December 22, 2017

December 22, 2017 in Music, Newsletter

I’m not even going to front: I’m beat. Absolutely beat. And the weekend hasn’t even started.

It’s Thursday night as I type this up, as I do every Thursday evening tying up all loose ends for cmd+f. I’m currently waiting for some brownies to cool for a holiday party, am thinking about maybe buying more wrapping paper, trying to strategically plan out all the cookie dough prep I can do over the weekend, and my list of things To Do is seemingly endless. It is exciting, but being in Santa’s Elf mode is taxing.

It’s been a lot of fun collaborating with so many people and putting out cmd+vent for y’all; I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re in the final stretch for the calendar, and seeing it come to an end is rather bittersweet. It’s exciting to have material for you all every day, and the response has been incredible. I am so pleased with the content my dear friends have so graciously crafted for this holiday project; I can’t wait to do it all again with you next year, along with a lot of other exciting plans I have up my sleeve for cmd+f.

Let’s get on with the music, people! This week I have five sweet selections from emerging artists across a variety of genres. Get ready to dance, get ready to sulk, get ready to get sloppy drunk: cmd+f has it all this week!

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. As you already know, 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.

________________________________________

“Sign” - VHS Collection | I am coming out the gate this week with a strong claim: “Sign” is the greatest song I have heard all year. ALL. FUCKING. YEAR. Now I have an obligation to hype this song up, but I can assure you when you hear it, you’ll know. “Sign” opens with a distorted, solemn hymn, fizzes out, then guns forward into a Tears for Fears-worthy powerballad. Who can resist a cascade of rubbery synths? On first listen, it reminded me of the 1984 poverty-porn hit “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” which, imperialist guilt aside, we all know pops OFF every time it comes on the speakers. “Sign” is a 4:20 cinematic, hypnotizing journey. I’ll remind you: “Sign” is the best song I’ve heard in 2017. Listen here

“In Blue” - Yumi Zouma | For those of you who read Day 1 of cmd+vent, Ana made a chic playlist full of tunes by New Zealand artists, including this particular tune “In Blue” by Yumi Zouma. The group already have a solid fan base with a few amount of streams on all their tunes. They’ve got a lush, neo-disco vibe akin to Phoenix, buffed over with velvety vocals. While Phoenix begs you to hop on a bike and head to the discotech, Yumi Zouma made that hazy bedroom pop. I’ve been listening to “In Blue” obsessively for a couple weeks now, and nearly resisted including it in the letter this week simply because Ana had thrown them in her playlist. Nay, “In Blue” needs its own spotlight. Listen here

“Guilty Party” - Thunder Jackson | What exactly is a Thunder Jackson???? While everyone is trying to figure this out, the secretive alleged pop duo shared their debut single “Guilty Party” last month, and it’s fucking massive. Allegedly the two met in a taxi in West Hollywood - one a songwriter from the South, the other a producer from Wales. To start, the song rides on a brilliantly sped up sample of the opening notes to Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s “Enola Gay.” It’s a scrapbook of nostalgic sounds that end up feeling so utterly contemporary. Also, the song is so blatantly about having a really fucked up hangover after going to a party in The Valley, so, 10/10 can relate. Listen here

“This Is For You” - Bleach Baby | House music is my first love. It’s been a minute since I’ve heard a house tune that’s excited me. Bleach Baby’s “This Is For You” is a fantastic pop house tune, stabbing piano keys and massive drops included. Listen here

“No Angels” - Catholic Action | I’m ending my five tracks this week with a Christmas tune! I’ve been listening to this particular track all month long amongst my Christmas list tunes, and “No Angels” cracks me up every time. With the opening lyrics, “You can’t have sex at Christmas / You can’t make love or screw / Celebrate as he intended / With television and food” it instantly became a favorite. Catholic Action are a rowdy bunch of Glaswegian’s who dropped their debut album In Memory Of in October this year, and it’s fantastic. But first, listen to “No Angels” Listen here

