ListenUp
Jessie Ware, Theo Parrish, Julia Holter, Benoit & Sergio and a tribute to the late Gerry Goffin in the music we tweeted this week
Jessie Ware: Tough Love
London’s beloved songstress Jessie Ware released her new single, “Tough Love,” and—as expected—it’s one for the repeat button. Produced by duo BenZel (who were also behind her saucy Brownstone cover), the song was recorded in New York after a whirlwind tour, which might have played into the inspiration for the lyrics. Ware never disappoints with her vocals, which are at once restrained and full of emotion, but she explained in a statement, “Tough Love” is more of a demonstration of her experimenting and having fun with her voice. While there’s no official release date yet for her sophomore album, she says the song is a solid indication of what to expect.
Julia Holter: Hello Stranger
As part of her critically acclaimed EP Loud City Song and a forthcoming 7″ double A-side, Julia Holter’s ethereal “Hello Stranger” places her exquisite voice front and center, surrounded by the occasional array of strings, trombone and ambient noise. The result is airy, oftentimes otherworldly and delicately soulful. While more on mainstream side of the LA-based singer’s body of work, it maintains the hypnotic vibes of her experimental tracks. Holter initially sparked attention for her first two albums, which were primarily recorded in her bedroom. Despite the bigger production on this track, it still exudes that dream-space magic.
Theo Parrish: Footwork
This week’s #PrivateJam celebrates the balletic energy found on the soccer pitch. London-based DJ MarshMeLLo selected “Footwork,” a recently released track by Detroit legend Theo Parrish. “It’s football season with World Cup fever taking the nation by storm. During the montage they always use really bad music. This track out now on Sound Signature seems to me to be the ultimate football anthem.” Featuring two dancers showing off their moves in city settings, the video for “Footwork”—a single from Parrish’s forthcoming album—is as visually as it is melodically entrancing.
Benoit & Sergio: Your Darkness
The latest electronic dance track from the Washington DC/Berlin duo Benoit & Sergio hits close to home. The pair met on a dance floor during a birthday party and ever since have produced thought-provoking club tracks that take you on a journey—like the title song off of their latest three-track EP Your Darkness. Repeating synth arpeggios reminding us of earlier Giorgio Moroder; the heavily filtered, vocoded female vocals that stutter and almost speak are the antithesis to dance music’s reverb-drenched crooning ladies. They’ve yet to release a debut album—but it’s in the works, co-produced by Darkside and will drop on Nicolas Jaar’s subscription label Other People.
The Shirelles: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
This week the prolific songwriter Gerry Goffin passed away, leaving behind an extensive discography of Billboard hits. One such—written with his wife and longtime writing partner Carole King—is “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” originally recorded in 1960 by the all-girl group The Shirelles. King beautifully summarized Goffin’s talent in a postmortem statement, saying, “His words expressed what so many people were feeling but didn’t know how to say.” This is easily seen in the 50+ chart-topping songs the pair co-wrote, which deservedly landed Goffin in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
ListenUp is a Cool Hunting series published every Sunday that takes a deeper look at the music we tweeted throughout the week. Often we’ll include a musician or notable fan’s personal favorite in a song or album dubbed #PrivateJam.
