Music of the Month: May | Zafira
Hi!
So I admit, it’s been a while. I took some time off to just get my university life in order and my general life too but I was also feeling a little lost on what to do on here. I’ve become feeling a little refreshed and have a few ideas under my belt that I’m beyond excited to start writing about and sharing on here!
And just like that, it’s June. My favourite month of the year. It’s summer, my birthday is this month and hopefully, we’ll be taking some slow steps into transitioning into some sort of normality. May was honestly a massive blur.
Due to popular demand (like 3 requests), I’ve decided to bring back Music of the Month and because it’s been a while since I last shared one of these, I have so much new music I’m excited to share with you.
You can listen to my entire May playlist here.
Here are a few of my favourite songs, artists and albums:
machinegum - conduit
Love is not a strong enough adjective to describe my affection for this entire album. It’s rare for me to be able to sit through an entire album without honestly getting a little bored but each song on Conduit feels like a hug or a slow dance in the rain and I’m completely smitten with the entire thing.
machinegum is actually formed by Fabrizio Moretti, drummer for the Strokes which I find a little surprising because this entire album is nothing like anything I’ve heard from the Strokes. It’s so calm.
One of my absolute favourites from the album is definitely Walking Habits. It’s so vibraphone-y. The entire album is but this one especially. I feel like I could listen to this every day at sunset. I love O Please too because it feels so retro and groovy and puts me in such a good mood but the one song that really stood out for me on Conduit was Sugar and Vice. Again it’s retro and groovy but at the same time, husky and accompanied by vocals you can barely make out.
I found the cutest music video some guys had made for Sugar and Vice and it feels like the epitome of summer. You can check it out here.
Gus Dapperton - First Aid
I just want to preface this by saying, in my personal opinion Gus Dapperton’s work is more than that popular song on Tik Tok that I kind of hate. His other songs are pretty and deserve attention too.
First Aid is quite the emotional song. It’s still pretty upbeat and definitely one of those songs you could sing a little too loudly in the shower but the overall tone is very melancholic. You can hear that this has a sense of loneliness. I read that this song was about his sister, Amadelle, who is also featured in the song and how much they’ve helped him and you can really hear how thankful he is in the lyrics.
I cannot wait to hear the rest of the stuff he’s been working on later this year.
Air - The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack
Every time the sun comes out one of the first films that come into mind is the Virgin Suicides. I think it’s because, throughout the entire film, you can almost feel the heat. It’s hard to describe if you’ve not seen the film but everything from the tones to the outfits to the green green grass and sprinklers spraying on the fake gardens of homes that aren’t really homes just scream summer to me.
I’ve always had a bit of fascination with the film but when I listened to Fashion Grunge’s podcast a few weeks ago I felt this urge to listen to the soundtrack properly and since then I just love having it on in the background when I’m going about my day. I also love listening to it whilst I’m reading the book because I think it fits in with the book version just as much as the film.
One of my all-time favourite songs from films, in general, has to be Playground Love. It’s used repeatedly throughout the entire film and is so perfect for it. The film is very much about youth and ideas of love but has this dark undertone to it since the film revolves a lot around death and this is exactly what this song is all about.
I also love The Word Hurricane, well more specifically the beginning of it. It starts off by putting you in an almost trance-like state and then you have a little dialogue period followed by absolute chaos. It’s amazing.
Parcels - Parcels
Parcels have recently come into my life and have transported me into a very late 70’s disco funk era and I’m not mad about it. This band is so chill and is exactly the sort of stuff I’ve been into at the moment.
A few of my favourite hits from the album are Lightenup, Exotica and Withorwithout. Lightenup is the first ever song I heard by Parcels. It’s very Bee Gee’s esque and I love love that. A lot like something they’d play in some sort of retro disco whereas Exotica and Withorwithout feel like falling in love on summer’s day.
In my opinion, this album is something I can see myself listening to for the rest of my life. It’s weird how they can sound so out of place within our current generation but somehow fit in a way that’s different and still appeals to so so so many people.
