This past week has been a long, luminous blur. I’ve had approximately 4 hours of sleep per night, met some incredible people, and somehow managed to dig up five sweet tracks from artists you may have never heard of or have flown under your radar.
Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or on Twitter 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.
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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“LMK” - Kelela | Kelela is simultaneously not a secret, yet is THE secret weapon to experiencing sonic bliss. Her 2013 release CUT 4 ME made her an instant cult sensation, and her 2015 EP Hallucinogen was met with massive critical acclaim. Those in “the know” and on top of the coolest of cool music are no stranger to Kelela - her buttery smooth vocals have been featured on the Gorillaz’s latest album Humanz, and Solange’s A Seat at the Table. “LMK” is the first single off her highly anticipated debut album, and I could not be foaming at the mouth any harder than the moment this song dropped. Kelela's vocal delivery is sultry over the crisp, vivid backdrop produced by Jam City. You can sway to it, sing in the shower to it, initiate a hook up at the club to it…. Summer ‘17 has officially been blessed by “LMK.” Listen here
“You’re Mine” - Lola Marsh | While “You’re Mine” has a cool 8 million+ streams on Spotify, “You’re Mine” is a song that has to be approached from all angles. What drew me in on the first listen was the lush, sultry alto swooping over a delectable bass line. Lola Marsh’s Yael Shoshana Cohen turns the dreamy pop tune from sounding like a Velvet Underground deep cut in the studio recording into a charming coffee shop ballad. When I heard “You’re Mine” from a live recording with an acoustic guitar, stripped from that sinister, heavy bass, and it took on a more romantic facade. Listen to the studio version here, then get your coffee shop ballad on here
“Monday” - Moon Regiment feat. Dominique | Firstable, TGIF - but may I introduce you to “Monday?” If Grimes worked with Sally Shapiro to produce an Italo Disco track, it’d 1000% sound like “Monday.” Moon Regiment is a Swedish producer I know next to nothing about, only than the fact that "Monday" is great and he’s been composing music for over a decade. Listen here
“Magazine” - Sløtface | Norway’s more-punk-than-pop Sløtface are stirring quite a buzz recently. I first heard them on BBC Radio 1 several moon cycles ago, but I’ve seen their name mentioned across a handful of publications in the past week. As a big believer in “signs,” the universe was obviously shining a blinding neon sign over Sløtface. I jumped back into their tunes, and their sound’s gotten so much heavier since the release of their single “Kill ‘Em With Kindness.” What hasn't changed is their chorus hooks are still undeniable. The group cite late-90s/early-00s teen romance film soundtracks as a huge influence on their sound, and what’s better than a Norwegian “Teenage Dirtbag,” baby?? Keep your finger on the pulse of this band - Sløtface are the new indie darlings and are going to burst through 2018 at breakneck speed. Listen here
“Deep Summer” (Burial Remix) - Mønic | As the dog days of summer begin to soak into the skin on our backs from the moment our pinky toe steps out the door, we immediately settle in a “mood.” For me, if it’s over 90F and humid, I’m immediately stricken with grief. There is something so bittersweet about Summertime after you’ve gone through proper schooling and your dream Croatian beach vacation fund is really your emergency fund that somehow always goes toward your monthly credit card payment…. Wow, this got personal real quick. In “Deep Summer,” leave it to Burial to cast a humanized element over Mønic’s drowsy soundscape. The remix is bursting with life: tropical xylophones, the crisp “ktch” of a spliff catching fire, sharp inhales and wispy chuckles. It’s Burial at his best, transporting you straight onto a city block, and for ten minutes, your mouth will begin to water at the sound of the ice cream truck’s bell, sweat will cradle your shoulders as a campfire crackles in the sweltering heat. Get ready to dive head first into “Deep Summer.” Listen here
BONUS
Lorde’s new single is “Perfect Places” and I wanna vacation in every single location this video was shot - in the elaborate designer garb and all Watch here
This headline: LOL - laughs aside, producers literally realize a song into existence…. With that, if there is a song you are really, really digging right now, go find out the producer of that particular track, then see what other songs they’ve produced. It’s fun, and producers need love, too - especially in hip-hop.
Each new epic the War On Drugs song that comes out blows my friggin’ mind. “Pain” is divine Listen here
Meanwhile, Bebe Rexha out here releasing songs Camila Cabello’s label WISHES they could snatch from her. Her new single “That’s It” features a slick trap beat, Gucci Mane, and 2 Chainz. Smells like a hit, sounds like a hit, bangs like a hit; must be a hit. Go IN, Bebe!! Listen here
Innovative experimental producer of the decade Actress has dropped “Audio Track 5,” a new track from his forthcoming collaborative LP with the London Contemporary Orchestra. News broke yesterday that Actress and the LCO will be be debuting a performance via Boiler Room sometime this autumn. From the fragmented, distorted dystopian haze heard in “Audio Track 5,” rest assured this is going to be one sick livestream. Listen here
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New month, new playlist! If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal August 2017 playlist. There I will be dumping in new (and occasionally throw back) tracks as the month carries on. 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!