BONUS

Merry! Fuckin! Christmas! We’ve been blessed with Cardi B’s new single “Bartier Cardi” featuring 21 Savage. Hook is fiiiiire Listen here
Mat Kearney has a new self-titled EP, and the New Years Eve breakup ballad “Don’t Cry For Me” is rather good Listen here
cmd+f fav BETSY has shared an acoustic mini-album Listen here
Cassie out here whispering her ass off in her new single “Don’t Play It Safe” Listen here
It was announced this week that Liam Payne and Rita Ora are releasing their duet single for the Fifty Shades Freed film. Some reactions to the news has been “Who?” or “they don’t even have fans,” but I am here to tell you: I know who they are, and I am their fan. I am their lone fan who is psyched as hell for this duet recorded exclusively for a hellfire film franchise that was made specifically for horny soccer moms.
Pale Waves, aka the future biggest new music act of 2018 (take notes!!! If you haven’t been listening to me ALL YEAR LONG!), have shared a very aesthetically aesthetic (haha) music video for their latest single “My Obsession.” Dear Heather goes full on Lars and the Real Girl with her “dream boy” and… anyway, I need to speak to whomever is doing their color direction because their videos are always a feast to watch Watch here
Last but certainly not least, I’m including a link to my own Christmas music playlist I will have on loop all weekend long. It includes a host of non-traditional classics from the likes of WHAM!, The Waitresses, and Paul McCartney, covers of “classics,” a few original Christmas tunes, and of course, no Christmas music list is complete without a host of Sufjan Stevens. If you’re about to pull your hair out listening to “Jingle Bell Rock” one more time, I promise you, this one is like, a really cool Christmas playlist. Mix things up a bit: Listen here
P.S. A new cmd+vent calendar letter drops tomorrow!

_______________________________________

If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal December 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.

October 20, 2017

October 20, 2017 in Newsletter, Music

Greetings from my teeny little bedroom in East London! I’m nursing a pair of very sore ankles after trekking around Chelsea all day and ending my night at The Jazz Cafe in Camden Town to see Wolf Alice. For those who haven’t been to this venue, it’s slightly larger than a dive bar and holds about 300 people. Nice and cozy, though the cider was genuinely a diabetic’s sugary piss. Crappy cider aside, I’d like to give a huge thanks to Richard for getting us into the show! It was absolutely insanely cool for a first show experience in London.

Another musical highlight of my week in London so far included a nice lunchtime performance by former cmd+f pick Phoebe Bridgers at Rough Trade Record’s Brick Lane store on Tuesday. Phoebe blew through an intimate 30 minute set to promote her debut album Stranger in the Alps, and was overall an absolute delight. Her set drew in a sizable crowd at Rough Trade, including the marvelous Shura.

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!

________________________________________

“Downfall” - Kllo | Kllo are one of those groups who spark nostalgia and newness at the same time. Their single “Virtue” has cropped up on cmd+f before, swirled in that blissful, low key UK Garage pop. If you’ve been craving more, you’re in luck: their debut album Backwater has officially dropped today, and it’s 45 minutes of euphoric bops. Give the opening track “Downfall” a spin. Listen here

“Love You Like That” - Dagny | Norwegian pop ANGEL Dagny needs to be a THING on pop radio over here (in the States) – even if it’s satellite radio. She drops nothing but bop after bop after bop, and her latest “Love You Like That” has a monster of a chorus that hasn’t left my head all week. Listen here

“Zacharia” - Bad Sounds | Spoiler alert: they’re actually not really bad, and are pretty good. Saw them open last night for Annie Mac Presents’ showcase with Wolf Alice, and I told Richard a few of their songs reminded me of early Spoon, but now I’m hearing studio recordings and they’re much more early Of Montreal-esque, but very English sounding and all that. They’ve gotta the wonky, ear-biting hooks DOWN. Listen here

“Seth and Summer Forever” - Babygirl | Will start this rec with a huge shout out to my pal Agnes for bringing it to my attention. Only after she sent it did I check my discover Weekly playlist to see a tune from this band tucked in waiting for me to hear, and honestly, is Agnes putting my Discover Weekly playlist together? Anyway, between and IRL human and an algorithm telling me that I would enjoy this track, it further proves machines are becoming more human and will one day ultimately fulfill my heart’s desires. And I do love Babygirl. I’m sharing their single “Seth and Summer Forever” because I have a pang in my chest remembering the excitement of watching The OC every week for 4 years in my youth, and Babygirl sound like an unplugged The Raveonettes. How on brand for Seth Cohen, to be honest. Listen here

“Rushing Guy” - L I M | The instrumentals on “Rushing Guy” are mental, complete with running whispers and a well placed door hinge creak snare. The music video is as mesmerizing, comprised of male models seamlessly blending into each other. Watch here and Listen here

