ListenUp
Sexual innuendo from Tegan and Sara, new music by Dirty Projectors, a video from Bloc Party and more in our musical round-up
Dirty Projectors: Keep Your Name
After teasing us about new music for the first time in seemingly forever, Dirty Projectors (the project of producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist David Longstreth) has released a new track: the strange and wonderful deep cut “Keep Your Name.” The first track since 2012’s Swing Lo Magellan, this is an incredibly layered song—spacey, ghostly and atmospheric all at once.
Jahkoy (feat. ScHoolboy Q): California Heaven
As the weather starts to shift with the changing seasons, there’s added allure to Toronto-based R&B singer Jahkoy’s recently released track “California Heaven”—a celebratory reflection on the west coast’s beauty, featuring ScHoolboy Q. Jahkoy’s been just about everywhere this summer, making the festival rounds. His forthcoming debut EP Foreign Water, from which “California Heaven” is drawn, will release on 7 October and most likely be a forthright example of the singer’s depths.
Tegan and Sara: Stop Desire
Super-boppy “Stop Desire,” from Tegan and Sara’s fantastic Love You to Death is yet another pop gem off the record, that steers clear of being vacuous and formulaic. Rather, it’s an ’80s-tinged treasure (not unlike what we’ve come to expect from Carly Rae Jepsen) with plenty of synths and glitter-bomb moments. The accompanying video is full of vivid colors, sexual innuendo and a cameo from Reggie Watts. Watch it on Facebook.
Kishi Bashi: Honeybody
After months of sporadic track releases, it’s a real treat to listen to Kishi Bashi’s third LP in its entirety. One standout from Sonderlust (out now via Joyful Noise) is “Honeybody.” With plenty of Kishi Bashi’s trademark coos, romantic strings and gentle glittery touches, it’s a song that really waxes and wanes. There’s a schoolyard sweetness to the track (thanks in part to the handclaps), but it’s underlined with pathos in the subtle and relatable way that the multi-instrumentalist has mastered.
Anderson Paak + Knxwledge: Lyk Dis
Anderson.Paak and Knxwledge simultaneously announced their first LP as a collaborative outfit called NxWorries and released a track from it. Having worked together on an EP last year, Paak (who recently collaborated with Mac Miller) and Knxledge (who has produced for Kendrick Lamar and Joey Bada$$) will release Yes Lawd 21 October through Stones Throw Records. The just-released song “Lyk Dis” is super-soulful, sexy and buttery.
Bloc Party: Stunt Queen
It’s been a big year for Bloc Party. At the start of 2016 they released their fifth studio album HYMNS and began touring, albeit re-formed with only two founding members—lead singer Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack—joined by drummer Louise Bartle and bassist Justin Harris. Now, they’ve followed it up with a brand new single “Stunt Queen.” It’s the first track to be written, recorded and released by the band as they are now. But the essence of it is truly Bloc Party, from the choppy guitars to Okereke’s ecstatic vocals.
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.
