December Tunes

Hello and welcome to the last Monthly Tunes wrap up for 2021. I know, I know, bit rich of me to say that considering I was absent for majority of 2021 but here we are. Are we two weeks into 2022 already? Yes. Am I still gonna share this post? Also yes.

I’m gonna preface this by saying you’re gonna hear me repeat myself a hell of a lot on this post. A lot of these tracks are pulled from a) TikTok, b) my cousins, who I was seeing a lot of last month or c) the work playlist that I listened to for over 30 hours a week. Make of that what you will but I still reckon they’re all bops.

I Hate U – SZA: I’ll be brutally honest. The rest of this song does not live up to the hype it built on TikTok when Miss SZA shared a snippet. Do I still blast this song for that one specific line? Yes.

Warm December – Sabrina Claudio: This song made me feel so toasty during December. For those of y’all who don’t know, I’m from Australia, and besides the obvious metaphor in this track, the idea of a warm December just sits so comfortably with the reality we have over here of a summer Christmas, that I love this song so much. Plus, I mean, it’s Sabrina Claudio. What else do you need?

Raindrops – GoldLink, Flo Milli: This song was a favourite last month. I played it on repeat, honest to God. There’s just something about Flo Milli’s voice on this track and the overall production. GoldLink snuck is way to the top of my list of favourite artists in 2021.

Flowers (Say My Name) – ArrDee: One of my cousins queued this song when he was shotgun in the car and we all lost it when it really got into it. Such a bop in the car.

The Machine – Oliver Malcom: This track is one of the tunes that feature on the playlist at work, and considering I now work full-time, I was hearing it a lot last month. I wasn’t 100% sure of it when I first heard it, but eventually I just had to Shazaam it and add it to my playlist because at this point I know the words by heart and get a little bit chipper when it comes over the speakers.

Neon Peach – Snoh Aalegra, Tyler, The Creator: I thoroughly enjoyed this entire album from Snoh Aalegra, but this one is hands down my favourite. Tyler’s production on this track is sublime and the bounce just hits you in the chest. Obviously Snoh just swims with this track and the velvety smooth vocals just contrast so well with how snappy and heavy the music is.

Weekend Run – Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Another track that’s brought to you by my work playlist. Another song that just raises my spirits every time it plays. It’s so beautiful and gentle, and the chorus works so perfectly with the rest of the music. It’s super catchy and gets stuck in my head, hours after the playlist has progressed. Most of my coworkers have caught on to the fact that I know the words by heart at this stage.

Party Round My Place – Aitch, Avelino, Toddla T: Again, another track my cousin showed me while he was charge of the AUX and I really had to swallow my ego and ask him to add it to my playlist.

Righteous Minds – Joey Bada$$: This song is so rich and full of character. Every time I listen I find something new to love, especially with how smart and intricate the lyrics are. I don’t listen to much Joey Bada$$ at all, but this track has been enough to get me started.

It’s On Again – Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar: I know this song isn’t from the recent Spider-Man movie that came out, but watching the latest release was enough to remind me of this song. Kendrick and Alicia? Yes please.

Cold Heart – Elton John, Dua Lipa, PNAU: Believe it or not, my uncle showed my cousins and I this song. It was request on Christmas Day and it just raised the spirits all over the house. Got everyone grooving wherever they were and we’re all obsessed with it.

Oh My God – Adele: This is one of my favourite tracks from this entire album. The album itself is insane, like Miss Adele came through with another work of art, but I wasn’t expected bops like this. The beep is so deep and heavy, but the vocals are super shimmery and light. I’m also obsessed with the little flute sound that swims around the track.

Outlandish – dvsn: There was a moment of unity when all of us who previously knew this track awoke from our work-day daze when this track came over the speaker. Never would have guessed I’d be hearing this song over the speakers but it was so cute seeing a bunch of us singing along and vibing as we got on with out work.

Hit This – Ebhoni: Again, a track that really stuck out to me at work during the day. It took me a couple of listens to get around it, but now I’m in love.

SWERVE – KSI, JAY1: More work tracks!!! KSI?? At work?? I had no idea that KSI made music, all I know of him I know from YouTube and my younger cousins, so when the result showed up on Shazaam during my break I was thoroughly shocked. It’s such a bop, I can’t help but boogie a little bit.

Roll Some Mo – Lucky Daye: Ahh, Lucky Daye. I think he was another artist who wormed his way into my heart during 2021 and during December it was this track. I’m in love with Lucky Daye’s voice. He’s got one of the richest voices of this generation in my opinion and he’s criminally underrated.

Real Groove – Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa: I know. I’m just as surprised. Dua Lipa and Kylie Minogue? You couldn’t predict it. There was a call over the headsets by a friend at work to see if anyone knew the song, and I was the first one to Shazaam it because I was equally as intrigued. I feel like a playlist with this track and that Elton John/Dua collab would be perfect for getting a party started. I told y’all earlier last year, disco-pop was on the rise, and it’s well and truly here by now.

We Made It – H.E.R: There’s a warm spot in my heart for H.E.R. Y’all heard the theories that she’s an industry plant? I mean, I don’t know… all I know is I love her music regardless. This song is so ethereal and it just lifts you so beautifully. It came on shuffle as I was driving down the beach on my way home from work, I’d just finished an evening shift and good old daylight savings came through and delivered a beautiful sunset, and this song just topped it all off.

Love Grows – Edison Lighthouse: Cheers to TikTok for this track. The trend that accompanied this song for a few days was so wholesome and sweet and before long I was finding myself singing along to it every time a video happened upon my FYP.

I hope you all had a beautiful end to 2021, and I hope the start of 2022 has been equally, if not more, than better for you. It was a rough year for us hey? I know it was a rough year for myself, but here’s hoping that 2022 brings us more.

x

Priya

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November Tunes

Hello friends. I hope you’re all being kind to yourselves. November was so kind to us with new music, and I was truly spoilt for choice with tracks to include in this month’s wrap up.

Here’s what I was listening to in November.

COTTON CANDY (Live) – Y$O, Aidan Fine, JARNA, Sam V: My lord, when I say NZ has so much untouched talent, this is precisely what I mean. This track is a combination of everything I love, and I’m so confident that you’ll love it too that I’ve put it right at the top of my November Tunes. I mean, aside from the vocals, that give absolutely everything they need to, let’s talk about the live band. Insane. The dirtiest, grooviest bass line I’ve heard in a long time, a drummer who holds it all down and keys and guitar that just swim beautifully amongst it all. There’s so much in this song to appreciate, you just have to listen to it to understand.

Tongue & Groove – Masaya: Surprise, surprise, another NZ band. This time a bit dirtier and gritty, but just as beautiful and melodic. Such an easy listen, if you enjoy Sticky Fingers or Ocean Alley, these guys are a strong recommendation.

OKWME – Amine: Amine released TWOPOINTFIVE. That’s all you need to know. I played this album through twice in once day during my drive to work and it made it so enjoyable. This is a bit different to what you might expect from him, if you’ve heard Charmander then you understand the vibe Amine’s going for in this new album. Not my favourite album from him, but still a great listen.

