Troye Sivan

October 19, 2018

Buon giorno from Florence! Happy October - it's the most wonderful time of the year!

cmd+f has had yet another unannounced hiatus. I would apologize, but, like, I refuse to deliver y’all half-assed content. On the other hand, putting this out weekly (as my original mission has intended) would have been a nice reprieve from the relentless, horrific news cycle.

In this six week interim, I’ve been preparing for a vacation of a lifetime to Tuscany. Now I’m sat on my hotel bed in Florence with the window open, batting away plumes of cigarette smoke that’re wafting in from around the corner, and, well, I’m already starting to unwind for the evening and will let the Chianti do all of the talking.

So much has happened in music since our last letter: MNEK dropped his debut album, Rita Ora has been crowned with the title of having the most top ten singles of any female artist in the UK since the release of her single “Let You Love Me,” Gallant put out a collab with Sufjan Stevens, Metric returned to music with a smashing new album, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born has managed to get 100% of the people I know who’ve seen it proclaim they’re all head over heels for it, and Robyn announced she is dropping her new album on my mf’ing birthday in a week. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Phew!

To be honest, digging around for new artists in the last six weeks has been off my radar. It’s the start of Fourth Quarter, AKA the pop music holiday season, and I’ve mostly slinked back into old listening habits bouncing between 80s Italo-disco hits, 90s alternative tunes, and the latest Rita Ora single on repeat for hours at a time.

Since I am on vacation on the other side of the world, I’m also taking a break from writing about some emerging artists (sorry @ all of the wonderful emerging artists I’ve been stacking up for the past 2+ months), and embrace the Month of Halloween™. For this week’s cmd+f I’ve decided to link a handful of spooky playlists to help get you in the mood for this holiday season. The selection is a mix of playlist I’ve handcrafted myself over the years, a few playlists I’ve encountered along the way, and some solid albums to raise some spirits.

Next week we’ll have a very special guest delivering their five favorite new music discoveries. For now, tune in for some spooktacular tunes.

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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Spooky Classical for Halloween by unCLASSIFIED | Opening with Wojciech Kilar’s score for the 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula, to John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” for the Harry Potter series, to Beethoven’s timeless "Symphony No. 5 in C Minor," this playlist has nearly 6 hours of hair-raising classical arrangements. Listen here

Aventine by Agnes Obel | This is the fifth year in a row that Agnes Obel’s Aventine has remained my favorite album to listen to from September through the start of December. It’s quiet, icy, soothing, evocative, and stunning all at once. Obel, a classically trained pianist, layers her vocals over chords, over more vocals, over a lone cello, plucked strings, and like magic, weaves the most haunting album I’ve heard in my life. “Dorian” is a standout track and remains my favorite to listen to on repeat. Listen here

Pre-tober by cmd+f | In early September 2015 I kicked off my “Pre-tober” playlist series. As soon as the clock strikes midnight on September 1 every year, that entire month is deemed as Pre-tober – the time of year in which I start taking planning my costume seriously, dusting off the skulls in my cabinets, incorporating pumpkin spice into as many edible things, and shelving the summertime pop anthems. I've created a Pre-tober playlist every year since, but the original 2015 Pre-tober playlist is a mix of eclectic ambient tracks and dark pop bops. Listen here

Stay Creepy by Caitlin Lamain | For y’all who like Halloween themed lyrical content without it being blatant Halloweenie music, this playlist is for YOU. Listen here

TURN OFF THE LIGHT, VOL. 1 EP by Kim Petras | I am so reluctant to share this since Dr. Luke produced and co-wrote this entire EP. But: homegirl put out an entire HALLOWEEN EP. She even got Elvira, Mistress of the Dark herself to make a cameo on the title track. High quality pop music here, folks. Listen here

oooOooOOOOoo by cmd+f | Six Halloweens ago, I threw together my Magnum Opus of Halloween playlists. I carefully selected an hour and a half of off-kilter alternative tracks, mostly with eerie, electronic instrumentals, and uploaded the songs onto the now defunct website 8Tracks (RIP). For what? For some damn notes on my Tumblr. I burned the playlist onto a few CD-Rs, gave it to a few friends IRL, and bumped it in my car for months after Halloween (before I had an AUX outlet, before I even had a damn smart phone - I am almost certain I was still texting T9 in 2012… phew!). There is only one song missing on this Spotify list, and it’s because it was an audio rip from a YouTube video by iamamiwhoami that you can watch and listen to HERE. 10/10 recommend watching that video late at night :) For the full playlist listen here

