Every Friday, Atwood Magazine’s staff share what they’ve been listening to that week – a song, an album, an artist – whatever’s been having an impact on them, in the moment. Here’s this week’s weekly roundup!
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:: Too Real – Giraffage ::
Alex Killian, Foster City, California
This week for me has been all about Giraffage’s new album Too Real. It’s a wildly versatile album with some really fun production choices. The tracks transition well into each other and all fit together beautifully without feeling repetitive. As his first album since Needs came out in 2013, Too Real also shows a significant amount of growth for Giraffage. He keeps his signature dreamy, indie electronic style, but adds plenty of exciting twists by dabbling in some unexpected subgenres. “Earth” in particular hits hard with the bass and some 80’s dark techno vibes that are surprising but not unwelcome. Plus, his R&B influenced sound isn’t completely gone but definitely not at the forefront here. Giraffage’s chip-tune phase also comes through with video game-esque sounds heard somewhere on almost every track. Overall, it’s just a well thought out and executed LP that feels really honest to who Giraffage is as an artist. Personally I’ve had “Green Tea,” “Slowly,” and “19 Hours” on lock, but I highly suggest you check the whole album out for yourself!
:: “Love You Like That” – Dagny ::
Kelly Wynne, Chicago
Thanks to my Atwood staff, this week I’ve been listening to Dagny’s “Love You Like That.” It’s such an energetic, upbeat song, and it’s been lifting my moods and giving me major motivation. The love song is a celebratory exclamation of the best heights of a serious relationship, but it’s not done in a cheesy way. It’s a mature pop song, with intricate production and addictingly simple lyrical patterns. From verse to chorus, it’s all catchy. There isn’t a part that sticks out as the best, but the chorus is bound to be stuck in your head for hours (and not in a bad way.) Trust me, that’s why it’s been my go-to all week.
:: Gone Now – Bleachers ::
Sara Santora, Tallahassee, Florida
I’ve been nonstop listening to Gone Now by Bleachers. There’s just something so wildly infectious and upbeat about it, and I’ve enjoyed allowing Jack Antonoff to take me on an auditory journey each morning and afternoon as I’ve traveled to and from work and school. There are so many bright spots to the album, but the part of the album that I find myself gravitating towards the most are within the album’s intro tracks, “Dream of Mickey Mantle,” “Goodmorning” and the theatrical transition that takes place in between. I love the repetition of the line, “woke up, I’m in the in between honey,” as different lyrics and sounds are layered on top. In “Dream of Mickey Mantle,” this line sounds as though it’s coming from a broken record somewhere in the distance, and as it fades out, we’re left with whistles and beat pads, as though we’re on a train. Funny enough, this train takes us to the next song, “Goodmorning,” the intro of this song being that same line. Jack Antonoff is a genius, and this album gets better and more complex with each listen.
:: Ye Vagabonds – Ye Vagabonds ::
Christine Costello, Limerick, Ireland
Plenty of interesting releases this week with Morrissey’s newest single from his upcoming album Low In High School proving just as mediocre as expected. Also featuring in this week of music is a fresh look at Franz Ferdinand in their surprise release, “Always Ascending.” Most importantly, this week, I’ve finally gotten around to listening to Ye Vagabonds’ eponymous debut. This well-overdue debut from the Irish folk-duo is an absolute dream; stunning harmonies intertwined with classic Irish folklore storytelling. It’s near impossible not to be sucked into a whole other world from the very first track as Ye Vagabonds immerse the listener in tales of love and woe. A debut worthy of its wait.
:: Currents – Tame Impala ::
Sydney Sweeney, San Diego, California
Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time to listen to anything new, but I’ve always had this habit of revisiting Tame Impala’s Currents at three times a week – it’s my favorite album ever (“The Less I Know The Better,” “Yes I’m Changing,” and “Let it Happen” have all transformed my life), and the recent announcement of the Currents collector’s edition box set has me stoked, especially because the included flexidisc has three b-sides. More than any other psych-synthpop loving individual on the planet, I’ve been praying for those LP leftovers; if I can’t get my hands on the vinyl, I hope that Kevin Parker decides to generously gift the entire world with the tracks by putting them on streaming platforms.
:: “New” – Daya ::
Kelly McCafferty, New Orleans
Daya’s new song and, to be more specific, her new music video for the song “New” breaks her out of the young teeny bopper image – all in a good way. The first time I heard the song I knew I liked it, but it was similar to some of her songs in the past, nothing groundbreaking. However, when I saw the music video I knew that from this point on – we will be seeing a new, grown-up version of Daya. But that’s not the point. The point is how visually stunning this music video is and how it does what I believe all music videos should do – bring the essence of the song to life. From Daya doing actual impressive contemporary dance routines to the soft color hues and wide screen shots, “New” is a music video I cannot stop watching.
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