JUKEBOX VOL. 9
[+] NICOLAS JAAR – “NO”
Nicolas Jaar came out with his latest LP, Sirens on September 30th this year and as much as this work was highly anticipated, he did not disappoint. In the middle of the LP, the song “No” stands out yet perfectly fits among the other unique sounds and themes Jaar innovatively promotes.
The politically motivated tune resonates back to the democratic rejection of a follow-up term for dictator Pinochet in Chile, where Jaar’s parents were born and later moved to New York from.
Low static noises set the backdrop for the song as a trippy cowbell beat and sultry Spanish lyrics make you feel like you are trotting through a local Chilean town, watching the democratic change take place. Paradoxical lyrics come in and out of focus as eerie technologic sounds pair off with the keyboard and guitar to give listeners a catchy nostalgic vibe.
[+] XYLØ – “DEAD END LOVE”
[+] DRAKE – “FAKE LOVE”
Drake’s new single “Fake Love” is my pick of the week because it’s so infectious and catchy that you can’t help but groove to it the second it comes on. It has a similar sound to tracks like “Hotline Bling”, along with emotional lyrics reminiscent of his past work, but it does’t matter because this is Drake at his best. Regardless if you’re a fan or not, I dare you to listen and try not to bounce to it’s sick beat.
[+] HIGHLY SUSPECT- “MY NAME IS HUMAN”
– ANITA
[+] HELADO NEGRO – “IT’S MY BROWN SKIN”
South Florida native Helado Negro puts a personal spin on a political statement with “It’s My Brown Skin” from his most recent release, Private Energy. Instead of brownness being an intrinsic aspect of identity, it is given it’s own agency with lines such as “our time together we grow / we stretch and show / it’s tough as it goes and it won’t rub off of you.” Powerful and uplifting, “It’s My Brown Skin” gives us the chance to love the skin we were born in through floaty synths, soulful vibrato and hypnotic drum lines.
– VANESSA
[+] DEATH GRIPS – “EH”
This next song on the Jukebox Playlist is not for the faint-hearted. The name of the band matches just how intense and heavy the music they make is. Death Grips is an experimental hip-hop/electronic group that has pushed the boundaries for razor-sharp edgy music. Their new album Bottomless Pit, released in May 2016, is probably the most tolerable of their releases for those of refined music taste- and it is still probably hard to swallow for most.
A quick back and forth of noise sets the stage for a heavy drumbeat and MC Ride’s cutthroat rhymes. He spits a hundred words per minute and just when you are able to follow him the minute is over. The lyrics are meant to hit you like a rude and indifferent brick wall, which happens to have an underlying message of truth about our culture today. “Eh,” like all of their other songs, is perfectly meant for heavy head bobbing.
To really appreciate the groundbreaking music Death Grips makes, you need to listen to the lyrics and realize it’s more than just thick noise. It may not seem like it at first but this hardcore electronic mess of a song has some deeper meaning relaying to apathy and a criticism on narcissism and the superiority complex famous people tend to have. There is so much symbolism and references packed into this song you would be amazed at how Death Grips can fit it all in, or more like force it down your throat.
[+] HOPE SANDOVAL & THE WARM INVENTIONS – “A WONDERFUL SEED”
Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval has returned with new music at last. This time around, she has teamed up with Colm Ó Cíosóig of My Bloody Valentine to release the third record under their collaborative project, Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions. The album, Until the Hunter, is due out November 4th, and we’ve already been teased with three tracks from it. The latest, “A Wonderful Seed,” is a hauntingly beautiful melody—the perfect listen to ease into the Halloween season. This dreamy, ethereal track sounds like it has come straight out of a fairy-tale.
– MATT
[+] ZELLA DAY – “MAN ON THE MOON”
Zella Day‘s newest single “Man On The Moon” arrives as a taste of new music to come, in between the release of her first album KICKER and a sophomore album due out in 2017. Ethereal, hypnotic, and with a voice like honey, Zella sings in multi-part harmonies above R&B beats and folky guitar and harmonica parts. The song even includes an adorable children’s choir to sing, “I’m in your dreams now.” You’ll probably find yourself nodding your head to the beat without even realizing it. In true Zella style, she’s releasing a Limited Edition 7″ white sparkle vinyl of the song and another single, “Hunnie Pie,” in mid-November.
– ALLI
[+] LEONARD COHEN- “YOU WANT IT DARKER”
The Godfather of Gloom’s newest record sees him in sultry top form, and the title track reflects that. The dusky song reminds us why Cohen is the best at what he does, in hushed tones and poetic lyrics, the old poet weaves another hypnotizing track.
