Category: Playlists

Great tunes to add to your own playlists

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Playlists

Local Coffeeshop Soundtrack: Heirloom Coffeeshop

This photograph features a pink coffee machine that says "HEIRLOOM" in all caps, with white mugs sitting on it.
Heirloom Café - 2021 (Lise Nox)

If there’s one thing I love doing around Raleigh, NC, it’s going to coffeeshops alone to drink good tea or coffee. Even if I usually wear my earphones to focus on what I’m reading or working on, if good music is playing, there’s a great chance my drink is going to taste better. I can’t help it. I’m just sensitive to the music playing around me. Since I’m that sensitive, I thought it’d be fun to make playlists inspired by the music I hear at every coffeeshop I go to just to recreate their atmosphere — starting with Heirloom.

Heirloom is a cute Taiwanese and Laotian café in Downtown Raleigh that serves amazing tea and vegan mochi donuts. Their playlist mostly revolves around new electronic music and indie stuff. I don’t really listen to electronic music anymore, though I used to dig this genre a lot on Soundcloud a few years ago. The thing is, every time I go to Heirloom, the music mesmerizes my brain and I can’t help Shazaming every song that comes on. The music always plays louder in the bathroom, so in case you want to Shazam a song while you’re there, you know where to go. Here are five songs that illustrate their playlist most accurately. You can listen to the full Heirloom playlist I made here.

“All In Me” by Jerry Folk

This is one of the first songs I ever Shazamed when I went to Heirloom. Jerry Folk is known for his hypnotizing and chill electronic songs, often accompanied by a female voice. The intro takes some time to build up the general atmosphere of the song, and once you get to the “chorus”, it gets addictive. I’m always so impressed by electronic music producers that can make you feel so many things with so little lyrics.

“No More Love Songs” by Harrison Brome and Pomo (FCC: explicit language)

I would describe this song as sweet, slow and electronic R&B. It’s the perfect balance between the amazing work of producer Pomo and Harrison Brome’s soothing voice. Just add to that romantic lyrics and you get your perfect indie-electronic love song (quite ironic, given the title).

“Winter In Tokyo” by Kazam

Speaking of artists who make you feel things without lyrics, Kazam is one of them. Each song by this young French lo-fi producer makes me feel like I’m floating on a cloud. The instruments he uses closely resemble traditional Japanese music. The mix between traditional Japanese instruments and his own is what makes his music so unique and I’m obsessed.

“Tied Up” by LEISURE

Another song I’ve Shazamed at Heirloom before. It’s indie, alternative, pop, a little R&B, a little electronic — genres are too confusing for me to put a label on LEISURE, because they truly do it all. All you need to know is that this song is both sensual and uplifting, and its enchanting aura is addictive.

“All Yours” by APRE

Soapy cheesy romantic lyrics are the best lyrics, but they’re even better when they’re written for good alternative indie songs. “All Yours” is one of them. The repetitive notes played on the synthesizer are in perfect harmony with the bass and the drums, and it really makes for a catchy 90’s inspired love song.

— Lise Nox

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Playlists

Underground Discoveries: 4 Songs to Add to Your Rotation Pt. 3

Artwork for all songs listed below. (Top left is first song, bottom right is last song).

Never Lose You – Kalan.FrFr (2021)

California artist Kalan.FrFr is an influential and major part of the current sound on the west coast. In this song, Kalan describes his feelings for a special someone over a bouncy and melodic beat. This is a great track for a sunny and relaxed day.

Southside Fade – reggie (2020)

reggie has the wonderful ability to give listeners a taste of the musical culture in Houston, Texas. The song “Southside Fade” is perfect for a day on the porch with friends and a glass of lemonade.

Into the Sun  – Zilo (2019)

Hailing from London, Zilo gives us a groovy track to bop our heads to. With smooth guitars and bouncy drums, “Into the Sun” is a great track for a laid-back day. It is also a great song to be introduced into Zilo’s other great works.

Fight!!! – AG Club (2020)

AG Club is a music group from The Bay Area in California with a very versatile discography. The song “Fight!!!” is one of many sounds the group is great at crafting and provides a very heroic feel. This track is great for a pump-up or mood boost.

