After a brief interlude away, Fresh New Music is back and ready to kick off Summer TwentySixteen with a bang. And to help us get back in the groove of things are some old friends, like Alicia Keys, breathily rhapsodizing a solemn Hallelujah, Disclosure letting you know who’s BOSS, and Juicy J and his pal Travis $cott, who have partied so hard lately they don’t know No English.
Summer Sixteen should be all about taking it easy and relishing good times, and nothing goes better with good times like good music. Head over to Spotify to find your favorites to make the next three months the best summer yet. Need more new music ideas? Check out New Music Friday All Stars for the best new songs from the last few months.
10. Champions by Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott
It must have been a very crowded studio when Kanye decided to invite his close friends on his first post Pablo release, but a prosperous mood nevertheless. On Champions you’ll have to listen to all five featured rapper and determine who lays down your favorite verses (my money’s on 2 Chainz). And what would be a Kanye track without a head scratching verse, as he declares he’s ‘fresh out of debt!’ Save the track/line for that triumphant day when the student loans are paid off.
9. Let’s Go Out by Alex Lahey
There’s nothing like the thrill of anticipation, and set to a low key indie track, it’s all smooth sailing on Alex Lahey’s latest. And as the song tells, there’s two keys to have fun – getting drunk and ‘pretending that we’re alone,’ whatever your definition of that might be. Having been branded as an artist to watch in her native Melbourne, be sure to also check out her other hot single You Don’t Think You Like People Like Me, which is a little more high tempo and flirty.
8. Nights by Snow Tha Product, W. Darling
Sometimes songs are a little slow on the uptake, and if you don’t give them a chance to do their thing you can miss out on a hidden gem. Such in the case on Nights, which doesn’t truly kick off until the 25 second mark. Known more for her underground MC styley, on Nights Snow Tha Product takes on a EDM persona dedicated to those wild and crazy Nights. And if it’s vibes you want, it’s vibes you get, as the song would be the perfect soundtrack to the perfect hot and humid night.
7. Holding Back by SG Lewis, Gallant
Every summer playlist needs an slow super chilled out jam, that feels like you’re spending your time underwater rather than pounding the pavement in the hot hot heat. Such is the vibes on SG Lewis and Gallant’s new collaboration, which admittedly the sound switches gears once the song gets going. Gallant’s voice comes through clear as a bell, as usual, the strong vocals being the main event to any track that he’s a part of.
6. Mamacita by Tinie Tempah, Wizkid
Not all summer scenes are on a sandy beach somewhere; some of the best summer stories are those told in the heart of the city. Mamacita opens with keeping it one hundred about that life in the fast lane, dedicated to a special lady who’s your cup of tea. You could imagine this scene being set on any crowded street in any crowded borough of NYC, but the track comes from across the pond, with both Tinie Tempah and Wizkid operating mainly out of London. A solid track wherever it’s played around the world, turn it up when the thermometer pushes past 90.
5. All I Ever Wonder by St. Paul & The Broken Bones
If you’ve never had the pleasure of listening to St. Paul and his band of Broken Bones, All I Ever Wonder is a great place for an introduction. The band producing soulful rock n roll in the style and passion of Alabama Shakes, and with six people and a horns section in the mix they pack a punch. All I Ever Wonder is an existential crisis that’s never sounded so sweet, as Paul Janeway howls “I can’t tell what side I’m on, I can’t tell what’s right or wrong” and then softly lamenting later ‘All I ever wondered, will we make it through.”
4. Good Grief by Bastille
It’s hard to bring up Bastille without referencing their huge and first taste of massive success, Pompeii. It had that staple of super catchy but not obnoxious tones, of which Bastille knows so well, evidenced further by the catchy ‘I miss you I miss you I miss yous’ of Good Grief. And the best part is its catchiness swings in a different direction, the band showing here they know how to keep it fresh. Take the melody out of the lyrics and it’s downright depressing, shedding light on the talent the band has for taking any subject and making it sound fun and light.
3. Generationwhy by ZHU
ZHU has been teasing fans with the numbers 07292016 since his Coachella set this year, which didn’t take a mathematician to determine he was hinting at his forthcoming album, his first official one at that. Generationwhy will also serve as the album name. The song could be the unofficial anthem of millennials everywhere, matching the generation’s easy breezy vibe with affirming lines like ‘We feel the love and we are not ashamed’ and more out there lines like ‘All the kids are wakin’ up and they’re naked when the beat drops.” Generation Why indeed.
2. Are We Ready? (Wreck) by Two Door Cinema
Starting out with a classic nah-na-nah nah-nah-nah-nah, Are We Ready? will get you ready for a fun night out, or a simple shift to a prepare you for a brighter life. The vibe is welcoming and familiar, like catching up with an old friend, which, we would have to put Two Door Cinema in that category since this is their first venture since 2012. Where there’s smoke there’s fire, as the band has already announced the forthcoming album GAMESHOW will be out October 14th, and they’re spending all summer touring to get the word out.
1. Heathens by Twenty One Pilots
If Jared Leto decked out in full Joker mode on the trailer to Suicide Squad isn’t enough to get your psyched about the movie (will be in theaters everywhere August 5th) it’s likely Heathens will get you in the mood, as Twenty One Pilots is seriously addicting in the style they’ve mastered. Here they’re a little bit creepy and mysterious, but impossible to not sing along with and totally vibe to. The band’s got tricks up their sleeve on their own right now, currently on their Emotional Roadshow tour.
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