Smokin Out The Window – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: Silk Sonic made November theirs. Between this single and the album drop, they completely owned this month in my opinion. Everything about this song is smooth and rich and silky. Everything I love about these two artists is just emboldened and heightened when they come together like they have for this partnership and I love everything about their lil music child.

Ex For A Reason – Summer Walker, JT, City Girls: Another banger of an album to grace our ears this month. Still Over It is probably one of my favourite album drops this year, and this song is one of my favourites. It’s so groovy and something I’m not used to hearing from Summer. Add in City Girls and you have a track sent straight for the baddies.

System – Dave, WizKid: I’ve only recently started listening to Dave. Knew I’d love this song when I saw WizKid on it, but I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I have two of my cousins for getting me into Dave, and I’m very thankful but this is still my favourite.

sweet and sour – Amelia Moore: Amelia Moore popped up on my TikTok FYP earlier this year and she’s been teasing this song for what feels like months. It came out early in November and it completely lived up to the hype. So punchy and raw, such an impactful and impressive debut single.

Dat Right There – Summer Walker, Pharrell Williams, The Neptunes: So remember how I said that Summer’s album was one of my favourite releases this year? This song is my favourite. I listen to it at least once a day. My favourite thing is to put it on during my drive to work which has become substantially longer due to my new job and it’s the perfect track to hype me up for the day. I mean, a collab with Pharrell and The Neptunes? Say less.

Lady – D’Angelo: Every new and then I come back to another D’Angelo song that just hits. This month it was this track. Holy moly. Everything the world was treated to when D’Angelo shared himself with the world is packaged perfectly into this song. So smooth. If chocolate had a sound, it would be this song.

So Good – Destiny’s Child: I was really in my RnB pocket this month hey? Nothing like some old Destiny’s Child. Given, this song made it’s way onto my playlist after it popped off on TikTok but thank God it did.

Breaking Free – JANEVA: JANEVA is an Australian artist and in late October she posted a short cover of this HSM banger on her Instagram and we all went wild. I literally went back to her page daily to see if she’d released it on streaming sites and thankfully in November she did. Do yourself a favour and listen. This is one of my favourite flips of a classic childhood throwback that I’ve ever heard. Australian artists stay pushing the game forward.

could’ve been simple – Frank Sativa: I’ll admit, I didn’t listen to this song as much as I could have this month but I love it. It’s such a chiller, such a vibe and Frank’s an artist I think everyone should give a listen and show some respect which is why he’s made the cut.

Fly As Me – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: Possibly one of my favourite tracks on the entire Silk Sonic album but let’s be real…there’s absolutely no skips on that record at all. Because I can’t add in their entire tracklist onto this post, I’m putting in this one because I love it so much. The bass line, the cheeky lyrics, the guitar, the horns, the harmonies, I’m currently obsessed with everything about this song.

Vex Oh – KAYTRANADA – GoldLink, Ari PenSmith, Eight9FLY: Loved me some KAYTRANADA this month. Truly. Especially a GoldLink feature too. That’s all.

Throw It Away – Summer Walker: This was what we wanted when we waited patiently for this new Summer Walker album. No feature on this track could have rounded it out as perfectly as Summer does all on her own in my opinion. Everything blends so seamlessly. Summer’s writing is also A+ on this entire album.

wyd? – Larissa Lambert: Another Australian artist who’s made to take off. Larissa has been on the scene for a minute, but this song is one of the first things from her that has really caught my attention for this long. Everything you love about your favourite RnB songstresses, you’ll find in this track. So smooth, deep bass lines, silky writing and vocals, I love it all.

proof – PANIA: MORE AUSSIE ARTISTS!! Pania is an amazing artist from here in Melbourne and her latest single is possibly my favourite release of hers. Her vocals are really rounded out and full on this track and really give you a sense of how strong her voice is. That said, it’s also stupidly catchy. I find the melody stuck in my head on the daily.

Strangers By Nature – Adele: I can’t not talk about Adele. I’ll be honest, I was late to listen to the album but this was one of the first tracks I did listen to, and it capture my heart immediately. It reminds me of early Disney soundtracks, floating vocal melodies, super atmospheric and classic. Strings, keys, Adele’s rich vocals, it’s like it’s made to nestle within the score of a Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty soundtrack. It simultaneously makes me cry and puts me into a sleepy trance and I’m in love with it. This song is so tragically sad, my hopeless romantic heart is entirely owned by this song.

Please let me know what you were listening to this month. We got a lot of new music gifted to us and I’m always hungry for more!

x

Priya

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October Tunes

October. Goodbye October. What a weird month. As far as 2021 goes, this month just flew past. Melbourne started easing out of lockdown during October. I had dinner and drinks with my best for the first time in over 4 months in October. Got have a dinner with my family, see my cousins all together and catch up with some of the people I missed the most in October, I even got to back to work for the first time since August. There was a lot to do during the last month so please forgive me if this month’s playlist of tracks is a little shorter than we’re used to.

All that said, I have some amazing tracks on this Monthly Tunes, if I do say so myself. Let me know what you think.

Surfin – Muroki: I’ve been loving Muroki so much this year, very pleased I stumbled upon the NZ singer. Not one miss from his as of yet. Just in time for summer too.

Hertz – Amyl and The Sniffers: This song just takes you straight to level 10. Super angsty, super grungy, with plenty of energy. I don’t listen to Amyl and The Sniffers because their music isn’t really my thing but this song alone is all I need.

Maripose – Radiant Children: This song is just so sunny. Groovy and simple but to be honest you don’t need much else.

Altar – Kehlani: I fell in love with this song the second I saw the visuals and the teasers on Ms Kehlani’s Instagram account. When the song and music video were finally released it surpassed all my expectations. I’ve missed music from Kehlani for longer than I assumed I did, so when this song was delivered I was so wholesomely nostalgic.

Seduce – Russ, Capella Grey: TikTok got me with this one. That’s all.

Safety – Becca Hatch: Becca Hatch is phenomenal. She’s a ridiculously underrated Australian singer but I totally reckon she could take off overseas. Specifically the UK. This track in particular really speaks to that, with the fast paced percussion, the beat and the progression of the track. Have a listen.

I must apologise – PinkPanthress: PinkPanthress finally released an album, to hell with it, and this song was teased all over TikTok. I’m very happy she finally has a whole record up for consumption on Spotify.

Love Me – Soli: Another Aussie singer, this time from my city of Melbourne. I feel like anyone who’s clued up on the Melbourne RnB scene would understand me when I say we were all waiting for this. So soulful and artfully delivered, it’s so worth the wait. Soli’s voice is like velvet and the production on this track just pairs so beautifully with her vocals.

Cameras/Good Ones Go Interlude – Drake: A bit of a throwback, but I couldn’t not add it onto this list when I’ve been listening to it as much I have.

Found – Tems, Brent Faiyaz: I’ve really been enjoying Tems during October, and paired with Brent, this may be one of my favourite songs of her. I love the guitar and how beautifully their voices blend together. Duets between a male and female vocalist are always some of my favourite tracks and this one hits the nail on the head.

Right Here – SWV: The MJ sample, the added beat, their beautiful harmonies, I love everything about this track. It’s one of my favourite old school RnB songs and I rediscovered it this month. The intro is enough to completely capture me.

