After a LONG hiatus, I am finally back with a new playlist to inject some energy into these rapidly shortening days. These cloudy, rainy days lend themselves to melancholy energy and I am absolutely not here for it. To that end I’ve been curating this effervescent playlist to get myself through these morning commutes, and today I share it with you.
An eclectic mix of trap, house, garage, bounce, R&B and jazz, this autumnal playlist is sure to raise your energy levels and inspire a positive mood. With tracks from DJs including Sammy Virji, Conducta, Eliza Rose; R&B cult heroes like Bobby Caldwell and Marlena Shaw; and rappers from both sides of the pond, sit back and enjoy.
Keep an eye out for upcoming songs of the week and the resumption of the community playlist.
It’s been a while but it’s a new year and finally a new playlist. This iteration has a few of my most played tracks of the past few months from artists that I’ve featured on the blog before, as well as some new finds.
We start off highlighting some of my favourite producers in the scene right now with some bounce tracks from Kaytranada, LoVibe and Kaidi Tatham, as well as some more funk, dance and house infused tracks from Kaelin Ellis, Mild Minds and IAMNOBODI.
Some Zimbabwean funk makes a brief appearance before moving onto the most exquisite track of the whole playlist in Emile Mosseri’s “Infinite Love” from the soundtrack to the film ‘Kajillionaire’. R&B moment that has been the majority of my rotation the past few weeks. Tracks from up and comers Cruza and the reggae-inspired Yaya Bey are paired with some throwbacks including “Could It Be” by Tevin Campbell and last year’s renaissance of the Brent Faiyaz fronted group Sonder on “Make Me Stay”.
Finally we come to a more hip hop themed section with a pair of tracks from an artist who is creeping more and more into my rotation in Doechii, a hard hitting rap track from Texan rapper Wacotron, as well as tracks from personal favourites Kari Faux and Smino, Kojey Radical and Lava La Rue.
Check out the playlist below and make sure to keep adding to the Community Playlist, the winning track from its last version will be announced shortly! Keep an eye out for a series of new posts featuring some more themed playlists, so you’ll never be without that perfect playlist.
September is often a time of transition and with that in mind, I present a fresh update to the playlist for you to sink your teeth into. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone this month with tunes from Joey Badass, Lil Silva, Brent Faiyaz and Kenny Beats’ new projects, as well as some new UK trap from the likes of Blade Brown, K-Trap and new artist BlazeYL. I’ve also been obsessed with Piri and Tommy Villiers and their dance pop track “Words”. The playlist is then rounded out with some R&B hits by Sonder and Ogi, a golden oldie in “Slow Hot Wind” by Sergio Mendes and a hit by a Mykonos icon, Valeron.
Check out the playlist below and make sure to keep adding to the Community Playlist, the winning track will be announced in the coming weeks!
As summer wound down, Kenny Beats has blessed us with one last surprise before we start the descent into autumn. This was an unexpected drop with such little fanfare preceding its release, but Kenny Beats needs no introduction. With this debut solo album/beat tape, Kenny flexes his production chops and gives us listeners a deeper insight into his personal style, unencumbered by the demands of another artist. Whilst still including production and writing credits from a host of big names including Remi Wolf, Vince Staples, Cory Henry and more, LOUIE feels like Kenny Beats distilled and crafted into a more intimate experience compared to his production for others.
There is a clear contrast between his normally ostentatious style present on his albums for some of the most pre-eminent rappers such as Denzel Curry, SL and Rico Nasty, and the sample-based, soulful production seen on LOUIE. Whilst still incorporating some of the trap elements that dominate his discography, he focuses on a modernised boom-bap production style with the drums. Kenny squeezes out as many slick transitions and exquisite ornamentation over almost every track, and the 33 minute run time means nothing gets overdone or feels stale.
Curated for the mood to flow from a more upbeat, sunny energy at the start to slightly more mellow and melancholy towards the end culminating in “Hot Hand” which has the most intricate baseline and spoken word style rap. Inspired by Kenny’s father being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the wide emotional range of the album is palpable. The atmosphere is noticeably different from bright, effervescent tracks like “Hold My Head” and “Still” to the more subdued, minor “That Third Thing” and “Rotten”. The final track “Hot Hand” ends with a chaotic energy echoing the start of the project but with those minor elements still present, which might be an insight into Kenny’s headspace after hearing such devastating news.
With a more personal edge to this project, LOUIE gives listeners a fresh lens to view Kenny Beats. The announcement he produced IDLES’ most recent album seemed like an indication there was more in Kenny’s vault than straight up trap and this album does not disappoint. The inclusion of live instrumentation, some impressively chopped samples, especially on “So They Say” and “Drop 10”, and some funky melodies are a distinct step in a new direction that could point towards a more varied soundscape for his future collaborations.
This week’s track is an indie banger from one of the freshest all-female bands in the scene right now. Wet Leg brings some comedic, off-the-cuff lyrics and a nice structure on ‘Chaise Longue’, with the instruments all dropping out for the verses creating a really nice contrast for the riff that really picks the track up by the scruff of its neck. Alongside a very blasé, spoken word vocal delivery and some well timed ad-libs, the effect focuses on the core part of each section. Whilst the lyrics in the chorus could have been more developed, the intention is to focus on the music which by all accounts is the most ear-catching aspect of the track.
Check out the track below and remember to add to the Community Playlist to see your favourite track reviewed here!
Amplified Sound 