The Black Keys - Weight of Love
I don’t know whether it’s because I’ve been listening to a lot of Air but the beginning of this song starts off with extreme Air/Vibraphone-y/Soft Psychedelic vibes which I can’t seem to get enough of at the minute.
I’m a big big fan of this. I play it so many times a day and you should too. I will definitely have to listen to the entire of the Turn Blue album after hearing this gem. I also get extreme Pink Floyd vibes from this song which is magical.
Yung Lean - Starz
Yung Lean released a new album this May and it’s been exactly what I’ve needed this quarantine period.
I think ever since Stranger, Yung Lean has been one of favourite sad boy musicians. His music is so mellow and melancholic but is yet so modern and cool.
Starz carries on that sadness yet coolness but in such an experimental way. One of my favourite songs on the album is Starz which features another one of my favourite artists, Ariel Pink. I would never in think that they fit together as well as they do on this song.
I also love Yayo which is about his rise in the industry, Violence and Boylife in EU which he released as a single a few months back. It’s the ultimate “I’m feeling lonely and sad" song.
Duffy - Warwick Avenue
I wasn't going to include this because it’s the most random song I could possibly put in here but I cannot get enough of it recently.
I was 12 when this came out which makes me feel a tiny bit nauseous because that was almost an entire decade ago. I have the most vivid memories of watching the music video of this where Duffy is sat crying in the back of taxi on the music channels. 12 year old me was so moved by this and honestly so is current me.
She kind of disappeared after this and came back a few months ago. It’s heartbreaking to hear what happened to her but I’m glad she’s okay now.
Hare Squead - Minor Gangsters (gully)
Like a lot of what I listen to these days, I found this through COLORS which is a YouTube channel where a bunch of different artists perform against various coloured backgrounds. It’s amazing and visually the most aesthetic thing ever.
I’ve heard a few songs by Hare Squead, my favourite being Herside Story with Goldlink but Minor Gangsters is very different to that. What drew me to it mostly was how animated they were performing for COLORS. I loved watching them perform and loved how much they enjoyed it. What’s so great about COLORS is that they post all their studio versions on Spotify which makes my life that little bit more enjoyable and easier.
I personally prefer the COLORS Studio version over the original because it sounds a lot more raw and gritty which are two aspects I quite like in a song.
I could sit and watch COLORS Shows all day.
Here’s a few more songs I’ve been loving:
Music of the Month: February | Zafira
Hey!
I can’t believe it’s March already. I feel like I start all my MOTMs like this but it’s crazy how fast time passes as you get older.
Ah finally, it’s spring which means here in the UK we will get some slight sunshine, a few crazy storms, some snow and maybe if we’re lucky, it’ll be over 20°C one day and it will truly feel like we’re on the road to a beautiful summer.
Music wise, this entire February has been one of my favourite months in a while since I’ve discovered some gems and fallen in love with some new releases.
You can check out my entire playlist for the month here but here are a few songs and albums that have impacted my past month in the best way possible.
CHRISTINE & THE QUEENS -LA VITA NUOVA
Like most people, the only song I had heard by Christine and the Queens was Tilted so I decided to explore her music a bit more which ended up being a massive coincidence because it was around the same time she was about to release her new album.
The first song I’d heard from La Vita Nuova was People I’ve Been Sad and I don’t think I can go a day without listening to it anymore. I think it might be my favourite song of all time. I can’t ever imagine getting bored of this. There’s also a stunning version of this that Chris performed for Colors and I listen to it so much that whenever I type YouTube into my search bar, the first link is always to this.
La Vita Nuova has some other amazing songs too. A few of my faves at the minute are Mountains (we met) and Nada. I love how slow and calming this entire album is. The entire album is about vulnerability and I think those two factors really help bring that out.
2. TAME IMPALA - THE SLOW RUSH
Like every other indie kid, I’ve been in love with Tame Impala ever since my late high school/early college days and I love how unlike many other indie bands they’ve been consistently hmm, what’s the word? Not shit?
