April Tunes // Apparently I Do This Quarterly Now

Hello friends. It’s been a minute. Nearly four months to be exact.

Wasn’t intentional, I most certainly didn’t mean to skip out on three months worth of Monthly Tunes posts, let alone any posts at all to say the least, but alas, it happened and here we are. So what have I been up to since then?

Quite genuinely, not a hint of a lie, literally everything but rest. I’ve been working full time at my retail job which I currently love, I’ve given up my one day off every week to work a second job within my passion industry, barely making it to the gym though somehow still trying and I’m currently trying to fit in a social life and attempting to make some music on the two days I have off every fortnight. I’ve contemplated scheduling in my burn out so that I can get it out of the way and get on with it.

Oh, and my band released an album, for which I had to organise an album launch. Very successful but very stressful as you can imagine.

But, since we’re back, who knows how long for, I’m just trying to make the most of it, let me share what I was listening to in April. Because it was a lot. And don’t even think I’ll skip a shameless plug for the album my boys and I spent a year and a half waiting to release.

We spent all the free time we had out of lockdown working on this album and it’s finally out. We had an amazing album launch at The Leadbeater Hotel in Melbourne, sold out all our merch and celebrated the album being out the next day! So many new people got down and the place was packed. 10/10. Please have a listen!!

Use This Gospel – Kanye West, Clipse, Kenny G: Bumped this track with the boys in the band in the van on the way to our album launch. I’m still staunchly anti-Kanye but this track hit the spot, and really got us pumped. The Kenny G sax solo was especially tasteful and appreciated.

SPF – Felix Ames: I discovered Felix Ames on TikTok, (shocker), and instantly fell in love with this song. Checked back in religiously to see if he’d released it yet, and when he did I added it to my playlists straight away. Given, winter is steadily approaching us here in Melbourne, however this song makes my drive by the beach early in the morning on the way to work a bit less dreary.

Way Out – Jack Harlow, Big Sean: Jack Harlow has me in a choke-hold this year. Every song on this album is incredible and gets me going immediately. I’m seeing him live in July and cannot wait, holy moly.

Starlight – Dave: Ever since my cousin introduced me to Dave, I’ve been finding more and more songs of his to love. This is the most recent obsession. It doesn’t help that it popped up in a TikTok trend almost instantly after it came out but it is what it is.

Over – Lucky Daye: Lucky Daye has been picking up speed this year and this song really shone a spotlight on him especially on the internet. Again, TikTok really picked up this song and gave it some speed but no-one can deny Lucky Daye has the voice of a god. I’ve been in love with his songs and his music for a while now, but this song is definitely one of my favourites. So intricate and detailed.

Oxygen – Beach Bunny: This song is so therapeutic to listen to and the energy it gives me cannot be put into words. It’s another track that’s been added to the work playlist so it’s lovely to hear it come across the speakers every now and then.

Pasadena – Tinashe: I rediscovered Tinashe earlier this year so I’ve been making my way through her 333 album. This song is hands down my favourite. Sounds exactly like summer. Like, imagine you ran outside on a super sunny day with a huge mason jar and just trapped some of the sun and the summer air and the sound of birds singing and kept it forever. That’s this song.

Nail Tech – Jack Harlow: No need to explain.

Whatever Simon Says – Mahalia: Mahalia returned with an absolute track. I love the lyrics in this song and how it builds so perfectly over the chorus and second verse. I listened to it for the first time in the car with a friend on the way home from work and when that bass line came in we both lost it. Immediate stank face.

Alone – Doja Cat: This track just gets me. April was a rollercoaster for me personally, and this song just has a way of chilling me the heck out. It’s a combination of the guitar, how in-the-pocket the drum beat is and how beautifully Doja singing the chorus contrasts with her rapped verses.

Bed I Made – Allen Stone, Alessia Cara: I could never have predicted this collaboration if these two were in the same room, right in front of me, but hearing it, it makes so much sense. This song hit me when I most needed it, and I’m convinced I didn’t listen to anything other than this song for a whole two weeks straight. So beautiful and simple, Allen and Alessia’s voices blend together sublimely and it’s been a long time since I’ve heard a song that made me feel the way this song did.

up at night – Kehlani, Justin Bieber: Another song that had me in a chokehold. These two together make so much sense, but if I’m being honest, I’d be just as about this song without the JB feature. Kehlani completely outshines him in my opinion and brings all the emotion and intention to this song.