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Playlists

The Saw’s Choice Cuts: Amon Amarth

Welcome to the Saw’s Butcher Shop, Butcher Crew! It is me, The Saw, and I’m back today to feature my Band of the Week: Amon Amarth. 

Ah, yes… Melodic Death Metal at its finest. These guys have been doing this for over three decades, and they have it down to a science. Amon Amarth began with more of a Black Metal sound, which evolved into some of the best Melodic Death Metal in history. Amon Amarth’s music is very harmonious, anthemic, and heavy. Johan has one of the best voices in Metal, and the band as a whole is tight and on point at all times. They are known as one of the hardest working bands around and, in fact, have just joined with (The titans) Iron Maiden on a partnership in the video game industry. That’s right, Eddie and the Berserker sharing a screen of bloodshed! 

Like I said, Amon Amarth have gone through changes in their sound, so picking my favorite songs necessarily spans their long career. BTW, their newest live record, Pursuit of Vikings, spans their career and covers many of my favorites. You should check it out! One thing is definite, no matter the era, Amon Amarth is bad ass! Enjoy my picks!! 

Fafner’s Gold

Blood Eagle

Fate of Norns

The Pursuit of Vikings

Raise Your Horns

Destroyer of the Universe

Aerials (SOAD cover)

Guardians of Asgaard

Vs. the World

A Thousand Years of Oppression

Runes to My Memory

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

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Playlists

Friday Favorites

Written by Miranda

Gravity (ft. Tyler, The Creator, DJ Dahi) – Brent Faiyaz

An anthem about the difficulties of love – who can’t relate to this song? This pairs a beat that sounds straight out of an Odd Future album with a catchy hook and adlibs and verse from Tyler, The Creator that will keep you coming back.

AIN’T GONNA STOP ME (ft. Monte Booker, Kenny Beats) – reggie

We can all use some positivity in these difficult times, and this is the perfect track to get you uplifted and remind you that you’re unstoppable.

UGUDBRU (ft. Sam Truth) – AG Club

Breaking down genre stereotypes and transforming their sound with every new release, AG Club has made another amazing track. Give it a listen and be sure to stick around for the beat change in the second half.

Karma & Friends – Cautious Clay

Cautious Clay’s new EP teases the great things to come from his upcoming debut album “Deadpan Love,” out June 25th. The new song features a great music video, too.

Listen to this week’s Friday Favorites, as well as my favorites from past weeks, on WKNC’s Spotify.

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Playlists

DJ Butter’s Playlist of the Week Part 5

This week, I’ll be pressing rewind and going back to some of my older favorites! I recently used my DJ skills at a photo shoot and had to dive into my archives to find music that fit the “vibe” of the set. It was super fun! It’s actually crazy how much my music taste has changed over the past year, especially since my current show focuses mostly on retro tunes. I ended up rediscovering some of my favorite songs from freshman year, high school and even some from middle school. Here are some of my choice picks that I’ve been listening to this week:

1. OKAGA, CA – Tyler, the Creator (feat. Alice Smith, Leon Ware and Clem Creevy)

This has to be one of the best Tyler songs ever released. His talent as a producer really shines on this relaxing, serene track. It’s somehow romantic, haunting and tranquil at the same time.

2. ttktv – Injury Reserve

This song off of Injury Reserve’s first album, “Live from the Dentist Office,” is slow yet electric. I absolutely love the texture it has and the drum sounds that underline the track.

3. Infatuation – Takeoff

I’m not much of a Takeoff fan, but this song has an almost Pharell-like quality to it that you can’t help but fall in love with. It’s a tender track that’s lyrically pretty different from the rest of his solo work.

4. Tribe Quest – Sirius Blvck (feat. Oreo Jones & DMA)

The flow on this song is absolutely insane. Oreo Jones, DMA and Sirius Blvck really pull out all the stops. This was one of my favorite rap songs in high school and it still is!

5. Soap – Deem Spencer

This song was one of Deem Spencer’s first releases. If you’re into sad emo rap, you’ll love it. It’s a melancholy tune with lyrics somber enough to make you cry.

6. Grown Up – Danny Brown

I know it’s mainstream, but this is my favorite Danny Brown song. It really reminds me of old-school rap songs from the ’90s.

