This is an archived post originally sent out via the cmd+f weekly newsletter
I’ve truly outdone myself: six tracks AND three album recommendations are packed into today’s letter. Unlike last week, I’ve been much better about keeping this week more under wraps. I actually had 12 tracks lined up initially, and weeded out half because, really? Would you even bother with that much text? This is already getting out of control.
I also have a very special project in the works to accompany cmd+f sometime next week….keep your eyes peeled on my socials (re: Twitter) to see when I’m harking the good news.
Hit me up on Twitter at @hellogoodbritt with your thoughts about any of the tracks we’ve got for this week, and please do send me any finds of your own – let me know what you’re listening to these days.
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, and it’ll really make their day.
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“What You Want” - Zuzu | Firstly, I’d like to give a huuuuge thank you to my friend Chris for tipping me off to Zuzu. From the first note, I was craving more. “What You Want” is only her second official single she’s released, and both tracks warrant much hype. Dancing between shredding guitars and a chorus that’ll eat away at your eardrums, Zuzu’s absolutely carving her mark out on 2017. Listen here
“Isabel” - Gold Connections | “Isabel” sounds like the feeling I get remembering the times I’d sit in my apartment while living in Seattle, refreshing my Tumblr dashboard for 3 hours straight while avoiding a mid-term research paper. Now that I’ve read that description back, it makes the song sound potentially awful, but here’s what I mean: I found a lot of solace in my solitude through those hours of procrastination. I spent a lot of it wired into my headphones, plopping random lo-fi dreampop tracks into playlists fit for very niche emotive states (exhibit A, exhibit B). Back to “Isabel” - the entire mood of the track, plotted with peaks and valleys, veiled in softness yet freckled with bits of ferocity that punch through the atmosphere. The most magical part of the song is it’s relentless commitment to staying in 4/4 time, no matter how distorted and bitter the instrumentals swirl into themselves throughout the last third of the track. Listen here
“Breathe” - Astrid S | So, Astrid S is a big deal in Norway. As we know, the Scandinavians fucking adore their pop music, and they’re so damn good at making it. Astrid’s dropped an endless string of singles the past few years, all solid efforts, and with the right PR team/strategy, “Breathe” could help Astrid tap into a broader, global audience a la neighboring rising Swedish superstar Zara Larsson. “Breathe” has all of the right elements of that darkpop vibe that’s creeping onto the radio here, at least Stateside. It’s a future hit, y’all. Listen here
“Sports” - Fufanu | This song is on here for two very particular reasons: audible Joy Division cosplay, and ‘Fufanu’ is reeeeeally fun to say. Go ahead; say Fufanu out loud, I’ll give you a moment. Let it roll off your tongue. Yeah? Great. Now that that’s aside, let me tell you why “Sports” is in here this week: Fufanu are an Icelandic band who started out producing techno music, but have since evolved into a really sick rock band. As noted above, their newer music truly sounds like audible Joy Division cosplay - down to the frantic drums and two tons of reverb caked over the vocal stems. The title track and opener to their latest album Sports is a fucking ride, so strap in. Listen here
“Don’t Ya Feel Better?” - The Velveteins | Now to bob you back up to the surface with a lighter track, “Don’t Ya Feel Better?” is pure summer, like that sheen of sweat cooling on your skin in the breeze whilst on your back in the grass with your shoes kicked off and you’re wiggling your toes and trying to find your slowly warming can of blood orange San Pellegrino to quench yourself in the midst of some primo cloud watching. Yeah. That’s exact kind of summertimeness this sounds like. Listen here
“Fuck Right Off Back to LA” - GIRLI | If you can’t tell by the title, this track is NSFW solely based on the fact it’s littered with a robust helping of “fuck you’s” in the chorus, and that’s not even accounting for the amount of fucks given in the verses. “Fuck Right Off Back to LA” is the sonic equivalent of trying to be cordial and smile through a really shitty break up. After blowing through the first two seasons of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in the last two weeks, I’m pretty sure I’m finding traces of Rebecca’s crazy ass in this song. If you haven’t seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, do yourself a solid and watch the pilot episode at the least, and then you’ll fully understand what I’m talking about when you head this track. The contrast of cotton candy production paired with the most abrasive middle finger is easily the most relatable song I’ve posted on cmd+f to date. Fans of Charli XCX will especially enjoy GIRLI. Listen here
Oh, and one last thing:
ALBUMS/MIXTAPES YOU SHOULD RINSE THIS WEEK WITH NO EXPLANATION BEYOND ME CONFIRMING THEY WILL NOT BE A WASTE OF YOUR TIME:
Volcano - Temples | Listen here
Number 1 Angel - Charli XCX | Listen here
Feel Infinite - Jacques Greene | 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 March 2017 playlist.
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!