Believe What I Say – Kanye West: I know…a Donda track on my monthly faves?? I’m just as shocked. Trust that it’s the one sampling the queen, Lauryn Hill.

Poppin’ – Chris Brown: The only CB era I accept these days. This entire album is a treasure trove, a masterclass on early 2000s RnB and I love it.

WE GOING CRAZY – DJ Khaled, H.E.R, Migos: We had a great handful of super sunny days during October, easing us into Spring into Melbourne, and I guarantee you, on each of those days, at first sight of the sun, this was one of the first songs I put on. I got my car unit fixed in October too, so after not having a car radio since March, this was the first song I played on the drive home from the mechanics. Hit just right.

Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang – Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg: I watched the Netflix docu-series, ‘The Defiant Ones’ about Interscope Records’ Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, and there was so much music knowledge and history thrown at me every episode, I was in love. Since watching the series I’ve binged all of Dre’s albums, but I kept coming back to The Chronic, and this song in particular. Probably because I heard it so much as a kid and somehow still know so many of the words.

Money Trees – Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick made a small appearance towards the end of the docu-series and they had this track playing in the background. As soon as the episode finished I went and listened to that entire album as well. I also finished reading his biography this month too, so there’s been a fair bit of Kendrick consumption, which I’m not mad about at all.

Replay – Tems: Another Tems track, but y’all I’m just in love with her voice. Again, the guitar, the beat, her voice trumps it all. Her low register just hits you somewhere you don’t often feel with female vocalists, and I love it so much.

Zulu Screams – GoldLick, Bibi Bourelly, Maleek Berry: The Diaspora album owned my soul for the last half of this year. It still does. This song in particular is hands down my favourite. I love the progression, all the different parts of the song, how it’s so rhythmic and percussive yet super melodic and beautiful at the same time. This song never fails to put me in a good mood and get me moving. Here’s hoping clubs open up in Melbourne soon so I can annoy a DJ with this song request.

Law Of Attraction – Dave, Snoh Aalegra: I never listened to Dave before I heard this song. It was during one of the first dinner’s out of lockdown, hanging out with my cousins, going for a drive all together and two of my cousins demanded this song was played on the AUX. I fell in love with it straight away, partially cos of Snoh, but when I got home I listened to the entire album.

That’s it for October my friends. I hope you liked reading through my rambling. It’s been a tough few months, but hopefully things will start looking up soon. Hope you’re all well, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

x

Priya

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August Tunes

Yo. So I know I said in my grovel/apology/explanation post that I missed my August Tunes, but I thought, it’s early enough in September for me to just try and sneak them in, right? So here we are.

As I explained, while I have been away for a couple of months, I’ve been up to my neck in new music and I’ve loved it. I’ve been listening to new releases, old throwbacks, songs from my childhood, songs that are completely left of centre for me and I freaking love it.

Let’s get into it.

Skate – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: I mean. What a way to get back in. Given this was released in July, but I really rinsed it in August. Everything I love about these two artists separately and what they create together is defined in this song. Super smooth and classic, it sounds like something straight out of the Get Down soundtrack and that’s an easy win with me.

Concrete Jugle Fever – Jerome Farah: I saw Jerome live earlier this year and he’s been on my radar since I first started listening to his band Jakubi a couple years ago. He’s been chilling behind the scenes for a little while, working with the likes of Kian and Tones and I, but in 2020 and 2021 he’s been a machine, releasing some amazing tracks and visuals along with it. This one is super gritty and energetic, a great introduction for anyone who’s never listened to any of his stuff before.

Need To Know – Doja Cat: I’ve been hyping the Doja Cat album since it was released. Planet Her was so much more than I expected. My favourite is most definitely Woman but thanks to my old friend TikTok, this song was stuck in my head more than I’d like to admit. Doja really came through with this one and this entire album.

not what i’m used to – Bella Taylor Smith: If any of my Australian readers have been keeping up with The Voice, you’d be familiar with Bella and how insane her voice is. It’s incredible. She had me in tears during her first audition and she’s been the favourite ever since the show started, for good reason. I just had to give her a good stalk and I discovered she released her own EP a little while back. After giving it a good listen and having a good cry I settled on this particular track as my absolute favourite. It’s beautiful. I love it so much because it really gives you space to listen to her voice, her tone and the lyrics. It’s really only her and a piano and it’s perfect.

New Apartment – Ari Lennox: An older one, but still a great one.

Made For Silence – Miiesha: I don’t listen to a lot of Miiesha’s music but as I’ve been updating my decolonise yourself playlist she’s popped up time and time again and this song just really got me hooked. She’s got a super crisp and clean voice and this song pairs it with a super catchy groove.

Just for me – PinkPantheress: I have to credit TikTok for helping me discover this chick. If you’ve scrolled for even half an hour on TikTok I can guarantee you would have heard at least one of her songs because she has that app by a choke hold. For good reason. She mixes DnB with a super floaty, angelic vocal performance and really raw and honest lyrics.

Don’t Rush – Young T & Bugsey, Headie One: Just a bit of a groove for you on this one. I’ve been rinsing this one this month.

My Mind – Yebba: I decided to look for this song on Spotify after hearing someone cover it on The Voice and nearly cried tears of joy when I saw that Miss Yebba had finally uploaded it for streaming. This song owns me. Completely. Try not to cry. I dare you.

Diana – Pop Smoke, King Combs: I’ve been listening to this song plenty during this month, especially when working out. It’s not a heavy track but there’s something about it that just flows super easy.

Facade – Nganeko: Nganeko is a New Zealand artist I’ve been following for the last couple of years and she finally released her second single. This song is sick. It’s a got a great beat and Nganeko has such an angelic, wispy voice that just dances all over the track. The chorus is ridiculously catchy and gets stuck in your head by the time the song is halfway finished. Not complaining.

Kiss Me Thru The Phone – Soulja Boy, Sammie: Don’t ask.

Time Moves Slow – BADBADNOTGOOD, Samuel T. Herring: Another TikTok credit here. I didn’t set out to find this song though, it just showed up on my recommended and as soon as I heard it I knew it. To be fair, it really is such a beautiful song. The guitar just captivates you and the bass really swims.

Catcha Grip – CD, PANIA: Two Melbourne gals, who I’ve been waiting to release new music. Both these chicks are super talented and CD has been drip feeding us music. This song is really enchanting and smooth, such an easy listen.

Pepeha – SIX60: Another SIX60 release. Imagine coming back with a Monthly Tunes post that didn’t include these guys. This song made me cry. I don’t speak the Maori language but God I wish I could just so I could really understand this song. A lot of my favourite NZ artists are re-releasing some of their tracks translated into the language it’s so beautiful to listen to, even if I don’t understand a word of it. This song is a really good example of how much NZ artists connect to their language and it never fails to give me shivers.

family ties – Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar: Thank you Keem and thank you Kendrick. This song goes super hard. Like, I had to take a moment. I can just imagine it would be a super hyped song for like…a sports highlight reel edit or something. It’s hype enough when I’m in the gym by myself so I can only imagine how hard it would go with a bunch of people jumping on it.

ZIPS – Church & AP: I’m very excited for new Church & AP. If you aren’t familiar with the NZ duo, you can read up on them HERE, but this is their latest release and it just keeps on trend, following the trajectory of their development and growth as artists. Very excited to continue seeing these guys move up.

