Friday’s most urgent and new streaming cuts.
Josh Tillman, most recognized as Father John Misty onstage, released his completed version of the whimsical track “Real Love Baby” this week.
Tillman left his signature satire out of the lyrics for the release, serenading our hearts with a surprisingly earnest chorus. The harmonic instrumentals round it out, creating a dreamy new tune.
https://twitter.com/fatherjohnmisty/status/758017708067659776
“Real Love Baby” was recorded with the Budos Band’s Thomas Brenneck and was first teased on SoundCloud in May. It has since been tweaked and re-mastered to bring us a new hit for summer love.
Mac Miller and Anderson Paak
Mac Miller announced his new album The Divine Feminine this week, sharing his new single “Dang!” featuring the emerging dude Anderson Paak.
The smooth jam was debuted on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 show, and tells a story relating to the struggles of complicated love. The addicting song features funky beats and brass instruments—you’ll want to get out of your chair.
https://twitter.com/MacMiller/status/758762744812232705
“Me and Anderson we were talking about doing something and to be honest he sent me that,” Miller explained to Lowe about the collaboration. “I told him to send me some ideas and that was one of them and I was like ‘Yo, this is it.’”
The Divine Feminine will be his fourth full-length album—slated to hit the shelves Sept. 16—and will feature the likes of Kendrick Lamar, CeeLo, and Robert Glasper.
Jenny Hval
The Norwegian singer-songwriter released “Conceptual Romance,” a mystical new song from her upcoming album Blood Bitch. The witch-like nature of the track instantly grabs your attention with rhythmic pulses and chord changes—it’s an awfully eerie love song.
https://twitter.com/jennyhval/status/757926766270971908
Hval’s music explores philosophy, sexuality, and romance. “Conceptual Romance” talks about abstract romanticism and the feelings of losing one’s self in failure.
Zhu
The enigmatic songwriter and producer, Steven Zhu, shared his new single “Hometown Girl” on Monday from his first LP Generationwhy (out today).
The track is on the lighter side with groovy beats and melodic leanings It’s different than his usual style of thick bass and piercing, high-octave synth.
https://t.co/kR7DQdSvHb pic.twitter.com/GetEvdyRjF
— ZHU® (@ZHUmusic) July 25, 2016
Zhu’s banger, “Faded,” scored a Grammy nomination for best dance recording, and the innovative beatsmith has collaborated with artists like Skrillex, A-Track, and Gallant.
Glass Animals
Glass Animals shared “Youth,” the second track from their upcoming sophomore album How To Be A Human Being (out Aug. 26). The release comes paired with a retro, slick music video.
The band dropped “Life Itself,” in June, illustrating a story about a little boy in the music video. “Youth” picks up where it left off, with frontman Dave Bayley’s breathy vocals weaving through the floating track.
“Someone told me a story about her son once that was one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard. ” Bayley says in a statement. “What she said was completely heartbreaking, but she told it with such optimism and such a sense of calm. She was on the verge of crying, but she was also smiling and something in her face said that she had found a way to be happy again. This song is trying to get at that sentiment.”
Total Slacker
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Total Slacker does dream pop right with “Olympus Hills,” from imminent album Parallels. Somewhere between DIIV and the Smiths, this is all monotone vocals and shoegaze revivalism.
In a statement, lead singer Tucker Rountree says the new track is about “believing in something, and believing in yourself to overcome adversity.”