New Music Friday Selects

Lay, the remaining Chinese member of the globally sensational South Korean boy group EXO, has released his third solo album this week, NAMANANA. He’s worked with some incredible top liners (uhhhhh Bazzi!!!), and made the ambitious decision to promote this album in the US. He’s recorded his album TWICE - once in Mandarin, and once in English. Also, the music video for the lead single is totally bananas: it's a steampunk USPS delivery through a desert seascape. I can't believe I just wrote that sentence, but, that's the plot. Oh, and there're good choreography. Listen here and be sure to watch this video
Troye Sivan linked up with Sigur Ros’s Jonsi for a song on the Boy Erased soundtrack Listen here
Khalid has a new EP, Suncity Listen here
Peter Bjorn and John have a whole new album!!! Listen here
You thought I was done talking about K-Pop releases? Aha. Last Friday South Korean group NCT’s sub-unit NCT 127 released their debut full length album, Regular-Irregular. They included an English version of the lead single “Regular” with ambitions of world domination. The visuals are slick, but the vocal harmonies on these songs are top tier (personal fav? "Fly Away With Me"). Listen here
cmd+f alum Gus Dapperton has a new tune out (and a campy music video to boot), “World Class Cinema” Listen here (and watch here)
2017 cmd+f alum Tove Styrke is out with a groovy little number, “Vibe” Listen here
cmd+f alum Ariel Beesly has dropped her 80s fueled self-titled EP. Congrats, girl! Listen here
Ten Fé have a sweet new single, “Won’t Happen” Listen here
How To Dress Well has a stunning new single, “Body Fat” Listen here
New The 1975 sounds like the Step By Step theme song Listen here
New Maggie Rogers single “Light On” has low-key MUNA vibes and I’m very, very into it. Listen here

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A(lmost a)ll of the tracks shared in 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 October 2018 playlist here (and here’s a link for my September 2018 playlist if you’re curious). 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!

August 31, 2018

August 31, 2018 in Newsletter

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!

August 10, 2018

August 10, 2018 in Newsletter

Everything is on fire: Northern California, Southern California, André Leon Talley roasting Paul Manafort’s wardrobe, and these five smokin’ hot tunes by emerging artists! I’ve been sitting on a couple of this week’s picks for a while now, so I’m really excited to finally share them with you (if you haven’t heard them yet!). Kick up your feet, grab a mojito, and let’s dig in to the newest cmd+f letter.

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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“One of the Girls” - Otha | Dubbed as “Robyn on downers,” Norwegian wunderkind Otha dropped her debut single at the start of June. I’ve been playing this song endlessly for the past two months and I’ve yet to be tired of it. “One of the Girls” is a ghoulish, foot-stomping club track that punches through layers upon layers of sound. I’m obsessed! Listen here

“Night’s A Bitch” - SuperKnova | I can proudly announce this particular song came to me by a direct recommendation from a cmd+f listener (thanks, Sam!)! SuperKnova is a Chicago-based transgender artist churning out some really, really dope music. While Spotify says her mini-album Splendor Dysphoria was released this year, SuperKnova’s bandcamp reveals the tunes are over a year old. I’m ashamed I’ve been in the dark on her music for so long, but better late than never, right? Per Sam’s recommendation, I’ve chosen to highlight “Night’s A Bitch,” a wavy little number doused with trip-hop influence. Listen here

“Laconic” - Rosemoor | The power of sharing new music is it leads you to more new music! I put on a SuperKnova radio station and Rosemoor just landed in my lap. “Laconic” is a melodic, lo-fi bop that reminds me a ton of Say Anything’s first album meets the swarm of Pacific Northwest DIY bands I listened to in college. Listen here

“Target” - HANNIE feat. Ralph | Time to rev it up! “Target” has been queued up on my radar for a minute. This song is so damn adorable! HANNIE are a rising duo from East London slapping down some pseudo-disco pop bops. Listen here

“Moment To Myself” - Diana Gordon | Remember Wynter Gordon? She’s stripped back the hyper-sexualized club pop persona and has been reborn as Diana Gordon. “Moment To Myself” is a raw, unfiltered ballad, unveiling a new side of Ms. Gordon I’m excited to hear more from. If you dig this, check out the rest of her Pure EP. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

Jai Wolf has linked up with rising Kiwi singer Chelsea Jade for “Lost” and it’s AMAZING Listen here
We’re officially in countdown mode for Troye Sivan’s sophomore album Bloom. Today he’s released another haunting teaser single, “Animal” Listen here
UK producer Kolabeech has linked up with my number 1 gal BETSY, aka the Second Coming of Cher, for a stunning cover of Rozalla’s 1991 smash club hit “Everybody’s Free” Listen here
Ciara once again coming for our necks with her new single “Freak Me” featuring Tekno Listen here
Rejoice; new Mitski! Listen here
Producers Riton and Kah-Lo have remixed Selena Gomez’s “Back To You” and it’s A+ (can we get Kah-Lo featured on every song, please???) Listen here
Fresh shoegaze bliss from Wild Nothing; listen to “Shallow Water” Listen here
Tkay Maidza dropped a music video for her new single “Flexin’” featuring Duckwrth – and she announced a new EP is dropping at the end of this month! Watch here
New Aphex Twin for the IDM heads! Listen here
Oh my giddy aunt – Cher’s officially released her cover of ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” as a single? 2018 is too blessed. Listen here
The Why Don’t We boys continue to impress; their new single “8 Letters” is gorgeous 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.

See you next week!

P.S. Are you interested in contributing to cmd+f? Read more details below!

