Sam Rankin / Daily Nexus
“Come Back and Love Me <3” by Hinds
“Come Back and Love Me <3,” the latest of three singles released from Hinds’ upcoming album “The Prettiest Curse,” is a fun, dreamy listening experience that seamlessly instills in its listener imagery of warm sunshine and good vibes. With repetitive lyrics like, “Come back and love me/Come back and love me,” Hinds effectively creates a song of seduction, inviting us to hit the “replay” button each time the track reaches its end. Additionally, the Spain-based quartet beautifully incorporates Spanish lyrics with English and ties everything together with romantic guitar strumming reminiscent of the traditional Spanish genre sound.
“In Your Eyes” by The Weeknd
The Weeknd recently released his massively popular “After Hours” album, currently slated to be 2020’s biggest release so far. Instantly, fans connected to the song “In Your Eyes,” an ‘80s-sounding lament similar to other endeavors on the project like “Blinding Lights.” The track sounds expensive, retro and futuristic all at the same time, but also flashy — a saxophone solo steals the show in the outro. “In Your Eyes” is about a deteriorating relationship, but the cracks are unspoken: “You always try to hide the pain/You always know just what to say/I always look the other way/I’m blind, I’m blind.” Despite the uneasy lyrics, this track is definitely a contender for this year’s song of the summer.
“Wish You Were Sober” by Conan Gray
Conan Gray, a fellow UC student, recently released his second album this past month entitled “Kid Krow,” featuring the track “Wish You Were Sober.” In this song, Gray laments that he seems like a mere afterthought to someone because they never pursued anything with him until they were intoxicated — likely a relatable experience for many of us. The electronic beat and classic pop sounds of this track perfectly encapsulate the situation as their intensity crescendos as Gray becomes more frustrated; he is “over this rollercoaster.” Compared to the sounds of his 2018 EP, “Sunset Season,” “Wish You Were Sober” is vastly different. “Sunset Season” has softer tones, reminiscent of youthful ignorance, whereas “Wish You Were Sober” explores a part of Gray’s transition into adulthood with more powerful beats and electronic effects.
“Are You Feeling Sad?” by Little Dragon ft. Kali Uchis
Little Dragon is back with a new head-bopping, foot-tapping single that should be a staple on everyone’s quarantine dance party playlist. The Swedish electronic band teamed up with Colombian-American songstress Kali Uchis for “Are You Feeling Sad?”, a reworked version of one of the songs off their newest album “New Me, Same Us.” Perfect for these uncertain times, the song soothes listeners, reminding them, “No worries, no worries, no/You’re gonna be alright, uh-huh/Don’t worry, don’t worry, oh/Things gonna turn out fine, uh-huh, oh.”
“Insect Near Piha Beach” by Four Tet
House music listeners can finally take beautiful solace in Four Tet’s new album “Sixteen Oceans,” which has been recently prefaced with teaser track “Teenage Birdsong.” For anyone looking for a new house song to add to their collection or seeking a perfect introduction into the world of house music, look no further than “Insect Near Piha Beach,” found on Four Tet’s new album. The song is dreamy, whimsical, energetic and possesses an experimental sound whilst maintaining a classic, sugary, house beat. Avid fans had been looking forward to seeing Four Tet at this year’s Lightning in a Bottle Festival before the event was indefinitely postponed due to concerns related to the spread of the coronavirus. While the release is incomparable to the live set, songs like “Insect Near Piha Beach” are so immersive that you can still sense the power of his live performance.
Show your intelligence, show me the Toulmin Method. T.S.O.L – Code Blue is the song….show me Learn the Attitude…