Category: Playlists

Great tunes to add to your own playlists

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites 9/11/20

Happy Friday everyone! Here are the songs that got me through the past week:

  1. Plastic by Moses Sumney: The unassuming guitar progression on this track is the perfect backdrop for Moses Sumney’s ethereal voice. The combination makes for a truly beautiful meditation on heartbreak and fragility.

  2. Trader Joe by Junglepussy: A catchy indie-rap song about a man that Junglepussy likes more than Trader Joes. Favorite bar: “We don’t f—, he just pick me up from Trader Joe’s/Carry all my groceries and lick on all my toes”.

  3. Weight by redveil: This self-produced track by 16 year-old redveil truly showcases his potential. Be sure to check out my review of his latest release, Niagara!

  4. HiiiPower by Kendrick Lamar: Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar is often overshadowed by his later releases. The closing track, produced by J. Cole, proves why the album is still worth your time.

  5. Crawl by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: Every time I create a Friday Favorites playlist, I have to fight the urge to include a GGM track. This week, that urge prevailed. “Crawl” has been stuck in my head all week, and if you listen to it, it will be stuck in yours too.

  6. Wasteland by Tierra Whack: One of my favorite things about Tierra Whack is her versatility. Every one of her songs has a distinct feel. My only question is, where is the album?

  7. Late Nights & Heartbreak by Hannah Williams and the Affirmations: This song is a scorching soul ballad about mistreating one’s lover. Its subject matter, combined with Hannah William’s commanding vocals, made it the perfect sample for Jay-Z’s “4:44”.

  8. If You Want Me To Stay by Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos: On this track, Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos team up to cover a Sly and the Family Stone classic. This rendition features modern instrumentation but just as much soul as the original.

– DJ Mango

Categories
Playlists

Odd Time Signatures in Popular Music

We are all familiar with the steady 4 beat pulse that permeates much of today’s music. This is called common time or in time signature notation, 4/4. However, not all popular music uses this rhythm – other popular time signatures are ¾, often found in waltzes, and 6/8, often heard in soul music. Some popular songs even use time signatures that are asymmetrical or irregular, or time signatures that change! I’ve put together a playlist of notable songs that employ these odd time signatures.

  1. Tom Sawyer by Rush (Moving Pictures, 1981): Prog rock legends Rush are known for their extensive use of odd time signatures. Tom Sawyer is no different; it features grooves in 4/4 and 7/8.

  2. Nosferatu Man by Slint (Spiderland, 1991):This track by post rock band Slint features sections in 5/4, 6/4 and 4/4.

  3. Money by Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973): By far the most popular song on this list, this track’s famous opening riff occurs in 7/4 time with its solo sections in 4/4 time.

  4. Pyramid Song by Radiohead (Amnesiac, 2001): This song by Radiohead is famous for its seemingly nonexistent rhythm – fans can’t seem to reach a consensus on what time signature it is in. Interestingly enough, the song’s rhythm can actually be conceptualized as a heavily syncopated 4/4 groove. Listen for yourself and tell me what you think!

  5. Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Time Out, 1959): The best selling jazz single of all time features a memorable piano vamp in 5/4 time.

  6. Never Meant by American Football (American Football, 1999): The subject of many a music meme, this track’s opening riff is most easily described in terms of 6/4 or 12/8 time.

  7. By Fire by Hiatus Kaiyote (Choose Your Weapon, 2015): Like many Hiatus Kaiyote songs, By Fire changes time signatures like nobody’s business. This track alternates between ¾, 2/4, and 4/4 and is tied together by Perrin Moss’ drumming.

That’s all for this playlist! What are some of your favorite songs in odd time signatures?

– DJ Mango

Categories
Playlists

8 Great Songs That Make You Feel Like the Main Character in a Movie

Deliver Album Cover The Mamas and The Papas

Has this ever happened to you? 

You, walking down the street: “Wow what a perfect day. I’m seeing all my friends and doing all my favorite things. You know what would make this day even better? Some music playing in the background that fit every action I was doing as if I were in a movie.” 

Well now, thanks to the power of Playlists, I bring you 10 songs that make you feel like you’re in a movie. 

1. Peace Blossom Boogy by the Babe Rainbow 
Turn on the lights, pan the cameras, and play this song. Here we find you, the main character, driving your convertible with the top down along an unadulterated stretch of beach road. Dressed in bright colors, the sun reflects off of your yellow sunglasses as the wind rolls through your hair. A great introduction scene like none other. 

2. Chapstick (Demo) by Hippo Campus 
You know those summer days when you’re with a few close friends, you’ve got no worries, and you feel like things could stay that way forever? Well boy have I got a song for you. 

