On Repeat

Song: Mine (September 2024)
Artist(s): Audrey Nuna
Producer(s): Anwar Sawyer, Miles, William Stravos

Why I Like It: Mine is the perfect melding of RnB, Hip Hop and Pop, and is quite hard not to like. The song starts with a dynamic vocal line from Nuna, which immediately pitches and slows down; this is sampled straight from Boy is Mine, which the song is influenced by. The glue of the glue of the track, the Hip Hop beat, sounds like the typical 3-2 beat, except that its 2-2 and therefore almost throws you off. This is also very similar to the beginning of CUUUUuute by Rosalia. We quickly shift to some (hyper)pop-esque vocals before diving into the chorus, (which features a mean violin in the last one). Finally we get a few seconds of Nuna's bread and butter -- rapping. Going forward she oscillates between these three genres vocally and production wise in a very tasteful way. 
Audrey Nuna is an New Jersey-born artist / rapper , who released her debut mixtape in a liquid breakfast in 2021 

Song: Follow You (August 2022)
Artist(s): Kornel Kovacs, Aluna
Producer(s): Kornel Kovacs

Why I Like It: Follow You has an intricate simpleness to its production and lyricism that makes it easy to fall under its arrest. The track begins with some muted but high velocity synth keys before being joined by a 90s-esque drum pattern and Aluna's vocals. The binary output of the keys eventual break to align with Aluna's melody. After a slight pause, the song continues with a faint but consistent horn in the background. It isn't until little later that you realize the chorus has come and gone. Minuet changes in the synth parameters and vocal delivery featured during this section become clearer as the choruses return throughout the song. Towards the end we hear repeated lyrics as the synth and drums play around the words, until we are slowly lulled out of the track.

Kornel Kovacs is a Swedish house producer; Aluna is a British producer / artist formerly part of the duo AlunaGeorge

Song: Loaded (November 2022)
Artist(s): Tiwa Savage, Asake
Producer(s): Magicsticks

Why I Like It: Loaded is one of those addicting tracks because of how easily it flows between different modes. In the first four seconds we hear violins playing in harmony by themselves. This helps build a slight suspense as we wait to see what comes next. We are very suddenly plunged into Asake's vocals, amapiano drums, and a shaker-like instrument hitting every eighth note.; together the create a cunning-like atmosphere. The reverb on the vocals gives the whole track space for something more. The bass guitar enters in the following pre-chorus which settles the song. But we return to that same sly energy during the chorus when the drum patter switches and the bass falls off. Tiwa Savage also shifts through various moods in her verse, making you want to rewind again to hear it all!

Tiwa Savage and Asake are  both Nigerian artists who reached global audiences and critical claim for their music

Song: drip bounce_7_24_18 (October 2019)
Artist(s): Toro y Moi
Producer(s): Toro y Moi

Why I Like It: drip bounce 7_24_18 is the ultimate vibe song from Toro y Moi, who specialize in creating just that. The songs starts out with with an unassuming electric guitar lick, with simple drums in the background. The busy hi-hats combine with the initial vocals,  that settles us in the moment. The verse soon starts, which is accompanied by weightless lyrics -- the content and delivery matches the laid back, semi-introspective atmosphere of the track. The vocal production is very minimal as well, allowing us to clearly hear his voice  in an up close and intimate way. As the lyrics end, the rest of the song continues to wash over the listener. Like a meditation, it takes us to a different place of our choosing -- until the song abruptly stops, leaving you wanting more.

Toro y Moi is a Black-Filipino producer with heavy influence in the pop and electronic scenes. He has released seven albums

Song: Suzuki Dreams (March 2020)
Artist(s): Honey Harper
Producer(s): William Fussell, Katie O'Neil, Alex Bietzke

Why I Like It: Suzuki Dreams is an emotional cinematic masterpiece that sounds like the score to that one pivotal movie scene which gets you every time. The beginning of the song showcases a beautiful string and flute arrangement, which comes to a head right before Harper's vocals enter for the first verse. His voice, country and drawn out, emits a desperate yearning. This is amplified by the sonic isolation that takes place, as the vocals are initially just paired with a single bass. His words are soon met with various strings which makes the song sound fuller. Both almost float right into the chorus. The following sections are largely the same, except the end of the second chorus ends on a high note -- an extremely satisfactory way to end the track. 

