Sometimes you listen to new songs back to back, other times you pick a few and let them stew. Some of my recent favourites have been out for some time now, while some are fresh from the kitchen. Either way, Listen 2021 is growing into a fairly eclectic but not too far fetched mix of songs. It is ultimately a collection of my pure unadulterated favourites from here there and everywhere – whether that be the new and upcoming with fresh and exciting hits, or the well established with straight up undeniable bangers. Essentially, it’s a little bit of me and that means almost anything goes.
Another week, another lot of new singles that I just can’t get enough of. New albums from Goat Girl and Arlo Parks are personally a highlight – to the point I nearly considered featuring them both in full on the playlist. Maybe some favourite album tracks will find their way on there in the near future, alas for now it is all about the new singles. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
I feel like a broken record, constantly going on about how I want to listen to more new music – but I really am hoping that this year I make a dent in this goal. Lately my focus has been on checking out all the new albums, but what I’ve really failed on is making the most of all the new singles out there. After all, where would any album be without their hit singles? Can you see where this is going?
Going To Hell is the debut solo LP from Muncie Girls’ Lande Hekt, offering something a little more personal in prose that is both poetic and to the point. This album sees Hekt open up about her journey of coming out and embracing her truth within heteronormative culture.
As always, I entered this year determined to listen to as many albums as I could find, yet even with national lockdowns and furlough galore, I didn’t quite live up to my expectations. That said, there are a handful of albums that I have either enjoyed for a great portion of 2020 or returned to throughout. If we are talking objectively here, they are not necessarily the BEST releases, but they are my own personal favourites. So, in fact in a way, they ARE the best. But you know what I’m getting at here – never wanting to rate albums as good or bad, these are simply a list of albums that I myself have enjoyed a lot this year.
Yore is the latest project by East-London based musician and producer, Callum Brown. No stranger to the music and art scene, Brown uses his connections to produce a collaborative album to debut Yore – a new venture for experimentation after working with the likes of Mint Field and Ulrika Spacek. The self-titled debut is an utterly seamless and dreamlike variety of tracks – a treat for the ears that simultaneously soothes the soul.
Yore is the latest project from East London music creative Callum Brown. Having previously worked with the likes of Mint Field and Ulrika Spacek, Yore is an opportunity for Brown to experiment further. Nevertheless, the upcoming album shows that this is by no means a solo affair. The self-titled debut, set for release on 4th December, succeeds wonderfully in its bid to celebrate indie collaboration. From Dream Wife’s Rakel Mjöll, to White Flowers’ Katie Drew, this is certainly something I could not resist listening to over and over, so it only felt right to get some more insight on it all from Callum himself:
Emotive, personal and downright magnificent are just a few words that you could use to describe the latest offering from The Last Dinosaur. Wholeness is the third album from Jamie Cameron under this moniker; an incredibly immersive piece of art, and a real testament to the power of his musical creativity. With some work on this release having been started in 2012, it is by all means a long time coming, but something about that makes each note sound more refined. Every little bit counts towards something important, each element standing out in a different way with every listen.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks to a new season, or changes in the weather as inspiration to get a new playlist in the works. As October begins, it is time for music to match the rain outside your window and the chill at the tip of your nose. Perhaps something a little on the acoustic folk side, but really anything fit for sipping a hot beverage of some sort, be it the most decadent hot chocolate or a cheeky little tipple to warm those rosy cheeks. In short, a playlist that is overall soothing, but not without the odd bit of oomph and power to kick the fire up inside on those grey days. Or you know, whatever tickles your fancy – who said anything about rules?
Dripping in synth and electro pop vibes, new artist Buggie’s first solo venture, Fool Potential is every little bit bubblegum pop on the surface, but not without strong messages of society. This is an album bound to tick a few boxes for fans of Grimes and Robyn, while also offering the individual flavour of Buggie’s sound.
SAMANTHA MAE 