3. Dedicated To the One I Love By The Mamas and The Papas
This one is for Quarantined Lovers, separated by a pandemic that has forced them to be apart from one another. The screen would split between the two, each in their different rooms, trying to distract themselves from thinking about each other.

4. Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan 
This song is perfect for a day when you’re just running around with a million things on your mind, you have a million things to do, and there’s more caffeine running through your body than blood. It’s one of those songs that says get out of my way, I don’t have time for chit chat, there are things to be done. 

5. European Vegas by Mac Demarco 
To set the scene: you’re sitting at a bar, late at night, drink in hand. You’re nicely dressed but in a bit of a distressed state. This would be the part of a movie where the main character has had enough. Maybe they risked something and lost it all, or maybe they just had their heart broken. But whatever the case, they’ve somehow found themselves in this dimly lit, antiquated bar, thinking about all the mistakes they’ve made. 

6. Weak Hearts by Felly 
Perfect for a time in your life when you, the main character, are going through some major changes and you’ve finally come far enough to look back on how you’ve changed and the decisions you’ve made. You can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

7. Heroes by David Bowie 
This song would totally be in the climax of the movie, where the main character realizes their true potential and finally faces whatever was troubling them. 

8. Ooh La La by Faces
This would be a great ending scene song. Similar to driving through a pretty place and looking back on a long week, the main character looks back on everything that has happened throughout the movie and realizes how they have grown. 

Well there you have it, eight great songs perfect for their respective situations, that really make you feel like the main character in a movie. 

See ya next time, 
DJ Chippypants

Categories
Playlists

Trekkin’ Tunes

Hiking is really the only type of exercise I actually enjoy doing. Middle school gym class conditioned me to dislike (fear) any sport that involves a ball, lots of running, or really anything remotely competitive. So, here we are left with long nature walks.

In Raleigh, my favorite place to hike is on the Sal’s Branch trail at Umstead Park. It’s a beautiful wooded loop that I find really relaxing to walk on. Sometimes I prefer to hike without music just to hear nature, but I find that if I’m feeling especially overwhelmed, music and walking is the perfect combo to get me out of my head.

Here is a sneak peek into my hiking playlist. At first glance, it may look like a completely random and weird mixture of artists, which it absolutely is. However, if you take a listen, all these songs combine gentleness and beauty that allow for reflection, along with a steady or upbeat tempo that keeps you walking at a consistent pace. Don’t be fooled by the Jimi and Zeppelin appearance.

Go outside. Start walking. Take a listen. I hope it’s as meditative for you as it is for me.

1. Cherokee Mist – Jimi Hendrix
2. Orange Peel – Sopwith Camel
3. Heart to Heart – Mac Demarco
4. Benzo – Blood Orange
5. Nikes – Frank Ocean
6. Give It to Me – HOMESHAKE
7. Purity – A$AP Rocky (feat. Frank Ocean)
8. The Rain Song (Live) – Led Zeppelin
9. Stormy – The Meters
10. Lost My Mind – Will Van Horn
11. Mango (Freestyle/Process) – Orion Sun & Mulch
12. You Don’t Have to Change – Kool & The Gang
13. Hit Me Like That Snare – alt-J (feat. Rejjie Snow)
14. T.M. – Jack Kilmer
15. Too Late to Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose

– DJ butter

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (9/4)

As autumn approaches and the summer comes to an end, I am reflecting on a great summer despite all the strangeness because of COVID. One of my favorite go-to  genres to listen to during hot summer months is surf punk especially because it reminds me of my high school years. I’m sharing some of my favorite songs of this genre, hope you enjoy and find some unique new songs. 

Suburban Home – Descendents 

The Descendents are an LA punk group that make some really great music, and this song is one of my favorites by them.

Nine Is God – Wavves 

Although I didn’t love seeing this band live, I still really enjoy the band and think this is one of their best, especially because it’s featured in GTA V. 

Awkward – FIDLAR 

My top choice from this genre is FIDLAR, and this single keeps me reminded of why I loved this genre so much as a teenager. A really great punk-ish song that I can’t get enough of. 

Sick Shit – together PANGEA 

Catchy with a cool melody, this track is one of the best of together PANGEA. 

Babes – Hockey Dad 

Simple, nostalgic, punk. What more could you ask for? This one is perfect for a beach day or taking a drive on a summer day. 

As always, you can check out these songs and more on my WKNC Friday Favorites playlist here. Let me know what you think! 

– Miranda

Categories
Playlists

Earl Sweatshirt Starter Pack

Earl Sweatshirt is one of the standout artists from the former Odd Future collective and one of my favorite rappers. Along with his peers Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean, Earl is an artist that I grew up with, who matured as I matured. His debut mixtape Earl was released in 2010 when he was 16 years old and characterized him as a crude teenager who, in spite of his often cringey subject matter, undoubtedly had tons of potential.