Honey Harper is a country artist, with two albums releases: Starmaker (2020) and Honey Harper & the Infinite Sky (2022)

Song: The Sound of Disco (June 2023)
Artist(s): Suite Simone
Producer(s): Rebecca Scheja, Viggo Dyst

Why I Like It: The Sound of Disco is a free-feeling track that incorporate more than just disco into its sound. One of the main anchors of the song is the four classic, bouncy disco chords -- especially relevant given the track title But the second is more prominent in the very beginning.  We are immediately introduced to a jungle drum pattern,  along with a very faint synth in the style used in trap music.  The two anchors weave in and out in terms of dominance, but either way they sound very cool together. The production plays with softness and timing to indicate choruses and verses. Only the bridge stand out as being different from the rest of the song. It is primarily composed of otherworldly synths and reverbed vocals singing new lyrics. Can defintely dance all night to this.

Suite Simone is  a new collab between Rebcca Scheja and Viggo Dyst who hail from Sweden. This is their 3rd single.

Song: Bad B*tch (September 2023)
Artist(s): Swank Mami
Producer(s): Santell

Why I Like It: Bad B*tch is the first track off of Swank Mami's debut EP EuroStar, and it, and the rest of the project, is very interesting sonically. We are immediately thrown into the DIY riser from the word "Swank", with the following melodies also crafted from her vocals. Her full voice is revealed right before my favorite part of my song - the chorus. The whip sound and subsequent deep bass drums are an ode to Jersey Club, and is so good. The track then transitions into a static-y, elevator like vibe half way through. Slowly the sound starts to build as background vocals and drums are added, almost drowning out the voice. It feels as if the song is going to reach a climax and then dive back into the chorus, but it simple ends. Making you want to rewind again.

Swank Mami is a an new pop star from Norway. Her first EP Eurostar dropped in September 2023.

Song: Teeth (March 2022) 
Artist(s): Mallrat
Producer(s): Alice Ivy

Why I Like It: Teeth is a signature Mallrat song that can export listeners to another realm. The moody, deep and mysterious bass at the top of the track not only sets the tone, but keeps us guessing as to what comes next -- which are the vocals. Drenched in reverb and delay, the vocals' after effects almost serve as additional instrumentation. They die out briefly as a single string comes in. Then we reach the mosh pit of a chorus, where the distorted electric guitar and muffled drums mesh together to create a rowdy energy.  In the second chorus, background vocals and bass are added to make it even more voluminous. But in the third and final chorus, the guitars and vocals combined to create a huge hypnotic echo chamber sound. A satisfying progression from the beginning!

Mallrat is an Australian artist, who released her debut album Butterfly Blue in May 2022.

Song: Happiness (December 2023)
Artist(s): Sarz, Asake, Gunna
Producer(s): David Nunes, Sarz

Why I Like It: Happiness embodies it's title to the fullest, and is one big uplifting vibe. At the very beginning we are introduced to a rhythmic cowbell, a Calvin-Harris funky bass and an echo-y whistle. Asake the starts his verse in conjunction with a bouncy guitar of the same bass melody. This the first time I've heard a more acoustic track behind his voice, and it sound really good! In the second verse, we hear more Afrobeat sounding elements, such as the log drum (albeit quite house-y). The joining of the drum and guitar is a creative and unique pairing that is upbeat and warm. We then quickly switch to Gunna's verse, which gives him space via the downplayed Afrobeat elements. The song is overall a mixture of sounds I have not heard together before,  it is hard not to like. 

Sarz is a Nigerian producer; Asake is a Nigerian Afrobeat artist;  Gunna is an American rapper

Song: Catwalk (March 2022)
Artist(s): Lil Cherry, GOLDBUUDA feat. Rico Nasty
Producer(s): GOLDBUDDA

Why I Like It: Catwalk has vocals, melodies and production what are all equally interesting, which makes this song a well balance tracked. The bubbles to synth transition in the first few seconds instantly catches your ear leading up the the first chorus. Here, the hard hitting drums, satisfyingly placed hi hats, and flow from GOLDBUUDA creates the perfect amount of syncopation. Lil Cherry does the same in her section as she embraces her signature vocal style -- raspy, witty and maybe even nonsensical. Her verse ends with a surprise jungle drum beat sample before going back into the chorus. As always, Rico Nasty executes on her short but punchy verse. The music video is also very compelling: Lil Cherry as catwoman is a must see.

