Fall is here and with it comes those cold morning cross-campus ventures to class. As you wait for those cooler temperatures to settle in, pull out your headphones and give this week’s edition of Push Play Monday a listen. It may not keep those summer temperatures around, but the heat on this list undeniable.
1) “Young Diana” by Stalking Gia feat. Deion Gill
Manhattan-based singer-songwriter Stalking Gia landed a songwriting deal with Warner/Chappell Music before launching her own recording career a little over a year ago. Her stage name was actually her username on World of Warcraft. She notes that her music style has recently been labeled indie pop, for lack of a better word. However, she takes that as a compliment to her unclassifiable sound, which she says is equally inspired by Lady Gaga and Kanye West.
2) “Headlights” by Meadowlark
This mellow-toned indie duo is home to British singer Kate McGill and songwriter Daniel Broadley. Not much else is known about the two. They have just embarked on their first tour through the United Kingdom. Give their newest single a listen.
3) “Kaleidoscope” by Fenech-Soler
Originally a four-piece electronic band from Northamptonshire, England, Fenech-Soler saw the loss of two of the founding members after they left the band earlier this year, a decade after forming the band. The name of the band is the surname of one of its departed members, but there are no known plans to rename. Even though the group has halved, the two remaining members have maintained that summer-laden sound they were first recognized for.
4) “beibs in the trap” by Travi$ Scott
Few remember the days when this “Antidote” rapper was a student at the University of Texas. He left to pursue his music, which he had been developing since he was 16 years old. He has since released lots of mixtapes under different names and two studio albums as Travi$ Scott. His newest project, Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight, is by far his greatest work yet. While this track comes from that album, the entire project is definitely worth a couple of plays.
5) “Slow” by Shallou feat. RKCB
This Chicagoan describes his career as “solemn dance songs for you from my bedroom.” Originally from the Washington, D.C., area, Shallou began producing in this area, eventually moving to New Orleans and settling in Chicago to develop his deeply textural music. He released his first EP, After, in 2015, and has been recognized by many music publications as one to watch — I could not agree more.
6) “Circles (Amelia)” by Hannah Epperson
New York-based singer Hannah Epperson’s website cites a vast musical education, “from learning Appalachian folk tunes by ear with a cowgirl in Utah” to “traveling through Scandinavia and Europe as an accompanist.” She also has a degree in human geography and in 2015, she represented Canada at the World Championships for Ultimate Frisbee. To call her life boring would be an insult.
7) “Concrete” by Melle Jutte feat. Pete Philly
This track belongs to Dutch producer Melle Jutte. He began his producing career under the name MelleBEATS many years ago, when he was first learning to compose music. Now, the 22-year-old plays venues all over the Netherlands and is hoping to bring his music to the U.S. soon.
8) “Open Up” by Leon Power
After a few recording sessions in New York with Chilean artist Nicolas Jaar, this downtempo artist returned to Glasgow, Scotland, to put the finishing touches on this track. Leon Power belongs to Majestic Casual’s new label, setting a precedent for the music soon to come from other signed artists.
9) “Bachelor” by Kevin Krauter
Kevin Krauter is both a member of indie band Hoops and a solo artist. Krauter’s first six-track EP, Magnolia, was recorded in Muncie, Indiana, as a student project in 2015. His music is influenced by the folk music of past decades and is a subtle nod to the likes of Sigur Ros.
Enjoy this week’s tracks. I’ll be back in seven days with a new set.