Last December I launched the cmd+vent calendar: an ambitious project that consisted of releasing a daily newsletter for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. I asked a handful friends to reflect on how music impacted their lives throughout 2017. It was much more exciting to share these reflections than compiling yet another end of the year “Best of…” list.

I’ve been thinking of ways to expand cmd+f’s potential over the last 6 months. To foster a more communal atmosphere all year round in this (mostly) weekly newsletter, I’m now inviting one reader per month to share their music discoveries by emerging artists, or artists likely flying under our radars.

To the 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. If you’re unsure how this is going to go down, you can anticipate the first guest feature letter is coming out later this month!

For now this invitation only open to email subscribers — 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!

June 8, 2018

June 08, 2018 in Newsletter

P H E W.

Life is starting to heat up in sunny Southern California, and with that it calls for more bangers, bops, and jams.

Last week I left you with a grab bag of genres to wade through, but this week I’m here to serve up hearty slices of poptimism.

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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“Ordinary Superstar” - Rina Sawayama | This is the third time I’ve dropped Rina into the weekly cmd+f picks, so she should REALLY be on your radar. While “Ordinary Superstar” came out last October in her exquisitely produced RINA mini album, the music video made it’s grandiose debut on i-D’s YouTube channel this week. The hair! The makeup! It’s ultra glam á la Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fifth Element. Like I said last November, keep your finger on the pulse for Rina! She is out here making massive waves in the pop circuit. Watch here

“Do It Again” - No Rome | If your first thought when hearing “Do It Again” is “this sounds like The 1975,” you’d be right on the nose. No Rome is not only one of Dirty Hit’s newest signees to release a new single, but also the protegee of The 1975’s Matty Healy and George Daniel, both of whom lent a hand in producing the dizzying debut. When digging around for more details on No Rome himself, I found a little note burrowed on his SoundCloud: “no rome is an art project by rome gomez - a personification of teen love, melancholy & everything in between.” There isn’t a better way to describe the effervescent mood of “Do It Again.” Listen here

“Do You Wanna Dance” - Cosha | Cosha is the artist formerly known as Bonzai. Yes, the Bonzai featured on Mura Masa’s 2016 hit “What If I Go.” The Irish singer has recently rebranded her music identity as Cosha last month with the release of her new album, RIP Bonzai. Far from the distorted glitch noises and brash synthesizers of her Bonzai days, Cosha has linked up with (former Vampire Weekend member and Charli XCX/Carly Rae Jepsen producer extraordinaire) Rostam for her lead single. “Do You Wanna Dance” rumbles slick whistles over a wobbling, relentless bassline. Can I get an Amen for this evolution? Listen here

“All The Work” - Amber Mark | We have another cmd+f alum making an appearance this week! I would have had this song up sooner had I not be rendered half-conscious for nearly all of May…. Now my ears are wide awake and fallen into utter BLISS for Amber’s new Conexão EP. My personal pick for standout track is the sultry and finger-snappin’ “All The Work.” Listen here

“Small World” - Sabina Ddumba | Sabina Ddumba’s vocals. This is where I’m launching my pitch. The Swedish singer made her start in 2012 on Swedish X Factor, released her debut album in 2016 (which includes the marvelous track “Time” produced by MNEK), and has proven herself to be a powerhouse R&B vocalist in her own country (which already has a reputation for housing some of the greatest pop artists of ALL TIME). “Small World” is Sabina’s latest release, and honestly it’s about time for the world outside of Europe to hear Sabina and all her glory. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

Christina Aguilera’s dropped a new single, “Like I Do” featuring GoldLink. It’s another god damn JAM. Xtina’s album is shaping up to be one of the best albums of the year… this song is so damn good Listen here
Interpol have announced a new album is on the way, and have shared a new ball-busting tune, “The Rover” Listen here
Jorja Smith’s highly anticipated debut album Lost & Found is out and everyone is losing their mind Listen here
Everyone’s favorite dreampop outfit Wild Nothing returns with “Letting Go” Listen here
Former Disney Channel star and cmd+f alumnus Sabrina Carpenter is back with a BOP! Listen here
20gayteen coming thru with some fab video content!!:
The Internet have dropped a charming new video for their new single “Come Over,” starring Syd wooing cute girl next door with her sexy vocals, and Steve Lacy in a yellow turtleneck with smiley faces on it. Watch here
Troye Sivan out here serving high fashion, god tier LQQKS in his new music video for “Bloom” Watch here
Tove Lo recruits Charli XCX, Icona Pop, ALMA, and Elliphant to teach ya mans how to eat pussy in the “bitches” music video. I mean, I guess I should note it’s a bit NSFW? Watch 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 June 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!

May 23, 2018

May 23, 2018 in Newsletter

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!!!

March 16, 2018

March 16, 2018 in Newsletter

This week’s been a doozy, innit? We time traveled ahead one hour last Sunday here in the States, and it’s knocked the time-space continuum out of equilibrium. I now am eating dinner after 9 pm, hitting snooze for 50 minutes because it’s pitch black in the mornings, and it’s made me grumpy enough about it to be whinging about something that happens annually that I just gotta elaborate IT HAS RUINED MY LIFE.

