Summer has been a roller coaster, to say the least. Or maybe that's my whole life? Music has been a major way for me to escape midday or midnight boredom while staying home. Thank God for this summer's new music rolling in, or else I would still be listening to Halsey and G-Eazy. (RIP). Here are the songs I dance to at 2am alone in my bedroom, or belt out at 3pm when I've just woken up.
MIAMI - KALI UCHIS ft BIA
If crushed maroon velvet next to a fireplace in a winter storm could be a person, it would be Kali Uchis and her newest album, Isolation. Kali couldn't care less what you think of her, she's moving at the speed of light & making herself a living in Miami. If she's not there, she's in her dreams, where "there's not a worry or care, except to pick what to wear." She showcases some of my favorite lyrics in Miami that gives me a warm feeling of utter appreciation for a good song. Kali Uchis could make a deadbeat sound like a young CEO with her confidence. We could all use her advice and attitude in troubling times, "Live fast & never die / I'm moving at the speed of light / I'lll take your money / Raise the price."
NO CHOIR - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
This song runs upstream from my normal style. It sounds raw, simple, yet effective. Almost ethereal. Florence sings about happiness in a different light, how it's hard to write about simply being happy. You fight for so long to get to a certain point in your life, then you get there. What now? Happiness is quiet, and fleeting. How do you find balance in this crazy whirlwind of life? Florence explores the concept beautifully.
JUMPSUIT - TWENTY ONE PILOTS
When I heard rumors circling that Twenty One Pilots were coming back from their hiatus, I didn't know what to expect. I was expecting a new sound, but I didn't know what it was going to be. I expected to be disappointed, it's been a while since I was a fan of them. Jumpsuit brought me back from the dormant. It has a heavy rock/synth sound which serves the hard attitude of the song correctly. Tyler Joseph covers his bases with talking about the pressures of a new territory, he doesn't feel safe. The instrumentals are the strong suit, with the lyrics being a little bit repetitive.
GOD IS A WOMAN - ARIANA GRANDE
Look, Ariana Grande's new era is really growing on me. All her tracks have given me a sense of hope and empowerment, Her beats are heavy and a sweet contrast to her beautiful voice. It's almost like silk. It's unbelievable. No matter what life throws at her, Ariana keeps on doing what she's doing. "When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing." She's as unbothered as Kali Uchis. You can see the pattern I'm trying to set up for myself. After she's done, Ariana will have you believing that God is a woman.
TEENAGE FANTASY - JORJA SMITH
Jorja Smith gives me 2000's slow R&B vibes with her 2018 album, Lost & Found. Teenage Fantasy is about exactly what you think it's about. Jorja's in love with someone, but society has made her think that teenage love isn't real. She can't stand how this boy is treating her, when she fell for him hard. She's not the only one who's ever felt this way. She bores the girls with her wandering thoughts on the boy, and ignores the warnings from her brothers, mother, and father. She's in love, blindly. "We all want a teenage fantasy / Want it when we can't have it / When we got it we don't seem to want it."
These are just the highlights of my summer playlists, but you can see the whole jam session on Spotify @thompsker. Listen more, worry less. It's Summer!
MIAMI - KALI UCHIS ft BIA
If crushed maroon velvet next to a fireplace in a winter storm could be a person, it would be Kali Uchis and her newest album, Isolation. Kali couldn't care less what you think of her, she's moving at the speed of light & making herself a living in Miami. If she's not there, she's in her dreams, where "there's not a worry or care, except to pick what to wear." She showcases some of my favorite lyrics in Miami that gives me a warm feeling of utter appreciation for a good song. Kali Uchis could make a deadbeat sound like a young CEO with her confidence. We could all use her advice and attitude in troubling times, "Live fast & never die / I'm moving at the speed of light / I'lll take your money / Raise the price."
NO CHOIR - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
This song runs upstream from my normal style. It sounds raw, simple, yet effective. Almost ethereal. Florence sings about happiness in a different light, how it's hard to write about simply being happy. You fight for so long to get to a certain point in your life, then you get there. What now? Happiness is quiet, and fleeting. How do you find balance in this crazy whirlwind of life? Florence explores the concept beautifully.
JUMPSUIT - TWENTY ONE PILOTS
When I heard rumors circling that Twenty One Pilots were coming back from their hiatus, I didn't know what to expect. I was expecting a new sound, but I didn't know what it was going to be. I expected to be disappointed, it's been a while since I was a fan of them. Jumpsuit brought me back from the dormant. It has a heavy rock/synth sound which serves the hard attitude of the song correctly. Tyler Joseph covers his bases with talking about the pressures of a new territory, he doesn't feel safe. The instrumentals are the strong suit, with the lyrics being a little bit repetitive.
GOD IS A WOMAN - ARIANA GRANDE
Look, Ariana Grande's new era is really growing on me. All her tracks have given me a sense of hope and empowerment, Her beats are heavy and a sweet contrast to her beautiful voice. It's almost like silk. It's unbelievable. No matter what life throws at her, Ariana keeps on doing what she's doing. "When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing." She's as unbothered as Kali Uchis. You can see the pattern I'm trying to set up for myself. After she's done, Ariana will have you believing that God is a woman.
TEENAGE FANTASY - JORJA SMITH
Jorja Smith gives me 2000's slow R&B vibes with her 2018 album, Lost & Found. Teenage Fantasy is about exactly what you think it's about. Jorja's in love with someone, but society has made her think that teenage love isn't real. She can't stand how this boy is treating her, when she fell for him hard. She's not the only one who's ever felt this way. She bores the girls with her wandering thoughts on the boy, and ignores the warnings from her brothers, mother, and father. She's in love, blindly. "We all want a teenage fantasy / Want it when we can't have it / When we got it we don't seem to want it."
These are just the highlights of my summer playlists, but you can see the whole jam session on Spotify @thompsker. Listen more, worry less. It's Summer!