As It Was – Harry Styles: What a re-entry. Smashing through the atmosphere if you ask me. This was so unexpected, and I think no-one saw the direction coming, but Harry Styles, like always, pulls it off effortlessly. The synths, the lyrics, that dang bridge. Everything about this track makes sense.

Saturday Night – Summer Thieves: I recently caught Summer Thieves live earlier in April when I went and saw L.A.B in concert (also what a ‘yay’ moment that live music is truly back and I’ve gone for four live music gigs in the last two months) and I immediately fell in love with them. Their blend of rock and reggae was the perfect opening act for the main band, and they had the audience in the palm of their hand. This song has become one of my most listened to tracks over the last month, and my obsession with it has yet to wane.

Everlong – Foo Fighters: Foo Fighters. Before this year, I probably wouldn’t have mentioned Foo Fighters before, the last time I recall properly listening to them was back in the early 2000’s when I was a kid. However, they came down to Australia in March and played an incredible gig out in regional Victoria that was a real standout for the country, and since then I’ve been rinsing their music. I didn’t attend but I heard so much about it that I had to start listening to more, and thus, this song began it’s steady rise to the top of my most listened tracks.

Same Same – WAAX: I super last minute got to see these guys live thanks to a friend who had two free tickets for their gig and it was genuinely so much fun. I listened to some of their music a few years ago so it was a bit of throwback, and such an energetic gig. The crowd was super lively, there was a lot of crowd-surfing and scaffold-climbing, and the band’s energy was just as intense. Fell in love with this song all over again after seeing it live.

White Lines – SIX60: I finally got to see these guys live again in April and it was one of my highlights for the month. It was super easy to get to the front so we were right by the stage and literally every song I listed on my dream set, they played, including this one which is an older track of their. It lifted the energy immediately and set such a vibe for the crowd who were getting right into it.

wish i never – Kehlani: We were finally gifted a new album from Miss Kehlani and they totally delivered. This song is probably my favourite, super punchy and gritty but somehow the vocals are still super sweet and smooth. It’s just Kehlani’s voice man, couple with a super thick bass line, this song was instantly at the top for me.

x

Priya

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Songs You Don’t Know But Should Pt. 29

Good evening everyone. I’m actually not going to bother apologising for the lack of posts for the year so far, your girl has been busy but I’ll get into it later on. Today I just thought I’d drop in to share some gems and then crawl back into my hole again.

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying all the songs on this list, let me know what you think and remember, you can find all of them and bunch more on my Spotify which is as always, linked at the bottom of my posts!

Be My Own Boyfriend – Olivia Dean
Forever – Teza Sumendra
How Many Ways – MaKenzie Thomas
Don’t Recommend – Reagan Capaci
U – Reuben Fleetwood
Ur_Room – Wesley Joseph
Blink Twice – San Joseph
My All – Larissa Lambert
sweet and sour – Amelia Moore
WANDA – Madison Ryann Ward
Favourite Band – chloe moriondo
BS – Milan Ring, Che Lingo
So So Sick – Joyce Wrice

x

Priya

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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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Playlist Deep Dive // courtesy of aus

Hello friends! Back with another playlist deep dive post for you all. Today’s post is brought to you by one of my favourite playlists on rotation at the moment, courtesy of aus, a playlist I created to curate a list of all my current favourite tracks coming out of Australia. There’s a bunch of amazing artists and songs you need to hear but here’s just a taste.

Strong Enough – Approachable Members of Your Local Community
Lemon – Moktar
Ramen Bowl – ROYBOY
Jersey City – Golden Vesel, rei so la
Threads – Liyah Knight
Want It All Back – Julia Lostrom, Max Glyde, HAMLEY
Games – Squid The Kid
Nobody Gotta Know – Open Till L8, Youngn Lipz
MF ILY – iyah may
Love Online – CYRUS
Talk – Budjerah, MAY-A
Dribble – Sycco
Running Around – Sampology
Dead Weight – The Grogans
Fine Line – NoLess
Dry – Rancid Eddie
High Again – Rory Noble
LOVEU2BITS – BOY SODA
Tension – Kira Piru

If you want to have a listen to any of these tracks as well as a bunch of others, and follow the playlist so you can watch the rotation keep on going, follow courtesy of aus bellow and check out some of my other playlists while you’re at it!

x

Priya

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Songs You Don’t Know But Should Pt. 28

Hello friends, hope you’re well and thriving.

