WILTRN 03

What I’m Listening To Right Now 03

We’ve got nine of them this time,

enjoy! 🫶🏾

– reminder! you can tap the covers and listen on Spotify (or whatever platform it’s available)

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Very special and so cozy. I’m still honestly pretty new to Joni Mitchell’s discography but really dig what i’ve seen a lot reviewers refer to as the ‘Joni-jazz’ sound established on this album. Everything here, from the writing to the soundscape, is so uniquely simple but also grand and sonically ambiguous. Like, is it Country? is it Folk? Jazz? Rock? Does any of that really matter? It all feels and sounds so good so I honestly don’t care.

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Refreshing and Energizing. This is Pa Salieu’s return to music after serving 21-months in UK jail for involvement in a Coventry pub brawl 4 years before his 2022 sentencing.¹ He wastes no time addressing the controversy and speaks on material issues while expanding on what he’s learned and observed while away. It’s enjoyable, compelling and I genuinely believe a sound that rap needs right now. Calling out the bullshit but still embracing the abundance of what is possible.

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I knew this was gonna be a good one once he started mixing in “YaTOO” by Len around 11:04.² Such a vibe.

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A maybe not so hidden gem but one of my personal favs to come back to almost every winter. Everything about Res’ sound and writing is so special and raw. Her recent re-recording, How I Do (RESET) is also well worth your time and the modern take on her distinct blended sound. Honestly, Res walked so artists like WILLOW could speed skate. “They-Say Vision” specifically reminds me a lot of the Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood OP3 intro “Golden Time Lover” by Sukima Switch. ³ I even remember watching FMAB for the first time during Christmas break in middle school so it all just ties together so nice this time of year.

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I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz about this one and was really impressed. One of my favorite Trap albums from 2019 was So Much Fun by YoungThug. This is doing a lot for me now that Thug did for me back then. So many of his influences are on here but then tailored to SahBabii’s style. It’s all pretty undeniable. Like, ” ^♫ Explore the hood baby Dora?? ^♫ ” pleaseee… I feel like it also aligns with the current underground hip-hop sound in a lot of ways. Lots of fun to be had here.

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At 8 songs and 34 minutes, it’s a short and sweet classic from a pop vocal icon and produced by funk legend Nile Rodgers. I’m sure most are familiar with the singles “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out” but honestly every song on here is a hit. The guitar and key playing at the end of “My Old Piano” has been stuck in my head for weeks now. Go Listen!

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Especially with long awaited debuts like this, I always have a hard time having no expectations. This one took some several close listens in order to appreciate the project more.

As a whole, FLO adds so much newness to the ‘girl group’ pantheon, but they also manage to pay homage and deep respects to it’s history. They’ve always understood the assignment by being about the vocals first and foremost. ⁴On triple A, they continue delivering awesome vocal harmonies and layering while being supported by a super stacked production team. The results are very polished and every sounds virtually squeaky clean. Each song also offers Stella, Renée and Jorja an opportunity to stand out in their own distinct ways. Personally, I also like how they double down on more darker and dynamic sounds with songs like “I’m Just a Girl” and “Nocturnal” (especially that Bree Runway remix on Unlocked )! We’re extremely lucky to have such a consistent force like FLO carrying on this tradition today.

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This one is SICK! Repping Nairobi, Kenya and the current African death metal scene, he describes his upfront and aggressive sound also as cathartic and uplifting. As he puts it, while “some of the most medicinal plants look hardcore [and] have spikes and a lot of thorns, they’re very medicinal in quality, so it kind of translates in my music…. Very transcendant and inclusive”.⁵ This album, he says, is dedicated to his great-grandma, Muthoni Kirima, the only female Field Marshal fighting on behalf of the Mau-Mau and liberation of Kenya from British-colonial rule.

It’s all very deconstructed and intercontinental. I also appreciate where it manages to have some rapping moments on songs like “Diangili” and “33rd Degree Access.” Reminds me a lot of Rage Against the Machine.

This guy pushes. Highly encourage to get into it.

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Very angsty and nostalgic. It blends pop, electronic and rock features in a really accessible and striking way. Love the targeted writing. Love the little drops between heavy drum breaks. Love the haunting Linkin Park-esk singing style. Poppy really delivers on the performance, guttural screams and all. Really cool what her and Jordan Fish achieved on here.

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1. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/dec/02/british-rapper-pa-salieu-sentenced-to-33-months-in-jail ↩︎
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGdyCgJBk-0 ↩︎
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iAF8TJAqp4 ↩︎
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7xmqFBuK9k ↩︎
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6s1BDX9xMw ↩︎