It hasn’t ruined my life though… in fact, this week’s been a pretty great week. Despite everyone relevant in the music biz flocking to SXSW in Austin, TX this week, I’ve had ample opportunities to rotate my sweater collection under the crisp, early Spring sun. My friend shared a book she’s been working on for a year for me to read, I had some contracts pull through at work, got to photograph some ancient pottery, and Rihanna has effectively launched the end of Snapchat (more on that in the Selects section).

There are SIX songs I’ve plucked out for you - because I honestly couldn’t part with any of them, and you need to hear them all ASAP.

As always, I hope these songs inspire you to check out more music by these 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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“Revoke Thee” - Latasha | This is the most last minute addition to cmd+f this week, and queen Latasha have clawed her way to the opening spot for this week’s letter. A self-proclaimed nerd “hood bitch” from Brooklyn, Latasha is coming to step on all of our necks and take names. She’s a forced to be reckoned with, opening “Revoke Thee” with “Fuck these other queens if they acting like bitches/ Everyone’s a sister ‘til their attitude switches.” The bars are stacked with confidence, a story of a woman who will not be fucked with, and honestly? I feel that. There’s one day in a woman’s life when she realizes she’s tired of putting up with everyone else’s shit, including other women who don’t wanna enjoy the magic of sisterhood, so you just gotta step the fuck up and steer your own ship. But you also gotta be realistic about your relationships with people. If they’re wasting your time - Latasha is here to tell you that you gotta cut these vampires from your life. Listen here

“High Like This” - Kevin George | Make way for a new music prodigy. Kevin George is a 20 year old self-taught producer inspired by Prince, Tame Impala, and The Weeknd. He produced, engineered, and mixed his monster of a track “High Like This.” The moody R&B track is a radio ready single, destined to blow Kevin George out of the water. If DJs slipped this on the radio, listeners would more than likely mistake it for a Rae Sremmurd track – and we all know Swae Lee is the king of hip-hop melodies. Give it six months and we may have a “High Like This” collab with a few seasoned rappers in the mix. Whatever Kevin George is doing, he’s doing it right. Listen here

“Stallion” - The Garden | Orange County’s finest punk outfit The Garden returned at the end of last month with a hair-raising, head-banging, absolutely bonkers single “Stallion.” It’s got it all: rock grinding riffs, frantic drum kicks, abrupt key changes, and sick, sick vocals. Listen here

“Modern Romance” - Satellite Young | Now for a complete 180 from the previous song, I present the sickly sweet, bubblegum synthpop from Japan’s Satellite Young. “Modern Romance” is sugar rush of electric horns and a ridiculously catchy chorus - regardless if you speak Japanese or not. I guarantee you’ll be humming along and bopping your head side to side before the end of your first listen. Listen here

“Fish” - Will Joseph Cook | Will Joseph Cook has been on the radar of many alt-pop enthusiasts for a minute. “Fish” came out last year on an EP released not terribly long after the release of his highly lauded debut album Sweet Dreamer. For “Fish,” Cook turned inward, with lyrics so arresting and sensuous, they paint a story so crisp and fresh on your mind. Listen here

“Pasajeros” - Karma Wears White Ties | This last song came to me by way of my glorious editor, Kimmie, and I have been swimming through it all week. She’s thankfully vowed to put together a Spanish indie playlist (which I’ll link to y’all once it’s complete). “Pasajeros” is truly, truly dope. While most of Karma Wears White Ties are in English, "Pasajeros" is a soft, catchy bop in Spanish, opening with a gentle praise to simply shut up.The Chicago band’s vibe is chill, sounding like a cross between Two Door Cinema Club meets Local Natives. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

Hollywood’s first high budget film with an openly homosexual protagonist hero Love Simon “came out” today. It’s received a lot of buzz and praise, warmed a lot of hearts, and also dropped a hotly anticipated soundtrack! The soundtrack features new original songs by Jack Antonoff, MO, and Troye Sivan. Listen here
Brother Chuck P is back………. And he has delivered another suave ass BOP. Listened to “Done For Me” by Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani Listen here
Rising South Korean K-Pop group NCT have released their first full length album, EMPATHY, this week. It's a mishmash of experimental pop bops. Listen here
Miguel… up to some antics…. Out here….slapping his vocals on a Kygo beat…. Instead of a whole ass album… but…. Let him live…. Listen here
Leon Bridges dropped two new songs this week: “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” and “Bad Bad News.” Both excellent. The second one? Totally slaps. Listen here
George Ezra has dropped yet another tune from his forthcoming album Staying at Tamara’s - this time it’s “Saviour” featuring Swedish folk duo First Aid Kid Listen here
Louisa Johnson also has a sexy new single this week featuring 2Chainz. Aptly titled “YES” and it’s got high key Dirrty Xtina meets Pussycat Dolls vibes Listen here
Lesbian Jesus Hayley Kiyoko has dropped a chamber pop power ballad??? And it’s great? Listen here
Halsey has released a new version of her new single “Alone,” this time featuring bars from Big Sean and Stefflon Don. Listen here
The Decemberists have a whole ass brand new album out! Listen here
As I said in the intro: Rihanna has essentially killed Snapchat. The app stupidly released an advertisement that asked users if they’d rather “slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown.” Rih took to Instagram, rightfully disappointed, and asked her 60 million followers to stop using the app. The stock shares for Snapchat have plummeted 7% in the time I’ve been reading up on this... Read 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 March 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!

