#also listen to ginger root! it's fun! it's catchy!

[gxilgramore]

INTRODUCING THE FRIDAY MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS!

So how it's gonna work?

Basic really, every friday (if my adhd let me remember) i will recommend a set of tracks that i've been listening, the image you are seeing above you is my last.fm collage but not all songs will be from that collage, but it's there as a cover for the post and a showcase of the songs i'm not gonna mention but i still recommend.

Let's go then?

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST WITH ALL THE SONGS MENTIONED BELOW!

Will I See You Again? - Thee Sacred Souls

I discovered these guys recently while trying to sample them for a track i was doing, i took my a while to appreciate this song but now that i do i can't stop listening, that clean guitar with that gorgeous main melody, those open hats that give such a beautiful atmosphere, the incredibly catchy but mesmerizing chorus, the amazing vocal performance, holy shit this song is so fucking good in so many different levels, one of the better jams i found this year.

No Problems - Ginger Root

So fucking funky, christ, one of the most catchy songs released this year, if you like funky shit it's unmissable.

Is It a Crime - Sade

I'm getting into Sade and most of the stuff i heard from her is gorgeous, this is the best example, it sounds big, passionate, beautiful, music luxury, also sound sad and emotional, absolutely perfection from beginning to end.

Suffocate (feat. Poppy) - Knocked Loose

I'm not a metal guy, but the two Knocked loose songs i listened this year are so fucking brutal that made me interested in metalcore, the reggaeton breakdown at the end is so fucking unexpected but it goes so hard, holy shit.

Junho de 94 - Djonga

I'm brazillian, and the rap from our country sometimes can go toe to toe, and a lot of times even be better than the shit from the states, Djonga is a big example of why, this dude's flow and lyrical hability is unmatched, truly a special artist in our scene, how he guides a story of his own life in this autobiographical song is truly a thing of genius, and the confidence he has plenty, one of the best rappers that came out from this amazing country

Down Under - Man at Work

I wanted to also put Who Can It Be Now? here but I'll keep just to Down Under since Man at Work is already a popular new wave group, it's so dancy and catchy its really hard not to like, those songs made me want to go to australia.

The Argus - Ween

Those couple of weeks had been full of ween for me, not the way you're thinking, and this one has been one of my latest passions with the band, one of the most beautiful climaxes to any song ive have ever heard, still sad that the rest of the album didn't click for me.

No Hands - Joey Valence and Brae:

One of the most fun rap songs of the year, im seeing these guys since the PUNK TACTICS song on tiktok and they are truly amazing at being fun, No Hands is a bit more personal but it has such infectious energy and an amazing beat.

The Invisible Man - Maruja

Literally the best song that came out this year, holy shit, the incredible build up, tension heavy saxophone, the heavy vocal performance, the best climax maybe fucking ever? Ive been seeing this live performance they did on youtube and is truly a stuff of legend being more intense than in the studio version in a song that demands so much, truly amazing, keep your eyes on Maruja, these guys are gonna hit it big like Black Midi or Black Country, New Road.

I Got The... - Labi Siffre

Literally discovered this one today, the sample to My Name Is from Eminem that is bigger and way better, so many incredible parts coming to this amazing whole, could not recommend it enough.

One on One (feat. Headband Henny) - Micah Dailey-White

This funny guy of the TikTok released an amazing neo-soul, post-punk album with this amazing catchy song in it that i could not recommend enough, is charming, cute, catchy.

Ginkgo Biloba - Querida, Faça As Malas

Back to Brasil, this ska punk band is hella catchy, one of the best ska punk bands this country could ever offer, their lastest album is also really great.

Storge - samlrc

Still in Brazil but going post-rock is this amazing, layered, larger than life track from the trans artist that has been bubbling on the underground samlrc, again, keep you eye in her.

Saudade - ElevenWAV

We still on Brasil, but now going jazz fusion, Eleven is an amazing artist overall, but her recent projects have been proving how much she is evolving and how much she is gonna hit it big when the time comes, also one of the best trans artists coming out of this country.

Psiu - Liniker

YOURE GOING TO FUCKING BRAZIL! Liniker the best trans artist to come out of this country with her amazing fusions of MPB, Bossa, Jazz, Pagode, Neo-Soul, an amazing power house pf a voice, an undying passion, unmatched to all, literally the best ever, GO LISTEN.

