LISTEN LIVE Music Department Summer Newsletter – Issue 1
Written by AKENNEDY on November 12, 2024
By: Akina-Naomi Kennedy
☆ indie/pop/avant-garde
half waif – ephemeral being
usually when releases come through with the label “riyl: mitski,” it’s a hit or miss–but this release is most definitely a hit. half waif‘s vocals sound eerily like mitski, and with lush, intricate production and catchy melodies to go along with it, ephemeral being is an incredible listen.
recommended if you like: mitski, caroline polachek, FKA twiggs
recommended tracks: 2, 4
arooj aftab – night reign
again, another incredibly produced and ethereal album with elements from across genres and regions. layered guitars, songs in both Urdu and English, and perfectly reverbed vocals make for a stunning record.
riyl: enya, vijay ayer, nala sinephro
rec tracks: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8
anastasia coope – darning woman
a little more on the avant-garde side of things, coope uses vocal layering techniques to string phrases together–often about her (rightful) disdain towards the expectations placed on women– to make unique pieces of art. if you like semi-ironic feminine rage, this is the one for you!
riyl: enya, xiu xiu, astrid sonne
rec tracks: 1, 2, 4
crumb – amama
crumb is at it again with exactly what you’d expect: good music. i’m especially grateful for their use of odd time signatures, as well as their mastery of indie rock instrumentation and production. definitely worth a listen.
riyl: jay som, men i trust, homeshake
rec tracks: 2, 4, 6, 10, 12
ani difranco – unprecedented sh!t
this is ani difranco‘s twenty-third album, and she’s still bringing fresh songs to the table like it’s her junior release. she puts genuine, feelingful political commentary (as well as her personal struggles with the state of our world) to a plethora of genres, while still maintaining her musical identity at the album’s core. very well-written and well produced–and an album this good is exactly what i’d expect from someone who’s been doing this since 1990.
riyl: tops, tennis, alanis morrisette, norah jones, brittany howard, st. vincent
rec tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9
fcc warning: 4, 5
various artists – i saw the tv glow
a soundtrack from A24’s most recent queer horror film, containing some amazing offerings from each artist that’s featured. from indie rock to screamo moments to jangle pop to dream rock, there’s a true variety of offerings here!
riyl: yeule, phoebe bridgers, jay som, l’rain, snail mail, king woman
rec tracks: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 14
margaux – inside the marble
another one with a hypnotic feel and magnetic energy, with an album cover to encapsulate the emotion of it all. margaux takes femme indie and makes it her own here. with a velvety voice and luscious instrumentation (often utilizing jazz drums, string orchestration, and electronic arpeggiators [looking at you, track 6!]), this release lulls you into a mesmerizing sonic scape, a place to melt into the music. just a stunning record.
riyl: hayley heyenderickx, h pruz, lomelda, sasami, sir chloe
rec tracks: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
fcc warning: 1
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
☆ electronic/hip hop
felt out – sleeper
David, this one is for you! my jaw was stuck to the floor upon listening to this, and i listened to it twice on the clock. if you like insanely produced, tastefully autotuned, minimally lush electronic “bleep bloop” music, then look no further. combining digital and analog, electronic and acoustic sounds, with elements of pop, jazz, indie, and everything a modern music lover could want. so insanely unique and listenable, and one of my favorites that i’ve gotten this year!
riyl: yeule, saya gray, 100 gecs, alice glass
rec tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
machinedrum – 3for82
this one encapsulates so many elements of so many genres that it’s hard to start–and even more impressive is that it’s incredibly cohesive. producer machinedrum asked his collaborators to write messages to their younger selves, then put their contributions to breakbeats, trap beats, and type beats. his catchy, relevant, and tasteful tracks showcase his versatility and ability to traverse genres while telling the stories of his peers.
note: some rec tracks are only suitable for safe harbor, and some contain the n-word: still good listens, but not suitable for the radio unfortunately. rec tracks in red are not suitable for airplay.
riyl: pinkpantheress, the alchemist, domi & j.d. beck, j cole
rec tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11
fcc warning: 2, 3, 5, 8, 10
kaya hoax – baby gear
groovy, head-bopping pop coming just in time for a hot girl summer! more understated than some of the riyls, which makes this even more charming and intriguing. i picture this playing with the windows down, driving on the highway at 2 in the morning after a night out ✮
riyl: charli xcx, chappell roan, slayyyter
rec tracks: 2, 3, 5
fcc warning: 2, 3, 5, 6
musclecars – sugar honey iced tea!
taking all of the emotions present in a night out and putting them into an album sounds like it would be a fun listen, and musclecars proves that assumption right. combining new york club music with confessionals at some times, immersive sound effects at others, danceability always, and funk, soul and jazz sprinkled throughout, musclecars uses this record to take you on a journey of sound. quite a few of these tracks are over 6 minutes, Phil!
