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flowerboycaleb · 1 month

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there were some really exciting new singles that came out this month, but also a few that left a bad taste in my mouth! 2024 is still shaping up to be an amazing year for music tho. some great projects coming over the next few months and i can't wait to dive into them. anyway, here are my thoughts on some of the notable singles & songs from this month!! to check out my thoughts on some of the albums, EPs, and mixtapes that came out this month click here!!! also feel free to follow me on rate your music and twitter <3

"Prologue" - Kamasi Washington

◇ featured on Fearless Movement - Kamasi Washington (not yet released) ◇ genres: spiritual jazz, jazz fusion

Saxophonist Kamasi Washington, undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures in modern jazz, has a new album coming out in a few months. This isn't technically the lead single as "The Garden Path" is on the record and that track was released years ago, but "Prologue" is the single released alongside the announcement of the new record. This is an immersive and frenetic jazz fusion cut that just goes crazy. Washington's saxophone is obviously a highlight, but THOSE DRUMS! Really great stuff all around. Super excited for the new album after hearing this, even more so after looking at some of the guests on the record. George Clinton, André 3000, and Thundercat? I'm all in.

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"Wild God" - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

◇ featured on Wild God - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (not yet released) ◇ genres: art rock, chamber pop

A few weeks after I finished The Bad Seeds discography, they went and released the lead single to their first album of the 2020s. Their last three records have been some of their strongest. From Push the Sky Away to Ghosteen, they've just been on a great run. From the sounds of "Wild God," Wild God could probably continue that hot streak. It leans into the chamber music-y aspects of their last few albums, but a lot more rock oriented rather than the heavy electronic elements of Ghosteen. It has Nick Cave's trademarks, but it's always a treat to hear them. I was sort of on the fence about this track until the "Bring your spirit down" part towards the middle. Kicked right into the next gear that I needed it to go. Can't wait for this one.

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"One Night Stand" - Adeem the Artist

◇ featured on Anniversary - Adeem the Artist (not yet released) ◇ genres: americana, progressive country

I've been on the Adeem the Artist train ever since I heard Cast-Iron Pansexual back in 2021. Ever since then, I've always kept them on my radar so I can hear whatever they do next. This new single, and the lead to their upcoming album Anniversary, is just great. I love how they never shy away from embracing the country music sound. This sounds like a country music radio hit from years gone by, but with a queer spin to it. Finally a bittersweet country anthem that I don't feel ashamed to sing along to! Really loving this track and I hope the album is just as good!

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"symptom of life" - WILLOW

◇ genres: indie rock, art rock

WILLOW has made so many really good songs. "symptom of life" is definitely one of them, but I've been burned so many times. She'll make a banger song and then the next thing she releases is a collab with like Yungblud or MGK. Then the full album those good singles lead up to is pretty disappointing. Maybe "symptom of life" will break that cycle! I'm all in on her art rock era and she really fits this sound well. The skittering piano throughout the verses juxtaposes her vocals in a really cool way. The chorus is good, but I wish it hit a bit harder than it does. All in all, this is really good and I hope her next project can tap into her full potential.

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"Alley Rose" - Conan Gray

◇ featured on Found Heaven - Conan Gray (not yet released) ◇ genres: post-britpop, piano rock

I haven't been crazy about Conan Gray's music over the years and while "Alley Rose" isn't terrible by any means, I just find it ... off-putting, for lack of a better word. Everything is just so overproduced and hardly any genuine emotion can emerge through that barrier. It also makes it difficult for me as a listener to connect with the song. Like I can hear Gray singing his damn heart out, but it just feels so plastic to me. It sort of sounds like an Elton John song, but not classic Elton, like ... recent Elton. That kind of grand music that just fails to portray anything earnest.

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"This Is Nowhere" - The Black Keys

◇ featured on Ohio Players - The Black Keys (not yet released) ◇ genres: pop rock

I was a pretty big fan of The Black Keys when I was in middle school and I have a lot of nostalgia for their early 2010s stuff, but they've been coasting for so long now. That sort of boring, too clean blues/garage rock that just gets so exhausting after a while. "This is Nowhere" has them shaking up the formula a bit, but it's very much an "in one ear and out the other" type song. It'll probably get some airplay on your local alternative station and then it'll be phased out in favor of their hits from a decade ago. I do like the subtle psychedelic flavor to this song though, I just wish it was more memorable on the whole.

