As we enter the month known as Summer’s tail end, some may say it’s too late to find the song of the Summer. However, this week we found several new tracks that are vying to be the song of the Summer’s afterparty. Lord of the (So You Think You Can) Dance Jason Derulo takes us uptempo on Kiss The Sky, following close behind is Flo Rida, who wants to you to know how easy life will be once you’re a Zillionaire, and ZHU celebrates the release of the album GENERATIONWHY with Hometown Girl.
There are remixes galore and new talent in every nook and cranny of this week’s list; head over to Spotify for the full rundown. Busted Wallet’s New Music Friday All Stars may sound like a mouthful, but that’s only because it’s chock full of the best new songs of weeks past. Hop to it or you’re missing out.
10. Ludlow Expectations by Butch Walker
When it comes to understanding Butch Walker’s musical resume, it’s as varied aand vast as it gets, as his bio on Spotify will tell you. But it’s not where he’s been it’s where he’s at, and on Ludlow Expectation it feels like next-era Springsteen; you can’t blame the comparison with lines like “Running down the subway, running down the alleyway, out of our minds on love” (Born to Run anyone?) It’s a devil may care, give it everything you got type anthem, one that will help squeeze all the zest out of the remaining summer nights.
9. So Long by Slushii
It’s almost irresistibly gratifying, with a name like Slushii and a fluorescent, kawaii type character popping out a slushy drink on the artwork, but one most always heed caution when it comes to intriguing names and images; the secret to musical greatness is always in the sauce. Fortunately when it comes to So Long it’s music box EDM tempered with the R&B soulstress Madi. When he first emerged earlier in the year he was considered a pop-up underground DJ, but now we’re on a first and last name basis (Julian Scanlan). More icy, sugary goodness can be found on his debut album that was released in May, Brain Freeze.
8. Victim Of Me by Descendents
When we checked in with the Descendents the week of July 17th, we had our first taste of Hypercaffium Spazzinate in form of world needing love, sweet love on ‘Without Love.’ This week they’re back again (which is more unusual when it comes to classic punk banks on playlists of new music). Victim Of Me is as classic punk rock as it gets, clocking in at 1 minute and 37 seconds with amped up lyrics asking you to kick your own ass if you on the verge of playing to the victim of your own life.
7. Sleeping With The One I Love by Fantasia
It would be all too easy to pen a song love song for Fantasia, so when it comes to the title Sleeping With The One I Love she means ‘….cos the one I’m with is good to me, he just ain’t good enough.’ And thus we jump right into a narrative supported heavily but a dose of old-fashioned jazz, full range angst, and volatile howls on a full scale of notes. The song finds its home in the the just released album The Definition Of….which acts as a definitive list of all things love and heartbreak.
6. Closer by The Chainsmokers
Sometimes you can practically hear the music execs talking amongst themselves when you hear about new collaborations. “You know what makes sense? If we take ultra-hot, gritty, electro popper Halsey and pair her with the Midas touched act The Chainsmokers!” And I guess not all music execs ideas are evil, because this one both makes sense and sounds good. Laid-back is the official Chainsmoker default setting, mixed in here with a very pentameter-like delivery ‘so-ba-by-pull-me-clos-er-in-the-back-seat-of-your-rov-er’ that’ll get you hopped up and moving.
5. Three Empty Words by Shawn Mendes
When it comes to unrequited love, heartache, and the full range of emotion one can experience at age 17, Shawn Mendes has shown he can earn his keep for expressing all of the above. An easy beat, a gentle guitar, and a confession of going through the emotions with a resolve to not keeping on saying those three empty words, are what we come away with on this one. Showing full well he knows how to keep it moving, Mendes has announced he’ll have another album, Illuminate, in stores just 17 months after his debut, out on September 23rd.
4. F*** Apologies by JoJo, Wiz Khalifa
Sorry not sorry could appropriately sum up the first move from JoJo after a time away from pop music. And when her most famous parting words were the firmly handed/ultra catchy ‘Get out – LEAVE! – right now, it’s the end of you and me’ it only makes sense that a return would be just as fierce and appealing. Wiz Khalifa makes the intro and drops a verse or two, but truthfully he’s not imperative for the fabric of the song. You’ll learn the lyrics easily and will want to sing along on this one, ideal for the commute home.
3. Youth by Glass Animals
Down the rabbit hole one goes, any time you’re listening to a new Glass Animals track, and on Youth it’s quickly proves itself a portal to a cozy little wormhole. Youth is set adrift on memory bliss, recalling ‘funny friends that make you laugh’ and feeling ‘…the ghost of memories so warm.’ Alas as NPR reports it’s all apart of an intricate tapestry of which their artwork and videos highlight 11 different characters, with space for the listener to draw their own meaning. We can’t wait for it all come together via How To Be A Human Being, on August 26th.
2. Run Blood Run by Phantogram
Discord is all they know when it comes to the partnership of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel that make up Phantogram. Taunting at the beginning (“Extra, extra read all about it, you think you’ll slow me down, I highly doubt it”) and then into a swarm of bees, naturally, all the while declaring “It’s bigger than life, it’s bigger than love, it’s bigger us, it’s bigger than all.” A tangled web of opposing forces, which surely describes Phantogram at their best.
1. Dang! by Mac Miller, Anderson Paak
Daaaang Mac Miller and Andserson Paak is what you’ll be saying after one listen of their latest, Dang! So laid-back from go that it makes you want to stop what you’re doing and either forget whatever you were wrapped up in – it can wait – and start an impromptu boogie. One can’t help but think it would act as the perfect B side to Glowed Up. As groovy and vibey as it gets it can simultaneously act as the first track to get the party started, or the last song you’ll want to play of the night.
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