Week of July 25, 2021
Listening selections for the week of July 25, 2021, featuring the latest from Emma-Jean Thackray, Kutiman, Leon Bridges and more, best enjoyed with a cup of Variety Coffee’s Blendless Summer, for animated notes of sweet peach and cinnamon spice.
Streaming Links:
Highlights include:
The Chayla Hope Choice Find of the Week: lo-fi elevator soul from Cameron Lew’s musical alter ego Ginger Root
Coltrane-channeling dance floor jazz from Emma-Jean Thackray’s debut LP Yellow
A glistening, extended soul jam from Melbourne-based collective 30/70
One of Wayne Snow’s frosty, twinkling new electro-soul singles
A vulnerably distant new song from London-based Jordan Rakei
A two-song study in influence, featuring Animal Collective’s Beatles obsession and The Beatles’ most otherworldly tune
Nocturnal rhythmic twinkle from alt-Latinx act Dos Santos
The dark Tabla funk Kutiman alluded to in his conversation with The Eisenberg Review earlier this year
Breezy Latin pop from Rodrigo Amarante’s splendid new Drama
A psyched-out reissue of Leong Lau’s “One Dimensional Man” from Left Ear Records
In lieu of Donda, a high point from Kanye West's criminally underrated The Life of Pablo
A melancholic B-Side from Ethan P. Flynn’s 2020 rarities collection, sporting some aching, mournful horn fanfare
The latest in indie rock jangle from JW Francis’ forthcoming WANDERKID
One of Cream’s finer compositions that was a perennial fixture in my head this week
Zitronen and Ghost Funk Orchestra’s new Afro-beat romp of a single, out on Karma Chief Records
Inky new material from LA groove merchants Chicano Batman
Laid-back, rolling rock ‘n roll from Rudy De Anda and BARDO
The Orange Peels’ luscious blend of chamber pop and shoegaze
Weighty Brit pop from supergroup Piroshka, featuring members of Lush, Moose, Modern English and Elastica
The surreal songwriting talents of Anika
The second Chayla Hope Choice Find of the Week: an early career highlight from the mercurial Lykke Li
A sleek R&B jam that represents and interesting new evolution for Leon Bridges on his latest Gold-Diggers Sound
One of many blockbuster tunes that comprise Joel Culpepper’s year-best soul offering Sgt Culpepper
Ethereal indie pop from brothers Anton and Christoph Hochheim, formerly of The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
Fuzz-soaked indie rock from Penelope Isles, also comprised of siblings named Jack and Lily Wolter
Lightning Bug’s unique ability to conjure a dream-like musical haze