that is mailed to your inbox every Friday, via my Twitter account, or using the contact page on the cmd+f website.

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 Love” - Aly & AJ | I’m sure a handful of readers last heard of Aly & AJ when they were awkwardly making their way through middle school and religiously watching episodes of Phil of the Future on the low lest they look “lame” to their classmates who were watching The Real World. Aly & AJ, an understated duo from the Disney Channel stars of yesteryear, who also happen to be siblings, have been making music together for nearly 15 years. Poptimists who’ve closely followed their trajectory collectively agree: all of what they’ve put out has been really damn good. “Good Love” is their latest single, a brooding dark pop follow up to their 2017 EP Ten Years. Drenched in heavy synths reminiscent to Berlin’s 1986 smash hit “Take My Breath Away,” the ghostly track is grated in luscious reverb with tender lyrics. Listen here

“Heartbreak Hotel” - Alice Chater | Alice first blipped across my radar back in April. Then she was known as just “alice” and had a bangin’ (yet somewhat unfinished sounding) debut single (that highlighted her potential to being a really interesting popstar). Overnight (literally, I woke up and my playlist updated) she’s tacked on her last name (which, thank god - it was unbelievably difficult to find her socials), and has since dropped “Heartbreak Hotel.” Virgin/EMI are putting $$$monaaay$$$ into her A&R and visuals, and I think it’ll be well spent. “Heartbreak Hotel” is the pop bop we DESERVE. There’s a delightful chorus packed with enough cowbell to ring-a-ding-ding you into the fifth dimension, and [gasp] a MIDDLE 8! It’s a touch Dua Lipa meets early Gaga (à la “Paparazzi”) meets Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell.” Amen @ the pop gods! Listen here and Watch here

“Flexin’” - Tkay Maidza feat. Duckwrth | Heeeeeat waaaaave! Aussie emcee Tkay Maidza dropped her first SOLO release since her 2016 debut album and it’s pure heat. Featuring rising LA rapper Duckwrth, the track is about being yourself - unapologetically. Get loud, grab some win, kick over a few chairs, and dance on the m----f--- table. Listen here

“Honey, Don’t Kill My Vibe” - YESEO | Korean electro pop goddess YESEO writes, produces, records, and mixes all of her own music. “Honey, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” taken from her debut LP Damn Rules, shifts away from her initial electro-R&B sound and venture into funky synthpop reminiscent of Little Dragon. Listen here

“Jugg Everything” - Nezi Momodu | Nezi Momodu is a Nigerian Muslim rapper living in Texas, and after listening to her, I am bald. Phew! For those of you who crave old school rap and hip hop, dominated by effortless, syncopated flows with the ease of Missy Elliott, or the ruthlessness of Lil’ Kim, Nezi Momodu is your answer. She’s the future, she’s current, and she’s exactly what hip-hop needs right now. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

Japanese R&B pop trio GLOSS have released their first EP, TYO GLO, which includes the ear tingling single “Big Mad” (which was featured on cmd+f a couple months ago) Listen here
Blood Orange, aka Devonte Hynes, is back with his new single “Charcoal Baby.” He’s also announced this week a new album is on the way. Listen here
Pale Waves have announced their debut album My Mind Makes Noises drops September 14. They’ll be kicking about on a North American tour from October through December, so go swipe up tickets ASAP. Listen to their newest single “Eighteen” Listen here
If you’re fond of watching choreography, Ten, a member of the Korean pop group NCT, released a dance practice video for his song “Dream In A Dream” last week. It’s mesmerizing to watch; his movements are like ASMR for the eyes Watch here
Number one hustler Tinashe continues to lay groundwork for a whole new era after finally dropping her album JOY RIDE this past spring. Check out her latest drop “Throw A Fit” Listen here
Leon Bridges covered Ginuwine’s “Pony” for a Spotify Singles session and it’s [chef’s kiss] Listen here
Charli XCX has a new single and… oh, yes hunny! Listen here
Legendary UK girl group All Saints have a brand new album, Testament, and it’s rather good! Listen here

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A(lmost a)ll of the tracks I have shared in this week’s letter 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 July 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!