February 23, 2018

February 23, 2018 in Newsletter

Hello, hello.

There is one important detail I must address before going into this week’s picks: last week I selected Kim Petras’ pop bop “Heart to Break” without considering to research the production team behind the jam. After publishing the letter, it was brought to my attention that she is a frequent collaborator with none other than Dr. Luke. Yes, that Dr. Luke. It’s a bit upsetting to discover the art you enjoy is associated with a vile reputation. While in pop music, a bop is a bop. Many argue to separate the art from the artist, but as consumers we have a socially conscious obligation to think about the origins of things we consume. I applaud Kim for smashing through the pop music landscape and paving the way for the transgender community, I must say I’m a little hurt to discover “Heart to Break” was produced by Dr. Luke. It is hardly a surprise considering Dr. Luke has produced some of the biggest Top 40 hits in the last decade. I hope Kim is able to eventually navigate through the pop landscape without him in the long run.

Now that I’ve laid that out, let’s swing into this new week! I try my hardest to pick artists across different genres in hopes there is something for everyone, and this week I think I may have succeeded. Hopefully these five tunes inspire you to check out more music by these 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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“Cigarette” - RAYE feat. Mabel, Stefflon Don | When this song popped up on my radar, I figured the song would be good before I even pressed play. My expectations were upstaged from the drop of the first note. The song dives straight into the hook, an earworm over syncopated electronic steel drums. While the lyrics are mad corny (they laud about being as addictive as a cigarette), it’s Rihanna-level corny. You know what I’m talking about – song is still so damn good that the lyrics don’t matter and you’re bopping a third of the way through. “Cigarette” is the best tune I’ve heard all damn month. Listen here

“Karma” - Thutmose feat. Alex Mali | I stumbled upon this track via a different Alex Mali song I was forwarded last month. Thuthmose is a Nigerian-born rapper from Brooklyn who gained some attention last year for a freestyle over Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” beat. While Alex Mali is a skilled rapper herself, rapping takes the backseat for “Karma” and instead she contributes to the sweet, melodic verse. This track is chill as hell. Listen here

“Gentle Frame” - Thunderpussy | Thunderpussy truly are a diamond in the muff (pun courtesy of their Spotify biography). Hailing from my adopted city of Seattle (that I miss so dearly), these ladies are tearing up music venues from coast to coast. Having landed a major label deal late last year, the foursome have dropped their new EP Greatest Tits (truly impeccable pun-mensip) today, and “Gentle Frame” is oozing with confidence and sex appeal. 12/10 recommend headbanging your way through this chorus. Listen here

“The Times I’m Not There” - NE-HI feat. Jamila Woods | What happens when the coziest garage band on the block teams up with a flawless neo-Soul singer? You get the compelling union of “The Times I’m Not There” by Chicago’s very own NE-HI and Jamila Woods. When separating the body of work produced by both acts, the collaboration sounds like it wouldn’t work. Between NE-HI’s fuzzy, low-fi guitar plucks cascading under Jamila’s velvety harmonies, the tune sounds like pure sunshine (despite lyrically not being a happy song). Listen here

“Word of Mouth” - Metroplane feat. Bree Runway | This last one is an insane wildcard. It’s a chaotic gay club dancefloor filler, woven with motorized barbershop quartet “bops” looming in the background like a demon possessed an episode of Glee. If you haven’t pressed play on this song just yet, and are a bit scared to even consider listening to it, I cannot stress to you how fucking fun this song is to dance to. The power vocals served by Bree Runway which she calls out her ex for being caught cheating and flawlessly cuts the bullshit. Truly inspiring. Listen here

New Music Friday Selects

JANELLE MONÁE!!! If you can only stomach one piece of New Music Friday News today, it’s the fact that Janelle has dropped not one, but TWO songs with music videos today. For those who have listened to her single “Make Me Feel,” all can agree she received Prince’s blessings for this masterpiece. This is the tune that’s got everyone hyped up. Not to mention J serves some serious, blinged out,1980s neon bisexual visuals Watch here
I did not forget to link you the second Janelle video for “Django Jane” Watch here
If you thought I’d go another week without mentioning a K-Pop artist: you were wrong. Queen BoA, one of THE biggest solo artists in the Asian music market, has dropped a new mini album One Shot, Two Shot, and it’s fucking fantastic start to finish. Highly recommended for my pop music purists out there. Standout track for me is “Everybody Knows.” Listen here
Oh, and BoA goes full on Rihanna (luring men to their demise) in her new music video for “One Shot, Two Shot” Watch here
Este Haim of HAIM was embarrassingly drunk at the BRIT awards this week and made headlines after being caught on live TV acting really foolish while Cheryl (Cole) was being interviewed. In the aftermath, Este called Chez to apologize via voicemail and it’s HILARIOUS Watch here
So far: women are f*cking killing it this week
A$AP Rocky and ten million people have linked up for the new single “Cocky” with Gucci Mane on the hook Listen here
Twin Shadow has released a collaboration with the HAIM sisters for a jam fit for a John Hughes film titled “Saturdays” Listen here
Puerto Rican legends Ricky Martin, Wisin, and Yandel have released their new single “Fiebre” Listen here
Troye Sivan has released an acoustic version of “My My My!” and it still somehow goes off Listen here
5 Seconds of Summer have released their comeback single “Want You Back” and it’s generic, but still listenable. I think if I spin it a few more times it’ll grow on me. I know they have a lot more in them, but I’m happy they’re making music again. Listen here
For those craving left-of-center pop, highly recommend listening to the new Kero Kero Bonito EP TOTEP Listen here
And for those craving lighter, more folksy rock tunes, Vance Joy’s new album Nation of Two is out Listen here

