Welcome to our weekly Spotify playlist. Here are a collection of songs that have stood out for us this week and the reasons why. With love.
Bonniesongs: Barbara
This is the second time Australian artist and Small Pond singing Bonniesongs has made our list. She has complete control over her own dynamics which places her amongst a new generation of composers testing their listeners and offering startling originality in their creative output. Her imagination is splashed so vividly across her music and she delivers what few artists are at the moment.
sir Was: Deployed (feat. Little Dragon)
Gothenburg’s sir Was has teamed up with the sublime Yukimi Nagano (Little Dragon) on a trip hop-inspired sonnet that will have the soul craving further collaborations. There is no hiding behind a sonic palette here, its deeply engaging basslines and piano riff waterfalls add to an already exemplary track. This is not only a triumph but also timeless.
Edwin Organ: Gabriel
The producer is one of the most intriguing and accomplished to emerge from Scotland in recent years. With the announcement that he’s releasing 3 singles and 3 EPs before the end of the year, his latest track has kicked off the domino trail. His hedonistic vocal umbrella melts into a tributary of syncopated piano rhythms and leftfield samba beats leaving you both satisfied and inspired.
Hôy la: Kids
Norway has really pushed boundaries over the last few years and is producing some of the most exciting and innovative new music in the world. Hôy la is one of its flag flyers and this will worm its way into your subconscious. Her use of space and uncomplicated arrangements pushes you head first into a sonic abyss. She has created a moment of hypnosis so pure that you will surrender to her entirely.
Marsicans: Little Things
This is stadium-worthy indie rock that will set your lungs alight when you cry its chorus. A band that glistens amongst the alternative refuse and regurgitated dross rotting the circuit. There’s an honesty here and this is a band at the peak of their powers. Melodically mesmerising, its vocal harmonies alone will push your heart rate to a place of happiness.
Skating Polly: Play House
It’s great to see the alt-rock trio go from strength to strength and the outfit has just announced a European tour in October. Their self-assuredness proves infectious and Play House is an impressive salute to 90s grunge and its idols. A force of nature, they match their relentless energy with charm and this is 3 and a half minutes of caustic joy.
BABii: POiiSON
The Margate-based artist is due to release her debut album 5 July via Deathwaltz Originals and has landed with a hook-heavy electronic dream. A strange yet clearly conceptual reverie, she will lead you down a changing path of utopian pop. Despite its quirkiness, this will feel contradictory in its accessibility and will appeal to a legion of new fans.
Sumera: Skin
Having previously gained critical acclaim, it’s easy to see why Sumera is creating waves. There are flights of creation and experimentation within the production and vocal sampling that make this deeply engaging. Teetering on an edge between R&B and indie-electro, there’s instant gratification in her richness and this is a fully realised addition to her already impressive discography.
Annie Booth: Still (Redolent Remix)
Taken from Booth’s latest EP Spectral released collaboratively via Scottish Fiction and Last Night From Glasgow, Edinburgh’s Redolent have produced a stunning reworking of the original. An uninterrupted electronic suite which envelopes Booth’s heady vocal creating a rewarding listen and despite its simulations, this is packed with emotional eloquence.
OK Button: Verso
The sixth single from the synth-pop trio and they continue to showcase a juxtaposition between ethereal vocal waves and plethoric electronic swells. A compelling listen, Verso is a tribute to love and between delivery and production, the trio have become curators of their unique sound. This is a surprisingly dramatic statement and one that tests the boundaries between light and darkness.
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