Well, PRIDE month is here. So is civil unrest, but that’s been bubbling at the surface for some time. We are going to have some insane new releases this month. Keep your eyes glued to this feature, as we continue to add to our list of favorite new music videos throughout the month.
Let’s start it off with “Fight Like A Girl” by Raye Zaragoza, shall we?
First of all, just as a reminder, BLACK LIVES MATTER. Period. If you do not agree with that statement or the movement happening right now, kindly excuse yourself from our viewership.
This month has been heavy. But, as I step out of my white privilege and gain new insight every day, I realize how heavy life is for so many others all the time. As a community, we are doing what we can to make an impact. This is going to include highlighting marginalized artists and the voices of our BIPOC brothers and sisters more regularly, merchandise proceeds to Black Lives Matter, financial donations to the cause. This movement will not fall on deaf ears. These changes are being made for good and for the better.
That said, let’s dive into our favorite new tracks of June 2020. You know this soundtrack gets wild, so expect some jams from Glass Peaks, Vilde, RUNN, Grace Gillespie, Caro, Suns Up, and more!
Civil Rights are everyone’s rights. We will not be free until everyone is free.
Yemi Alade. You may know the Nigerian sensation as the first female African artist to reach 100 million plays on youtube with her hit song “Johnny” in 2014. If not, you may know her as a contributor to Béyonce’s album The Lion King: The Gift. If neither of these accomplishments ring a bell, then let her new song “Boyz” be your gateway into this remarkable MTV Africa Music Award winner. Of Yoruba and Igbo descent, Yemi produces vibrant Afropop music for the world to enjoy. “Boyz” is groovy and bouncy, and Yemi’s enthralling vocals and melodies are supplemented by an unwavering beat. The beat is passed around between voices– the bass, drums, and even Yemi’s vocals. No matter where the beat is, however, it’s constant and driving, transfixing the listener. Yemi also adds a unique touch by using drums to ornament the song here and there rather than simply having them keep the beat.
Created with collaborator Vtek, this upbeat pop gem is just a taste of Yemi’s impending album. A video for “Boyz” is on the horizon as well. In the meantime, you can check out her other four albums: King of Queens, Mama Africa (The Diary of an African Woman, Black Magic, and Woman of Steel. As an acclaimed trailblazer for African music, Yemi’s music is a treasure and unquestionably worth checking out.
Keep up with Yemi Alade here.
Anna Sofia’s “Either Way” is a love letter to someone very important in her life, who was struggling with body issues. The first verse immediately deals with her love for this person, but their hate for everything about themself. The thoughtful lyrics accompany a soft melody that persists throughout the song, setting a strong introduction to her upcoming EP, Broken Perfection. Sofia and producer Jeff Hazin worked alongside Jeff Kleinman, someone the 16-year-old looks up to, on the record.
This single shows that love is there, no matter what you look like. The chorus addresses being stuck in the internal war and the fight put up to deal with these negative thoughts.
Either way you put it, you are going to love this song.
This playlist is all about sounds that make you want to walk with some pep in your step. We love syncopation, funky bass and powerful drums and try to capture that same energy in our own music. Many of these songs are from artists that have influenced us throughout our lives.
Keep up with Trace of Lime here.
Did you happen to know that Spiders Make Great Poets? That’s the truth, at least, that Blake English will stick to when asked, since that also happens to be the title of his new 5-track EP. Beginning with an otherworldly soundscape, “Sad Girls Dance Party” bursts into an honest yet fun, high energy space worthy of Warped Tour. Maintaining a similar pace doesn’t seem to be difficult for English, as second track “This Is the End” builds to quite an impressive and catchy chorus as well.
It is only with “The Neighbors” that the release slows down, back to the power punk ballad life we will absolutely come to expect from English. But it’s only the first few seconds that allow this sonic reprieve, as everything revs up before we even hit the 45 second mark. If ever there were a physical representation of the Energizer bunny – especially mid-pandemic – we would go ahead and give that honor to English. But don’t mind that assessment, as we are speaking of tourniquets very early on in “A Ghost I Knew from Yesterday,” a track that comes in to remind us that we are hanging out in the emo genre. This, this is the ballad we thought we were getting previously. This is the song we needed to prepare for post-pandemic karaoke nights.
But let’s not get ruffled, thinking the EP will end with no attitude. We jump right into “United States of Depression,” a very sharp commentary on current times. A very open and vulnerable song might lean to the dark a little more than anticipated, but it’s honest. And honesty is what we’ve all been craving.
So revel in it. Then do it again. And let us know which track is your favorite!
Keep up with Blake English here.
In the lead up to his new 4 track EP, Michael Vickers is releasing his new music slowly, tragically slowly, if you ask us. With new track “Dead and Buried,” there is an energy we haven’t felt in a few weeks, and the track leaves us wanting more. With Vickers’ accent-laced vocals, there isn’t a bit of this track that we can imagine anyone not loving. Fall into its quirky, beautiful soundscape below!
Have you been taking your time with the silence lately? Really analyzing every aspect of a sense? We suggest trying on all of this gorgeous, new music for size from this month of social distancing, perhaps in a way that allows you no distractions. (Amidst the bevy of new plants you’ve acquired during quarantine?) We have some stunners this month, and we’re not ashamed of the fact that we’ve gotten lost in this playlist all month.
Enjoy!
French songstress Jessie Hyde brings a certain sense of charm to her work. This rings true for her latest track “Charity,” a smooth as honey track, quirkily specific and wonderfully darling. Lyrics like “look at the sign on the wall / this ain’t a fuckin’ charity” make us laugh when we remember that she is just now dipping her toe into the music world. Her past life in tech and biochemistry definitely doesn’t feed her creative ability, so learning about such an incredible facet of her personality in addition to her sheer genius is pretty impressive.
We’re smitten with this track. Check it out below, and there’s a 77% chance you will be too!
Keep up with Jessie Hyde here.