Think we over? OH NO BABY!

miss you - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra

Going to japan, I could gush about this group for years since I love ska and i love them, but i will only say this is one pf the most insane songs and music videos to come out of the country in years, you should absolutely listen to it.

All the Strange Creatures - Murray Gold

It would not be a Gxil post without your obrigatory Doctor Who mention, one of the most energizing and epic tracks in the modern series.

AND FINALLY

Canned Heat - Jamiroquai

One of the funkiest songs ever, im not gonna say anything more, needs to be experienced, go listen.

Spotify playlist with all the songs mentioned below:

And that's fucking it for today, it was a lot but ive been wanting to talk about music for months now, the next posts on this series are going to have less songs because of it but i don't care, you have any recommendations you want to make? I'd love to listen to, im pretty open to new music, so you can send anything you want, and also, what did you think of these songs? Already love them, tell me more id love to listen.

Follow me on my music socials:

LAST.FM

SPOTISTATS

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

[indietapes]

Ginger Root - All Night (Indie Pop)

🕑 1 min / Text: Adrian Release Date: Aug. 01, 2024 Blending groovy indie pop with an uplifting disco beat and lofi elements, Ginger Root is the moniker of Cameron Lew, a talented American multi-instrumentalist and producer. I just came across his latest release 'All Night' and you can trust me, the vibe is absolutely unique! It features a rich bass line, fresh guitar riffs and has an incredible funk to it. The track opens with a catchy rhythm that immediately sets the tone for a fun and engaging listening experience. There's also something very captivating about the smooth vocals and the trippy melodies! Give it a listen and make sure to keep up with Ginger Root's new releases on Spotify and Instagram: Stream: https://open.spotify.com/track/4AW0BzuXMC1SL1mFwOHKat Follow: https://www.instagram.com/gingerrootmusic/ ✔️ Available on our Indie Playlist on Spotify.

[aeolianblues]

Also, shoutout to this one Ottawa band, they really get it.

OC Transpo literally does not show up when it chooses. So much so that this is not the only song by an Ottawa band to complain about how bad OC Transpo is

Back to update this post because I have a new favourite band. Kingston funky 7-piece Nice On have it all: funky basslines, that 70s groove, saxophones!, cool keys, a singer with an insanely good voice on those higher ranges and boy does she use them, and lastly, the most insanely fun vibe ever. Their name literally comes from Wii Sports Golf, where if you made a good swing, the commentator would either say, "Nice swing!" or "Nice on!". I adore their vibe, this is their latest song, Pay Off Baby. Listen for those vocals, holy wow.

In other fun updates since the last two reblog additions to this post, Girldad now have a Bandcamp! They also have a punky new song out called For Fun.

...which is not yet on Bandcamp, nevermind. But here is my favourite song from their debut EP, wide eyed kids.

Another update. I am a rock music girlie at heart and my roots are in heavier alt rock. No doubt I love bands like Muse and Royal Blood. So naturally I love the Blue Stones. They’ve been around for a bit, from Windsor, Ontario, they’re a duo and they’re so powerful! They make a crazy noise for just two people. And Tarek’s lyricism just makes you feel cool, cool enough that their 2023 album Pretty Monster was nominated for the Junos! Check out my favourite of their songs, Don’t Miss.

Blue Stones’ drummer Justin Tessier also took out some time during lockdown to do an MBA, and these days he’s a music manager on the side as well. One artist he manages is a rising funky dream pop musician from Kingston, Ontario called Luella. Real name Olivia Whitman, she started writing songs during lockdown, endearing and catchy tunes about being 16 and never having been in love (and so instead, her so g Old Conversations is instead an ode to… her old pair of sneakers ;) ). On album 2, Justin began managing for her, and unrelatedly, she’s entered her retro 70s disco phase, see songs like GOGO (as in the boots). I’m linking an indie pop pleasure, Peach Ginger Tea (which she did in fact turn into a limited-run soda to launch the album). Album’s called Summer Bummer.

wanna make an ottawa/rest of Canada playlist. The Ottawa indie scene is so weird

[lookninjas]

Sad Bangers for Your Commute Home

So I realized yesterday morning that my current driving playlist is like 94% sad bangers and then the rest of it is mostly Ginger Root (not sad, catchy as hell).  Naturally, I then set about trying to classify each artist (except Ginger Root) as a particular type of Sad Banger.  A taxonomy of Sad Bangers, if you will.  Some of you seemed interested in hearing more about this, so here you go.  I am including a song rec for each one, as @itsmevickyb seemed to want recs and the playlist itself is seriously 17 hours long so you can’t just listen to it (unless you spread it out over the course of a week’s worth of driving, as I do).