I’m just popping in to deliver you another round of songs I desperately think you need to listen to if you haven’t heard them already. There’s a bit of a mix, we’ve got some amazing Australian artists you need to keep an eye on as well as a bunch of international artists as well. Some old favourite favourites in there, and some new artists who I’m just discovering too! Let me know what you think and don’t forget to follow the playlist on Spotify!

sould – p-rallel, Greentea Peng
BS – Milan Ring, Che Lingo
Dopamine – Julius Black
Sleeping In – Jye
Hypotheticals – Lake Street Drive
Into My Heart – Squidgenini
Blink Twice – San Joseph
Sisyphus – Quadeca
How Many Ways – Mackenzie Thomas
U – Reuben Fleetwood
False Alarms – Lawrence, Jon Bellion
Let’s Roll – STNDRD
Ain’t The Same – Diggu Dope, choicevaughan, P.Smith, MELODOWNZ, Summer Vaha’akolo
Concrete Jungle Fever- Jerome Farah
Broken Home – Youngz Lipz
Catcha Grip – CD, PANIA
Ezinn – B Wise, Sampa the Great, Milan Ring

x

Priya

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September Tunes

Hello, hello, hope you’re all well! I’ve returned for another monthly tunes post. I listened to my fair share of music this month, some new, some old, some that I was eagerly awaiting and some I stumbled on unexpectedly. Here’s what I was listening to in September.

Don’t Shut Me Down – ABBA: Did I get caught up in Donda/CLB hype? Yes. Was I saved when ABBA decided to release new music? Also yes. This song literally blessed us all and reminded us again why this band is timeless. I love it so much.

Love All – Drake, JAY-Z: This song was one of my favourites on first listen of Drake’s latest album. I think a mix of the song itself and JAY-Z’s verse. I love his voice when he raps so much and he manages to make such an impact on whatever track he’s on.

Monks – Frank Ocean: A return to an old one. I will admit that I never listened to this song much, even when channel ORANGE was first released, but I recently returned to the album and fell in love with this track. The bass, the drums, the entire flow of the whole song. So tasty.

Mung Bean – Masaya: Back again discovering absolute gems. Masaya are a band from New Zealand who I fell in love with immediately. This was the first song I listened to on their Spotify channel and I’m glad I stuck through it because the switch into the chorus is so beautiful. So much energy, incredible vibes, I want the sun.

Gyspy Woman – Tom Misch: I was stoked to see this on Spotify as well as all of Tom’s Quarantine Sessions. This was one of my favourites when he originally uploaded it to YouTube, so to be able to add it some of my playlists was a blessing. So funky. Give it a whirl if you want some easy listening with a sprinkle of funk.

Tweety – Raveena: This song is an instant throwback to some early 2000s RnB and I love it. I was out of the Raveena loop for a second but I’m so glad I’m back. This song will make you float.

All I Ever Wanted – Yebba: It’s hard to put Yebba’s debut album into words. So many beautiful tracks. Such a beautiful artist. Can you tell I’m struggling? This track in particular takes you to places you’d never expect.

Pressure – Ari Lennox: I was so excited to see Ari Lennox had released a new track and this was just what I needed. Everything I love about her. Super slick instrumentation and production, cheeky lyrics and incredible vocals. I love this woman.

Love Came Down – Yebba: As soon as I listened to this song I ran to the credits to see who was on it. There’s just something about Mark Ronson and KAYTRANADA doing their thing on a track that has you hooked immediately. There were a few reviews that weren’t a fan of this track on her debut album Dawn, said it was a bit left of centre and random in the middle of the track but I loved it. So sick. It was such a nice switch up and it still felt like it stayed true to her amazing lyrics and imagery and vocals.

scapegoats – Baby Keem: Hands down, my favourite song from Keem’s new album. The Serpentwithfeet sample at the start made my jaw drop and it took me a second to place it but once I realised what it was I was sold. Plus, I’ve become a fan of Baby Keem and his flow a lot more with this record.

