Play/Listed Weekly, Nov 27th
Welcome to another New Music Friday playlist & album shout outs! I should warn you, as we approach the end of the year my focus will move towards narrowing down my music of 2020, so I may or may not keep up with these weekly lists. But for now, I’m going strong with my favourite new releases of this week. Let’s goooo!
No Unga Bunga - James BKS featuring The New Breed Gang
Not only is this high energy track (from Cameroonian producer, James BKS) fun, it’s also a reflection on heritage in honour of his father, who passed away earlier this year.
LUCID - Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama has already potentially given me one of my albums of the year, and she keeps trying to outdo herself with songs from every imaginable genre. “Lucid” is some solidly queer and dance-worthy pop that gives me big Gaga vibes.
PAIN - King Princess
When KP releases new music, consider me very predictable.
Bone Alien - Kaili Kinnon
Okay, so Kaili Kinnon is a very new artist for me. So new in fact, that I listened to her (and this track) for the first time earlier today when a Toronto pal messaged me and said I needed to check this out. She was right, I did. Take a listen if you’re a fan of haunting, smokey vocals that make me think Kaili might be a secret lovechild of Annie Lennox and Grace Jones. Thanks, Deb.
Sin Permiso - Aria Vega
Former Idol Colombia semifinalist Aria Vega released a 2-song EP, and this is the first and best.
Runnin’ - UMI featuring Yeek
Leading up to her full EP release, UMI has been slowly dropping tracks one at a time, and this vibey R&B track perfectly mixes Yeek’s low, gravelly voice with UMI’s silky sound.
No Panic No Pain - Flohio
Flohio is yet another incredible and memorable South London rapper worth checking out, and her latest mixtape, No Panic No Pain is a genre-defiant rap record that shows off, above all else, Flohio’s impeccable and consistent flow.
Right from the jump, “FLOFLO!” wants to be sure you don’t forget her name by amping up the energy x10. It transitions via gunshot to the previously released “Unveiled,” which was originally going to be the titular song before the album’s name changed to reflect other lyrics from this track. It’s easy to understand why this was the lead single, as the song bounces ahead with a pulsing hook that matches the energy of the first track.
I’m pretty excited to get to know this album better, but for now, my other highlights are “With Ease,” which features a chorus sung by Kasian, and the penultimate track, “Medicine,” which I’ve added to the playlist this week.
You Knew It Was Me - SYML
I’m not sure I could have chosen two more different releases if I tried! SYML’s You Knew It Was Me has no lyrics, vocals, or even much instrumentation beyond a solo piano. The album is a short collection of emotionally moving pieces written and produced by Brian Fennell, one third of the Seattle trio “Barcelona.”
The songs blend together well, though their melodies do keep them distinct; after one listen, it’s hard to highlight much beyond the overall tone. That being said, if I had to choose, I would say that the second song, “In Between Breaths” is a stand-out that I could especially picture on a placement for tv or film. I guess that’s why these have been released with each song as a “chapter” on YouTube.
Running a grand total of 21 minutes, this record invites you to pour a glass of wine, settle in to a cozy spot and lose yourself in whatever memories the music brings you.