Anyway.  Here we go, in no particular order:

Tears for Fears:  Undisputed Kings of the Sad Bangers.  Foundation for the entire playlist.  Chunky knitwear for life.  Song rec: The Tipping Point.  Can’t wait to cry over this album in February.

Dessa: Queen of the Sad Bangers (at least in my opinion).  Apparently her mom once accused her of writing “songs to bleed out to.”  Seems kinda harsh.  Hyperverbal polymath singer/rapper who will never break out the way she should (but she really should).  Glad she’s finally over that X.  Song rec:  Good Grief.

Chvrches: Proud owners of the Robert Smith Sad Banger Seal of Approval.  When I put this on the playlist at first, I didn’t like it.  A couple spins through and now I have no idea what I was thinking because they’re awesome.  Scottish as fuck and it’s amazing.  Song rec: How Not to Drown.

Roger O’Donnell:  Sad Bangers, but Make Them Classical.  Sometimes I just need to hear some cello, okay?  Song rec: Don’t Tell Me...

Japanese Breakfast: Nominated for the Grammy for Best New Sad Bangers, (despite already having three albums out).  This album is apparently actually supposed to be about joy.  It was also written after she lost her mom, so.  Fits squarely in the space between Tears for Fears and Wilco, which makes sense because she covered one and recently joined an all-star team to play “California Stars” at the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction for the other.  Love her.  Love her.  Song rec: In Hell.

Depeche Mode: Horny Sad Bangers about God and also Capitalism.  Is that a sample of a ping-pong ball?  Pretty sure it is.  Look, just go with it.  Everyone was more experimental in the 80s.  Song rec: Lie to Me

Chairlift: Sad Bangers That I Should’ve Gotten Into Like a Decade Ago (but better late than never).  Honestly some of it’s more cheerful, but Caroline Polachek’s voice lends everything the highest of drama, and her Kate Bush moves don’t hurt either.  Can I hit these notes? No.  Am I still trying?  Yep.  Song rec: Crying in Public

Curt Smith: Sad Bangers Gone Solo.  Like Chvrches, this album was one that had to grow on me a bit.  Unlike Chvrches, I’m pretty sure half the album is about Curt Smith’s daughters, and that’s pretty adorable, I won’t lie.  “Wild” has a fun, mid-eighties Putamayo World Music Hour vibe to it, but since we’re focusing on Sad Bangers here, the actual rec is Some Secrets and its gorgeous acoustic intro.

Fiona Apple: Sad Bangers Learned to Embrace the Chaos and Got a Perfect Pitchfork Review Because of It.  Also, Sad Bangers Came Back Vengeful with a Baseball Bat, and I For One Am Okay With It.  (Seriously, I don’t think Fiona Apple would actually beat someone to death with her bare hands.  I’m just saying that if she did, I would assume she had her reasons and I would support her choices).  Song rec: Heavy Balloon.

Phoebe Bridgers: This one’s just kinda obvious, isn’t it?  Song rec: Halloween.

Christine and the Queens: Sad French Bangers That Are Oddly Appropriate to These Pandemic Times.  Also, the only thing sadder than some of these bangers is me attempting to sing along in French.  Except for “La Vita Nuova,” which is in Italian.  (Can’t sing along in Italian, either.  Still try though.)  The full La Vita Nuova video is stunning and well worth the watch, but if you really can’t spare the time for it (it’s not even fifteen minutes!), just put People I’ve Been Sad on repeat for a while.

Aldous Harding: These Sad Bangers are So Weird and I LOVE THEM.  Folky, hypnotic, deeply strange.  Her voice is astonishing.  The instrumentation is generally simple but deeply captivating.  Her lyrics are weird as fuck and completely comprehensible in the strangest ways and just the best thing since toast.  Song rec: Damn.