Right Track – Syd, Smino: I love Syd. Always have. Add Smino into the mix, an artist I’m loving more and more, and you have a happy gal. This one is such a fun track, perfect for the summer which makes me so excited for warmer weather, throwing this song on during a drive down to the beach *hopefully*.

LIKE THAT – IJALE, Yung Shogun, ThatKidMaz: I love sharing Melbourne-made tracks and this one has been so exciting to find. I’ve been around Yung Shogun and ThatKidMaz for a second but this is the first time I’ve heard IJALE and I am loving his music already. This is such a fun release, and all three of them play their role perfectly, really tying this whole song together seamlessly.

I FEEL IT – Jon Bellion, Burna Boy: Imagine my shock when my boy Jon announced he was releasing a song with Burna Boy. Two of my favourite artists on one song? Say less. This song is so interesting, Jon’s vocals are pitched down throughout the entire track which I love, a lot more than I expected and it’s the perfect blend of his sound and Burna Boy’s sound. When I first heard about the collaboration I was so confused at how it would work out, shame on me for having such little faith, Jon Bellion did what he does best and made an absolute tune.

Stomp! – The Brothers Johnson: This one goes out to my Dad. We’ve recently bought a new sound system for the living room, and he’s finally figured out how to connect his phone and Spotify account, so every weekend we’ve been blessed to a new playlist of his. Last weekend we had a great Sunday filled with some of the finest disco tracks I’ve ever heard, and this one was my all-time favourite of the day. Best on ground for sure. I’ve been playing this track all day, every day, just to make a shitty situation (one of the world’s longest lockdowns and most recently, a bloody earthquake) just a little bit better. The bass solo sent me into orbit and I’ve shared this track with so many of my friends. Lots of love for this song.

INDUSTRY BABY – Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow: After the VMA’s I jumped back on this train. This song is still my favourite track from Nas’ album Montero, and I think a lot of that also has to do with how perfectly he and Jack Harlow blend on this one and how they were able to transfer that energy into a live performance. My cousins and I also have a running group chat *jack harlow appreciation*, where we just collectively love Jack Harlow.

Somebody That You Don’t Know – dvsn, Ty Dolla $ign, Rauw Alejandro: I wasn’t aware that dvsn had released an album until I found it on Ty Dolla $ign’s Spotify page and I promptly binged the entire song, which led to me finding this beautiful track. Such a good mix of delicate Latin-inspired guitar and really hard hitting bass and drums. Love it.

Bag – Abhi The Nomad, Charlie Curtis-Beard: I stumbled across CCB on TikTok and immediately fell in love with his playful rap delivery. A quick perusal of his Spotify account and other releases led me to this song, which I thoroughly enjoy.

Better Things – Kee’ahn: Another Aussie artist I’m so glad I found. This song is beautiful. Her voice is immaculate and this song captures so much soul and emotion.

2Day – Yuto., Priya Francis: Yeah that’s me. Let me plug it please. The boys who make up Yuto. and I have been working on this track for over a year, so when it was released on the 23rd I was so happy to finally have it out. Very proud to have working on this track.

Be My Own Boyfriend – Olivia Dean: Slowly, slowly becoming obsessed with English singer Olivia Dean. Holy moly, this girl’s songwriting just gets it. The way she’s able to capture such intricate feelings and emotions and situations with her lyrics just leaves me in awe of her with every song I listen to. Before I full investigated her music, the only song I knew of hers was Password Change, another beautiful song that gives you really honest lyrics paired with soulful vocals and this song, as well as most of her other tracks, is no different.

She Wants To Move – N.E.R.D: I always come back to N.E.R.D. Whether I mean to or not, they always find their way back to me. I can’t remember which Volume it was one but it appeared in the back of one of the Fenty x Savage shows and I recently binged all three since the latest one recently came out. Love them, aside from the point, this song popped up and I had to pause the show to pull up the song and enjoy it. N.E.R.D literally transcends the need for genres and labels. Everything they touch is magical and this song is in my Top 3 from them.