Heat Above – Greta Van Fleet: Okay hear me out. So when I first listened to this band it was to get in on a joke. The general discourse around these guys is that they’re just Led Zeppelin wannabes. I mean, I get it, because I hear it. A lot of Axel Rose, some Aerosmith but A LOT of LZ. The purists really went mad with these guys. So when I first listened to them it was to make sense of the joke. But like…I don’t mind it? Like given, there are some songs that I can’t be bothered giving the time of day, but then there are songs like this one that just hit me in the gut. I feel like I’m thrown back to a past life when I listen to this track and I don’t know how to explain it.

Harleys In Hawaii – Katy Perry: So who was gonna tell me that Katy Perry was back with bangers? No-one? I don’t know how I missed it – actually I do, I mean come on – but this song is so good? Like…can summer hurry up please. The chorus, the beat, the bass, everything about this song makes me so excited to see the sun, even if I am currently in lockdown in Melbourne.

PLW – Leon Thomas: Can’t remember how I came across this song or this guy but thank goodness I did. So smooth, a wonderful mix of RnB/rock/soul. Highly recommend. If you like Miguel, especially most recent Miguel, I feel like you’ll love this song and this artist.

Stay Ready (What A Life) – Jhene Aiko, Kendrick Lamar: What a throwback. I just woke up one morning with this song in my head, and had it playing in my room, then I went on TikTok later that day and saw one of my favourite creators doing an ASL cover of it, so took that as sign enough to add it to my 365//2021 playlist which is still going strong, if you wanted to check it out.

Believe What I Say – Kanye West: Bro this entire release annoyed me. So much. I think the hype or ‘over-hype’ really ruined this record for me. I hold Kanye’s earliest releases super close to my chest, and really respect his music from when he first started but aside from a few tracks here and there I’ve struggled to connect with any of his latest releases. Sadly Donda was the same. I’ll give him credit, there are some great tracks on the album, however I think I’m just salty towards the album as a whole and it really distracts me when I listen to it, which is a fault of my own. Form your own opinion. However. This track. I am not immune to a Ms. Lauryn Hill sample, so this song had my from the first second I heard it.

So that’s what I was listening to in August. At least, some of it. I mean it’s September 3rd currently, and I hear ABBA have released some new music so … 👀 There’s also a Drake album on the horizon so…

What have you listened to recently? Let me know. And if you’d like to keep up with the daily playlist, my 365//2021 Spotify playlist where I add a song every single day for the whole year, you can find it below.

x

Priya

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May Tunes & A Quick Catch-Up

How in the world are we half way through the year already. Trust me, I feel like a completely broken record each time I sit down to write one of these posts, (which seem to be the only blog posts I’m sharing recently…my apologies) but time truly is just flying.

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I thought I’d use this post as a mini catch up (watch it turn into a long winded ramble post) because I know I’ve been a bit on and off here. I think everyone had some changes to make after 2020 and I’m definitely no different.

I was blessed in 2020 to not face too many difficulties as a result of COVID. I still live at home so rent and major bills weren’t something I had to stress about, and the Australian government did a decent job of supplementing our lack of pay cheque for anyone who was out of a job like I was. That said, my job was only shut down for a total of three months before we were back on, so I was one of the lucky ones.

That said, I handed in my letter of resignation at the old music store in February. If you’ve been around for a hot minute, you’d know that I’ve worked at a popular music store in my area for the last five years, and having graduated and completed my degree at the end of 2019, my plan was to get into some full time work the following year. Obviously 2020 had other plans, so I decided that in 2021 I’d cut down to just one job and quit my role at the music shop. At the moment I’m only now teaching at a local performing arts school that has the flexibility for me to pursue that full time job goal further.

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Since finishing up there I’ve been working towards locking down a full time position, but I’ve also taken on more responsibility admin/social media wise at the music school, and my band and I (Real Good Company on Spotify if you’d like to check us out) have really put our foot on the pedal in terms of doing gigs, recording music and putting stuff out there.

So that kinda leaves me floating around for a bit, making a little less money but really being able to improve my mental health and personal growth. I’m writing a lot for other artists and singers and I’m doing plenty of work featuring on other musicians tracks which was a huge aspiration of mine. I’ve always loved collaborating, so I’ve finally had the time to put myself out there a lot more and commit to more work with others. I’m singing on other people’s songs, doing feature verses, writing songs for other singers and in general just growing my list of credits which is what I love doing. Fitness has become a bigger focus for me and I’m finally hitting a bunch of performance goals that I’ve been steadily working towards, but that’s for another post – y’all will get another gym playlist eventually don’t you worry.

When I say that the year is moving quickly, I look back at how much has changed, what all has happened and what’s currently happening, and I mean…it checks out. Obviously, that’s not the whole point of this post – you probably came here for a few tunes a least. May was a weird month for me. A whole lot happened but it also felt like not a lot happened at all. That said, it was a great month for music, as every month this year is proving to be. I think a year in lockdown and with the world at a standstill in 2020 really gave all these musicians and artists the perfect conditions to really buckle down and get to work.

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Here’s what I was listening to in May. Mind you – I’ll be using the new Spotify feature that I mentioned in my last post which you can find HERE, to compile this list, so it’s gonna be a list of what I truly, actually was listening to over the last month and not just what I added to the playlist!

Latch – Disclosure: I rediscovered my absolute undying love for this track this month. I don’t think I’ve skipped this track, ever. I could listen to this song on repeat. There’s something laced in this song I tell you, I can never get sick of it.

Antidote – Nao, Adekunle Gold: A banger. It’s one of my favourites for the year if we’re being real. The rhythm, the beat, Nao’s velvety voice, everything about this track is perfection.

Vossi Bop – Stormzy: I couldn’t tell you how or why I started listening to this song again, all I can tell you is that I did and I’m not mad about it. It’s made features on my driving playlist, my lifting playlist, even my Sunday morning playlist because I can really just listen to this song whenever.

Bartender – T-Pain, Akon: This may be the song of the month for me. Oh my goodness. All I need is the first two bars and I am feral. This song really does unlock something in me that can only be described as the energy you felt way back in the 2000’s walking out of the cinema’s having just watched the first Step Up movie. Can’t be compared.

Your Power – Billie Eilish: I was so ready for this. Such a mature, raw, authentic and vulnerable side of Billie that we only get a glimpse of every now and then. I’m still trying to digest the lyrics on this one and every time I listen I feel like I get closer and closer to what she’s really trying to say, but as is evident, we only really get to see what she shows us. Totally fine with that because I could listen to this song all day, every day.

p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l – J.Cole, Lil Baby: I don’t know if it’s the fact that the guitar sample is the exact same as Can’t Decide by bae Amine, or if it’s because I’ve been that bloody deprived of new Cole content, but this song just hits you different. It’s my favourite from his new LP and as much as I try listening to some of the other songs and giving them some love, it never comes close to how much I abuse the play button with this track.

Mystery Lady – Masego, Don Toliver: An older release, but still an absolute track by any standard.