Wilco: Sad is not the word for these Bangers.  There is not a word for these Bangers, in fact, unless there is a word somewhere for That Feeling You Get in February When You’re Looking at Lake Michigan and Everything is Gray and You Realize You Haven’t Had a Real Emotion Since The Week After New Year’s and You Probably Won’t Have a Real Emotion Again Until Sometime in May When the Color Returns.  Which might be a word, probably in German.  Song rec: Please Be Patient With Me

Oh, and then there’s Ginger Root, which is not Sad, only Bangers.  Loungey, disco-ey, strong seventies vibes.  Catchy as fuck.  You gotta dance sometimes, right?  Song rec: Neighbor, because I got so distracted by the “Doo doo doo doo doo!” chorus yesterday that I almost hit a deer, and I still can’t manage to be mad at it.

[studious-kiddo]

A List of Asian music artists/bands (but mostly Asian American)

Just organizing my notes on my phone and thought I’d share! Includes commentary/notes that no one asked for! Feel free to add! (But I’m excluding The Big Three (Japanese Breakfast, Mitski, Jay Som), 88rising and k-pop in general):

I haven’t been keeping up-to-date, but shout out to Boston talent:

-Really From: jazz/math rock/punk/pop? sound, includes vocalist/keyboardist Michi Tassey (half-Japanese) & vocalist/guitarist Chris Lee-Rodriguez (half Chinese, half Puerto Rican). Signed to Topshelf so you know they’re good :~)

-Paper Citizen: indie rock project of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Claire Gohst (Singaporean), who is also part of the lgbt community! And works w/ Lysten Agency, and all the agency’s artists are gr8 soOo

-Honey Cutt: dreamy surf rock three piece band. They’re passing by the city so gotta go see them but I got finals!! ah! Features Chris Chew on the drums & he has a great aesthetic; he’s a graphic designer too and has his own solo project that’s v pink.

-Mint Green: four? piece pop punk band; saw them live at the Great Scott and was the highlight of my otherwise v boring summer tbh. Includes Daniel Huang on the drums; he wore a Paramore shirt at the concert i went to which was Cool 

-Magic Man: ??? do they still exist? But shout out to Sam Lee!

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Indie pop & rock cause I don’t know the difference lmao:

-No Vacation: Bedroom pop? Also signed to Topshelf lol. Includes front woman/guitarist Sab Mai (her voice is smooth like butter), bassist Marisa Saunders, and keyboardist Nat Lee. Nat signed a poster for me and her signature has a panda bear doodle in it. Love!

-Ginger Root: Indie pop, kinda funky, very summery. Led by Cameron Lew!! 

-Hana Vu: Singer-songwriter-producer all-around Cool gal (Korean & Vietnamese). Indie rock/pop? i think.

-Mellow Fellow: very mellow lmao! Synths, chill. Solo-project of Polo Reyes (Filipino).

-SALES: Indie pop, light & breezy. A duo that includes Jordan Shih on the guitar/programming! 

-Crumb: Jazzy, indie rock. Fronted by Lila Ramani (Indian-American). Four piece band went to Tufts soOooooooo Boston-based at one point? :~)

-i///u: “neo-soul”. Features drummer Billy Wu and keyboardist Jason Chan.

-Phum Viphurit: neo-soul & indie rock! Thai singer-songwriter.

-Strawberry Generation: indie diy? pop. Features vocalist/guitarist Luk Yean (Singaporean) and vocalist/keyboardist Valerie Zhu.

-Art School Jocks: “existential basement pop.”  Their website is down so I’ll update later ig, but I know that two members are Asian, just forget which ones yike

-Sobs: indie pop! Singaporean band.

-Superorganism: Fun Internet pop band. The lead vocalist Orono Noguchi (Japanese) likes Goodnight Moon ASMR so yes. Also includes backing vocalist/choreographer Soul/Earl Ho (Korean).

-Tangerine: Indie rock three piece band! Featuring sisters Marika and Miro Justad (half-Korean).

-Kero Kero Bonito: fronted by Sarah Midori Perry (half-Japanese). Pop! But now a little more rock with her newer stuff? Anthony Fantano gave her albums good ratings if that means anything lmao

-beabadoobee: indie, acoustic-y, kinda soft and sad lol. Project of Bea Regner (Filipino).