riyl: kaytranada, blood orange, steve lacy, lalah hathaway
rec tracks: 1, 5, 8, 9, 13
fcc warning: 3, 4
rad brown – upper crust confections
a sample-heavy, playful, and nostalgic rap record reminiscent of MF DOOM and those in that realm. this one is a dynamic and fun listen all the way through, taking inspiration from disco, funk, and old-school hip-hop. perfect if you like reminiscing on the “good old days”
riyl: MF DOOM, Q, the alchemist, boldy james
rec tracks: 1, 2, 13, 19
fcc warning: 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
☆ jazz/soul/r&b
bryony jarman-pinto – below dawn
this is the release that got me to finally start on this newsletter. when i heard it, i said out loud, “this needs to be heard by people.” if i said all of what i want to say about this album, you might think i’m exaggerating–that’s how highly i think of it. simple when it calls for it, complex when it matters. everything about this record is in its right place. what a refreshing listen!
riyl: norah jones, moonchild, lianne la havas, cleo sol
rec tracks: 1, 3, 6
liana flores – nightvisions [single]
i wouldn’t usually chart/recommend singles on their own, but for this one, i’m making an exception. just an elegant, luscious, gorgeous indie/jazz/folk tune that lifted my spirits when i listened to it. her voice is so effortless over an incredible instrumental array. another favorite of the year ˖⁺‧₊˚ ♡ ˚
riyl: rosie ramati, laufey, ichiko aoba, nai palm (of hiatus kaiyote fame)
madala kunene – the 1990 hidden years recording
this one’s for if you want to let go and dance! straight from the 1990s in South Africa, kunene combines elements of rock and disco with rhythms familiar to many across the African/Caribbean diaspora. (rhythms from the motherland are the bases for most of the rhythms we associate with popular music today!) with infectious, looped vocal and instrumental melodies, it’s difficult to stay still while enjoying this album.
riyl: hailu mergia, fela kuti, penny penny
rec tracks: 1, 5, 7
yaya bey – ten fold
a sleeper favorite of mine from one of the best alt-r&b artists doing it right now. yaya bey puts lyrical introspection to a soundtrack of hypnotic rhythms and atmospheric soundscapes, with true rhythm and blues remaining at this album’s very core.
be very careful playing these on air! again, tracks in red contain the n-word.
riyl: cleo sol, orion sun, moonchild, liv.e, little simz
rec tracks: 1, 2, 6, 8, 14
fcc warning: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟
☆ alt/rock/shoegaze/slowcore
softcult – heaven
this is what i like to call smooth music: those especially shoegazey, jangly guitars and vocals compressed and reverbed to perfection. an enjoyable record from one of the best out right now, perfect to sit back and chill to 𓆩♡𓆪
riyl: diiv, cherry glazerr, slowdive
rec tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5
joywave – permanent pleasure
y’all, i can’t recommend this one enough. american/young people’s disillusionment with a KILLER soundscape to substantiate it. dystopian, like MCR’s danger days, with elements similar to IDKHow’s discography, but with so much of joywave‘s unique musicianship in it. it’s heavy, it’s playful, quite theatric, and a bop all the way through.
riyl: i don’t know how but they found me (IDKHow), grouplove, vundabar, muse
rec tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 10
fcc warning: 7
mercury – together we are one, you and i [EP]
girl. if you’re in the market for bombastic, cathartic, and vulnerable femme rock, then look no further. track one especially is rife with vocal and instrumental prowess–the performance on these tracks is just absolutely stellar. mercury’s lyrics are a stunning exploration into what it’s like to grow up and process the pain of past events. a personal favorite of mine for sure ☆
riyl: cherry glazerr, softcult, gglum
rec tracks: 1, 3
suck brick kid – the end is what i want
punk rockers from central florida! none of these tracks are suitable for airplay (outside of safe harbor hours), but it’s still a fun listen nonetheless. unserious, young, head-thrashing and can-smashing music. (most of these tracks are in c major or a minor; not that important but a cute observation i made, lol)
riyl: walking blue, early fall out boy, alkaline trio
rec tracks: 1, 2, 3
fcc warning: all
various artists – everyone’s getting involved: a tribute to talking heads’ stop making sense
admittedly, I’ve never really listened to the talking heads like that , but this album’s put me on to some of their tunes. it’s a joy hearing other artists’ reimaginings and interpretations of these tracks and comparing them to the originals!
riyl: talking heads, paramore, teezo touchdown, badbadnotgood, lorde
rec tracks: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 16
good looks – lived here for a while
what does it feel like to be a teenager questioning everything about life and the world right now? good looks has an answer for you. the familiar buzz and hum of reverby indie rock underlines a story about growing up. at a time when everything feels so ??????, it’s good to know that people understand.
riyl: wallows, young jesus, wild pink
rec tracks: 1, 2,
fcc warning: 1, 4, 8
young jesus – the fool
speaking of young jesus! the first half didn’t really speak to me but i’m glad i stuck around till the end, because the back half were heart-string-tug after gut-punch after tear-jerker, and i fell in love. slow and emotionally impactful, as young jesus puts his inner world and questions to lush, contemplative indie-grunge instrumentation.
riyl: hozier, bartees strange, hop along
rec tracks: 6, 8, 9, 10
fcc warning: 1, 4, 9
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I’m so excited for you all to listen to what speaks to you here. Happy listening, friends ♡‧₊˚
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ. ♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
