Marking the beautiful return of António Bruges to WtMM, we could not stay way from teaming up for a short but nice collection of our favorite last releases. And these gems can easily be featuring in the favorite year releases pretty soon. So have yourself a very nice Friday (weekend).
Joy Downer – Plastic Wrap
Twelve days ago, Joy Downer (a nice contradictory name) released their Plastic Wrap. A song that targets materialism and artificiality and which is the most contagious song we’ve heard all week. Soon their “putting on repeat” hits the marks, you’ll easily understand why. And it’s curious how a formula that is already heavily used combining pop with 80s like electronics is still sounding so good. Talent might have a lot to do with it.
Chelou – Out Of Sight
Picking up on marvelous electronic elements, Chelou last song of the year, is a sure wonder. Out Of Sight grew on us like our favorite ever dish. Sometimes sounding Alt-J, others sounding refreshing, and generally looking very very solid and surprising. Inspired by sad facts (the untimely departure of their drummer), Out Of Sight is full of layers, and we are still to discover some. With that is just another way to amaze listeners filling their eyes with a similar wonder, this is the definition of dream folk.
Monica Martin – Cruel (live)
“Monica Martin is a Chicago-born singer-songwriter who grew up in rural Wisconsin, mostly waiting for Billie Holiday videos to load on back-country dial-up or making trips in a busted Geo Metro to watch punk shows in Milwaukee”. Let us assure you, after reading Monica Martin bio, we were expecting something so completely different from what Cruel is. Sounding raw, super melodic, and intense, and also echoing on some of the past ballads, Cruel is a peace of rare beauty. And in this beauty, Monica Martin vocals are all we needed. Instead, the violins, and the soft clever beats and bass, and the simplicity just make us feel like heaven can always get better.
Aaron Taos – Loneliness
Aaron is the most shared artist in WtMM, no wonder why… Every piece he does is a masterpiece for us and Loneliness is “just” another one.
He starts as lonely as he can be playing his guitar soft and slowly, echoing in space until it meets Taos’ sharp, deep and emotional voice. His loneliness ends when the chorus come: “because I got you, baby/And you got me too/That’s enough for me” as the drums mark the blues-rock-ish compass.
This song is melancholic and solitary, but it’s fresh and warm ate same time. Is definitely a song for every season, every mood, for everyday.
Flara K – Me & You
From Montreal, to the world, this electro-pop R’n’B duo is here to warm up our days. Me & You is a love song and it gets so sexy we can imagine it playing in every dancefloor around the world. With a lot of similarities to Solange Knowles, Flara K is already a success making their way to the top, since they’ve been nominated for Independent Music Award this year.
We’re pretty sure you’ll have this one playing on repeat, as it is on our playlists now.
Rivers of England – Late Night, Heavy Rain, Waiting for a Train.
Put a bit of jazzy rhythm, a big piece of pop-folk melody Young the Giant style and season it with a mellow blues guitar solo, all together combined with a voice somewhere placed between John Mayer and Jamie Cullum.
The verses are subtle, almost whispering, and the instrumental is basically sited on the rhythmic section where a solo guitar and the voice dance together for the higher notes. This is one of the most visual songs we’ve ever listened to, it’s quite amazing how the whole melody evokes the motto of the song title, creating a wintery environment, ether in a living room drinking a glass of wine by the fireplace or slow dancing in the street like you belong to some romantic Hollywood movie. Either way it would be heavy rain and everyone would have a smile on their face.
With this 6 very different songs we hope you enjoy your Holiday’s season weekend as well as take this selection we made for you for the whole next week until Christmas, because WtMM team is making the best Christmas present.