As always, if you wanna keep up with my 365//2021 playlist which is where I pull all these tracks from as I add to it every day, as well as any other playlists I’ve curated, here you are!

Let me know what you were listening to in September! I’d love to get some new tracks to add to a playlist or two.

x

Priya

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Hello Certified Lover Boy

So Drake dropped an album. To those who don’t always keep on top of Drake, like myself, it seemed to come out of nowhere but I’m sure those of you who are bigger fans probably saw it coming. Did it have something to do with the release of Donda and Drake’s long-standing ‘feud’ with Kanye? I don’t know.

Certified Lover Boy dropped on the 3rd of September, and honestly, I jumped on Spotify to listen to it and it was like my entire Friend Activity bar was also listening to CLB. I’ve already seen polls comparing Drake and Yes albums, seeing which one is more popular, trying to draw a line in the sand between who’s Team Drake and who’s Team Kanye.

I’ll be honest. This time round I’m staunchly Team Drake. One of my friends said said it pretty bang on over Instagram; “CLB is just so much easier to consume“. Now that’s not to say it’s a lazy album or it’s ‘basic’. The way I see it, with so much going on all the time in the world and all of our lives in a bit of turmoil, I didn’t really have the energy to pretend to be a genius and try and decipher all of Kanye’s tracks and piece it all together. If that makes me a lazy listener, that’s on me, but listening to Certified Lover Boy was infinitely easier and more enjoyable than listening to Donda so that’s my opinion on that.

But let’s get into CLB hey?

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I mean, it kicks off with a Masego sample, straight away with Track 1, Champagne Poetry, a monster 6 minute track. It’s pretty hypnotic to listen to if you ask me and I didn’t even catch how long it actually was because of how easy it was to listen to.

Girls Want Girls with Lil Baby is the first song to introduce a feature artist on the album, the first of many, and if we’re being real, the feature artists really come in clutch throughout the album. Lil Durk, Giveon, JAY-Z, Travis Scott, Future, Young Thug, Yebba, 21 Savage, Project Pat, Tems, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Kid Cudi all dance around this project and all of them seem to find a track that welcomes them perfectly if you ask me.

Love All which features JAY-Z is a track I was super excited to listen to when I saw the track list. It’s super laid-back and true to a really smooth RnB heritage. Then you’ve got JAY-Z’s feature verse. There’s just something about his tone and his voice when he’s on a track, I love it. His delivery and everything about his verse got me so excited to listen to every word he said. Great track.

Fair Trade sounds exactly like what you’d expect when you’re combining Drake and Travis Scott and the switch up in TSU sent me for a real one. Unexpected but incredibly appreciated. So many different moods in one song.

Pipe Down made me feel super nostalgic, like 2016 Drake in 2021 form if that makes sense. Super sensual and ethereal in some of the sounds that he’s got on there. Then came Yebba’s Heartbreak. The way my jaw dropped when I saw the title of the song on his Instagram.

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It’s a super simple song lyrics wise, arrangement wise, Drake doesn’t even feature on it, but it makes for a beautiful interlude type of song, nestled in the middle of the album. Obviously Yebba delivers everything and more.

No Friends In The Industry is just begging for a Kendrick Lamar feature if you ask me but Drake carries it well enough, for now, and 7am On The Bridle Path was a good track for a really focused listen. Had me really intently wanting to hear what he said and understanding each line.

Fountains featuring Tems scratched my ever present dancehall itch with a really muted jam that carried the track. Tems’ verses are so satisfying to listen to and her voice contrasts the lower frequencies to really tie the song together.

I’m always a fan of any Ty Dolla $ign feature, and I don’t know if Drake was trying to keep up with Ty’s impressive pipes but I really appreciated his vocals on Get Along Better. Both of them deliver really solid vocal performances and because there’s not a lot going on instrumentation wise to detract from the vocals they really carry the track.

IMY2 featuring Kid Cudi is probably my low point on the album though it’s not horrible. Just feels a bit predictable, what we’ve come to expect from Drake. Cudi’s verse is fun I guess, very Kid Cudi, but the rest of the track doesn’t really do much dynamically.

I like Certified Lover Boy. A lot. I don’t know if it’s partially fuelled by timing, the release of Donda and how much I don’t like that latest release but I’ve listened to CLB more than a few times since it’s come out. It’s a genuinely enjoyable album to listen to in my opinion.

