Music, music, music. We love it, we hate, it, but it’s the score to our lives whether we like it or not.
I’m here to tell you what’s new in the world of music lately. There’s been a lot going on, and it can be hard to cut through all the noise to find the tune you’ve been looking for. From out-of-this-world performances at the MTV Video Music Awards (I’m looking at you Sabrina Carpenter), student bands battling it out right here on campus, and Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s t tour hitting Toronto tomorrow night, September has been a musical maelstrom.
Let me guide you through a storm of some of my best and brightest picks, along with some lessons from the past.
Song: “Let’s Go Back,” Jungle
After reminding the world music videos are worth watching with their release of “Back on 74” in 2023, Jungle is back with another golden single that hopefully signals more music to come. After the massive success of their album Volcano last year, I wasn’t expecting them back so soon, but I’m certainly not complaining.
“Let’s Go Back,” is short and sweet, clocking in at exactly two minutes, but its brevity means not a second is wasted. It’s warm and smooth, with the layered vocals that I’ve come to associate with their sound. It’s comfortably confident, with the same soulful groove that makes me wish I was a better dancer.
Album: What’s Wrong With New York?, The Dare
The Dare is out to prove that his single “Girls” isn’t a fluke. Well, consider me convinced.
His debut album is upbeat madness—rock, electronic and overall, a little weird—but it works. It reminds me of 3OH13 and Metro Station circa 2008, injected with raunchy irony and cynicism that screams 2024. The Dare shines in all his over-the-top glory, cranking every track up to the maximum and holding it there.
The first song, “Open Up” makes no apologies for its boldness, and I respect its brash bravery. Track eight, “Elevation” provides an unexpected moment of emotive reflection, only for the listener to be hurled back into the fire for the last two songs. This album is one to listen to loudly.
Artist: Okay Kaya
Though Okay Kaya has been on the scene since 2016, her recent release titled Oh My God – That’s So Me reminded me how much I like her music. The Berlin based Norwegian-American artist just finished the Canada leg of her world tour last week.
I first noticed Okay Kaya back in 2020 with her album Watch This Liquid Pour Itself and have been a fan ever since. If you’ve never heard of her music, I urge you to go check out her melodic voice and kooky lyrics. Never failing to affect and entertain, my personal favorites in her discography include “Jazzercise,” “Mother Nature’s Bitch,” and her stunning cover of Cher’s “Believe.”
From the vault: Heaven or Las Vegas, Cocteau Twins
On this day in music history in 1990, the Scottish alt-rock band, Cocteau Twins, released their iconic album, Heaven or Las Vegas. Made up of Simon Raymonde, Robin Guthrie, and Elizabeth Fraser, the band’s release has stood the test of time. Sometimes I find myself blinded by their song of the same name, but this entire album is worth re-listening to. Do yourself a favor and listen to it in full today, 34 years after its initial release.
The album’s ethereal sound gives you that funny feeling in your chest, reminding you the seasons are changing already. If you see me sitting under a tree on campus staring into space listening to “Cherry-coloured Funk,” “Iceblink Luck,” and “Wolf in the Breast,” no you didn’t.
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