Welcome to The Weekly List(en), a curation of the latest and greatest tracks to hit the interwebs in the past week. Didn’t get a chance to peruse the blogosphere this week? No worries, we went ahead and did it for you! Check out our picks below:
First off, Av.i and BesNine’s newest track “Way to Heaven” combines everything from slick guitar riffs, melodic piano samples and a clapping kick drum into a song that sounds like a caffeinated 21st century take on a blues standard. Though it doesn’t quite make you take to the rails, you can be sure that Muddy Waters would be on board with this groovy, funky and drop-dead sexy track. It’s a good beginning to the first theme of this iteration of the List: hip hop meets mellow electro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeuDV-mC7kA
Continuing our theme, here’s “Slow Build,” the opening track off The Range’s new EP Panasonic. It’s definitely slow, but sensual as well, with simple rap choruses punctuating intricate syncopated beats. It’s at once gritty and glossy, a kaleidoscopic soundscape that crashes and coalesces to rival the Dutch masters. This is the richest track of this week’s playlist, to be played when the fog builds up on your dorm room window as crisp Sunday morning walks of shame commence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9fsPgWh4Ac
A fresh flow of masterful lyric poetry—can a man ask for anything more? The most recent track from Atlanta hip hop trio CunninLynguists is J Dilla back from the grave, guitar samples so sweet you’ll feel like Snoop Lion in no time. These guys are linguists to be sure, though more of the cant variety. Their tight rhymes and jarring material paint a similarly dismal, yet oddly redeeming aural portrait that you can’t help but admire. So take a deep breath and get ready to chill.
https://soundcloud.com/cunninlynguists/castles-f-aesop-rock-sadistik
I’m a big fan of U2; indeed, the first album I ever bought was 2004’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. This reworking of “Ordinary Love” is sure to get you grooving or, at the very least, bemusedly scratching your head. Somehow, dance outfit Kill Them With Colour turns it into a dancehall track well worthy of repute. Get out of the mellifluous doldrums we’ve highlighted for you this far, bump it up and bust a move.
https://soundcloud.com/killthemwithcolour/ordinary-love
Finally, in honor of the release of its lovely new music video, we’re featuring “Dancing” by Little Racer this week. This track’s understated energy, endearing lyrics make it a whole lotta good, old-fashioned fun. Frontman Elliot Michaud croons “Do you want to go dancin’/Dancin’ in the street” over a peppy baseline and sunny, smiling guitar riffs. Though not the deepest of numbers, it does indeed make me want to go dancing in the street, happy that spring has finally arrived. Hopefully I can get GUPD to join me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8VD0VkWMww
Photo: Daniel Varghese/The Georgetown Voice