Indie bands that fit into the Tame Impala sort of genre have the tendency to make music that somehow ends up sounding exactly the same but Tame Impala has this really unique late 70’s/slow disco-y vibes (ugh I hate that word but it fits) that I really really adore.
The Slow Rush has many great songs but some of favourites that I’v enjoyed starting and ending my day with are obviously Breathe Deeper, Posthumous Forgiveness and Borderline which may or may not have become my ideal song to sing a little too loudly in the shower. I think this album feels a little like a non-contact hug which pretty perfect for this current corona virus state.
3. GRIMES - MISS ANTHROPOCENE
I loved how February had this large release of so many new albums and one of had to be Grimes’ new album Miss Anthropocene.
Before she had released the entire album and was releasing a few singles, one of the songs that I was so obsessed with was 4ÆM which I had just recently read that this song was actually based on Bajirao Mastani. If you haven’t seen Bajirao Mastani then you most definitely should. It’s a periodic Bollywood movie which has some of the most breathtaking settings and scenery and obviously, outfits. I’m not too into Bollywood movies but I’m big fan of the periodic/pre-historic ones because the outfits in them are so over the top.
One song that felt a little un-Grimes-y was Delete Forever. A lot of Grimes’ music always has some sort of upbeat techno beat in the background whereas Delete Forever is a lot more slower and quite emotional.
Some other songs I really liked are You’ll miss me when I’m not around and Violence but everything on Miss Anthropocene is just so so good.
4. TO BELIEVE - THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA & MOSES SUMNEY
If you read last months MOTM then you’d know I’ve been really into Moses Sumney this year so when I found out he had a song with the one and only Cinematic Orchestra I was over the moon.
It’s beautiful. It’s so sad but so relaxing at the same time. It’s difficult to really put into words but Moses Sumney and the Cinematic Orchestra are the most perfect and unexpected duo.
5. Gabriel Garzón- Montano - Someone/Agüita/Bloom (Medley)
I’m a huge COLORS Studio fan and they released this medley by Gabriel a few weeks ago and I’m a huuuuge fan.
So in this COLORS show, Gabriel is accompanied by not only 3 other musicians but the prettiest pink/mauve backdrop as well as the funkiest oversized white trench coat. Aesthetically, it’s so pleasing to look at.
The medley is made up of mixture of 3 very different songs and somehow they all flow so well after the other. If anything, this shows the range of talent Gabriel has and I’m excited to see what he releases next!
Also, the best thing about COLORS is that they put most of the studio sessions on Spotify. There’s nothing more annoying than finding a song you like and it not be on Spotify.
6. KING KRULE - OMEN 3
I haven’t listened to King Krule in such a long time but when he appeared on my release radar earlier this February I was more than excited to see what he had been up to.
He has since released his latest album Man Alive! which I am yet to fully listen to but one song I just can’t get enough of on there is Omen 3.
I’ve always loved how calm and almost monotone King Krule’s voice is, I find it quite soothing. In this song however, the entire track feels this way which if you can’t tell by most of what I listen to recently, is something I quite like. It kind of puts you in a trance in someways.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING
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Thanks for reading!
Music of the Month: October
Hi!
I can’t believe how cold it is and I’m so confused to how it’s November already! I don’t really remember what I’ve done this month other than be as miserable as the weather and spend waaay too much time of buses (many thanks to my local roadworks). I’ve had a lot more time to listen to new things and I’m excited to share them with you.
As always, here’s a link to the full playlist for this month: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55WAJhoACEPXLOEMFpcD6g?si=ZHzcO6GaQlOwkehm4yyA7g
HUBERT LENOIR
I’ve been madly in love with La Blogotheque recently. I’ve followed them for quite some time now but this past month, I’ve been watching their videos on repeat because they are easily the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. If you don’t know who they are, La Blogotheque are a music channel on YouTube who film and produce incredibly unique covers by a vast range of artists.