Pray – Jungle: Got a quick Jungle fix as one tends to need every now and then. It was played in the background of a clip from Last Chance U: Basketball which I highly recommend if you’re into sport docuseries’. Obviously hearing the introduction chords had me running to Spotify to listen to the rest of their tracks, which gave me major 2019 nostalgia.

Footsteps In The Dark Pts. 1 & 2 – SiR: I don’t know what it is about this particular cover of this song…actually I do know. It’s SiR. He just knows how to do it and when it comes to being as smooth as this song LEGALLY requires, he just hits the nail on the head. I highly recommend you give this cover a listen.

Heaven – Julia Michaels: Another throwback. I was obsessed with this song for a hot minute. I rarely listen to Julia Michaels, if ever, but this song came up on my TikTok For You Page and I instantly had to listen to it in it’s entirety again. Such beautiful arrangement and I think Julia’s voice just ties it all together.

Undercover – Sam Wills: A TikTok discovery this one. I’ve found myself getting more and more song recommendations popping up on my FYP, which I’m obviously not mad about, but this one has to be one of my favourites. Not only is this particular song beautiful, but Sam Wills is such a gem and undiscovered treasure. His entire discography is hit after hit after hit in my opinion, and each time I clicked on a new song, I fell more in love with his voice. As far as I could tell, he had not one back track at all. Thank you TikTok.

Body (Remix) – Tion Wayne, Russ Williams: Again, I’m hand on heart, blaming TikTok for this one. Mainly for how good ArrDee’s verse is and for how incessantly it’s been imprinted on my brain. Let me know if you agree and we can suffer along together.

So High – SIX60: You really thought we’d get this far without a SIX60 song? Wrong. This song is so beautiful. It very beautifully timed an appearance on my shuffle as I was on a long drive home just as the sun was setting and the moment and the soundtrack has been imprinted in my mind this whole month. I had a little excited scream because of how beautiful it all was. The song, the sky, the moment. So good.

Ye – Burna Boy: Another track that just gets me out of my chair and having a boogie. Slight hazard when it comes on while I’m driving but we make it work. If you’re in the mood to groove, could not recommend a better tune.

favourite crime – Olivia Rodrigo: Holy moly. I’m a bit of a fraud for not dedicating a whole review to Olivia and her album SOUR, but I suspect it will come with time. Just give me a little while to digest this album completely, we all know how slow that can be. I’m really just making my way through this album because first listen just didn’t do it justice for me. That said, favourite crime is very steadily becoming ne of my favourite songs ever. Deja Vu will forever be my favourite song she has released thus far, regardless of how bloody good Good 4 U is, but this track is a close second I tell you that.

That’s a glimpse of what I was listening to during the month of May. I say a glimpse because when I went back to get all the *data*, there was just…a lot of it. A whole lot. So obviously just had to condense it a little bit for y’all, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Let me know what you’ve been listening to in the comments!

You can also find the songs listed and a bunch more on the playlist below! Make sure you follow my Spotify account and the 365//2021 playlist so you can see how the rest of the year pans out.

x

Priya

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Hello Top Tracks!

Hey team! Hope you’re all well 🙂 Just thought I’d check in, considering how sporadic my posts have been here over the last few months. Who needs routine, am I right??

If any of you use Spotify, you may have noticed that the desktop app as well as the phone app have had a bit of an update and undergone a little makeover. At first I wasn’t for it, but after a little while I’ve most definitely come around.

You guys know how much I obsess over music stats and algorithms, especially within Spotify, and one of my favourite parts of the update has definitely been this feature…

I mean it basically does my Monthly Tunes posts for me now! Before I would just kinda scroll through my yearly playlist, 365//2021, and pick out the most recent tracks that I’d added, but now I have a curated list of all the tracks I really gave a spin each month.

Sometimes I don’t even realise how much I actually listen to a song. Features like this really just stay calling me out to be honest.

I won’t give you the current rundown, since all the tracks are basically covered on my latest Monthly Tunes post which you can read HERE…but boy am I excited to get my May Tunes done at the end of this month using this new Spotify feature.

As per usual, don’t forget to check out my Spotify account! All of my playlist, yes all 51 of them, have been getting a good regular rotation and have had plenty of old tracks removed to make way for all the new songs I’ve added to them. I’ve been able to stick to regularly updating them which has been a lot more fun than I anticipated, so I’d love if you checked it out!

x

Priya

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April Tunes

April. Just try wrapping your head around that. We’re already done with April. I can’t. Here’s this months tunes.

Put It Down – Jazmine Sullivan: Miss Jazmine Sullivan is the gift that keeps on giving. I can’t think of a single JS song that I don’t absolutely love. The flavour of the month for April was this track, which radiates such divine ‘bad bitch’ energy that my jaw dropped when I first heard it. I hadn’t heard a song that hit this hard from Jazmine yet so it was a great discovery to make.

Gimme What I Want – Miley Cyrus: Another bad bitch who’s train I’ve been on this month is Hannah Montana herself, Miley Cyrus. This song. This song deserves all the hype and more because I don’t see it getting enough. So strong and raw, and I think it embodies this era of Miley and her music perfectly. It’s hard not to feel dangerously powerful while listening to this track.

Over It – Drax Project: There’s a soft spot in my heart for Drax Project and their music. They’re such a cute band and all of their music hits just right for me. This song is simple and sweet, while at the same time being a bit of a banger.

Casualty – Lawrence: There’s just something about a full band orchestration that gets me going, friends. Lawrence are so good at doing that and this song of theirs was my go-to banger for when I needed a dose of their energetic feel-good energy. You’ve got these pounding piano keys, a beautiful brass section with horns that punch right through and vocals that break through everything. Don’t mind that the lyrics are so beautiful, everything about this track just makes my heart happy.

Crush – Duckwrth: I always end up loving Duckwrth tracks by the time I’m about halfway through listening to them. This track in particular gives major Pharrell Williams and N.E.R.D vibes, so if you’re into that, you’ll love this track.

U Remind Me – Usher: This song came on shuffle while my cousins and I were hanging out together and it was such a vibe setter, we all ended up belting out the words and being super dramatic with it, which I feel is necessary with a song as iconic as this track. I’ve definitely been on an old RnB kick this month and I obviously love me some Usher. This song is in my top three.

Mrs. Officer – Lil Wayne, Bobby V., Kidd Kidd: I love the new music that I find on TikTok, but I also love rediscovering old favourites as they suddenly start trending – this being a prime example. This song used to bang when I was a lil kiddie, and it still does now. I don’t listen to much Lil Wayne, there’s a select few songs that I give the time of day, but I will give this song all my time, any time of the day.

Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You – Lauryn Hill: My band has been singing the original version of this song at a few of our gigs, just making it a bit rockier, so I’ve been loving this song heaps. So obviously, when you put this track together with my absolute queen, Ms Lauryn Hill, you have a very easy addition to this month’s tunes.

The Comedown – Ocean Alley: The boys and I consistently struggle with finding new songs to cover whenever we need to throw a cover into a set, and it just so happened that someone suggested this track. We didn’t end up going with it, much to my dismay, but we ended up playing the song for the next half an hour while we searched for new tracks which definitely made up for it. I love the swelling and the dynamics in this song. Ocean Alley are so good at the slow build, but their switch up’s are just as good in my opinion. This song is a great example of it. That guitar riff in to the chorus is just *chef’s kiss*.

