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Music of the Month: September | Zafira

Hi!

September lasted a total of 5 minutes and just like that, we’re 3 months away until the end of the year (thank god). It’s been quite the hectic month. I started uni again which has been a whole disaster in it’s own. In Manchester, it feels like it’s already winter. There is a very distinct chill in the air. The coats and boots are out, it’s all so exciting. I think this is my favourite time of year.

Anyway, here’s a bunch of my favourite songs and albums that I’ve been listening to this September:

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nectar

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joji

It’s crazy because this was only released a week ago and it’s become the most listened to album in my library this month.

I love anything Joji releases, but Nectar definitely feels a lot softer and love-ier than anything he’s done before. His songs have this upbeat-moodiness about them. Something that can’t really be put into words but when you listen to one of his songs you can hear it straight away. They’re almost in this monotone manner but still the most catchiest songs.

There’s so many amazing collaborations on this album too which caught my eye straight away. It features Diplo, Lil Yachty, Omar Apollo & Yves Tumor (i’m a massive fan of these two), BENEE and lastly, Rei Brown.

My favourites are Ew, Tick Tock and Pretty Boy (feat Lil Yachty). But I could easily sit and listen to the entire album on repeat for days on days.

 
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borderline - blood orange remix

Blood Orange is someone who peacefully lives in my mind rent free. Dev Hynes ,in my opinion, is a musical genius. Every song he makes and album he releases is masterpiece. So when I saw he released this Borderline remix, I knew straight away that this would be love at first sight.

It vastly contrasts the original which I adore. Tame Impala is classed by some as a modern type of psychedelic rock and this version by Blood Orange has this psychedelic feel but in a completely different way. It’s dreamier and so much softer.

 
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run away with me - sufjan stevens

On the topic of dreaminess, Sufjan Stevens’ song Run Away With Me from his latest album is now my favourite song to sit and daydream to.

I haven’t listened to the entire of the Ascension but after hearing this one song from it, I think I should probably get around to it.

It’s incredibly synth-y which has recently become something I quite like in songs these days and has some powerful lyrics.

It will make you fall in love instantly. In fact, if Sufjan Stevens ever sang this to me or just anyone I would 1000% run away with them without thinking twice about it.

 
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chip chrome & the mono-tones - the neighbourhood

I don’t think I’ve been this fond of a Neighbourhood album since they released I Love You in 2013. I love all the aesthetics they’ve done for this album too with Jesse Rutherford completely painted silver from head to toe. I’m here for it, it’s all very Ziggy Stardust.

Although this album is a little all over the place, I like that the songs all have different vibes. Whether they’re more electronic pop to hip hop, they’re all so great.

Some of my favourites have to be Cherry Flavoured, Lost in Translation and Devil’s Advocate.

 
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whole new mess - angel olsen

Angel Olsen is someone who I’ve very recently become incredibly infatuated with. I think I’ve seen every single live session she’s done because there’s something just so mesmerising about her voice and presence.

Her voice is very old school and retro and so full. I haven’t heard the entire album yet because I’ve been so stuck on Whole New Mess for days now.

You can really hear the tenderness and vulnerability in her voice in this song. It’s amazing.

 
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feel away - slowthai (featuring james blake & mount kimbie)

I love this song.

The way these three artists combine their skills so perfectly in this song is so beautiful.

I haven’t listened to a lot of Slowthai’s songs but I think I might have to after this. This was a pretty personal song dedicated to the memory of Slowthai’s younger brother which is so touching and sweet. You can hear the sadness in his lyrics and the addition of James Blake really adds to the melancholic tone of the song.

 
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call me (freestyle) - blood orange & park hye jin

Whoops is this another Blood Orange song?

Dev Hynes vocals in this are truly the most stunning thing ever and with the piano in the background, it’s almost like he’s trying to serenade us.

I’m not too sure who Park Hye Jin is but I thoroughly enjoyed her addition to this.

It’s just so great.

 
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HIT DIFFERENT - SZA, TY DOLLA

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IGN, THE NEPTUNES & PHARREL WILLIAMS

The return of SZA is something not only I needed this year, but the rest of the world needed it too.

I’ve really missed her voice and hearing it on this slow ballad R&B type song has made my dreams come true.

Here are a few other songs I’m also loving at the minute:

As always, you can check out my entire September playlist here.

