Weekly flow, yet I’m updating this monthly… stay with me here!!
As we get into summer, I expect this to pick up with more of the artists that I care about releasing projects. So buckle up!
ALBUMS
empathogen
One of the most talented artists of our generation has blessed us with another album… Willow is incredibly underrated, likely because her contemporary style has a bit too much je ne sais quoi for the average everyday music listener. Not me though! Willow’s album release in 2022, ‘<COPINGMECHANISM>’ seriously changed my life, but honestly all of her projects are uniquely well-done. This is exactly the type of effort, exploration, and execution that I want to see from all the nepo babies.
Now as much as I love Willow, I have to admit the only song that I’m really into at the moment is ‘big feelings’, which was also released as a single for this album. Not to say that the rest of the album is bad… but it’s just not time for me to appreciate it.. yet!
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT
I wouldn’t consider myself a Billie Eilish fan by any means, as I haven’t really understood the hype on her & Finneas’ previous projects. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT though… wow. Truly ethereal. This album is all I’ve been listening to for the past ~5 days and I’m not even tired of it. There is so much emotion and passion that can be felt while listening to the album, which stood out to me immediately. And, all the tracks on this album are just damn good. It’s lo-fi, it’s house vibes, the beats are dynamic. 100/10. I’ve been enjoying the album so much I had to watch the HIT ME HARD AND SOFT Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe to hear their process behind the album, I recommend watching!
It’s only May, but this is a serious contender for Album of the Year. It feels meaningful and intentional and has a lot of replay value in it, unlike a lot of other projects in the music industry right now. What a great album to bring in new fans, like myself, and expand their listener base. I’ll expect to see this in my most listened to albums of the year in my Spotify Wrapped.
Finneas said they wanted to make an “album-album” and they really did that. This one’s for the full album listeners to appreciate. I hope we can get a deluxe version with some intentional features. There is a ton of potential for some of the other pop girls to get one here, like Renee Rapp, SZA, or Clairo.
With only 10 songs in total, this is truly a no-skip album, but here are my fav songs that I’ve listened to the most:
1. LUNCH
This one is soo catchy I know TikTok is going to try its best to ruin it, so I’m going to enjoy it as long as I can. The beat is kinda funky and reminiscent of a jazz & blues almost, yet it’s still giving catchy pop hit that makes you want to dance or at least sway a bit. Oh, and obviously the lyrics are another win for queer people, so we love that.
2. CHIHIRO
CHIHIRO is probably my #1 from this album. The bass on this?? I could just listen to the instrumentals, no vocals, and still have a great listening experience. It’s vibey and seductive. I love how Billie’s vocals and the music production aren’t competing for the spotlight on this, they mesh so well together it activates all the right senses.
3. BIRDS OF A FEATHER
In their Apple Music Interview, Zane mentions that this is the greatest pop song that Billie and Finneas have made together. That’s also how I feel about this. It’s happy, but it’s also kinda painful in a really beautiful way. I find myself humming and singing this randomly throughout the day, it’s always stuck in my head. Also, LUNCH, CHIHIRO and this all back to back is an incredible 3-track run!
4. BITTERSUITE
BITTERSUITE is like 3 songs in one track. No 2:30 songs here! Because the song is doing many different things throughout it’s life, I don’t even notice or mind that it’s almost 5 minutes long. The first minute of this song is such a dramatic build up, then the beat shift into a Wii / anime theme song inspired type beat actually works very well. The transition into BLUE is so good and so seamless I always try to listen to them back to back if I want to hear either one of the songs. Package deal.
Atavista
I wouldn’t consider myself the biggest Childish Gambino stan, but I usually find a few songs from each project of his to be classic hits. I gave Atavista a listen, which is not necessarily new music from him since it’s supposed to be the other half of something he made previously, but it’s new to me and to the gen pop. This album is giving background music to me… I wouldn’t play this on aux or for anyone else really, but it’s good when cleaning or doing some work. No shade!
1. Psyilocybae (Millennial Love) (feat. 21 Savage, Ink & Kahdja Bonet)
Another dynamic song that has won me over. This song reminds me of listening to a neo-soul / R&B Soundcloud playlist the way it’s doing so much, but in a good way. It definitely feels mixtape-y and less buttoned up, which I can also appreciate. I enjoy 21 Savage’s verse on this, very wavy & very smooth.
2. To Be Hunted
My favorite on this project for sure. So catchy and upbeat, would be great for a walking playlist. The lyrics are also real highkey… being a woman, it is scary and intense.
SONGS
Bad Dream
Wallows… something about their little boy band is really giving me 2010 MAGCON vibes, but I have to give it to them, they make a good song. ‘Bad Dream’ is very mellow & reminiscent the 1975 soft pop rock– without the problematic lead singer. When I listen to this, I want to be on the west coast driving with the windows down in a convertible. Very thematic and transports you to a sunny & imaginative mindset.
The boy band to Netflix teenage series pipeline is one that I’ve noticed twice now, in this instance with Clay from 13 Reasons Why. I haven’t had a chance to listen to their newest album that just released on May 24th, but this song was a single from that project. Expect to see that album on my next refresh!
Is It A Crime?
R&B is sooo back with this boyband. We just might be about to witness another era of the boyband, which makes sense if we are headed into a 2010s nostalgia era. Boybands are so powerful.. their influence and shaping on pop culture is truly significant. Historical even. No Guidnce is still in their early phase, with ~408k monthly listeners on Spotify, but I am a classified ‘early adopter’ according to Spotify wrapped, so stay with me on this one. The one and only Victoria Monet is also the pen behind this song, so of course this is a hit.
That’s all folks! But seriously, listen to that new Billie Eilish if you haven’t already…
THE IDENTITY CRISIS 