My Boo – Usher, Alicia Keys: Remember how I mentioned that RnB kick I’m on? Yeah. Too easy.

Cool & Easy – Sammy Johnson: This became a family favourite while we were on our trip around Tasmania over the Easter break. My whole family loves a bit of a reggae, and Sammy’s mix of reggae, jazz, pop and soul was the best soundtrack for our long hours spent driving in our rental car around the tiny state.

Breathe – SIX60: Another soundtrack for our trip was my favourites, SIX60, and I definitely made a calculated effort to turn them into fans just like me. We ended up listening to the entire discography that SIX60 has on Spotify, and I mean…no one asked me to change it, so I can only assume they were enjoying it right? This song is one of my favourites. It’s beautiful. I love the layers in this track, all the little sounds that come in and out, but more than that, I can really appreciate the lyrics and Matiu’s vocals. So lovely.

Hypotheticals – Lake Street Drive: I can’t even remember how I found this track, but I found it and it’s made it to the list, which can only mean I’ve been absolutely loving it. It’s that beautiful genre of soul, jazz, RnB, with a little bit of rock in there too, but it definitely leans more towards the soul and jazz side which I love. The chorus kicks the song into gear beautifully and lets you really sink into the intro verse right at the start before the tune starts really moving which I can definitely appreciate. Every time I listen to the song I find new things to listen out for and get excited about.

Lay It Down – Steelix: This track came out of nowhere and ruined my life. If you’re on TikTok you’ll probably find it very familiar because it’s been popping off over there, which is where I also found it. This song is surely laced with something. I don’t know if it’s Lloyd’s beautiful voice or the way this has been remixed and reconstructed but it’s something. I can’t stop listening to it over and over again.

MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X: Don’t mind me just cackling at how Lil Nas X managed to send everyone into an absolute meltdown over a music video. The whole thing really caught my eye when people started complaining about what he was portraying and how he was attacking the Christian religion and I had to laugh, not gonna lie, but then I listened to the song properly and became obsessed. It’s genuinely so well written and produced and the instrumentation fits this new era of hip hop and RnB and rap so perfectly. What can I say, he nailed it.

Headspace – Billy Davis, Jordan Dennis, KYE: Billy Davis released his long awaited album this month and even though he released this track as a single a little while back it’s still my favourite on the album. Both Jordan and KYE nail their parts and everything flows together seamlessly. Billy never misses.

Not My Neighbour – Niko Walters, Kiana Lede: Niko Walters posted about this remix being released on his Instagram and I was a little…shook. Being a fan of Niko and being of Kiana, it was such a clash of two worlds for me, in the best possible way. The song itself is still a banger, and Kiana’s new verse on it just adds that extra layer of goodness for me. So smooth and effortless on both their behalves, it just works perfectly.

Been Away – Brent Faiyaz: Been on a bit of a Brent kick too have to admit. Some days I just put his Spotify artist page on shuffle and that’s the soundtrack for the next few hours. I will easily get through his entire discography without wanting to press shuffle once. I added this track to my monthly tunes because it’s featured on my 365//2021 playlist and I constantly go back to it. It’s such a smooth and sultry track, and Brent’s voice just swims throughout it.

That’s just a taste of what I was listening to during April. It was a busy month but we always make time for tunes. If you want to listen to the tracks I’ve shared in this post and more of what I’ve been listening to during 2021, you can have a suss of my 365//2021 playlist below 🙂

x

Priya

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January Tunes

Hello friends!!

Please ignore the fact that I just completely decided not to do December Tunes and finished the blogging year on a terrible note – we don’t speak of it.

Today’s post is the first monthly tunes post for the year!! As I’ve mentioned in some of my previous posts, I really want to up my Spotify game this year, get some people following the playlists, regularly updating it and generally treating it as a secondary way for you guys to get some new music without having to jump on the blog!! Plus it’s also a great way for you to find out what I’m listening to before I muster up the energy to write out a blog post on it!

January has been a month of discovery for me, when it comes to music. New artists, old artists with new songs, old songs that deserve some lovin’, it’s been a ride. There have been many nights in January spent narcissistically jamming along to my own playlists in my room, and obviously I’d love to share some of the tunes with you!

Here’s what I was listening during the month of January.

2 STEPPIN’ – John Givez: First song for the year. Not gonna lie, it was a random choice, I hadn’t listened to any John Givez beforehand, but I’m happy I picked it, because it’s such a chiller.

Come Over – Social Street: This song comes to your courtesy of some of my close friends, Social Street, who are an RnB, soul/funk duo from Melbourne. They’re so lovely and I’ve been lucky to play a handful of shows with them, including the single launch party for this sultry tunes. It’s so jazzy and smooth, and touches on those lockdown, isolation vibes perfectly. Give it a listen.

Feel – Ocean Alley: It’s not a monthly tune without some Ocean Alley. I was actually meant to see the boys live this month, however because of some restrictions it’s been moved to March, so stay tuned for that write-up eventually. In the anticipated lead up to what was meant to be a warm January night concert, I dived into a bunch of Ocean Alley records, the Lost Tropics album being my favourite, and I came up with this track as a new favourite. So energetic and smooth at the same time. I love the guitar in this song as well as the melody. So perfect to sing along to. Here’s to March!!

Heaven of My Own – Dallas Woods, Miiesha: I’ve been making a conscious effort to listen to a bunch more Australian artists (don’t come for me after you read the rest of this round-up) but more-so, more POC and Indigenous artists from our country. Dallas Woods, so far, is really closing in on becoming one of my favourites. This song with Miiesha is so good, the tune, the rapping, the instrumentation and Miiesha’s feature chorus all work so perfectly together, I can’t get enough. highly recommend you give it a listen.

Watch Your Step – Disclosure, Kelis: Every time I listen to this track I think about a particularly great day my cousin and I spent beach hopping at the start of 2021. Disclosure and Kelis were the soundtrack for four different beaches and honestly, could not have picked a better song. So much energy and sometimes you just need a really good dance track to get you through the day.

drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo: I’m not gonna talk about it.

Girl Like Me – Jazmine Sullivan, H.E.R: Jazmine and H.E.R?? Come on now. Too much. Both of these women are goddesses and I fell in love with this song as soon as I heard it.

Essence – WizKid, Tems: This has probably been one of my most played songs this month. It’s in far too many of my Spotify playlists, which you can find HERE, and I have no regrets. It’s such a vibe.

Vibrate – Jerome Farah: Another Australian artist, this time Jerome Farah who I’ve been a fan of for a few years now. He used to be in a band that I loved, Jakubi, but his solo stuff kills it just as much. He’s insanely talented and this is such a cheeky, tongue in cheek tune.

Already Best Friends – Jack Harlow, Chris Brown: Jack Harlow’s album was one of the last albums on my radar to be released in 2020, and this is probably my favourite. It’s super low-key, however it still has a super energetic flow to it. Takes me back to turning freshly 18 and going to clubs legally for the first time with my friends.

Your Teeth In My Neck – Kali Uchis: I chose this song because it reminds me of one of my cousins who turned 18 in January and we happened to be singing along to it in the car a few days before her birthday. You can’t go wrong with Kali Uchis can you? The Isolation album was released back in 2018 and it still delivers banger after banger.

