It's the last Friday in August and that fills me with happiness, since it means we are drawing ever closer to cooler weather, football and basketball season, and some new music releases I've been anticipating all year. Check out this week's highlights in my tune-up below.
I've written about the new Beach House record on a few occasions, and the Baltimore duos' fifth LP, Depression Cherry, finally arrived today. I think it's an excellent album. Victoria and Alex continue the sonic trajectory of previous albums — a blend of dreamy pop and chill-out indie rock. Throw it on tonight. Small Black just dropped the second single off Best Blues (due out October 16). "No One Wants It to Happen to You" is another lovely, floating mid-tempo track full of synths and lyrics about longing. These guys can do no wrong. Duran Duran has returned with their first album in five years and 14th overall, Paper Gods, which is due out 9/11. New single "You Kill Me With Silence" finds singer Simon Le Bon pleading to a lover who refuses to reciprocate his affections. Likely a feeling we can all relate to. The Weeknd has been on fire the last few months with his radio-friendly summer ode "I Can't Feel My Face" getting lots of mainstream airplay. His new LP Beauty Behind the Madness is available today, and it's what you'd expect from the Toronto crooner; promiscuity, affection and drugs all tightly wrapped around outstanding production. It's his most accessible album to date, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I've included one of my favorite tracks, "Tell Your Friends," a seductive tune about girls spreading rumors about hanging with The Weeknd, which he implores them to do.
My sleeper tune of the week comes from Danish duo CHINAH. "We Go Back" is the second single off their debut EP, and begins as a delicate R+B groove, then finishes as funky synth driven jam. I really like lead singer Fine Glindvad and her lovely vocals. Their EP is hopefully dropping sometime this fall... playlist below.
1. Beach House, "Beyond Love"
2. Small Black, "No One Wants It To Happen To You"
3. Foals, "London Thunder"
4. Yumi Zouma, "Right, Off The Bridge"
5. Korallreven, "Here In Iowa"
6. Autre Ne Veut, "World War Pt.2"
7. CHINAH, "We Go Back"
8. Civil Twilight, "When, When"
9. Sailors, "Let's Go"
10. Duran Duran, "You Kill Me With Silence"
11. The Lighthouse And The Whaler, "In Motion"
12. The Weeknd, "Tell Your Friends"
13. Silicon, "Blow"
14. Jay Rock, "Gumbo"
15. Destroyer, "Sun In The Sky"
https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:user:leilanipolk:playlist:0Av3SSJy3iF5JN9IZOjkPs
