Now Listening: This Week's Tracks
By Astrid Ortega & Isabella Vega
Tokyo Tea Room - “Half The Man”
After starting all over in a clean slate, Tokyo Tea Room has released singles full of energy and dream-like feelings. “Half a Man” feels like a warm summer day; it’s a simple song that will make you feel like you’re floating around in the world, a song for the soundtrack of your life. Daniel Elliot, a member of Tokyo Tea Room, tells that the lyrics are an embodiment of the thoughts in his head when wondering how different things could’ve been if a different path was taken. It touches on how even though you might feel like you aren’t complete because of your chosen path or decisions, that they still made you who you are today. In the end, that’s what really matters, who you are. “Half a Man” is the bittersweet but loving song you need to listen to and remember to feel comfortable with who you are right now.
Good Morning Club - “Fall Out”
New York-based group Good Morning Club brings us an electronic, vibrant symphony with their latest single“Fall Out”. The band itself was formed by producer Ethan Bailey, who looked forward to combining indie rock and his native EDM. Members for live performances, which will be resumed after the quarantine, include Ethan on vox/guitar, Sam Revaz on keys/synths, Dani Strigi on bass and Isaiah Hazzard on drums. “Fall Out” is just one of the tracks to be featured on the group’s upcoming debut album, which features indie music that is influenced by multiple genres, including electronic, jazz, hip-hop, and emotions such as the freedom of driving whether during the night or day, relaxing after a night out, the innocence of birthday parties where the definition of aggressiveness is The Killers. It’s the deep emotional experiences, laced with a haze of nostalgia, that truly make up this album, and “Fall Out” is a memory set to be treasured by listeners everywhere.
STIIR - “Club Soda”
If anything good is to come out of this time spent inside, let it be good music. The North London based trio, STIIR, (a group of friends who want to make music and have a blast) have spent the past few months creating, cultivating, and releasing their debut EP, Club Soda, which consists of 5 tracks. The highly awaited project comes after acclaim from the likes of Annie Mac, Jack Saunders, DIY, Mahogany, Clash,and Complex. The band, made up of real-life friends Ruben, Benny, and Prem, state that the project is “a blend of alt-pop, addictive melodies, fizzing indie and heart-rending lyricism.” The title track for the project exemplifies all of the aforementioned adjectives in its nostalgically powerful atmosphere. The track draws inspiration from Tame Impala, Beach Boys, and Stevie Wonder, and features the band’s signature synth-pop with melodious lyrics that emulate the feeling of partying in the better days. On their style, band member Benny says, “We embrace pop music. I think pop for a lot of people is synonymous with chart music, and I don’t know if that’s a fair representation. For us, it’s pop done in a more alternative format”. “Club Soda” feels like a shot of bubbles injected into your veins, and gives the listener a fizzled experience in these crazy times.
John The Ghost - “Rolled Down The Window”
As we enter into warmer days and summer is soon approaching, “Rolled Down Window” completely feels like a song you’ll be obsessing over this summer. With an alt-pop feeling to it, Phoenix-based John the Ghost creates a beautiful and energetic melody that only makes the tone in vocals more fun. More upbeat and faster pace compared to his previous music, the feeling that this song can give you is unexplainable, it’s like traveling back to times when everything felt more thrilling or innocent. An open letter to his past, the song is meant to invoke any feeling from his audience, so give it a listen and check out the rest of John the Ghost’s discography.
Melvin Darrell x Samryebread - “Grease Fire”
With a dreamy and funky sound, “Grease Fire” is sure to make you get up and dance around your room. Samryebread shows her carefree personality in the lyrics and vocals, making this song the perfect song to get happy and dance to. “Grease Fire” was birthed after a writing session with Samryebread, Melvin Darrell, and Kyle Sparkman, which led to quite the energetic and well-spirited melody. The guitar melodies blending into Samryebread’s vocals, invoking feeling with her lyrics, then transitioning into adding more beats with instruments and using vocals to make you never stop going “ooh ooh” in your head. Check out both Melvin Darrell and Samrybread’s music and listen to “Grease Fire” to put yourself in a good mood and dance around wherever you are.
Robi Mitch - “Distant Sun” (Taipei Version)
Wrapped up in breezy melodies and a vintage feel, “Distant Sun” shines as bright as its name entails. The latest single from Robi Mitch combines influence from both 70’s British psychedelic rock and the breezy sort of indie-pop. The song itself features a mellow yet melancholy sound with backing by synths and drum machines, and lyrics that are as monotonous as they are passionate. The track was created in its entirety in Taipei, a place that inspired the pop aspects of the record. While there, Mitch had the opportunity to collaborate with Yuchain Wang, a well-known producer in the underground Taiwanese scene. Though the sessions were lost for a period of time, they have finally been released for the general public to consume. The single has been released before the soon-to-be-released solo debut of Mitch, titled “Our Year”, which includes the warm nostalgia and melancholy he is best known for tied up with a bow of lo-fi style production and laid back vocals.
Beach for Tiger - “One Lovely Morning”
Hazy guitars open “One Lovely Morning”, yet the track is quickly picked up by pop-esque upbeat vocals. Beach for Tiger highlight an array of dreamy production elements while keeping the vocals and guitars at the core. The track effortlessly flows forward, with the vocals serving as a guiding force. The track winds back down before quickly coming back to its upbeat flow. With tones like Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, “One Lovely Morning” is great for listeners looking for a journey of a song.
The Shrubs - “Sometimes We Forget”
Giving us a glimpse into their new EP with their latest track “Sometimes We Forget”, The Shrubs bring a sweet edge to their minimalistic approach. “Sometimes We Forget” allows allows the listener to tap into each instrumental elements, only to quickly get lost in the whimsical vocals of the track. Their third release via Blossom Records, The Shrubs bring a modern twist to psychedelic music. The brother duo continue to bring different elements into their sound, always building upon their foundation. Get lost into “Sometimes We Forget” and explore of The Shrubs’ music.
