As we head into the weekend with the knowledge that next week is going to be blissfully short and full of patriotism (especially now), the ever-changing new music machine cranked out some excellent tunes from returning legends (Janet Jackson, Low, Chemical Brothers) and talented up-and-comers (Kiiara, Pearl Charles, Petite Noir, Sean Nicholas Savage, Widowspeak).
Check them all out below.
With vocal harmonies smooth as honey, a truly funky bass line, and a classic R&B beat, “No Sleeep” brings Janet Jackson’s signature sound back to the forefront of the pop scene after over seven years of silence. The track, which was written/produced by the legendary team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (along with the singer), is a promising first taste of what Jackson will bring on her first LP for her own Rhythm Nation label.
Slow-motion Minnesota rockers Low have announced Ones and Sixes, the follow-up to 2013’s The Invisible Way. The first single, “No Comprende,” is the kind of slow-burning torch song that Low have distilled to perfection over the course of their career, pitching Alan Sparhawk’s vocal lead against Mimi Parker’s countermelodies.
Sean Nicholas Savage, “Casablanca”
Sean Nicholas Savage’s latest synth-laden track will make you feel like an ’80s teenager in love. With funky bass grooves and half-whispered falsettos, “Casablancas” is just a taste of what to expect from the Montreal-based balladeer’s forthcoming release this fall: Other Death.
Kiiara, “Gold”
“Gold,” the new track by Illinois indie-pop beatress Kiiara, is sure to stay stuck in your head all weekend. The beauty of the song lies in the simplicity of its instrumentation. Beyond bass and percussion, the song consists solely of Kiiara’s vocals, which are so intoxicating in their sweetness that you won’t even notice the lyrics to the chorus are almost entirely gibberish.
On Tuesday, Yannick Ilunga—the half-Congolese, half-Angolan dance artist and songwriter who goes by the name Petite Noir—dropped the lead single from his upcoming full-length La Vie Est Belle/Life is Beautiful. Along with the track’s gorgeous video featuring the people and country of Democratic Republic of the Congo as its stars, “Down” float’s Ilunga’s melodic vocals over angelic backup vocals/harmonies and a hypnotic beat. Fall in line and catch the groove.
Widowspeak, “Girls”
The idle harmonica melody, jangly guitar line, and dreamy vocals of “Girls” (from the upcoming LP All Yours) perfectly fit into Widowspeak’s head-in-the-clouds folk music niche. Languid, nostalgic, and insightful, the track meanders from thought to thought and captures the essence of lazy summer nights.
https://soundcloud.com/pearl-charles-music/you-can-change
Pearl Charles, “You Can Change”
“You Can Change”—the first single released from Pearl Charles’s self-titled EP—brings just the kind of frenzied energy that radiates out of car windows on summer nights. Complete with groovy organ and bluesy guitar layered under Pearl Charles’s powerhouse vocals, the track will make you feel like you’ve just walked into a seedy dive bar, ready to party.
Chemical Brothers, “Under Neon Lights”
With additional promised appearances from Beck and Cate Le Bon (whoa!), Chemical Brothers’ new album Born in the Echoes will be out next month. We got a first taste with “Sometimes I Feel So Deserted” and the Michel Gondry-directed/Q-Tip-featuring video for “Go,” and now we have the St. Vincent-featuring single “Under Neon Lights,” a twinkling dance track that is just begging for a live rendition at one of The Chemical Brothers’ upcoming festival spots.