Like the rest of us, Earl has grown a lot in the last ten years. I have curated a playlist that displays his growth, starting from 2013’s Doris to 2018’s Some Rap Songs. One of the highlights is “Chum”, the lead single off of Doris and Earl’s most popular song. From his relationship with his estranged father to his stay in a Samoan boarding school for at-risk youth, this track dives into his headspace prior to the release of Doris. Another highlight from Doris is Hive featuring Vince Staples and Casey Veggies. Earl’s stone cold delivery, combined with a grimey bass line and a killer Vince Staples verse make it one of my favorite rap songs ever.

2015 saw Earl at perhaps his most reclusive with his album I Don’t Like S***, I Don’t Go Outside, an album rife with themes of anxiety and avoidance. The cloud rap-inspired single “Grief” exemplifies the paranoia he experienced during the recording of this album. The song “AM // Radio” featuring Wiki, with its laid back sample loop, takes a less abrasive approach to similar themes.

In 2018, Earl Sweatshirt released Some Rap Songs, which I consider to be his best work. It is the result of almost ten years of artistic growth, and when compared to his early work it really shows. Everything from his production sensibilities to lyrical content have gotten better with age.

One of my favorite things about Earl is his willingness to be honest with his fans. He explores corners of his psyche that can be downright painful to face, but does it all the same – all while sharing his findings with the world. 

 – DJ Mango

Categories
Playlists

Wholesome Lyrics

Why is it so hard to find songs, especially in rap, hip-hop, and r&b that don’t oversexualize womxn or refer to them in derogatory terms? Of course, female artists objectify men in their music as well, but the overarching pattern is male artists dominating these genres with those type of degrading lyrics. I have found that over the years I’ve become desensitized to it all and instead have chosen to focus on the sound of certain songs rather than the lyrics themselves. Though this works at times, I’m tired of hearing my sisters be called names that I would get in trouble for writing in this blog.

I started a playlist a couple of years ago called “songs that respect women and I can listen to without cringing.” I thought I’d share some of these wholesome songs that both sound AND feel good.

1. Blind Man – Xavier Ömar

Best Lyric: “I can love you with my eyes closed/ I don’t lose sight of your beauty/ ‘Cause your heart is fine gold, baby”

2. Spicy 103 FM – Junglepussy

Best Lyric: “Acting up caught you slipping tripping on banana peels/ Now your heart is at the f—— bottom of my six-inch heels.”

3. Consensual Seduction – Mick Jenkins

Best Lyric: “Your instruction is important, just (say it out loud)/ We can do the wait if you can’t more than whisper”

4. Philosopher – Iris Temple

Best Lyric: “Would you sit a while with me?/ We can sit in conversation and create the constellations/ Teach me something, can’t just leave me here alone”

5. Hope – Blood Orange (feat. Puff Daddy & Tei Shi)

Best Lyric: “Sometimes I ask myself, like/ You know, what is it going to take for me not to be afraid/ To be loved the way, like, I really wanna be loved?”

6. An Idea – IAMNOBODY (feat. Emmavie, Zacari, & Josh J)

Best Lyric: “While I’m right here, baby, for you/ I just thought I should let you know/ While this feeling’s so fresh and so smooth/ I never wanna let you go”

7. Girl – The Internet (feat, KAYTRANDA)

Best Lyric: “If I told you that you rock my world, I want you around me/ Would you let me call you my girl?”

8. Unrequited Love – Thundercat

Best Lyric: “I’ve been searching high and love, wondering where my feelings go/ Nothing fees the same, ‘cause there’s no one like you”

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

Best Lyric: “Let’s just run away from here, ‘cause it’s not/ Workin’ out on Earth, my dear/ What you really want girl?/ My heart stops pumpin’ blood when I see you/ But I try to play it cool because I like you (I really like you)”

10. Prototype – Outkast
Best Lyric: “I wanna say stank you, very much/ For picking me up and bringing me back to this world/ I think I’m in love again”

Take a listen!

– DJ butter

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites 8/28/20

Happy Friday Everyone! Here is a playlist of eight songs I’ve had in rotation recently:

  1. Freeze Tag (feat. Kamasi Washington & Phoelix) by Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper and 9th Wonder: this dream team of hip-hop and jazz heavyweights have come together to bring us Dinner Party, an album certain to appeal to fans of either genre. My favorite track is Freeze Tag, which makes light of the state of relations between citizens and police.

  2. Children of Production by Parliament: as one of the forerunners of funk music, George Clinton and his band land the groundwork for the classic P-Funk (or Parliament-Funkadelic) sound. This track features intricate horn arrangements woven between syncopated drums that will surely have your head bobbing.

