What an emotionally charged week. Can ya feel it in the air? In ya bones?
I’ve spent about 18 hours of my week at my day job listening solely to podcasts about government conspiracy theories and serial killers to take the edge off the Comey public hearing and UK snap election results that happened yesterday, and oddly enough it helped! Feeling pretty good about my Friday now, though I could go for a pitcher of sangria.
Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or at the brand new 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.
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“Not About You” - Haiku Hands | Y E S. YES. YEEEEES. Fuck me up!! Melbourne’s Haiku Hands have come out of left field with this bratty banger I’ve been blasting in my car all damn week. This is their first single, and I’m hooked. The production takes me back to those halcyon days when I’d pirate episodes of Skins in high school and rinse Klaxons and Hadouken! records for hours on end afterward (I thought I was really, really cool). “Not About You” has purely addictive, cheeky lyrics and brazen bursts of energy. I can’t wait for more from Haiku Hands. Listen here
“Until You Feel Good” - San Mei | I bring yet another tune from Down Under, this time from Gold Coast’s San Mei. This hazy, post-beach come down with lush vocals and fuzzed-out guitars is intoxicating. The melodies cradle you with a sense of comfort whilst San Mei croons about being sure to take care and go easy on ourselves. Listen here
“Glory” - Dermot Kennedy | Dermot is on his way to be THE next male singer songwriter, mark my damn words, y’all!! Most of you may already be thinking, “not another one,” or “don’t we have enough of those?” Can’t argue with you there, but Dermot, like those who’ve garnered a steady fan base over the years, has that something special factor, all bundled up in his vocals and songwriting. I initially had his new single “Boston” up for this week, but I fell back on his track “Glory” to really grab you by the balls. Strap in: the conviction and strength in his vocals will knock out of your seat. Oh, and did I mention he’s Irish? If you live in LA, be sure to RSVP for School Night and see Dermot for FREE at the Bardot in Hollywood (and let me know if you’re going)! Listen here
“It’s All Good” - Superorganism | This is the shit I live for right here! Part Architecture in Helsinki, part early Gorillaz met with cut n’ paste production a la The Avalanches, “It’s All Good” is a demented piece of audible mastery. Appaz Superorganism is a trans-continental supergroup of 7 musicians from London scratching up beats for a 17-year-old vocalist name Orano who lives in Maine. Or at least that’s what they’ve said… their first song got taken down for an unauthorized sample clearance (despite Frank Ocean playing it on his Beats1 blondeRADIO show). When “It’s All Good” was polished and ready for released, they somehow nabbed a premiere on Beats1. Kooky origin story aside, “It’s All Good” bangs. Listen here
“Lose My Cool” - Amber Mark | I’m excited as hell for Amber Mark - girl has got some serious pipes and a true gift for songwriting on all levels. Her production is smooth and heavily influenced by her nomadic life of growing up around the globe. You can hear traces of Samba and classic R&B. In one of her interviews, Mark says her sister best described her sound as ‘tribal soul.’ It’s a breath of fresh air, and each track on her 3:33am EP has a life of its own. Listen here
BONUS
Again - Dermot Kennedy is performing Monday June 12 at the Bardot Hollywood for FREE for the weekly It’s a School Night showcase. Former cmd+f pick Ten Fe will also be making an appearance that night! Hit me up if you’re going and say hi! Click here to RSVP
Exit Kid (Emre of Years & Years and their touring drummer Dylan’s music project) have their debut EP out today! D O P E Listen here
Ten Tonnes has dropped his Born to Lose EP today Listen here
Best new Lorde release has arrived - “Sober” Listen here
About damn time: SZA coming through with a new album! Listen here
Only gonna mention Katy Perry has a new album out (listen to Allie X’s CollXtion II album instead Listen here)
Need to feel like you’re living inside a romanticized summer on the InterRail across Europe, riding rented bikes around cities all day, getting drunk on 2€ bottles of wine every night and reckless heavy petting on park benches and cobblestone streets? #bigmood - Phoenix have an album for that. 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!