Nialler9’s favourite songs of the past month, all in one place.
1.
Charlotte Adigéry
Bear With Me (And I Stand Before You)
‘Bear With Me (And I Stand Before You)’ is a song that explores Charlotte’s own experience as an emerging artist in music suddenly faced with no gigs, no prospects and only live streams and recording for output, with the backdrop of worry that people won’t care when live music returns.
Deewee, the label run by the Soulwax brothers hits its 50th release May 7th with a 27-track compilation and this song features on it.
2.
Jungle
Keep Movin’
You have to hand it to Jungle. They keep making the same song over and over. But, it’s such an evocative one that you can’t even stay mad. ‘Keep Movin’ is up there with their best work and the video is as always, ace.
3.
Saint Sister
Karaoke Song
Saint Sister’s ‘Karaoke Song’ which marks a subtle shift in their sound with more rhythmic and electronic tones embedded into the band’s synth and harp folk sound, while clearly being about a banger of a night of karaoke that involved greasy big band 1999 Mousse-T-produced dance hit ‘Sex Bomb’ by Tom Jones.
Saint Sister’s second album Where Should I End is out on June 25th
4.
For Those I Love
You Stayed / To Live
Dave Balfe’s For Those I Love record just hit the number 2 slot in the Irish album charts which is a huge achievement for a record as stark and open and raw as this. ‘You Stayed / To Live’ is a song made with euphoric elements while reminiscing about shared goals between friends in the name of art.
Read my piece about the record’s samples on each track.
5.
Silk Sonic
Leave The Door Open
The Silk Sonic duo of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars have left the door open and breezing out of it is a retro funk soul tune sweating with lusty energy, from their TBA date album An Evening With Silk Sonic.
6.
Everyone You Know
Just For The Times
In pre-pandemic life, a song like ‘Just For The Times’ might be considered cheesy but the message of hope for gatherings in the future to an edifying arrangement resonates right now hard.
7.
Soda Blonde
Small Talk
The title track from the Dubliners’ forthcoming debut album of the same name (July 9th) exemplifies the band’s melodic grasp perfectly.
8.
AE MAK
New Friend
A wonky electro-synth wobbler of a tune from AE MAK with a madcap video to boot.
9.
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders
Movement 6
Promises is a stunning record, a slowly unfurling cascade of music with spacious beauty. It’s hard to pick just one Movement but the orchestral lifts on ‘6’ really soar.
10.
serpentwithfeet
Same Size Feet
Serpentwithfeet newest album Deacon is filled with love and softness.
11.
Jimbo Jones
Fear of Cranes
Jamie Mathews debut album as Jimbo Jones, The Heat Death of My Hometown, explores gentrification and serves as an aural journey through a “rapidly decaying” city. ‘Fear Of Cranes’ is a spoken word-lead cacophony of breaks and anecdotal city characters trying to escape from the tyranny of the every day, against the backdrop of a city under construction for the benefit of all except who live there.
12.
St. Vincent
Pay Your Way In Pain
Daddy’s Home is the forthcoming album from St. Vincent. Produced once again with Jack Antonoff, sounds like it’s going to switch things up, if first single and the themes around the record follow through with Annie embodying the character Candy Darling.
‘Pay Your Way In Pain’ is a looser sound for Clark, a funk-indebted song with retro leanings clashing with Clark’s synth tones and domineering voice.
13.
Jane Weaver
The Revolution Of Super Visions
Jane Weaver’s Flock was one of the most widely-praised records of the last month and it alerted me to the album’s slinky first single.
14.
Vegyn
Sometimes I Feel Like I’m Ruining Songs
UK producer Vegyn is known for his work with Frank Ocean but his varied EP Like A Good Old Friend is the work of a musician with a varied vision.
15.
Lana Del Rey, Nikki Lane
Breaking Up Slowly
A highlight from Chemtrails Over The Country Club. Hear our podcast review of the album.
16.
Mr Twin Sister
Expressions
The Long Island band never let me down.
17.
The Person
Elastic Shoes
Lean into the playful Balearic bounce that Minna Wight brings here. It’s like a cool iced drink on a hot day.
18.
Sofia Kourtesis
By Your Side
The Peruvian Berlin-based artist Sofia Kourtesis released an EP called Fresia Magdalenaand ‘By Your Side’ is a gentle lilting beat stroll of a tune.
19.
Kojaque
No Hands
The Soft Boy shares a tribute to his late father & the idea of childhood potential.
20.
El Michels Affair
Fazed Out
Turkish instrumentation combined with Wild West strings for a right old showdown.
21.
Solv
Parallel
The London based singer, songwriter and producer makes atmospheric R&B pop music.
22.
Fynch, Willhouse
Soon
Fynch is dreaming of better times ahead.
23.
Lauer, Dena
Make It Stay
I need fun dance music more than ever this days. Lauer’s new album is also out today.
24.
Franc Moody
Losing Touch
Summery disco pop vibes from the London band Franc Moody, their first track since last year’s debut Dream In Colour.
25.
NewDad
Drown
From the Galway band’s debut six-track EP Waves. NewDad are developing into a fine prospect.