7. Didn’t Cha Know – Erykah Badu

Can’t leave out Miss Badu! Her music is always so relaxing and lovely. The use of the bongos in this song is AMAZING and her voice flows over it all like pure honey.

8. Where U From – HUNCHO JACK (Quavo & Travis Scott)

I don’t really believe in guilty pleasures (just like what you like! no shame!) but if I had to name mine, it would be this album. It’s SO underrated. “Where U From,” my favorite song off “Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho,” has an catchy, almost Asain-inspired beat to it.

– DJ Butter

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Playlists

The Saw’s Choice Cuts: Hard Rock

What’s going on Butcher Crew?! It’s your Master Butcher, The Saw and I am back with some more choice cuts! Instead of a band, I have a genre that I have been listening to a lot here recently, and that is hard rock. Not just any type of hard rock but late 90s/early 2000s hard rock. I have always been a fan of this era of music because this was the era that I grew up in. 

Also, this beautiful weather puts me in a hard rock mood. Nothing gives me as much serotonin as driving down the road with all my windows down on a warm sunny day, singing along to some hard rock. It gives me big summer festival vibes as well which is also something that I enjoy. 

Here are some of my favorite hard rock songs that I have been listening to recently:

  • The Red – Chevelle 
  • I Stand Alone – Godsmack 
  • Whatever – Godsmack 
  • Speak – Godsmack 
  • Killing In The Name – Rage Against The Machine 
  • Bodies – Drowning Pool 
  • Youth of the Nation – P.O.D. 
  • Paralyzer – Finger Eleven 
  • Chop Suey!  – System of a Down 
  • Toxicity – System of a Down 
  • Got the Life – KoRn 
  • Break – Three Days Grace
  • Painkiller – Three Days Grace 
  • Control – Puddle Of Mudd 
  • Through Glass – Stone Sour 
  • Fine Again – Seether 
  • A Careless Whisper – Seether
  • Drive – Incubus 
  • Sober – Tool 

What are some of your favorite hard rock songs? 

Stay Metal, 

THE SAW 

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Playlists

Friday Favorites

Written by Miranda

Kiss Me More (ft. SZA) – Doja Cat

I definitely couldn’t let this legendary new single fly under the radar. If it’s been on your “to listen” list, go check it out now. It’s just as good as you’re imagining a collaboration with the two best pop artists of 2021 would be.

Nobody But You (ft. Jorja Smith) – Sonder

A single-track collaboration between Sonder, a project between producers Atu and Dpat with vocals by Brent Faiyaz, and vocalist Jorja Smith. Beautiful and simplistic.

Balloon – Crumb

Soothing vocals with an ethereal synth and drum beat makes for something great on Crumb’s newest single release, along with the track “BNR.”

EYEZNOLIEZ (ft. Burial & Nosaj Thing) – Gooodnight

An endlessly upbeat instrumental collaboration between Gooodnight, Burial, and Nosaj Thing with some truly terrifying album art is exactly what I need to get my workout flowing.

Awake (ft. Mahalia) – Chiiild

A flirty track marking the third release of Chiiild’s single tracks so far this year.

Listen to this week’s Friday Favorites, as well as my favorites from past weeks, on WKNC’s Spotify.

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Miscellaneous Playlists

Australia Favorites

Australia is home to an amazing indie rock and indie pop scene, one I had not discovered until a few years ago. Despite a few Australian artists breaking into the American mainstream over the years such as Vance Joy, Troye Sivan, and Natalie Imbruglia, I had not explored the depths of the Australian music scene. Without further ado, let me highlight some of my favorite songs by some of my favorite Australian artists.

Courtney Barnett – Indie Rock 

  • “Walkin’ On Eggshells”
  • “Elevator Operator”

Mallrat – Pop

  • “Charlie”
  • “Uninvited”

Alex Lahey – Indie Rock

  • “Every Day’s the Weekend”
  • “I Want U”

Last Dinosaurs – Indie Rock

  • “Zoom”
  • “Andy”

Julia Jacklin – Indie Pop

  • “Pressure To Party”
  • “Someday – triple j Like A Version”

Hockey Dad – Indie Rock

  • “Sweet Release”

Tame Impala – Psychedelic Rock

  • “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”

The Jungle Giants – Indie Rock

  • “Creepy Cool”

Skegss – Indie Rock

  • “Spring Has Sprung”

You can listen to this selection of songs on a playlist I made just for you.