This is how I found Hubert Lenoir. I honestly can’t tell if it was him speaking French, him singing or the way the video was filmed that made me fall in love but he’s easily my favourite person this month. Watch him perform Sucre et Sel for La Blogotheque here.
My favourite songs by him are Momo, Wild and Free and Fille de personne II. These are 3 songs are so different from each other. Momo is super chill, something you’d listen to whilst reading or when it’s raining outside. It’s like a soft jazz pop instrumental. That was a lot of words wow. Wild and Free is similar in the sense that it’s another chill, soft jazz kinda song but this has a slight melancholic tone. Fille de personne II however, is the perfect happy song that makes me want to dance around my room anytime I listen to it.
2. RAMI KHALIFé
I also found Rami Khalifé on La Blogotheque and was left speechless by his performance. He just goes completely wild on the piano on a beach and I love it. You can see how passionate he is and it’s beautiful. The way the video is shot too is breathtaking. You can watch it here.
Along with Resist, some of my other favourite songs by him are The Dangling Rope and Spotlight which are similar to Resist in the sense that they start off a little sad but get even more wild as they go on. It’s great.
3. LIGHTS UP - HARRY STYLES
I’m waiting to face some sort of abuse from my family and friends for putting this in here but I really do love Harry’s solo work.
I’m not ashamed to say I know the lyrics to this song off by heart. It’s just so good I have nothing else to say.
4. EDEN
Words can’t express how happy 16 year old me is because Eden is back with new music!
My favourite from his latest singles is definitely untitled. It’s so melancholic and reminds me a lot of his songs from i think you think too much of me. It’s the perfect song for the end of summer . I also really love 909 and his latest single, projector. These are a little more upbeat. Eden is my favourite person to listen to at this time of year because his music reflects this season and how I feel during it so well.
5. KEATON HENSON
When Keaton Henson announced he was releasing a new album this month I think I cried a tiny bit. Keaton has a really soft place in my heart because his music either makes me feel like I’m madly in love or about to cry my eyes out.
This album is a little different since it is a classical album. I don’t really listen to a lot of classical stuff except from Classic FM at insane times during the night but this is so good. The album explores various themes such as trauma, mental illness, stress and anxiety and you can hear it in the music. My favourites are currently Breathing Out, The Falling and Initium but I could listen to the entire album for days on end.
6. DHL - FRANK OCEAN
Words cannot even express my excitement for the return of Frank Ocean. It’s exactly what I needed this month to lift my spirits. I have phases throughout the year where I’ll listen to Blond on repeat for weeks and I was in a Blond phase when DHL was released. It was so so so heartwarming. I don’t have a lot to say about this but I’m over the moon that Frank is back.
7. JELANI ARYEH
I mentioned Jelani Aryeh in last month’s MOTM but he released a new album this month and I’m incredibly smitten with it.
The album is a beauty, his voice, the lyrics, the themes he explores are all just *chef’s kiss*. I’ve been listening to the entire album literally everyday and everyday I fall in love with a new song on the album. Today I’m obsessed with Earl Grey and Gloss. I personally relate to Earl Grey quite a bit because it sounds like he’s going through a little bit of a personal crisis which I mean, same. Gloss however is about fame and worth and even though the lyrics are a little mellow, it’s a very pretty song.
8. GENGAHR
I don’t think I’ve listened to Gengahr since my college days and I was going through a little bit of an indie phase. I remember listening to She’s a Witch and Bathed in Light on repeat and I still love listening to them now here and there because they are great songs.
Over the past month or so, they’ve released some new singles called Everything & More and Atlas Please and they’re amazing. They’re still the indie band I used to listen to but they’ve become so much better. I’m so excited to hear their new album. Also they’re on tour with Bombay Bicycle Club at the minute and I could not think of a better duo.
HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING…
If you’ve enjoyed this, go check out my full playlist for this October here.
Thanks for reading!
Lots of love,