-Sunset Rollercoaster 落日飛車 : Taiwanese band. Soul, chill.

-Ruru: Solo project of Denice Quimbo (Filipino). Bedroom/dream pop but also jazzy-ish.

-SASAMI: dream pop, lo-fi, indie rock, all that cool stuff. Project of Sasami Ashworth (half-Korean). She was in Cherry Glazerr at some point too!

-corner club: indie duo, jazzy but also folksy, cute songs? Acoustic guitar. Everyone needs to listen to ‘em!!!!

-Say Sue Me: South Korean indie surf-rock band.

-Miya Folick: Indie pop! Half-Japanese singer-songwriter.

-Haley Heyndrickx: Indie folk singer-songwriter (Filipino-American). Lots of guitar.

-Lucite Tokki: Korean duo. Indie/synth pop. 

-Dama Scout: Indie rock trio fronted by Eva Liu (vocals & guitar). 

-CHAI: Japanese indie pop band. Super catchy!

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R&B:

-Raveena Aurora: Indian-American singer-songwriter. Voice is smooooth & she is a Queen.

-SATICA: Project of singer-songwriter April Nhem (Cambodian-American).

-cehryl: One-woman show (Chinese). V chill.

-RINI: Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter.

-Sam Rui: Singaporean singer-songwriter. Some soul too!

-Joy Crookes: Half-Bengali singer-songwriter. Amy Winehouse 2.0!?!??!

-Joyce Wrice: Half-Japanese singer-songwriter.

-Jeff Bernat: Filipino-American singer-songwriter. Sometimes raps!

-Alextbh: Queer Malaysian pop and r&b artist. Him and Sam Rui collabed on a song! V chill.

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Pop:

-Rina Sawayama: Japanese-British singer-songwriter, Dancing Queen & Icon!

-Yuna: R&B sometimes too! Malaysian singer-songwriter and guitarist.

-Sophia Black: pop and r&b! Half-Japanese singer-songwriter.

-Lexie Liu: Mandopop & rap/r&b. Cool stuff!

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Electro-Pop:

-Sundial: pop duo featuring Dorothy Chan (Chinese) and Jisu Kim (Korean).  Cute stuff! They do some really nice YouTube covers and they both went to Berklee so they were Boston-based for a bit :~)

-khai dreams: idk his name, but khai dreams (half-Vietnamese) is a one-man show! Soundcloud vibes, like the lo-fi, Anime Study Beats side of it. I went up to him after one of his shows to be like “when’re you coming thru NY again?” and he misheard me and was like “i don’t work here” and i just walked away because anxiety yikes

-ÊMIA: Anh Le’s project! Idk when i’ll post this, but she just released a new song and it’s on my morning commute playlist lol.

-Manila Killa: V electronic. Project of producer Chris Gavino (Filipino). I first saw him in an interview with sidewalk talk (Asian-led interview series! And a really good one; def check it out!) and he seems like a really cool guy!

-Yaeji: Not really pop ig lol. Korean-American electronic musician.

********

Math Rock:

-Elephant Gym: Taiwanese band. Also kinda funky/jazzy! And also signed to Topshelf lmao. A fave right now; i have their audiotree live session on repeat as study music!

-Covet: Fronted by Yvette Young, who plays guitar and holy crap! So talented!

-Tricot: Japanese all-girl band signed to Topshelf :~) 

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YouTube talent:

-Conan Gray: half-Japanese singer-songwriter. Indie pop, a King.

-mxmtoon: half-Chinese singer-songwriter, ukuleleist. Cute tunes.

-Louie Zong: his tunes! are so cute! and funky! Also went to tufts so…boston?!?!?

-Mabel Ye: love! her! ah! She collabed with Louie so that was like a better crossover than infinity war ever was.

*********

Non-ballad sounding Chinese groups that I’m hoping will help me learn the Mother Tongue:

-Frande: Indie rock? Idk! But they sing slow enough that my brain can sometimes process their words lmao

-Astro Bunny: borderline ballad LOL.

- 老王樂隊: upbeat indie folk? Idk!

-my little airport: cute! But my canto is even worse than my mando :~(

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Misc:

-Xiu Xiu: the fave! Includes Angela Seo.

-Boys Age: kind of like Richie Woods.

-Ian Chang: he’s a drummer!