Dreams, Fairytales, Fantasies – A$AP Ferg, Brent Faiyaz, Salaam Remi: Such a chill song. Obviously with Brent Faiyaz throwing down vocals on it, you know it’s gonna be good. I don’t listen to a heap fo A$AP Ferg, but this song would convince me to. It’s got a great blend of old school rap and modern RnB and hiphop. I love it.

1997 DIANA – BROCKHAMPTON: Another older track, but still a tune. So wild and energetic in the best way possible. I don’t listen to much BROCKHAMPTON anymore, but this has proven to be a great addition to the 365 playlist for 2021.

All Worn Out – Ocean Alley: Another Ocean Alley song. Are we surprised? My favourite version of this song is the Live In Studio version just because of how ambient and atmospheric it is, especially the vocals. Such a beautiful track. If you haven’t listened to much Ocean Alley, this is a great first listen to show off how amazing they are in my opinion.

Dance Wiv Me – Dizzee Rascal, Calvin Harris, Chrome: I had a boogie to this while getting ready to go out for the first time in months since COVID hit and it immediately lifted the energy of everyone who was there. Dizzee Rascal doesn’t miss. Add Calvin Harris and Chrome into the mix and it’s a recipe for perfection really.

Rapp Snitch Knishes – MF DOOM, Mr Fantastik: I was pretty shocked when I found out MF DOOM passed away at the end of 2020 and I spent quite a few days just listening to his records on repeat. This track’s probably one of his most popular, and even if you’ve never heard it, you’d probably be familiar with some of the samples within it. It’s such a mellow song, one of my favourite DOOM tracks.

Can’t Afford It All – Jakubi: Earlier in the post I mentioned Jerome Farah’s band Jakubi, made up of him, his brother, a cousin and close friend. I discovered them sometime in 2015 when my family and I went to a local community festival and they were playing. My cousin and I have been obsessed with them since then, until they dropped off a little while ago. This track was always my favourite and we rediscovered them a few days ago while driving back from the gym and it was an instant throwback. Such a good song, still. Check them out.

Booster Seat – Spacey Jane: If you’re from Australia you may have tuned in to the Triple J Hottest 100. This song was picked to win by a lot of people (me included), so was very disappointing to hear them come second, losing out to English group, Glass Animals. This is such a beautiful song and I’ve yet to meet someone who dislikes it. Give it a listen, I’d love to know what you think!

What were you listening to during January? How has you 2021 kicked off? Let me know in the comments, I’d be keen to hear! As always, you can find the 365//2021 playlist HERE. Make sure you follow my Spotify and give the playlist a like to keep in the loop!

x

Priya

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November Tunes

I’m horrible. I know. I’m aware. Imagine going quiet for nearly a month then popping back in like it’s chill. Couldn’t be me.

Except it very much is. I’ve been busy. That’s it.

Here’s what I was listening to during November, a month in which I was very busy.

Universe – Ty Dolla $ign, Kehlani: This track is on here purely because I listened to heaps of Ty Dolla $ign during November since he released his album, and obviously, this track with a Kehlani feature is my fave. You can read a bit more in depth about my thoughts on the album HERE.

Girl Like Me – Becca Hatch: Becca is an amazing young artist from Sydney, and I’ve been loving her stuff throughout the year. This track is the latest obsession of mine and I feel like you need to give it a go. If you’re a fan of anything similar to Jorja Smith’s dancehall and more upbeat tracks, I reckon you’ll love Becca.

Dino – Payday: I found Payday on TikTok when she did one of the hardest freestyles I’ve ever listened to. She genuinely looks like Strawberry Shortcake, but she raps like a superstar who is in her prime, and the contrast has me going insane for this gal. Think Benee, a bit of Billie, not a lot, Remi Wolf – it’s super hard to define Payday to be honest, you’ve got to listen for yourself.

Peacemaker – Sycco: Another young artist from Australia, Sycco is slowly but steadily making some moves over here. I fell in love with her tune, Dribble, earlier this year, but I think I may love this track more. The chorus is so bloody catchy and I’ve lost count of the times I’ve found myself humming it to myself in the middle of the day without being prompted to. It’s bouncy, energetic and super smooth, all at once.

Holding The Gun – Sabrina Claudio: Can’t lie, I really just got back into some Sabrina Claudio this month. Her voice is one of the smoothest voices I’ve ever heard, and all of her songs sound like velvet. This is definitely in my Top Three, just because of how rhythmic it is, and how well Sabrina’s lyrics just sit in the pocket. So good. Check it out if you haven’t already.

motive – Ariana Grande, Doja: Ariana. Ari, Ari, Ari. I’ve written about Ariana Grande’s latest album already, so for all my thoughts, I’ll be directing you HERE. You just gotta know this is my favourite track. And always will be.

Missin You Crazy – Russ: This is one of the only Russ songs I’ve got on any of my playlists, but it’s so damn good. It’s such a cute lil tune, and I’m constantly getting it stuck in my head. Especially this month.

Ego Death – Ty Dolla $ign, FKA Twigs, Skrillex, Kanye West: This is another one of my favourite tracks from Ty Dolla $ign’s latest album, you can ready my review of said album HERE. It’s the final track on the album, and I just love how much of a house feel it has to it, and the feature artists just blend seamlessly into the mix.

my hair – Ariana Grande: Another one of my favourite tracks from Ariana’s album. Her voice. The keys. The lyrics. It’s all there. That’s all I’ll say.

Photo ID – Remi Wolf: It wouldn’t be a monthly tunes without a song discovered on TikTok would it? Time to shine, this song has been everywhere and I’m loving it. It’s super groovy, Remi Wolf’s delivery is super unique and fun and you can’t help but have a boogie whenever you hear this song.

5% TINT – Travis Scott: Travis Scott really comes and goes for me, but I heard someone remix this song so ended up binging the ASTROWORLD album for an entire day and rediscovering this track. I love the production, there’s just something about it.

FEEL SOMETHING DIFFERENT – Bea Miller, Amine: When I tell you I rinsed this song, I rinsed this song. I mean, the song itself was fine as it was, like Bea Miller has come out with some fantastic tracks this year, but then she released a remix with my very own Amine on it, and it was genuinely game over for me. I love hearing his voice on a disco/RnB/pop track like this, and he just slips into place so perfectly. This is one of those remixes that I’ll listen to over the original any day of the week.

Fkn Around – Phony Ppl, Megan Thee Stallion: I’m on my Megan Thee Stallion grind right now, so when I saw she was on a Phony Ppl track, I had to add it to my playlist regardless. That said, it’s an absolute track. The bass on this song is offensive, Phony Ppl are phenomenal as per usual and Megan’s verse just gets me hyped every time I hear it.

34 + 35 – Ariana Grande: This track didn’t start out as a favourite, but I think the more and more I heard it, the more and more I liked it, especially throughout November. It was just everywhere wasn’t it? Plus, the music video may just be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Ariana made this year her year.

Candy – CVIRO, GXNXVS: Another Australian act I’m currently obsessed with. He’s like someone plucked an RnB singer straight from the 90’s, paired him with a ridiculously tasteful and talented producer in GXNXVS, and they’ve just created some ultimate tracks. These guys are one of my top five discoveries this year. Hands down.

