Play/Listed Weekly for Aug 28, 2020
I’m starting a new project! For the moment, I’m practicing sharing a few new songs and an album or two every week that have stood out to me from my New Music Friday listens. I’ll be adding the songs to an updated monthly playlist, with the newest (freshest) tracks on the top. For those who are not on Spotify, I’ve added YouTube links to all the song titles.
If you follow me on instagram, a few of these songs will not be any surprise, as Wednesday was a big day for collaboration releases for some reason. Also, never hesitate to let me know if you know someone is releasing music that I should have my ear on! I’m always down for suggestions!
Here are my highlights from today’s New Music Friday:
Fight the Power: Remix 2020 - Public Enemy, Nas, Rapsody, YG, Black Thought, Jahi, & Questlove
Fight the Power has already been on regular rotation in my house this 2020, but I’m a big fan of this remix with fresh verses from YG, Black Thought, Jahi, and most of all, Rapsody. But don’t worry, Chuck D is still there to call out Elvis’s racist ass in the final verse.
Woman - Nao & Lianne La Havas
I love that these two women with very distinct voices are together here. Also they’ve made this cute video to go along with the track.
Birthday - Disclosure featuring Kehlani & Syd
I feel so predictable, because yes, of course I’m excited about this duet between 2 of my favourite queer women in music. But I promise, this song is better than even I hoped for. Kehlani’s verse is particularly perfect.
Temptation - Tiwa Savage featuring Sam Smith
If you like “Temptation,” definitely check out the rest of Tiwa Savage’s new album, Celia. Her sound is so infectious, and if it wasn’t for 2 other albums I’m slightly more excited about, I would be writing about it below.
Better Than I Imagined - Robert Glasper, H.E.R., & Meshell Ndegeocello
What a well-named song! Because whatever you might imagine from these three brilliant and soulful artists, this track is better than that. Glasper’s piano reminds me a lot of his collab with Jill Scott on “Calls,” which is one of my other highlights of his work.
Lost One - Jazmine Sullivan
“Lost One” didn’t show up in my recommendations anywhere, but then I went to Twitter and saw a bunch of Jazmine stans freaking out about this beautiful and emotionally raw track. So glad I didn’t miss out on this.
Quick reminder: I do link to the albums on Spotify through the album covers, so if you want to have a listen now, just click the image above.
When I first read about this album, I didn’t know it was from an artist I was already familiar with. Aluna endeared herself to me as the voice half of pop/EDM duo AlunaGeorge, and Renaissance is her first solo collection. And it’s really, really good. Right from the opening line of “I’ve Been Starting to Love All the Things I Hate" I was hooked. Aluna’s voice is so crisp, and she is working with a whole host of producers on this album that doesn’t make me miss George at all.
A few of my other highlights are “The Recipe” with Rema and Kaytranada, “Envious” (which reminds me the most of her earlier tracks, and has a video), the club bop, “Body Pump,” and the more subdued “Pressure”. But honestly, as I tried to pick a few songs, the temptation was to write out every one. Hence the album feature here.
Nobody in the world sounds like Toni Braxton. Still, I was fully intending to pass this album by and just feature “Gotta Move On,” a ballad featuring a screaming guitar solo from H.E.R., on my playlist above. Instead I discovered that Spell My Name is a compact, well edited little album that has literally every thing I love about Toni.
There’s the vulnerable lyrics that feature her sultry vocals, full of emotion, like in “Happy Without Me,” and the big dance vibes of “Dance” and the title track, “Spell My Name”. There’s even a collaboration with Missy Elliott on “Do It,” which is taking me directly back to high school, but in a good way.
On another note, we need to acknowledge that this woman is 53 years old and has been through the ringer in the last 20 years, but she looks and sounds just as perfect as always.
This was a big week for albums, so I feel the need to add a few more in case you’re looking for something a little different. Consider these my honourable mentions:
000 Channel Black from _by.ALEXANDER (aka Alex da Kid) for something jazzy.
Celia from Nigerian/UK artist Tiwa Savage.
Skip Marley’s EP, Higher Place, with features from H.E.R., Ari Lennox, & uncle Damian Marley.
The rest of the new Disclosure album, Energy. (Full disclosure: I just didn’t have the energy to listen to this level of dance music late last night. All the puns intended.)