ListenUp
New music from Hudson Mohawke, a song for the haters by Kehlani and Shamir Bailey in puppet form in this week’s musical round-up
Son Lux: Change is Everything
With latent, unassuming power found among sweeping rhythms and perfectly timed chirps, the track “Change Is Everything” from NYC’s Son Lux was released in accompaniment with the news of a new album, Bones, due out in June 2015. The genre-defying song employees lush orchestration and soaring choir harmonies that bolster Ryan Lott’s emphatic vocal delivery. It’s a song about one moment, and crafted in a way only Son Lux can deliver.
Shamir: Call it Off
Las Vegas-based rising star (and CH favorite) Shamir has just released the video for his new single “Call it Off” from his upcoming debut record Ratchet, due to drop 18 May. It’s a bouncy, distorted track full of empowering lyrics that provoke a whole bunch of self-love while you dance around. The just-released video shows Shamir (and a bunch of pals and strangers) transforming into Muppet-style fuzzy puppets.
Hudson Mohawke feat. Irfane: Very First Breath
The very talented Hudson Mohawke has teamed up with French vocalist Irfane for “Very First Breath,” a song from HudMo’s upcoming album Lantern, which is set for release 16 June 2015 on Warp. Despite Hudson Mohawke’s trademark pounding bass and glitzy moments, the track is a little more pop-leaning than listeners might be used to; with a forlorn Irfane singing, “Bring us back to the second we met / bring us back to our very first breath.”
Kehlani: How That Taste
At just 19 years old, Bay Area singer/songwriter Kehlani evidently has had plenty of life experience, because her new track “How That Taste” is a perfectly balanced and wise song for the haters. With smooth vocals and some spacey vibes, Kehlani proves that the best revenge is success: “I’m way too real to stoop low / I’m too busy on the road / I’m too busy booking shows.”
Only Real: Intro
A week before West London’s indie-pop act Only Real was set to drop his debut full-length Jerk at the End of the Line, he’s released all of the tracks in a comprehensive streaming YouTube playlist. Commencing with the exciting yet sublime “Intro,” the album is all but guaranteed to be an ideal spring to summer soundtrack for a thoughtful sunshine daze. The entire collection of tracks is buoyant, bouncy and delightful—with touches of charmed eccentricity.
ListenUp is a Cool Hunting series published every Sunday that rounds up the music we tweeted throughout the week, also found in Listen. Hear the year so far via Cool Hunting Spotify.