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As I mentioned above, 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.

New month, new playlist! If you’re interested in listening to what I’m rinsing this month, you can follow my February 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!

January 19, 2018

January 19, 2018 in Newsletter

Holy CRAP, this week’s new music Friday releases are incredible. It feels like how October and early November music releases used to feel - brimming with fresh pop bops, jams, and bangers left and right. This week we’ve got a host of artists making a comeback with new albums and album announcements, solid singles, intense music videos… and extremely embarrassing rap careers from 1999 being unearthed from the depths of the earth. I’ve put together just enough content to distract yourself from living in the IRL for the rest of the MONTH! If you don’t have that kind of time, at least you can digest most of it this weekend while you try and muster up the energy to find enjoyment in cleaning your toilet.

Check out my top 5 songs by emerging (and established!) artists that may have flown under your radar.

If you like what you hear, spread the cheer.

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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“Mind Hijacker’s Curse” - Chad VanGaalen | Chad VanGaalen is by no means a new artist. In fact, he’s been releasing music for the past 15 years - before the rise of music downloads and streaming. I’m almost sure I poached a couple albums off someone’s iTunes in the Bellarmine Lobby using a music sharing software my freshman year of college and listened to maybe half of an album. Anyhow, Chad’s a veteran to this whole music artist thing, and he’s got a solid, established fanbase who’s been sustaining his work for well over a decade. His latest album Light Information dropped last year in September, and I’m gonna be frank: my eyes definitely glazed over that press email from SubPop. This past weekend I made a last minute trip to San Diego to visit with a friend. Her friend was driving us to dinner when “Mind Hijacker’s Curse” came on. The twang of the guitars, and lilting, wavering synths pecked through the speakers dancing around our conversation about a New Zealand restaurant that opened in North Park (I think). It’s high key melancholic, with lyrics clamoring for the preservation of evaporating time. If this is your first time listening to Chad VanGaalen, take some time out this weekend to sift through his discography - it’s chock full of gems like “Mind Hijacker’s Curse.” Listen here

“Lottery” - Jade Bird | As an avid anti-country pop music listener, I’m 1000% sure if most country pop music sounded like the material Jade Bird is throwing down, I’d happily become a country music stan. “Lottery” is a colorful, sweet friends-to-lovers anthem stacked with a big chorus and even bigger vocals on par with Brandi Carlile. While digging up some background info on ol’ Jade, she cites her greatest musical influence as Loretta Lynn, who seeps through her vocals. What shocked the hell out of me more than anything is finding our Jade is only 20 years old and British. A Brit! Nailing this Americana music game! Listen here

“Slower Than Usual” - Ariel Beesley | This was such a pleasant surprise - Ariel Beesley’s first official single! You may recall first hearing Ariel in a previous cmd+f letter as the featured vocalist for Love Thy Brother’s pop belter “Love Me Better.” Her debut single is virtually a Blondie tribute, and that’s definitely nothing to be ashamed of, innit. The tune is about a stranger Ariel met in Stockholm that she essentially fell in love with during her time there, but as the greatest love stories go, timing wasn’t right for either of them. The two lovers shared their very own Call Me By Your Name moment (this particular comparison is likely highly exaggerated, but it brings the drama) where they were very much in love during the time they were together, and they savored every moment they had together. The pre-chorus chimes in with a desperate plea for time to wane: “smoke your cigarette slower than usual/here with me.” Listen here

“Infinite” - solace | Soulful songstress solace’s single “Infinite” is sublime. From the innovative LA collective Milky Wayv, the track transforms from minimal to a full blown atmospheric slow jam. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Listen here

“Egyptian Luvr” - Rejjie Snow feat. Aminé | The first time I properly heard Irish rapper Rejjie Snow, he opened for Years & Years at the Fonda Theater in LA a couple years ago. I’m 100% he is the first and only Irish rapper I can recall of the top of my head. His song “Blakkst Skn” featured a hook sung by the lovely Rae Morris, and was produced by the beloved Kaytranada. Since that performance, he’s chipped his way up the ranks, dropping tunes with cool kid heavyweights Jesse Boykins and Joey Bada$$. Today he dropped a new EP, Dear Annie: Part 1, featuring the opening track “Egyptian Luvr.” The tune’s got a funky groove produced by none other than Kaytranada, features guest vocals by Dana Williams on the hook, and a guest verse by Aminé. “Egyptian Luvr” is slick as hell. Listen here