Well, damn.

It’s been three weeks of me leaving y’all in the dark about what’s poppin’ across the audiosphere.
I’ve been dealing with some health setbacks these past few weeks, and let me tell you: getting older isn’t easier. As a [redacted] year old, if you told me at 16 that my joins would ache after having one teaspoon of soy sauce and a 30% chance of rain, I would have laughed in your face. But it’s absolutely true. I can hardly finish a glass of wine without having to strategize how I’m going to carry myself up a flight of stairs without potentially embarrassing myself.

However, in these weeks of nursing my well being back to tip top shape, I’ve managed to scrape up enough energy to attend a handful of live concerts to experience NCT 127, Red Velvet, Jay Park, Mike Shinoda, and George Ezra.

I’ve also been digging through the virtual crates for some deep cuts, spending time researching the early technical and cultural histories of dance music (particularly in Chicago and Los Angeles), and populating a handful of new playlists (peep my Origins of Dance Mythologies playlist here). Through my reflection, I’ve been tending to new ideas on how to expand on cmd+f’s current template of music discovery… stay tuned.

I plan on dropping a new letter this Friday to soundtrack your (American) holiday weekend, but I really couldn't be sitting on these particular six songs a second longer. Here's a Wednesday treat to make up for the weeks of radio silence -- I've missed sharing music with you!

As always, I hope these songs inspire you to check out more music by these particular artists, or lead to introducing you to another artist you’ve never heard before!

Remember: if you like what you hear, spread the cheer. Tell your friends about these artists and share the love.

You can contact me by replying directly to the newsletter that is mailed to your inbox every Friday, via my Twitter account, or using the contact page on the cmd+f website.

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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“MI Amore” - FRENSHIP | I’ve been sitting heavy on this track for the past few weeks, and each listen is still just as fresh. FRENSHIP are a rising LA synthpop duo cranking out innovative tunes for the next generation of pop. You may have heard their first mega-hit “Capsize” a couple years ago at the height of the tropical house boom (it’s amassed over 400 million streams on Spotify alone), but FRENSHIP have since tightened their sound with even glossier hooks. Their latest single, “MI Amore,” is a ghostly, infectious recount of their last few years and their brisk rise to the forefront of the music industry. Listen here

“Strangers Passing By” - Joshua KYEOT | Holy crap, y’all! This artist was sent to me via a submission on the cmd+f website! I listen to every submission sent through the form, and this one in particular struck me. Joshua KYEOT (pronounced KEY OH TEE - though I’ve been told it is also short for “keep your eyes/ears on this”–clever) is a rising South London singer-songwriter with a rich, robust, soulful tone. I’ve been really hyped on the new Leon Bridges releases for the past month and a half, so I’ve definitely been gravitating towards tunes with a funky vibe. While the production for “Strangers Passing By” at points can sound a bit tinny (and truly only the audiophiles will lock into this), the song highlights an artist brimming with promise. Get Joshua set up with a tight production team, have them churn out fistfuls of songs during their sessions, and through that process I can guarantee the results are going to shine. It’s never fair to make comparisons, though I'm compelled to insist Joshua KYEOT’s got the chops to stack up with esteemed artists much like Leon Bridges and Michael Kiwanuka. Listen here

“Blue Angel” - Danny L Harle feat. Clairo | Our (yes, our) favorite PC Music producer, Danny L Harle, continues to breach the outer limits of saccharine soaked pop music. Featuring vocals by Clairo, the queen of bedroom pop (who’s highlighted in the previous cmd+f letter), the song sounds a bit like riding a carousel at night by the beach, wrapped in a blanket, all while eating a snow cone. While you may have never experienced all of these sensations and situations simultaneously, you’ll know once you hit play. Listen here