Infinity – Ocean Alley: My love for Ocean Alley has only grown this year. That’s all there is to it, and I’m sincerely unapologetic about it. This song and another track, Way Down, made their way onto my playlist during November and I’m constantly queuing them up. Fingers crossed I get a chance to see Ocean Alley live again sometime during 2021.

There ya go friends. That’s what I was listening to during the month of November. Again, I’m sorry it’s a bit late, but shit’s been shit and there’s a lot going on, as I’m sure is the case for everyone this time of the month. Let me know what you listened to during November, and I’d love to know if any of y’all have started the Christmas music yet! I’ll catch you when I catch you!

x

Priya

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October Tunes

I know. I know. I’ve been absent. Severely absent. Pinky swear there’s a legitimate reason, but that’s a post for another day.

Today’s post is our monthly wrap-up of tunes I was rinsing during the last month. October produced some good music. There were some covers that slapped (Miley Cyrus I’m looking at you), some cinematic masterpieces (ahem, Shawn Mendes) and some great discoveries made.

So, if you’re keen to see what I was listening to during the month of October while I was anywhere but on my blog, keep reading.

Ungodly Hour – Chloe x Halle: These girls have a ridiculous amount of views on their latest music videos, and I can guarantee I’m at least a hundred of them. Especially this one. It’s gotten to the point where I know the live version with the choreography and the ad-libs better than I know the studio version. These two are so bloody ethereal and heavenly it’s hard to measure up to these ladies. So strong vocally and so effortless in their performance. I’m on a bit of a Chloe x Halle binge and I highly recommend.

Heart of Glass – Miley Cyrus: What much else could I add to the discourse surrounding this gift from God itself, that hasn’t already been said. Not a lot.

Last Time – Giveon, Snoh Aalegra: Giveon delivered once again, this time he brought my gal Snoh with him. This song is the definition of smooth and sultry and I’m all about it. Both of them deliver creamy vocals and their voices blend so perfectly together.

Poetic Justice – Kendrick Lamar, Drake: I blame the Savage x Fenty show for this one. You know the vid I’m talking about. Neon green hair Lance, dancing with two other male dancers in silk pyjama sets behind mesh fabric then the camera pans to our gal Cara Delevingne? That’s the one. That and this song has always been a tune.

Wonder – Shawn Mendes: I’ve spoken already about this song. You don’t need me to ramble again because ramble I will. Check out the blog post HERE.

Like You – Bow Wow, Ciara: Oh my lord this song. I heard it in a TikTok and just got violent flashbacks to singing it when I was a lil kiddy. Just the Ciara hook, the way it gets stuck in your head is a medical issue, but I don’t have that much of a problem with it.

YEAHNAH – Church & AP: Church & AP. Was obviously gonna mention them again at some point. If you haven’t heard me go on about this NZ duo before, check out my post on them HERE. This is such a track. It’s from their latest EP, At Thy Feet, and it’s arguably my favourite. The bass line, the drum, it’s got a very UK feel to it if that makes sense. Dera Meelan, the producer is phenomenal on this track and it’s done so well. Church, AP and Dera are trio to watch when they’re together.

Way Down – Ocean Alley: Another tune from Ocean Alley. I’m on a bit of a bender with these guys too. This goes back to their surf rock roots perfectly, complete with heavy drum beat and head nod-inducing guitar riff. Baden, the lead singer, also delivers one of my favourite vocal performances so far.

So Done – Alicia Keys, Khalid: My girl Alicia. I can’t help but think of my childhood and driving in the car, listening to her albums with my Dad. She’s such a staple piece of my youth, so when I saw she had an episode dedicated to her on Netflix’s Song Exploder, I was all over it. This isn’t the track the episode covered, but it’s from the same album, and I mean…Alicia Keys and Khalid? Bliss.

going out – ROLE MODEL: More ROLE MODEL. This guy is making waves and they just get bigger and bigger. Last month it was BLIND, and now we’ve got going out. It’s not an overly complicated song, but the lyrics are so well written and constructed, with a super catchy hook and it’s just a hit in my eyes.

Self Control – Frank Ocean: It’s that part of the post where I share the inevitable Frank Ocean song I found myself obsessed with during the month and for October it was good ole Self Control. It’s just that guitar man. I mean, we done been knowing Frank’s lyrics could break the stoniest of hearts and his voice is sent directly from angels, but the guitar on this track just gets me. I love this song. I could be mid hype and I wouldn’t be able to find it in myself to skip this song.

Kevin’s Heart – J. Cole: I think I love this song so much for it’s intro. It’s just beautiful. That said, J. Cole consistently delivers, and I’ve been going back to the KOD album over the last month and digging up some of the treasures on that record, this being one of them.

On My Mind – Diplo, SIDEPIECE: Complete change of pace and we have some DIPLO on the playlist. I added this to my before the uber comes a little while ago, and then I saw more than a few TikToks using this song and I just had to add it to my daily playlist because of how often I found it stuck in my head.

Not My Neighbour – Niko Walters: I found this song through a series on YouTube called Don’t Make It AUX, which is one of the vibiest playlist series I’ve ever seen. I’m a huge fan of Jordan and Lance who I mentioned earlier, and they got Niko as well as Matui, the lead singer of SIX60, on their latest episode so I had to find out more about Niko. I genuinely spent the rest of the day on his Spotify, listening to his music while doing my work and getting on with it, but this song is by far my favourite. Highly recommend. Super groovy and chilled out, perfect for summer, which is on it’s way here in Australia.

Higher Place – Skip Marley, Bob Marley & The Wailers: Another song I discovered from the Don’t Make It AUX show, this time recommended by Matui Walters, who as I mentioned, is the lead singer of one of my favourite bands, SIX60. Skip Marley, Bob Marley’s grandson really puts such a modern and relevant spin on his grandfather’s tapes and recordings, even sampling some of Bob Marley’s speaking and writing in this track, hence the feature. This song is so good. There’s an incredible drop that is understated, yet hits so hard at the same time, and I’ve been rinsing this song all month.

Only Time Makes It Human – King Princess: I remember a couple years ago when King Princess was always on my radar…now, not so much. I discovered this song by pure lucky – my phone refused to connect to the BlueTooth in my car, so it was the rare occasion where I chucked on the radio, and this was on. I instantly made a mental note to add it to my playlist when I got home because of how insanely catchy the hook is. I’m in love with this disco-pop genre and though I’d never think it, King Princess does it so effortlessly. Nails it.

Over Now – Calvin Harris, The Weeknd: We love Calvin Harris around here. We know this. Add in The Weeknd, who’s also riding this disco-pop wave making itself known in 2020, and you have a tune like this. I mean, dreamy synths, some smooth RnB style percussion, a slappy bass and Abel’s impeccable vocals, make this a killer track. So low-key and ambient, I love it.

positions – Ariana Grande: She really pulled through at the end of the month didn’t she? I’m so exciting for her upcoming album, probably more excited than I’ve ever been for anything she’s ever put out, and this single has a lot to do with it.

What were you listening to this month? Let me know in the comments!

x

Priya

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