Thanks for reading!

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Music of the Month: November | Zafira

Hey!

How is there only a month left of this year? I can’t even remember feeling like it ever began.

So, it’s December. It’s freezing, it’s pitch black when I wake up at awful times to go to uni and it’s also…deadline season. I’ve been a little preoccupied with my assignments for the past month or so which explains the lack of content over on here which is incredibly unfortunate because I was feeling like I was on a roll with these posts a few months ago. Anyway, I have to prioritise what’s important to me right now and that is uni sadly. But I have a few weeks off for Christmas to rejuvenate and get my life into order so expect some very cute things next year.

For now, let’s roll on with my favourite songs this November!

In the midst of political nightmare, numerous breakdowns, a bad haircut (might as well call me Noel Fielding at this point) and nothing but stress pilling on top of me as the days pass, this month has definitely been a highlight in terms of music.

You can check out my entire playlist for November here.

  1. FKA TWIGS

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FKA Twigs’ new album was the most beautiful thing to have ever happen to me this entire year. I remember hearing Cellophane for the first time a few months ago and knowing that whatever she had prepared after that would be insane. And it was. Magdalene has been angelic. Like you know when you see those ads of like honey or golden syrup being drizzled in slow motion? That’s Magdalene felt like.

In NME I read that Mirrored Heart ”vibrates with Twin Peaks-style synths” and as a Twin Peaks fan from the age of 12, it resonated with me so much. I love Twin Peaks and FKA Twigs so this was the best of both worlds. Mirrored Heart sounds like a deeper version of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks theme song it’s so weird. I love the lyrics in this too.

I love all the songs on this album equally but Thousand Eyes definitely stood out the most and has probably been my most listened to song in November. It’s so sad. I think it’s about Robert Pattinson which is strange considering nearly a decade ago this boy, sorry this man, was a nation’s heart throb for sparkling in the sunlight. It’s so haunting but I could totally sit staring into space and listen to this song for hours upon hours on repeat.

2. HELENA DELAND

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If you’ve read some of my other Music of the Months, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of this music based YouTube channel called La Blogotheque. I watched the most stunning performance by Helena Deland and have now officially become her no.1 fan. You can watch her La Blogotheque performance here.

My favourite two songs by her are Two Queries and There Are a Thousand. They are the dreamiest songs ever. Even in her live perfomance, I had never felt so zen. I love listening to these at night or even if I’ve had a little bit of stressful day (everyday).

3. SLO BIRD WHISTLE - APHEX TWIN (PEEL SESSION)

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This song emanates chaotic energy and I love it. I have nothing else to say about this other than it’s so so so great.

4. JOY CROOKES

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I’m ashamed and embarrassed to even admit that it took me this long to find Joy Crookes.

I’ve struggled finding artists that I like that having a similar background or ethnicity to me so for me to find Joy (like literal joy), who’s Bengali (and half irish) and who sings like a literal angel was truly like hitting the jackpot. Her voice reminds me a lot of Amy Winehouse which I honestly never expected.

Since I Left You has been on my mind ever since I listened to it a few weeks ago. It feels so raw and melancholic and she sings it so effortlessly. The music video is filmed beautifully too. Early, which is another fave of mine, has a totally different vibe. It’s so upbeat and catchy and I love Jafaris in this. I’ve recently started following her on Instagram too and her outfits and makeup looks are so cool.

5. SO HEAVY I FELL THROUGH THE EARTH - GRIMES

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As weird as Grimes is, I completely adore her music.

So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth feels and sounds very futuristic. There two different versions of this, so there’s the algorithm mix which is the version I personally have been listening to and there’s also the art mix. They’re both pretty similar and both amazing and I can’t wait for her to release her new album next year.

6. JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ

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I’ve been listening to José González for years now but there’s just something about this time of year that makes me go back to listening to him on repeat for weeks on end.

Heartbeats is in my opinion, is the perfect song for a winter’s morning. I don’t know whether it’s because the guitar strums in the beginning sound like the soundtrack to a snowy day or because I found this song during the winter a few years ago. I also really love Crosses. I think these are both very love-y songs and I love love love them.

HERE’S A FEW MORE SONGS I’M LOVING…

Thanks for reading! I can’t believe this will be my last Music of the Month this year, it’s flown by so fast.

Lots of love,

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