People I could imagine on this album?

Snoh Aalegra, Anderson .Paak, GoldLink, Kendrick like mentioned before, maybe an actual Masego feature, Kehlani or Syd would have sounded beautiful if they were given a verse on Race My Mind but for an album that had a little more than a week of promoted hype, this album has kept me very well fed.

Have you heard Certified Lover Boy? Do you care? Would love to hear your opinions on this record because I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated.

x

Priya

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An Unintentional Break & Apology Playlist

Hello. Hope you’re all well.

Good to start with mentioning that I definitely didn’t intend to go silent for over three months but it happened and it’s done. To be fair, I don’t know when I’ll actually get around to finishing this post and actually posting it but I’m attempting to which is what counts, right?

I guess this unintentional break that I’ve been on was somewhat intentional in that when I realised I hadn’t made a post in a long while, I didn’t exactly rush back to pick up and kick into gear again.

I mean, it did kinda kill me inside when I realised that I missed not just my June Tunes post, but also my July Tunes and my August Tunes, my monthly song roundup being one of the most consistent posts on my blog as a whole, but I’ll be honest, it didn’t kill me enough to send me running back.

So what have I been up to in my absence? Like I may have mentioned a little while back, I quit my job at the music shop which was a great move even if it did leave me a little bit financially stranded for the most part of the year so far. I continued teaching singing and piano and running the admin side of the music school I’ve been at since 2019 and that kept me going decently. I had a small hiccup with a job I was really excited for that lost out on itself due to COVID 19, and since then I’ve started a new full time job, back in retail but with a sports brand that I’ve been in love with since I could walk. Love their clothes, love their athletes, love their sneakers (easy guess by now surely, it really ticks all the boxes) and I’ve really happy in my role there so far. I mean, what little I’ve worked considering Melbourne is back in lockdown and have been on and off since mid-July.

We’re up to lockdown 6.0 here in Melbourne and it’s definitely running it’s course over everyone, like a train. Morale is pretty low if I’m being honest, but to be honest, there’s not much else we can really do and I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m in a pretty lucky position, having a great full time job that still pays me while I live with my family and don’t have any major bills to cover. I know there’s definitely people who are doing it extra tough with these on-going lockdowns and COVID as a whole.

I’ve been listening to lots of music. Not even a question really. Like, a lot. I redid my Spotify, again, adding and deleting a few playlists, giving my profile a bit of a clean and it’s been a fun little project. I’m also reading. A lot. My goal for 2021 has moved from 25, to 30 and is now currently at 40 books to read for the year. *Side note – if anyone is currently tracking on Goodreads, StoryGraph is an amazing alternative, WOC-owned rather than Bezos-owned and it’s got super slick graphs and stats on your reading habits. Let me know if you set up a StoryGraph, I wanna see what y’all are reading!

So, what am I sharing with you today? Well, one of the main things that has been keeping me amused through these lockdowns, and I’m sure a few of you may be in the same boat and see where I’m going – it’s TikTok. Not only is it a daily intrigue to see what part or side of TikTok I stumble onto, but it is a treasure trove of undiscovered artists, musicians humbly sharing their songs in their bedrooms or promoting their latest releases, and I’ve curated quite the playlist over the last few months.

Aptly titled; found em on tiktok.

Now usually I rotate through my playlists, I’ve been removing and adding new tracks to each of my playlists pretty regularly with my newfound free time, however with this one I plan on just letting it marinate and grow. I wanna see just how good TikTok is at getting some of these artists out there and across the line.

Take Lizzy McAlpine for example. I found her back in January. Now she’s hanging out with the likes of Jacob Collier and Dodie, posting covers in their backyards and just generally being great. There’s so many cool artists and musicians on TikTok, it’s becoming for them what YouTube was for Justin Bieber, what Vine was for Shawn Mendes.

If you’re keen to keep up with some new music, discover some fresh tracks or follow any of my playlists, you can find my Spotify, my pride and joy, HERE.

Please feel free to catch up in the comments. I wanna know what you’re all doing, how you’re going, what I’ve missed, what you’re listening to, the whole lot.

x

Priya

PS:
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