BONUS

MGMT have released their first new tune in 4 years and it sounds basically like an ultra-gothique lo-fi John Maus track. Very into this less colorful/mournful pre-Berlin Wall Tear Down sounding MGMT Listen here
Not really new AT ALL, but I have officially seen Blade Runner 2049 twice since the last letter has been released, and let me tell y’all I am still wigging out over Hans Zimmer’s score. You have to listen to this soundtrack Listen here
Liam god damn Payne has released his second solo single (well, third? Does Zedd’s “Get Low” count, or is it just a feature??) “Bedroom Floor.” It was written by Charlie Puth, is a falsetto fest, sounds very much like a Nick Jonas lite tune, meaning it’s a recipe for my ultimate satisfaction for a pop tune. I enjoy it, but will you? Listen here
New Rita Ora - again, only alerting you because I’m not ashamed to admit I thoroughly like her tunes. “Anywhere” is def a filler track, but the distorted nonsensical, punchy chorus is a groove Listen here
FEVER RAY ARE BACK?!?!! Listen here
The lord has blessed us with a new Jessie Ware album today. Listen to Glasshouse here
Niall Horan is the second (official) member of (the current lineup of) 1D to release his debut album. Going to be honest, since I am 5,500 miles away from home, haven’t had the chance to listen to all of Flicker, but I am hoping more of it is like “Slow Hands” more than anything. Regardless, well done Niall Listen here

________________________________________

If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal October 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!

June 23, 2017

June 23, 2017 in Music, Newsletter

The summer solstice has already eclipsed here in the northern hemisphere. I officially have to check if the tires of my care haven’t melted into the asphalt before I start my car, have taken to liberally applying sun cream on my face every 2 hours, and still haven’t increased my water intake. If this heat continues to press on like this, you’ll be receiving music recommendations from a golden raisin starting next week.

Please reach out to me via the handy dandy contact page on the cmd+f website, or on the 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.

________________________________________

“Times We Had” - SG Lewis feat. Toulouse | Let me start off by apologizing for holding out on you. I was initially going to drop this tune in last week’s letter, but it was very late and I wanted to have enough clarity and peace of mind to completely GUSH about “Times We Had.” UK producer SG Lewis has once again blown my mind. The mysterious Toulouse (who’s dropped a handful of tunes over the past year) offers up some soulful vocals over the kicks and snares. I swear me talking about it do it justice, so I’ll stop talking and let you go have a listen. Listen here

“As If It’s Your Last” - BLACKPINK | If you’re a K-pop music fan, without a doubt you’ve already seen/heard this BOP. At the time I’m writing up this newsletter, the video has been up for 20 hours and has already amassed over 11 MILLION views on Youtube. Gah damn!! I saw a lot of friends screaming about this on Twitter when I came home from work last night, and so I turned it on and got my damn life. This is the gummiest, bubbliest, sweetest chorus. The melody will burrow its way into to your ear, and you’ll be sashaying your way through the day. Listen/watch here

“Desolately Devoted” - Denai Moore | From the first note I heard come out of Denai Moore, I was moved. My entire core was soothed, I just clocked with her music instantly. Her new album We Used to Bloom is a seamless, glorious 37 minute journey. The first time I ran through it, I felt like i was covered in aloe after a day in the sun. I was sold on “Desolately Devoted” as soon as the choir came in toward the end. Listen here

“Will You Dive” - Hot Dreams | This tune is a ghost of an early 90s Madchester daydream. Stuffed with delicious reverb, the tune starts out begging for a bit of shoegazing, all until it goes all balls out in the last minute and a half. It balls itself up before all crashing down on a loud, vicious jam session. Rock out, my friends. Listen here

“Reborn” - Rae Morris | For those who do check out/listen to my monthly playlists, you’ll likely have heard this little joint already. It’s been placed in my June 17 playlist for the past two weeks. What made me put it in the letter this week happened this week after listening to Switched on Pop, a music podcast that breaks down and dissects pop music theory. Their latest episode broke down a few contemporary examples of songs riding on the “rule of 3s” in which the song can be split between three different distinctive layers in order to gain our maximum level of attention. While a seemingly simple formula, the listener can focus more on the content of the song. Using less also leaves open for more, while I be extra flourishes here or there. Well, what would you know: “Reborn” fits right on in with that rule of 3s. Listen here

BONUS

If you’d like to listen to the full episode by the Switched on Pop podcast I mentioned above, the link is here. I can’t recommend their podcast enough; Nate and Charlie break down pop music in a way that’s interesting, and exciting. They’ve actually helped explain the appeal of so many hits on the charts I could not wrap my head around!
VINCE STAPLES’ BIG FISH THEORY IS THE MOST WELL PRODUCED AOTY. THE HD BASS?? I SWEAR YOU HAVE LITERALLY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS. KEY TUNE: “Yeah Right” Listen here
Rita Ora’s video for “Your Song” is out, and I want names for this corporate affair she’s “working” at that allowed her to stroll in wearing a fishnet Comme des Garcons piratesque two piece suit and ballet flats because I wanna drop them my CV Watch here
The xx have dropped a deluxe edition of their new album I See You. The star bonus track is “Seasons Run” - very much the seasonal affective disorder cousin of Lana’s “Summertime Sadness.” Go give that baby a few spins Listen here
Go give ASAHD a pat on the back for all his hard work: DJ Khaled’s Grateful LP is out today (fav tune is “I Love You So Much” with Chance the Rapper) Listen here

________________________________________

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!