Until next time,

Caitlin

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Playlists

The Saw’s Choice Cuts: Alice In Chains

Alice In Chains Logo

What’s going on Butcher Crew?! It’s your Master Butcher, The Saw, and I have another band up on the slab for The Saw’s Choice Cuts! Now, it is no secret that I love Alice In Chains. I am a big grunge fan and Alice In Chains is the band that got me into grunge. My mom and dad played them frequently when I was a child and I remember listening to them driving down a back road with my mom. Alice In Chains is the perfect combination of harmony, groove, and emotion. The riffs that are in their songs are influenced by metal and hard rock, and that’s why I will argue that grunge is a different sub-genre of metal. The lyrics are packed with emotion, especially the songs that have Layne Staley (RIP) on vocals. You can hear how much he is hurting within their songs and I think that’s why I love Layne and the band so much. I like music that captures true, raw emotion, and that is exactly what Alice In Chains does. You can feel the emotion in each song with every breath that Layne takes. His voice was so beautiful and he sang like a wounded angel. 

In no particular order, here are my favorite Alice In Chains songs: 

  • Would? 
  • Man in the Box 
  • Rooster 
  • Nutshell
  • Them Bones
  • Dam That River 
  • Check My Brain 
  • Bleed The Freak
  • Junkhead 
  • Again 
  • Love, Hate, Love
  • Angry Chair 
  • A Looking In View 
  • Get Born Again 

What are some of your favorite Alice In Chains songs? 

Stay Metal, 

THE SAW 

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Playlists

5 French indie songs for Spring 2021

French Artists Claire Laffut, Poupie and the duet BARON.E are displayed with white outlines on a blurry blue and purple flowery background, with the title "Frencg indie songs for Spring 2021" in white.

As I was looking for indie French bops to bump on those hot, sunny Spring days ahead of us, I realized there are so many indie French artists who are not getting enough international recognition. So there you go: here’s a list of French artists you should be listening to this Spring and keeping an eye out for in the coming months! You can find them all in this Spotify playlist I’ve made recently.

“Bleu ou vert” by BARON.E

The French duet “BARON.E” released their EP “Jeunesse Dorée” (“Golden Youth”) in 2020 and it’s one of the best musical discoveries I’ve made in the last few months. “Bleu ou vert” literally fits so well the happy mood that sunny days get me in, so I couldn’t resist sharing this song with you. It’s just too good.

“Été 90” by Thérapie Taxi

Bad news: Thérapie Taxi broke up a few months ago. Good news: the duet just released an EP to say goodbye to their fans before they continue their careers separately, and they have a tour planned post-COVID to say goodbye to their fans. “Été 90” (“Summer 90”) is going to be my official Spring and Summer 2021 anthem, in their memory. Long live Adélaïde and Raphaël.

“Feux ” by Poupie Feat. Jul

I am addicted to the chorus of this song and I’m listening to it so much it’s becoming alarming. That’s it. That’s the review. In all seriousness, the song was first released by Poupie singing alone, and Jul collaborated on a new version with her when it was time to work on her EP. I never thought I’d like Jul’s voice that much — he heavily relies on autotune and I usually HATE it — but I guess I do now.

“Étrange Mélange” by Claire Laffut

Claire Laffut’s voice is really sensual in this one. This song is perfect for relaxing sunny days. The lyrics are somewhat dark and mysterious but the overall mood really screams “sunny summer vibes” and I love it. 10/10 recommend to listen to while you’re soaking up the sun.

“Le temps est bon” by Bon Entendeur

This song has become so famous and mainstream in France that I feel weird recommending it to anyone, but I don’t think it’s well-known in the US, so I thought I’d include it just to make sure no one’s missing out on this absolute hit. It’s a remix of Isabelle Pierre’s song “Le temps est bon” from 1972. Bold move, but the result honors the original version perfectly.

— Lise Nox