“Barbed Wire” - Tom Grennan | Sounds like George Ezra smoked a pack of Marlboro Reds a day for seventeen years. God. Need I say more? Other than it’s fun as hell??? Listen here

“Big Mad” - GLOSS | A biracial J-pop trio? Sign me the f*ck up. “Big Mad” is GLOSS’s debut single, and it’s damn good. Featuring Sakura, Lil Domi, and Kemy Doll, the production is a step up from your run of the mill Soundcloud rapper beats. Think Tinashe at her best mixed with a slice of Terror Jr. Listen here

“Sims 2” - Coco & Clair Clair (prod. Graham) | I’d like to formally crown Coco & Clair Clair as the lo-fi queens (soz Clairo). As the title of the song suggests, the foundation rests on a chopped and distorted sample of a Sims 2 theme, instantly cradling you with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. It’s the level brainy, hard left of center pop we once craved and expected from Grimes (Pre-Elon Musk dating, pre-Stella McCartney perfume campaigns, pre-Brooke Candy’s android lookin ass pop-n-locked it on 7 inch flatforms in the middle of a desert in the “Genesis” video) when her resources were limited but her ideas were so, so big. However, Coco & Clair Clair keep it very low key, frosting over their tunes with a bit of attitude. I'm obsessed. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

So many amazing artists have dropped incredible tunes and albums the last few weeks, it’s MIND BLOWING
First and foremost, I’m including this for posterity sake despite it already having close to 145 million streams on YouTube: Childish Gambino dropped the most poignant, thought-provoking music videos of the decade for “This Is America.” Warnings for graphic imagery by use of gun violence and harm of black bodies. Watch here
James Bay has since stopped growing his hair but instead has focused his growth on his sound as an artist. His sophomore album, Electric Light, is a vibrant, exciting evolution in his career. He’s gone from brooding, sad, white male, blues-inspired singer-songwriter to full blown rockstar (who is still very much brooding and sad) Listen here
Years & Years have shared a new single and music video for the summer-soaked bop “If You’re Over Me” Watch here
Troye Sivan dropped the best pop track of the year so far two weeks ago and it also happens to be about getting it up the ass. Aptly titled “Bloom.” His sophomore album of the same title drops August 31! Listen here
CHRISTINA AGUILERA IS BACK and is taking ZERO prisoners. Her return single “Accelerate” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 2Chainz is addicting and unlike any pop tune I’ve ever heard. Earworm of the year right here. Listen here
An absolute mess happened the other week
Leon Bridges’ new album Good Thing is fucking GREAT Listen here
John Mayer has returned with an absolute tune. “New Light” is a delight Listen here
Charlie Puth’s new album Voicenotes is destined for a Grammy pop vocal (lol) of the year nomination, potentially even album of the year. While I think the songs are too good for his own range, the songs still slap. The man’s got something for everyone here, too - from a hair-raising pseudo-gospel joint with Boyz II Men, to a vaguely Jazzy-Americana duet with James Taylor, to straight up BOPS - the album is a solid must listen for all pop music enthusiasts. Highlights? “BOY,” “Patient,” and “Somebody Told Me.” Listen here
YES LAWD!!! Anderson.Paak is back with “Bubblin” Watch here
Fifth Harmony pack it in and call it quits with one final videos for their fans Watch here
The 13 Reasons Why Season 2 soundtrack BANGS. Featuring new tunes from OneRepublic, Selena Gomez, as well as cmd+f alums HAERTS, Leon Else, Colouring, Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eilish, and Gus Dapperton, the compilation keeps its edge featuring goth classics from the likes of Tears for Fears, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Damn, it’s almost like someone plucked this playlist out of my BRAIN!! Listen here
Christine and the Queens’ new single “Girlfriend” got me high key giddy, particularly the French version “Damn, dis-moi” Listen here
Backstreet Boys have an incredible new single, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” Listen here
Arctic Monkeys got a new album or summat Listen here

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A(lmost a)ll of the tracks I have shared in this week’s letter 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 May 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 THIS FRIDAY! I PROMISE!!!