May 26, 2017

May 26, 2017 in Music, Newsletter

Holy bananas, y’all. Today is today. It’s here, you and I are breathing, and I want to take a moment to thank you once again for indulging me and reading this little letter.

I’ve been subtly hyping this up for a couple weeks now, but I am very pleased to share with you the official cmd+f website.

Yup–you heard correctly: a real ass website! Wahoo! I’ve archived all of the past letters onto the site, including a nice little gallery viewing area of the 35mm film headers that link you to the letters. I also wanted to have all the content aggregate onto a tidier looking page with the potential to expand content without having to link you to ten different social media pages. From here on out, you can visit cmdf.me and (hopefully) find everything you need.

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.

________________________________________

“Dynabeat” - Jain | If you’re looking for a new song to wild out to at the gym, let Jain’s “Dynabeat” be your new anthem. The purest, feelgoodiest funky beats remind me of a handful of funky one hit wonders from the early 80s. So good, it’s made it onto my (slowly) growing Poolside Jammery playlist. Anyone else feel like causing a traffic jam with an improvised dance routine in the middle of your block after listening to this? Just me? Listen here

“Hold on to Me” - Tsörf | Don’t let the “ö” fool you – Tsörf is actually from New Zealand, forging gorgeous and somber pop. “Hold on to Me” is an ode to making your way out of darkness. I can practically hear her fingers slipping up her grip, yet there’s a current of grounded-ness wavering beneath it. This song is pure love. Listen here

“Merv” - The Hubbards | This tune comes courtesy of BBC Introducing in Humberside. I haven’t listened to a lick of radio for at least two months at this point, and this was one of the first things I heard. Completely obsessed with unpacking that opening bass line that burns into your brain from the jump. After listening to their EP this week for a few hours, I can attest The Hubbards have a knack for crafting a tune. “Merv” is their standout track, and one of my favorite tunes I've stumbled across this month. Listen here

“Life of the Party” - Chelsea Jade | Can you believe I’ve got another Kiwi on the letter this week?! Well, New Zealand’s cranking out some fantastic pop tunes. “Life of the Party” is a Broods song on Benadryl. Now that I’ve said that, it sounds completely offensive and implying it’s boring. On the contrary; I mean it more in the sense Chelsea Jade’s vocals are softer, relaxed, and dreamy. Listen here

“Carry On” (Dubbel Dutch Remix) - Tkay Maidza feat. Killer Mike | Australia’s Tkay Maidza’s debut album dropped last year, but a handful of remixes breathed new life into her track “Carry On.” I first heard Tkay on a feature for a Troye Sivan song a couple years ago. She cropped up on stage for a guest performance at Troye’s teeny tiny show in a 200 person capacity venue I saw him perform at before Blue Neighbourhood came out. She’s got a lot of elements that remind me of Santogold in her music. Of all the remixes of “Carry On,” Dubbel Dutch plays on the whimsical flare laced in the original song, strapping on some pseudo-island vibes. The bubbly synth upgraded this to straight up “certified bop” status. Listen here

BONUS

Once you’ve moseyed around the cmd+f site, shared the link with a few friends (thanks in advance), please follow cmd+f on Twitter and Instagram!
Big day in pop music for the gays: Carly Rae Jepsen, Troye Sivan, Sia, Little Mix all have new singles out today, and Lana Del Rey has confirmed a release date for her album Lust for Life (“July 21 fam”).
Bisexuals unite! Halsey and Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony have dropped a synth-heavy lady loving anthem. Sounds like a bionic Stevie Nicks song. Taking bets on how long for MUNA to Tweet about it. Very much looking forward to this music video. Listen here
Lil Yachty got an album, y’all!! He’s even serving up some island vibes on a track with UK rapper and cmd+f alumna Stefflon Don. Listen here
Rita Ora’s taken a break from hosting TV shows, red carpet events, landing on the front page of The Daily Mail, and hung up the phone with Nick Grimshaw to remind you that, yes, she is indeed a career musician. Excuse me while I go bop to “Your Song.” Listen here
Today is too much. Too many single releases. I am both wired and tired.

________________________________________

If you’re interested in hearing what else I’ve been rinsing this month (aside from the tracks listed above), peep my personal May 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!