Music Wrap: The must-listen tracks and albums from the last month

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What’s the point of music? A highly philosophical question to start us out, I know, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. It’s one of the most (if not the most) widely adored art forms, but why do we like it so much?

Most things we tend to enjoy – like eating, sleeping and occasionally leaving the house – are rooted in keeping our bodies alive and healthy, propelling the species forward. Music seems to have no such function.

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Yet still, when a particularly perfect beat drops, it’s hard to deny its skin-prickling pleasure. I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I’ve ever experienced while reading a book or watching TV. It turns out our positive reaction to music may just be some kind of happy accident.

Take repetitive beats and melodies, add the poetic vocals (switch on Spotify’s Lyrics feature if you haven’t already) and you’ve got a combination that works in just the right way to scratch some psychological itch, dousing us in dopamine like a bouncer with a hose at a sweaty summer festival.  

Of all the quirks of the human experience, that’s one I’m especially grateful for. That’s why I’ve pulled together all of the top tingle-inducing releases I’ve discovered in the past month.

Albums

Frost Children – Speed Run

Some music publications didn’t like it very much, but I do! The New York-based sibling duo provides everything a girl could want on their fourth album: pounding beats, a few apathetic-toned meme references and earworm melodies that burrow into your brain and refuse to leave. Labelled as a central fixture of the indie sleaze revival, the pair borrow a few tropes from the 2010s and add an utterly contemporary touch. Can’t things just be fun?

Wednesday – Rat Saw God

Rat Saw God has a sense of completion to it. While Wednesday’s sound isn’t particularly unique – they fall in the same vein as fellow indie angels Soccer Mommy, Julia Jacklin, Angel Olsen and Stella Donnely – their latest release feels special somehow. It’s like stumbling upon a perfect recipe: just the right balance of sweet and messy, comforting in its familiarity, but with some unexpected twist (could it be cardamon?). Singer Kathy Hartzman’s shimmering vocals add a touch of Southern charm. 

Scan and Sus1er – Trying To Do Better

The debut full-length album by these two long-time collaborators and Naarm underground darlings is surprisingly heartfelt. Forged in the fires of the SoundCloud scene, MC Scan and producer Sus1er have come together to create a dazzling release that embodies all of the best things about music’s internet era. The mish-mash of influences (cloud rap, hardstyle and trap to name a few) pairs well with the subject matter – following a hero’s journey, the lyrics are in one moment half-joking, in the next, vulnerable and touching. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for these two.

Tracks

Snow Strippers – ‘Under Your Spell’

Snow Strippers make music for dancing and their latest track is no exception. Propulsive, unrelenting and built up with melodic layers, it’s an end-of-a-long-night kind of song. 

George Clanton – ‘I Been Young’ 

Borrowing elements from vaporwave and shoegaze, this track has a heartwarming nostalgic feeling. It makes me yearn for boot-cut jeans. 

King Krule – ‘Seaforth’

I’m happy to see some movement from this guy. After such an explosive rise to fame following his debut album (10 years ago now!), it’s clear King Krule is, and has always been, making music on his own terms. 

Shygirl – ‘Nike’

Shygirl is undeniably bad ( in a baddie way). Her calm affectation, cheeky lyrics and razor-sharp production combine here in just the right way. 

Pearly Drops – ‘I Cry While You Sleep’

If there’s a sound I’ll never get sick of, it’s the feather-soft, ethereal harmonies of this Finnish duo. The rest of the album is lovely as well – it was a tough choice to pick just one song. 

Two Shell – ‘Mum Is calling’

There are simply not enough tracks about mums out there! I’d really like to hear this little ditty in a club right before some juicy drop. Catch me being that annoying girl holding up my phone to the DJ. 

Check out Spotify’s Lyrics feature to enhance your listening experience.