Turn of the decade
- Joe Whitehead
- May 3, 2020
- 5 min read
Hope everyone’s plodding on with the gradual normality of the lockdown, unlike the Americans who have somehow managed to form a protest against an *invisible* form of death. We haven’t got a choice as to whether we want to stay in or not cos we’re just constantly being lied to, but that’s not what I’m writing about today so don’t worry.
The title of this post is enough to make anyone run for the nearest exit, cos let's face it, it's not been the smoothest turn of the decade we'll ever experience but there have been *a few* positives.
Music is one of the only things making this science-fiction-film-like experience doable, and I’m massively appreciative of artists taking a huge risk and releasing new music, when touring is quite literally impossible at the moment.
The singles I’m writing about in this post have all been released since the start of this year and are all of different genres, so hopefully you’ll discover a new favourite that you’ll play on repeat until you hate it.
Some of the artists I’m writing about are ones you may not have heard of but they deserve a chance and some recognition, so I’m not entirely sure what difference a blog with no subscribers, contributors, likes or comments will have, but, I’m like everyone else, I’m bored, and writing about something I love passes a good few hours, which is a few hours closer to being in the pub.
This is Khruangbin’s newest stuff since their collaboration with American soul-singer, Leon Bridges. Known for producing their music based of musical influences from all four corners of the Earth, it conforms with their usual psychedelia, classic soul and dub style as it combines a blend of disco and funk and a groovy rhythm throughout.
What is different to their previous two albums is that it features lyrics throughout which sees bassist and vocalist, Laura Lee making it even more dreamy than it already is. It’s over 5 minutes worth of complete escapism from this god awful world we’re living in at the moment and I genuinely believe that if you don’t give this a spin, let alone listen to it, then lockdown really has got to you.
It’s a song that will either make you wanna dance or want to lie down and chill out to. That’s why it’s easily a 10/10, and their new album’s out 26th June and it could possibly be the highlight of 2020.
The DIY artist, Liverpool born Jetta, released this towards the end of January and it’s ace. It’s filled with positivity and good vibes and could either be heard in a club, or in the background of a beer garden.
It’s a throwback to 90’s music and she is quoted to have said she was reminiscent of her youth when writing it. She continued to say that she has fond memories of the 90’s, so this catchy dance/garage track is her reliving her past, and reflecting on the feel good factor from that era.
Why’s she the ‘DIY artist’? Jetta writes and produces her own music from her flat in London and then immediately releases them on to her own record label which she manages. Imagine living next-door to her, I bet lockdown is an absolute treat for her neighbours. I get the old fella next-door mowing his lawn at 9am.
Defo get on to this tune cos like I said, it’s riddled with positivity and the feel that she’s ‘cutting loose’ makes anyone listening to it want to do the same.
I’d never heard of these until I was flicking through Instagram stories and they popped up on an advert. The magic of social media, ey?
A Lemon is a music project by an Italian multi-instrumentalist, who chooses to write and sing in English. I can only guess he does that to broaden his audience, and it’s worked, cos I think this is boss.
The first thing I thought of when I heard this song was how much it sounded like Tame Impala. The synths, drums and voice all take me back to musical genius, Kevin Parker's early stuff, so what’s not to like?
I haven’t been able to find any information on the producer, nor the album he’s just released, other than what he wrote himself on his Spotify profile, and that just proves to me that there are artists out there that release great music, but without the recognition of journalists and music magazines or the radio, they fail to gain any publicity, which is a massive shame because this hazy song takes you back of a summer’s day drinking beer in a field somewhere.
If you’ve miraculously found yourself reading this piece of writing then not only are you dead bored but defo try and give this song a spin.
This is a lot more mellow than the previous two songs and is musically different to the first one, but just as good all the same.
It’s instantly likeable as an upbeat drum fill is accompanied with a solid bass line and a catchy guitar riff. The song as a whole doesn’t feel as positive as the lyrics are written about grieving over someone close to her and the chorus has an element of passion about it. It’s clearly a meaningful song but the rhythm and the tone of it has a striving feel to it and is a good one to sit and listen to; both the music and the lyrics.
Strongly recommend this for a rainy day, or any other day to be honest, it’s a dead good tune and deserved of a listen.
Probably the best song they’ve ever written, in my humble opinion, this fantastically named, Melbourne based quintet released Cars in Space in February and it’s one I’ve played over and over again and still not got sick of.
I and many others were gravitated to this masterpiece purely based on the dreamy guitar riffs. I’m obviously not taking anything away from the vocals, I’m appreciating just how boss the guitar, drums and bass sound. You could quite happily listen to an instrumental version of this track and enjoy it, and if it’s a good song to drive to you’re after (not that I’m encouraging anyone to go out driving) but this song is the most complete song to drive to, it’s got the lot; the summery feel, the fast beat, the upbeat guitar riffs.
Make sure this is on the radio on your next commute to work, but make sure you’re not stuck in traffic when you’ve got it on otherwise it’ll be ruined.
No news of a new album yet but they’ve recently released another single, titled ‘She’s There’ and it’s no disappointment.
That’ll do for now, cos I don’t wanna bore everyone to death but I’ll post another 5 in the coming days and hope some of these artists get the recognition they deserve. If you click on the artist and single at the start of each paragraph then it should, I hope, take you directly to the Spotify link of that certain song.
Keep on exploring and engaging with new music, keep on supporting independent record labels and keep on supporting your favourite small artists during this tedious and unpredictable time of our lives.
Take it easy,
Joe.
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