WIBLT: I Think You'll Want To Hear This
What I've Been Listening To, 7/21/2021
‘What I’ve Been Listening To’ is a bi-weekly series that highlights 8 projects, 1 song, and 1 video that have been on repeat for me. Be sure to follow the ‘What I’ve Been Listening To’ playlist that is always updated with the eight standout tracks from all of these posts in 2021.
Hi, hello, you’re going to want to hear these projects, I promise
Hi, Hello - Newscast
6 tracks, 24 minutes
Released: July 9th, 2021
From: Jackson, MS
Genres: Indie Rock, Pop, Synth Pop
Recommended For Fans Of: Animal Collective, The 1975
I got tuned into Newscast when Yot Club (an artist I’d done some mastering work for) posted about playing their EP release show. That introduced me to Hi, Hello, one of the best indie rock projects of the year. The duo of Sal & Hayden is based in Mississippi, but recorded this EP in a cabin on Pickwick Lake in Tennessee. That cabin had three-story high ceilings, which helped give the drums their explosive sound. Those punchy drum tracks are paired with glimmering guitars and synths, along with gorgeous vocal harmonies across six tracks that perfectly meld synth pop and indie rock. This is their second release after the 2019 EP, 5. Newscast called the EP’s lead single Bet (Mirror Talk), “the bridge between the band’s life to date and its life to come.” You’ll want to hear Month of Sundays, linked below, but don’t miss it in the context of the EP either as there’s a very smooth transition from the opening track into this one.
Standout Track: Month of Sundays
The Woman You Want - Eliza Shaddad
9 tracks, 33 minutes
Released: July 16th, 2021
From: London, UK
Genres: Singer/Songwriter, Alternative, Indie, Folk
Recommended For Fans Of: Jade Bird, Bryde, Tori Amos
After numerous singles and EPs, Eliza Shaddad follows up her 2018 debut album Future with The Woman You Want. The Sudanese-Scottish artist was raised across seven different countries, which can have an effect on a person’s sense of self.
“I was wrestling with the idea of wanting to be a better human, a better woman, a better wife, better friend, better daughter while writing and recording… and not really feeling capable of it… so I was asking myself all these questions - and as a result the record, and even the title 'The Woman You Want' is me trying to find a way out of that - and a direct challenge to what we expect of ourselves.” - Eliza Shaddad for Bandcamp
You can hear influence of 90s singer-songwriters, and Tori Amos is one in particular that Shaddad has spoken on. She wrote an article detailing the influence Amos’ 1992 debut album Little Earthquakes had on her. Songwriting is the highlight of this project with Shaddad’s tender and beautiful lyrics on full display. Blossom is a personal favorite, backed by a grounding guitar loop we hear other instruments come in and out while Shaddad sings rather numbly on the effects time can have on our wounds and growth. That’s my interpretation at least, listen and decide for yourself.
Standout Track: Blossom
I Don’t Know Why I Do Anything - Lips
11 tracks, 38 minutes
Released: July 16th, 2021
From: Auckland, New Zealand
Genres: Alternative, Post-Punk, Indie Pop, Rock
Recommended For Fans Of: The Beths, Diet Cig, Remember Sports
Lips, the New Zealand 4-piece, is lead by someone who describes themself as, “a girl with giant lips for a head.” It only takes a quick look at the album cover or their social media to realize how very serious she is about that claim. But like the Michael Fassbender movie Frank, sometimes the strangest ideas can result in the best music. This debut album has been a long time coming, as the group has released singles and EPs dating back to their inception in the late 2000s. I Don’t Know Why I Do Anything is a project that taps into a sub-sect of post-punk they like to call art-punk. Punk tracks with menacing basslines like Heave Ho! are matched by earnest and heartfelt cuts like You. It’s the type of music that could only be made by people so exasperated with the world, they are honestly wondering why they still care about anything at all, because at they end of the day they do. That energy and creativity lead to unique listening experiences like Sometimes I’m Afraid, where vocalist Steph Brown sings up front confessional lyrics telling the story of "someone growing ever more insecure in their relationship," as we can faintly hear the rest of the band playing the song in a different room.
Standout Track: Your Deodorant Doesn’t Work
Of Compassion - Muwosi
3 tracks, 7 minutes
Released: May 21st, 2021
From: Cincinnati, OH
Genres: R&B, Neo-Soul
Recommended For Fans Of: Peyton, Ravyn Lenae
Another gem discovered in a Bandcamp Essential Releases article, this time putting me onto the breezy and soulful debut from Cincinnati singer Muwosi. The three song single follows just two official single releases prior to this, dating back to 2018. Though the length of the tracklist may leave a little to be desired, the music certainly does not. Muwosi swoons and harmonizes through groovy R&B tracks, all backed by vibrant bouncy synths. That production comes courtesy of Lionmilk, an LA jazz pianist, composer, and producer who crafted perfect sonic landscapes for Muwosi’s vocals to live in. The project was released on Leaving Records this past May.