BONUS

My prayers and good energy sent out into the universe last week have been answered: George Ezra has dropped a BRAND SPANKING NEW SINGLE call “Paradise,” and it’s surpassed all expectations. My new editor, Kimmie, described the sound of the single as making her “want to fall in love immediately like a teen movie” or “when [she] would skip school to drive to the beach with the windows down.” Not only has George inspired playing hookie and falling in love, the bellowing cherub has announced his highly anticipated sophomore album Staying At Tamara’s will be out March 23, and he has 2018 tour dates in UK, Europe, USA, and Canada. Word on the street is First Aid Kid (the folksy Americana Swedish duo who have released their very own album Ruins today) will be featured on a track on the album. PHEW! Big year for Georgey - it’s good to have you back, sir. Listen to “Paradise” here
Today really is better than a post Christmas shopping trip - Rita Ora has also released a new song! It’s sponsored by Absolut Vodka - which, before you say “I can’t believe she has a song sponsored by vodka,” remind yourself it’s Rita Ora we are dealing with here. The finest pop musique hustler in all the land - now enjoy “PROUD,” a mid-tempo generi-pop tune sponsored by Absolut Vodka, and don’t you dare forget it. Listen here
Troye Sivan has released ANOTHER single!! “The Good Side” is a gorgeous ballad that Harry Styles wishes he released as his debut single. Judging by Troye’s first two comeback singles, it’s evident he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with this year on the pop music scene. Listen here
Looks like Rae Morris is pulling a Dua Lipa and continues to release a new single each week leading up to the release of her debut album to the point that we will likely only have three songs we’ve never heard by the time the album drops, but who cares? Who actually friggin’ cares when Rae is satiating that hunger for her album? It’s a blessing. Listen to "Lower the Tone" here
Bad week to drop a single with Offset, Tinashe… what kinda fucked up karma does she have for the universe to keep sabotaging her career? Ironically titled “No Drama,” this single with the human pigeon issa bop. Listen here
Porches’s highly anticipated album The House is now out. From the select tunes I’ve heard, it’s dark, melancholic, and got enough drum machines in it to make you wanna dance. Listen here
Cashmere Cat has finally lived up to this unending hype and released a song I can fuck with, but it’s more than likely because Major Lazer also had their hands on the track. Featuring breathy, distorted vocals from Torey Lanez, “Miss You” is a winner. Listen here
Jorja Smith turns into a hired assassin in Italy in the video for her newest single “Let Me Down” featuring Stormzy Watch here
Lady Leshurr’s got a siiiiick new freestyle video, "R.I.P." Watch here
Unsure if the gays will rejoice, but it appears Kylie Minogue has gone full Joanne for her boot-kickin’ come back single, “Dancing.” What sounds like a long lost STEPS track is a lot of fun, but I really miss the “sticky, bruised knees in a sweaty club and feeling pretty slutty after 3 tall drinks” Kylie, you know? Listen here
SG Lewis has shared another brilliant single, “Aura,” featuring J Warner, and it’s brilliant. No SG Lewis album or extended projects have been announced, but please put in a prayer circle for a damn album. Listen here
Ah, yes, I did mention embarrassing mixtapes up at the top, didn’t I? Well, Tommy No 1, aka Hollywood Heartthrob and director Christopher Nolan’s golden boy Tom Hardy, had an unsuccessful rap career in the late 90s. Tommy No 1’s beatmaker and partner in crime, Eddie Too Tall, was TV writer Edward Tracy. The lost gems surfaced Thursday when Edward dropped the mixtape on Bandcamp. It’s reeeeeally rough, and I’m grateful Tom’s spared himself a lot of grief and become an actor. Read all about it 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 January 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!

January 12, 2018

January 12, 2018 in Newsletter

What a big and exciting week for music! If you’re a pop and dance music fan, the artists have heard your cries and DELIVERED. It’s as if they knew 2018 would start off as a bit of a shitstorm and we’d need some TLC.

Looks like this week’s 5 tunes are full of girl power. Check out my top picks from emerging artists that may have flown under your radar.

If you like what you hear, spread the cheer.