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"Incognito" | "Saturnine" - Justice

◇ featured on Hyperdrama - Justice (not yet released) ◇ genres: french electro, synth funk

Justice have released two more singles in anticipation for their new record. They're both pretty good. "Incognito" is a pretty solid electro track and "Saturnine" adds some funk to the mix which shakes things up a bit in a cool way even if it can veer into computer commercial territory. For some reason though, I find myself not returning to these new singles of theirs all that often. Like they're good in the moment, but nothing really compels me to revisit them. These two singles are a bit weaker than the previous two overall as well. I'm still gonna give the record a shot though, I have a feeling it'll be a pretty fun listen. Hopefully these tracks stick with me more when that time comes.

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"sir princess bad bitch" - Yaya Bey

◇ featured on Ten Fold - Yaya Bey (not yet released) ◇ genres: dance-pop, alternative r&b

I don't really know much about Yaya Bey. I was just looking through some new releases and this single looked intriguing. "sir princess bad bitch" is a nice lowkey R&B cut delivered with a ton of confidence. She sounds so cool here. I do wish the song was a bit longer and shook things up a bit more, but I still had a good time with it. I'll keep her upcoming album on my radar for sure!

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"Looping" - RiTchie

🥇 BEST SONG OF THE MONTH

◇ featured on Triple Digits (112) - RiTchie (not yet released) ◇ genres: experimental hip hop, neo-soul, nu jazz

RiTchie is three-for-three with these new singles. The former Injury Reserve MC is gearing up for his debut solo record and it's shaping up to be an exciting one. "Looping" is quite different from the previous two singles. The playfulness is traded out in favor of something more meditative both lyrically and production wise. This atmospheric jazzy beat pairs with his passionate delivery wonderfully. I'm even more excited for the new album now. Excited to hear just how dynamic he can get. Could be one of the best records of the year for sure.

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"Classical" | "Mary Boone" - Vampire Weekend

◇ featured on Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend (not yet released) ◇ genres: indie rock, chamber pop, baroque pop

Vampire Weekend have released two new singles leading up to their new album coming next week and they have all been pretty great. "Classical" has this off-putting lushness to it. It sounds like a deconstructed version of something from their earlier albums. "Mary Boone" is a fuzzy, sparse ballad that eventually blooms into an almost baggy direction. Sort of reminded me a bit of something from George Clanton's last album, except a bit less immersive. I'm really loving these new singles and I'm super excited to hear the new record.

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"Cinderella" - Remi Wolf

◇ featured on Big Ideas - Remi Wolf (not yet released) ◇ genres: synth-funk, contemporary r&b

Remi Wolf has sort of passed me by over the last few years. I've been meaning to listen to her last record for a while now, but I just haven't gotten around to it. After hearing this new single, "Cinderella," I definitely need to go back and check it out before this new record drops. This is such a jam. If this is what she's been cooking up all this time, I've really missed out.

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"Like That" - Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar

◇ featured on WE DON'T TRUST YOU - Future & Metro Boomin ◇ genres: indie rock, chamber pop

I decided not to write a full review of this new Future and Metro Boomin' record because I don't have too much to say about it. It's got some good stuff, but it's a little bloated. This song definitely stood out though. The beat is pretty basic, but effective. Future holds his own in his verses, but the real highlight is Kendrick Lamar's guest verse. He's just so good, everyone knows that by this point, but it's still so true.

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"The von dutch remix with addison rae and a.g. cook" - Charli XCX

◇ genres: electropop, bubblegum bass

A few weeks after Charli XCX released her middling house cut "Von dutch," the remix featuring Addison Rae and A.G. Cook is here. Call me crazy, but I think this might be the superior version. A.G. Cook's production here really kicks it into that wild next gear that I wished the original did. Charli's performance stands out a lot more here too, as does Rae's. This still isn't one of my favorite Charli tracks, but this is a definite improvement.