Standout Track: Frozen Blueberries
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The Last Dragon - JayBaby TheGreaty
15 tracks, 35 minutes
Released: June 11th, 2021
From: St.Louis, MO
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Duke Deuce, Kossiko
Simply put, when Smino tells you to listen to someone, you do it. The Last Dragon is JayBaby TheGreaty’s first official project, and was released on Smino’s imprint Zero Fatigue (the two were classmates in high school). The release sees JayBaby going into the family business, as his mother Penelope Jones was a Motown singer, and the first St. Louis female artist to sign a solo major record deal. JayBaby’s greatest strength is the way he plays with his vocals. He’ll constantly switch between rapping in his natural voice, before going up a few octaves for a delivery so different, it almost feels like another artist has jumped on the track. Mix in a healthy dose of his signature ‘WAH’ ad-lib, on top of great production, and you have The Last Dragon. This debut spans fifteen tracks, but only two pass the three minute mark, giving just enough to make a great introduction while leaving you wanting more. Producers on this include Maaly Raw, Phoelix, Kal Banx, VZN, and more.
Standout Track: Hi Yah
Lucid Express - Lucid Express
10 tracks, 40 minutes
Released: July 16th, 2021
From: Hong Kong
Genres: Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Indie Rock
Recommended For Fans Of: Lush, Cocteau Twins, Slowdive
The Hong Kong five piece formally known as Thud is back with their self titled debut as Lucid Express. They see this new name as a direct expression of what they want their music to represent.
“Lucid in the poetic sense of something bright and radiant. The Lucid Express operating as the service to take the listener on a journey through the band’s color-soaked sounds.” - per the album’s Bandcamp description.
With everyone working busy schedules throughout the recording of this project, it meant a lot of late night recording sessions from midnight to 4 am, then catching some sleep on the studio floor before heading out early to work their day jobs. That passion and dedication to the music is reflected in how cohesive and intentional everything sounds. The project was mixed by Max Bloom, know from the band Yuck, and his solo work.
Standout Track: Hotel 65
Sugarhill Express - Twelve’len
12 tracks, 29 minutes
Released: July 9th, 2021
From: Miami, FL
Genres: R&B, Funk, Pop, Soul
Recommended For Fans Of: SiR, Xavier Omär, McClenney
You may recognize the name from his frequent collaborations with Denzel Curry, but with Sugarhill Express, Twelve’len really steps out into his own with his best project to date. Coming off the 2020 EP Tomorrow After One, this is the first album since his 2016 debut Friends. Production is mostly handled by FNZ and Mickey De Grand IV, but it’s a far cry from the dark distorted beats you’d probably expect from FNZ. Instead we have colorful instrumentals that feel rich with warm analog soul, tapping into a timeless sound. Perfect for cruising around during a Miami summer, or anywhere else the sun is shining. The single Loyal linked below interpolates a 10cc sample that was utilized in J Dilla’s classic beat Workinonit.
Standout Track: Loyal
Domar Serpientes - El Culto Casero
7 tracks, 23 minutes
Released: June 23rd, 2021
From: Asunción, Paraguay
Genres: Folk, Electronic, Indie Rock
Recommended For Fans Of: Lewis Del Mar, Hippo Campus
El Culto Casero started as a three piece group in 2014 with Oscar, Alan, and Franco. The additions of Ale, Tutu, and Emerson in 2018 brought them up to the six-piece band they are today. Domar Serpientes (translating loosely to Tame Snakes) shows the numerous influences a band of that many members can have, as the tracklist slithers between different genres and inspirations. Production teeters between electronic and indie rock, with even some folk and hip-hop elements blended in here and there. Ultimately, the project has something for everyone. Domar Serpientes is their second project, following the 2018 EP El Radio de la Luz.
Standout Track: Ruido Blanco
A Song
ghosts! - Silver Sphere
Song’s almost a year old, but the chorus has randomly been getting stuck in my head for the past few weeks. You’ll probably see why if you listen.
A Video
ARE YOU WITH THAT? - Vince Staples
The visual rollout for Vince Staples’ self-titled album has been excellent so far, and the album gets better with every listen.
Thanks for reading <3