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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“raingurl” - yaeji | Crank up the bass - yaeji is here to save your freakin’ weekend. Frankly, I’m ashamed I hadn’t heard of yaeji sooner. I have no excuse as she was nominated for BBCs "Sound of 2018" this year. “raingurl” ticks all of my boxes. It’s got a sick, wobbly bass, and an absurdly good, repetitive hook that glides over a tight, gay club house beat. Yaeji is already an established dance producer in the hip underground outlets (re: Boiler Room), and has racked up millions of streams over the years (hence my surprise I haven’t heard of her until this week? Also, I ‘discovered’ this song as a recommendation on YOUTUBE. I don’t think I’ll be over this reality.Please accept my apologies for not bringing her forward sooner.). More people need to hear her shit to break up the gaudy powerhouse vocals and choral arrangements over dance music that’s been swallowing the genre the past few years. "raingurl" fuckin' slaps. Listen here

“The Kids Are Alright” - Chloe x Halle | Perhaps the most eloquent “fuck you, we’re gonna be fixing your mess soon enough” by millennials ever put into verse, R&B sister duo Chloe x Halle have written a beautiful ballad declaring the youth actually do have their shit together, are capable of standing on their own, and are creating new opportunities for themselves to not only thrive, but also not live in abject misery and hopelessness. The song builds to a wonderful bridge, where they remind fellow millennials: “Don’t let them turn you numb // Don’t let them get you strung // … Better go and get your life.” Listen here

“Bad Boys” - Lilly Ahlberg | What’s a week of cmd+f without a GOOD Scandinavian bop? This is a maaaahassive tune that’s fit for Zara Larrson or Tove Stykre. Produced by Future Cut (who's got production credits for Shakira's iconic "She Wolf," Lily Allen circa Alright, Still aka her best music phase, and a few Little Mix bops), it's a winner. Listen here

“sad boy” - deer scout | From "Bad Boys" to a "sad boy." Just one sad boy - the saddest boy in the world, in fact. When my pal Agnes sent this song to me, I was initially put off by the DIY-sound of the track. It reminded me of the times I went to secret basement parties in college before they were shut down by Seattle PD. Instead, it's a depressive lullaby. The chorus is what totally sold me on this melancholic track. Listen here

“Cut Yr Teeth” - Kississippi | Have you ever heard a song that sounds precisely like the moment in time you’re listening to it? “Cut Yr Teeth” sounds like that post-holidays slump that settles in a week or two after New Years. All of that inflated energy of obligatory faux-joy, the gluttonous indulgence on baked goods and buckets of wine, the sheer exhaustion from socializing too much, the pressure of starting off a new year with big goals and knowing you’re probably setting yourself up for failure all just comes crashing down on you at once. It sounds exactly like all of that. The tune is about a crumbling relationship that was built on a faulty foundation to begin with, so my comparison isn’t much of a stretch. Listen here

BONUS

Troye Sivan’s debut album Blue Neighbourhood has disappeared from US Spotify for streaming, which, honestly, is a hate crime. While this news is completely DEVASTATING, the Australian YouTuber turned gay pop icon has dropped a new single, “My My My!” and has effectively washed over the negative fuckery that’s swindled its way into 2018 so far. Co-written by Allie X, “My My My!” is a low key, sultry bop dripping with confidence. I am beyond excited to see what Troye’s got up his sleeve for 2018. Listen here // Watch here
Other former entertainment star turned gay youth music idol Hayley Kiyoko has unleashed “Curious,” a radio-ready single that’s impressed the shit out of me. Listen here
BBC Music has announced their “BBC Sound of 2018” winner today, and the nominees were chock full of exciting rising acts from the likes of Billie Eillish, Pale Waves, Khalid, Rex Orange County… and they have handed over this prestigious title to Sigrid. After somehow managing to woo top level DJs at Apple Music, BBC, and loads of other music outlets when her debut single dropped last year, her hive-mind hype was massive. If Sigrid the sound of 2018, I am going to take a 300-day long nap.
I neglected to include this in last week’s letter: Amber and Luna of KPop’s severely underrated and underrepresented girl group f(x) dropped a sexy dancefloor filler. SM love to neglect their girl groups and still haven’t made the song available to play anywhere but YouTube. At least we can feast our eyes on the video. Watch here
George Ezra announced in his newsletter yesterday he’s got some “big old music news” next week, and, please @ GOD BE AN ALBUM AND A TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT. If you’re not subscribed to receive his newsletter, I’d like to encourage you to consider letting the bellowing cherub slide into your inbox every week. Subscribe to George’s Weekly Journal Here
Overnight superstar Jorja Smith has linked up with Stormzy for a beautiful new ballad, “Let Me Down” Listen here
Fifth Harmony dropout, Carnitas Cabeza, has released her debut album if you are in the mood for, erm, whatever the mood she does Listen here
I can’t believe I’m at an age where I can call a band I loved in middle school are officially...rock veterans. Anyway, Franz Ferdinand have officially entered their total Blondie phased and dropped another groovy gay disco single, “Feel the Love” Listen here
cmd+f favs The Academic have unleashed their debut album Tales from the Backseat. For fans of Two Door Cinema Club, Mystery Jets, and Bombay Bicycle Club Listen here
BØRNS has put out the album we expected Harry Styles to drop - the polyester Gucci suit and eye shadow-toting pop-rock Blue Madonna. He’s the master of the falsetto hook - give this a spin over the weekend Listen here
Swedish singer/songwriter Skott has shared her new EP Stay Off My Mind. Previous cmd+f selects by her were impressive, soul-shattering ballads. This time Skott offers sweet, uptempo jams. Listen here
For the total rock purists, firstly: I’m impressed you’re still reading this letter. Secondly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (personally my favor “Club” band) have shared their new album Wrong Creatures and it fuckin’ shreds. 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.

See you next week!