Strap your seatbelts in for today’s Tracks of the Week, we’re going on a bumpy ride down Feels Avenue. For nearly three weeks straight, I was attempting to recover from a nasty cold, and then without skipping a beat, you don’t think it could possibly get worse, but it does; it always does. Without going into too much detail, Sunday involved a bad breakup. Monday, a water pipe burst in my house and started to flood the basement. Tuesday, I quit my dead end job at a pizza place. And Wednesday, well today’s not too bad. I’m at work, I’m healthy, alive and well(-ish), here to bring you some beautiful music. So let’s do this.
Kllo – Bolide (LONE Remix)
I stumbled across this gem while driving home late one night headed southbound on the 5 Freeway. If you’re not familiar with the name, Kllo is an Australian duo straight out of Melbourne with a very distinct sound. Chloe Kaul’s vocals coupled with Simon Lam’s productions sound something similar to Point Point, Mura Masa, and Galimatias combined. LONE took their track “Bolide” (which translates to “missile” or “meteor”) and flipped it into this spacious masterpiece that carries with it, a beautiful melody and a garage 2-step rhythm that slides you right into the groove. This remix is precisely what I’ve been looking for recently, and I recommend you keep an eye on LONE and Kllo as they both have new music that’s just released.
Anna Straker – Serious
Anna Straker rides the line between synth-pop mastermind and electronic magician. Back in the spring of this year, Anna Straker showcased her talents as a writer, singer, and producer after the release of her first single, Late Night Swimming. Since then, she’s been creating back to back fantastic singles, each with a tight, fresh sound and perspective coupled with incredibly catchy lyrics. Prior to her own releases, this Anna Straker’s vocals have been featured on a number of tracks with a handful of producers from around the world including Fono, Years & Years, and even Rudimental. She’s on a non-stop course to making some bangers, and no one can stand in her way.
Merchandise – End of the Week
I’ve been on a bit of a post-rock/grungy/shoe-gaze binge lately, listening to essentially everything and anything being put out on 4AD. I listened through Merchandise’s latest album, A Corpse Wired for Sound, and immediately got hooked on “End of the Week.” Coincidentally, a fitting title for the exact storm of things going on in my life at the current moment. If I could describe the song, it’s like if Nine Inch Nails had a wayward love affair with The Cure, and it turns out Ian Curtis of Joy Division was actually the father. If that doesn’t convince you to check it out, I don’t know what will. If you have the chance, you can scope out Merchandise’s full album on Spotify and iTunes.
Nilas – Selfless-ish
It wouldn’t be a sad breakup playlist without some really sad lyrics to make us feel and think too much about nothing and everything all at once. We don’t know much about the 22 year old R&B wizard, other than that they’ve been on an absolute tear pumping out back to back to back releases. Honestly, you can scroll through Nilas’s SoundCloud page and you’ll find dozens of originals and some of the tightest remixes of your current pop favorites; it’s all there. This track sat well with me first, for it’s solid production, and second, for having a connection to what I’m currently going though. So thank you Nilas, wherever you are in Denmark, keep on making dope music.
Oshan – French Vanilla
I couldn’t possibly end this week’s playlist on a sour note, so I thought of lifting up the spirits a little bit by throwing in some fresh “French Vanilla..?” I don’t know where I was going with that one, but regardless, I guarantee this track will have you tapping your foot or clapping along to the beat in no time. The soft cheery mood is almost melancholic to the ear, and when you hear that cut-off filter on the synth, you know it’s about to get real. This track reminded me very much of fellow label-mate Darius, specifically his track “Maliblue.” Oshan’s recent release “Most At Home” was dropped on Roche Musique, and you can grab the EP on iTunes. A fantastic release with remarkable sounds spanning all four tracks; we highly recommend giving it a listen.