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"How We See the Light" - John Cale

◇ featured on POPtical Illusion - John Cale (not yet released) ◇ genre: art pop

I'm still kinda new to the world of John Cale's solo music. I only just listened to Paris 1919 and Fear for the first time, but I loved them both. He has a new record out this June and this lead single is pretty decent. Cale still has an ear for interesting melodies and sounds. The more I revisit this one the more I enjoy it. It's nice to hear an artist of like Cale still experimenting and playing around. Definitely gonna check out this record when it drops.

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"World on a String" - Jessica Pratt

◇ featured on Here in the Pitch - Jessica Pratt (not yet released) ◇ genres: singer-songwriter, folk pop

Another really good single from Jessica Pratt leading up to her next album. This one sounds a bit more like what you would expect from her, but the formula is far from broken. Few are making folk music as dreamy as Pratt. Many of Pratt's songs sound like what ripples in a small pond look like, "World on a String" is one of them. Looking forward to Here in the Pitch for sure. It could very well be one of her strongest albums to date!

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"The Seasons Reverse (Live)" - Gastr Del Sol

◇ featured on We Have Dozens of Titles - Gastr Del Sol (not yet released) ◇ genres: post-rock, ambient pop

Jim O'Rourke and David Grubbs long dormant post rock group Gastr Del Sol are returning with a new compilation of unearthed material soon. Admittedly, I haven't listened to much of their work, but I'm a huge fan of Jim's so I decided to check this out. This is a nice instrumental piece with an interesting arrangement. O'Rourke's guitar is accompanied by these sometimes harsh, sometimes gentle synths. Hard to recommend this for everyone, but if you're a fan, this is probably really cool.

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"I LUV IT" - Camila Cabello

◇ genres: jersey drill, baltimore club, electropop

This is a mess. It’s a mish-mash of sounds that Camila Cabello just doesn’t have the sauce to pull off well at all. Also the lyrics are trying way too hard to be tongue-in-cheek and it falls so flat. When that snippet of the track was getting some attention on Twitter, I assumed it had to be a bit. No, that annoying “i love it, i love it, i love it, i love it” is the chorus. Carti’s guest verse isn’t good either. Just an impressively bad song! Like all of the pieces of the puzzle are there, but they're jammed together in such a way that the entire thing is a jumbled-up mess.

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"Take Me to the River" - Lorde

◇ featured on Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense (not yet released) ◇ genres: new wave, pop rock

The singles leading up to the A24 Talking Heads tribute album have been underwhelming for the most part, but I was really looking forward to this one. Lorde’s take on the Talking Heads cover of the Al Green song “Take Me to the River” is alright. This kind of production is new territory for her, but she holds her own pretty well. There’s nothing remarkable about the track and it pales in comparison to both the original and the cover it’s covering, but not bad at all.

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"Next Semester" - twenty one pilots

◇ featured on Clancy - twenty one pilots (not yet released) ◇ genres: post-punk revival, indie rock, pop rock

I wasn't crazy about the last single twenty one pilots dropped, but this is definitely a step-up. Does that make this song amazing? Not really. I feel like I'm grading on a curve. This is one of the best twenty one pilots songs for sure! I don't know if it stands out beyond that distinction though. Some of the verses are a bit awkward and not in the good, nervous energy kind of way. However, the instrumentation has some good moments, namely Josh Dun's drumming. This song is alright. I see a lot of people hyping up this new record and I'm hoping I can hop on that bandwagon, but I'm just not fully clicking with these songs.

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"Flea" - St. Vincent

◇ featured on All Born Screaming - St. Vincent (not yet released) ◇ genres: alternative rock

Another really good single from St. Vincent! A lot less industrial than the last cut, but it's still dark and noisy. There's some really cool production moments here. I love the multi-layered vocals on the "Once I'm in, you can't get rid of me" part. The chorus is explosive too. The rhythm section, consisting of Dave Grohl on drums and Justin Meldal-Johnsen on bass, are also killing it. Giving this song this sort of prickly groove. Definitely looking forward to hearing whatever she has in store next, these singles rock.

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