This week’s list has a cozy, cling to one another in love feel, as the weather turns cold and days continue to get shorter. There’s plenty here to keep you warm, including a remix of the popular track Magnets from Disclosure and Lorde, a slick one from Rick Ross, and Third Eye Blind breaks through with a Rite Of Passage.
Fifty wonderful songs have been chosen as this week’s hottest in new music, be sure to keep up and check out the whole list at Spotify. Been slacking? Check out New Music Friday All-Stars for favorites from recent weeks.
10. Put It Down by Tokimonsta, Andersen Paak
Put It Down starts off with speed letting you know it’s going places, as a drum n bass beat provides the kicks and Andersen Paak raps about comin’ up and putting it down for ya, naturally. Tokimonsta is no stranger to the big come up, having steadily garnered more and more attention for her exceptional DJ sets and prowess, and of course having a catchy DJ name (taken from the Korean word for rabbit mixed with the gangsta word for monster) never hurt her appeal either.
9. Let’s Fall In Love Some More by Al Bairre
First thing that stands out on Al Bairre’s latest is that these kids have needs. Rattling off a list that includes sun is the eyes, pictures on the wall, and calling on the phone (all perfectly reasonable), all of this being ploy to fall in love, you know, some more. The song quickly launches in to what can only be described as electric banjo riffs, taking things to a dizzying and beautiful pace. The South African band, pronounced Al Bear, have just put out Experience the Al Bairre Show With Al Bairre Experience that is full of similarly charming tracks.
8. Love You Cause You’re There by Hidden Charms
There’s an undeniable Black Keys vibe on Love You Cause You’re There, serving up that zesty brand of alt rock rhythm and bluuuuues. The band has been on the new music radar for most of 2015, drawing comparisons from fellow countrymen Arctic Monkeys on the band’s popular track Long Way Down. The vibe here is different, more grungier and underground, as if the song’s soul has been drenched in the maroon tones on the single’s artwork. Perfect for enjoying a Jameson & Ginger after a long week’s work.
7. Boom by Major Lazer
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and the same could be same said for putting out an EDM track. Major Lazer pulls in support from Moti, Ty Dolla $ign, Wizkid AND Kranium on their latest. While you may not heard of each of these artistic enhancements, they each add their own unique flavor, for a song that at its core has that signature Major Lazer energy. You’re likely to be saying the song had you at “ Back It Up Like Yaaasss Bitch.”
6. Everglow by Coldplay
Proving that Adele’s 25 isn’t the only release as of late to make you teary eyed, this one is an ultra personal track from Chris Martin and the crew. It’s easy to piece together that the man who made headlines for his “conscious uncoupling” from Gwyneth Paltrow has penned a track to his former wife. The vibe is non-cheesy Hallmark and gentle, hitting you square in the feels as he sings “I know I’m going to miss you, I know…….there’s a light you give me when i’m in the shadows, it’s a feeling of everglow.” Your go-to track when you just need to let it all out.
5. Sad Boy by G-Eazy
A departure from the Oakland rapper who has made a name for himself singing about Tumblr girls and riding solo, and you KNOW if he says something, he means it. Here Gerald goes down the path of Kendrick Lamar’s m.a.a.d city, rapping earnestly about spoils of fame not always bringing about pure bliss, asking himself repeatedly in the chorus, “Gerald what you so sad for?” It’s a refreshing point of view in the overcompensating world of hip hop, as the artist raps he knows he doesn’t have all the answers yet tries to wrestle himself out of the funk, ultimately declaring, “man homie stop crying, rap more.”
4. Make All Things New by Aaron Espe
Producing music that feels like the equivalent of a bowl of warm soup after a cold day, Aaron Espe has got a penchant for warming the heart. It could be the musician had in his native Minnesota in mind, as he repeats on this soothing track “Home where is my heart is, home where my love lives, home my beginning and end, home.” A perfect track to be playing while you make that journey to back home or to loved ones over the holidays.
3. Free Animal by Foreign Air
Fresh out the box, this duo got their start together by simply sharing a Dropbox of beats and melodies, ultimately meeting up around the country to conspire and produce Free Animal. Comparisons to fellow indie rockers Alt-J are unavoidable, but like all true soldiers of indie, the two have put their unique stamp on the song. As it stands now Free Animal is the only track available from Foreign Air on Spotify; we’ll have to wait until February 2016 for more freshness.
2. Fine By Me by Chris Brown
Chris Brown has become something of a workhouse, consistently popping up in the New Music Friday playlist this year, either on tracks by his own accord, or providing a chorus or verse with some of the finest musicians R&B and hip hop has to offer. On Fine By Me it’s all CB, keeping it cold blooded up as he declares “she only loves me when the lights are out, lights are out…and it’s fine by me!” The best part of the track is that it’s made for the dance floor, its stops and starts encouraging you to try your more progressive dance moves. Go ahead, it’s fine by him.
1. Saint Cecilia by Foo Fighters
As music fans are still trying to make sense of the horrible tragedy at the Eagles of Death Metal concert in Paris, Rock and Roll and has never more needed more healing and understanding. Foo Fighters too are grabbling with these recent events, they themselves having had to cancel the rest of their European tour. Enter Saint Cecilia, written at the ultra chic St Cecilia boutique hotel in Austin, TX, which has long been a haven for musicians, writers, and poets, named after the patron saint of music. Though the song was penned months ago (and is part of an EP the band has generously made free for download) there’s a sense of comfort as Grohl sings “Bring me some healing, St. Cecilia, carry me home to your house of broken bones.”
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