Lil Cherry and GOLDBUUDA are a brother-sister duo from Seoul and Miami who are in constant (successful) collaboration.

Song: Nasty (September 2018)
Artist(s): Shygirl
Producer(s): Sega Bodega

Why I Like It: Nasty is a nasty when it comes to its production and artistry. If you know Shygirl, you know her collaborations with artist and producer Sega Bodega never disappoint. The chopped up vocals in the intro along with the cyclical distorted beep blend together and provide the perfect entrance for Shygirl's trademark smokey and mysterious vocals. When we get the chorus that distorted beep is drawn out to become a full fledged screeching like sound. This rumbles in the background of the second verse before coming back to the chorus, in conjunction with a tasteful vocal chop. The only way I can describe it is that it feels like the wheels of a train. Industrial, repetitive, and almost hypnotic. You feel like you're walking the runway when you walk to this song.

Shygirl is a London-based artist and amazing performer, who released her debut album Nymph in September 2022.

Song: Bang Bang Bang (2010)
Artist(s): Mark Ronson, The Business Intl, MNDR
Producer(s): Mark Ronson

Why I Like It: Bang Bang Bang is that catchy, upbeat and structured 2010s pop song that we all know and love. The staccato synth in the backdrop carries the song and set the tone, along with the vocals . We can hear the melody driven female voice, provided by MNDR, and the male rap voice, sung by The Business Intl. Both have their own distinct timbre which makes the track compelling. They also sprinkle in a few French phrases throughout to keep us on our toes. In addition to the initial synth and drums, a third synth comes in faintly before the chorus arrives with a fuller sound. The bridge later on promotes a softer synth to compliments the message of unity, but later drops as we return to the chorus. Once you listen, you'll know why anyone could guess when this track was made.

Mark Ronson is a renowned artist / producer who recently executive produced Barbie The Album in July 2023.

Song: Kinston (May 2019)
Artist(s): Faye Webster
Producer(s): Matt Martin

Why I Like It: Kingston has such a clean audio quality to it, which can be heard in the first few seconds. Faye's vocals are soloed, with the instruments coming in at the word "dreaming". This decision greatly emphasizes that this is a laid back love song, as well as the pedal steel guitar in the background. The drums seems almost behind the vocals tempo wise but some how still in line. The track then becomes more robust as the chorus begins. We can hear more guitars and reverb on the vocals to create an even more airy feeling. The chorus is following by a loose saxophone before diving into verse two. Then for the last minute or so, we hear the same two lines repeated to create a monotonous and soothing energy. that eventually fades to quiet. 

Faye Webster is an Atlanta-born indie artist who in 2020 made it onto Barack Obama's yead-end list.

Song: Black Mascara (August 2022)
Artist(s): RAYE
Producer(s): Punctual

Why I Like It: Black Mascara is one of the only songs that gives me goosebumps every single time. The track starts with RAYE's crisp vocals with minimal instruments. As the song build you can hear subtle house influences creep in, and reveal itself in the chorus. This is the work of Punctual, one of my favorite house artists who produced the song. After the second verse and chorus the song seems to hit a lull, before the bridge rushes in. Like the beginning of the song, we can her her vocals clearly. But this time her words move quickly, as the synth in the background sets a deep tone. The song then starts to build back up until the final chorus releases. All elements of the song are at play and blend perfectly together. The final notes of violin to close out the track is the cherry on top.

RAYE is London-based pop artist who's debut album My 21st Century Blues was released in February 2023.

Song: Treason (September 2023)
Artist(s): Tinashe
Producer(s): Machinedrum

Why I Like It: Treason is a beautifully layered and produced track that can only be described as ethereal. It feels like every stem is dripping in reverb, in a way that's tasteful and not overwhelming. The song slowly builds starting with chimes, vocals, strings, that culminates as the chorus. The the low ghost-like background vocals are chilling yet beautiful at the same time. This coupled with the earnestly delivered lyrics pulls you into the song. The faint but audible claps helps hold the tempo throughout as well. Right as the second verse starts to get softer, we are plunged back into the fulsome intensity shown in the chorus. The song eventually trails off as the reverb continues to build into one big echo-y sound. A true piece of art.

Tinashe is well established R&B artist who continues to reinvent her sound on BB/ANG3L released in Septermber 2023.