  3. smut by Dua Saleh: as I said in my “Slept On” feature, Dua Saleh is pushing the boundary of what it means to be a hip-hop/R&B artist in the 21st century. I find their confident swagger on this track to be irresistible.

  4. Lockdown (feat. JID, Noname & Jay Rock) by Anderson .Paak: JID, Noname and Jay Rock team up remix a summer 2020 jam. On top of Anderson .Paak’s stellar verses, the three add their own insightful commentary on injustice in America.

  5. Abeja by Mndsgn and Sofie: this instrumental is as catchy as it is calming. The simple loop that plays for four minutes is perfect for studying.

  6. Warmth in the Coldest Acre by Photay: another instrumental, but this one has a much greater sense of progression than the last. Beginning with a quirky percussion loop, Photay slowly adds elements until the track builds into a wall of sound that is full of character.

  7. The Light by Joey Bada$$: The Badmon is back with his new EP The Light Pack, his first solo release in three years. He sounds as hungry as ever on this new track, and it has me excited for whatever he does next.

  8. Jekyll by Hiatus Kaiyote: one of my favorite tracks from the “wondercore” quartet from Australia. Like many of their songs, it features more than one section – the first part is stripped-back piano ballad, the second builds momentum with an afrobeat-inspired breakdown, and the final part is a neo-soul denouement. Be sure to check out my “Slept On” feature for this band!

– DJ Mango

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (8/21)

As a continuation of my biweekly series, Friday Favorites, I’m updating everyone on the best songs I’ve discovered recently. This week I’ve gone genreless and picked songs that truly appealed to me on first listen. Check them out and let me know if you like them!

Obsessed – Wevlth 

Moody electronic to the likes of Crystal Castles with an EDM influence gives this new release interest and appeal – I’m “Obsessed” with it, especially around the three minute mark when the beat starts slowing down. 

Don’t Look At Me – POORSTACY 

Neo-emo rap is not a genre I’ve explored much, but the introduction to it I got by POORSTACY’s energetic beats and melancholic lyricism have led me toward interest in his work and the genre in general. 

Fingerbib – Aphex Twin

Engaging electronic brings this late-90’s track to life. I love the variety in the Aphex Twin discography and can’t stop listening to this happy little song. 

Berlin – Blood Orange

A beautiful creation which mixes the vocals of Blood Orange, Porches, and Ian Isiah. “Angel’s Pulse” is one of my favorite recent albums and Berlin is probably my favorite track on it. 

Sea Sick – binki

An anti-pop love song to get you moving on these slow days. 

As always, you can listen to these songs and more on my Friday Favorites Spotify playlist. 

Thanks for reading. 

– Miranda

Categories
Playlists

Moon Music

Music, similar to the reverence we hold for our glowing nighttime goddess, is ancient to humanity. It is natural that they should cross paths. From classics like Frank Sinatra’s “Blue Moon” to more modern works like “Moon Song” by Phoebe Bridgers, the moon has proven itself to be a popular theme in music. Whether by mentioning la lune herself or simply emitting the type of cool, soft beauty that our moon represents, here are some of my favorite songs that do just that:

1. Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Released in 1992 on Young’s “Harvest Moon” album, it is probably my favorite song of all time. In agricultural and historical terms, a Harvest Moon is the moon closest to the autumnal equinox and represents a time for sowing the fruits of the year.

2. Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me) – Orion Sun
Orion Sun is a newer artist to the R&B scene. She released her first album “Hold Space for Me” in March 2020. Her ethereal voice and warm rhythms make hearing the lyrics “You’ll be in my dream like I’m f—— haunted/ But it’s beautiful you move me, like a moonbeam/ Change the water flow” an out-of-body experience.

3. Moon River – Frank Ocean 
Written originally by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for Audrey Hepburn’s role in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Moon River” is covered beautifully by Frank Ocean in his 2018 single.

4. Moonlight Shawty – Fatboibari, Shiloh
Rapper Fatboibari released this single in 2018 with R&B artist Shiloh. The grainy, slow beat is made heavenly by Shiloh’s soft falsetto. This is a fantastic song for anyone interested in the more tranquil side of rap.

5. Midnight Snack – HOMESHAKE
“Midnight Snack” is a cozy, lovely listen. Even the album cover reminds me of the classic children’s book “Goodnight Moon.” I like to see the lyric, “Feelin’ like I’m falling asleep/ Not ready to visit my dreams/ Nothing in the world let me feel/ Alone, while she’s here next to me” as a reference to the moon herself.

6. Moondance – Van Morrison
“Moondance” is another great and lively classic. Released as part of the “Moondance” album in 1970, the song is a romantic mixture of jazz and folk.

Stay tuned in!

– DJ butter

(Photo taken by me)