Best Finds Of Jan 2022 🔍
20 songs for MC #20
Hey there,
For the 20th issue of the Midweek Crisis, I’ve prepared a mix of 20 songs released in January 2022, that caught my attention.
Jump straight to playlist:
Open on Spotify | Open on YouTube
Or stay with me for a quick walkthrough of some of the selected songs.
🔍 Tai Verdes - “LAst dAy oN EaRTh”
What an insanely catchy song this is! The trumpets, the smooth vocal the meaningful lyrics - it all makes a true earworm 👂🎶🐛.
What’s it about and what does Verdes want to achieve with this song?
“I made this song for the purpose of reflection,” Verdes explains in a press release. “I want everyone to listen to this song, you know…really listen to it. To stop, breathe in the air, feel, think about where they are, and realize that this isn’t gonna last forever, and by ‘this’ I mean life. Sometimes, life’s journey can feel long, sometimes it feels short, but we all know it’s going to end. It’s kind of like jumping out of a plane. We’re all in the freefall, and sometimes we just get so caught we don’t realize it. Time for everyone to see the world in HD.”
@AltPress
🔍 Oliver Tree - “Cowboys Don’t Cry”
Oliver Tree opened this year with this crazy banger. His solid, unique persona never disappoints (*Last year, in MC #3, I’ve mentioned his “Cash Machine”). Every single time he comes up with something cool and catchy. The consistency in visual aesthetic, fashion, and music make Oliver Tree a phenomenon. It’s like he’s made his own, odd world around him.
This time Oliver used the cowboy theme. And he did a good job making a cheesy, break-up song. The lyrics and melody are simple and yet so poignant.
“We're riding around this carousel
Getting dizzy 'til we're sick
Love is like a circle
There's no easy way to end”
If you have a spare couple of minutes take a look at the music video. It’s crazy overdrawn, like everything that comes from Oliver. “Cowboys Don’t Cry” is colorful, fun, and packed with ‘90s nostalgia symbols, like all-denim looks, flip phones, or retro cassette boombox 📻.
🔍 alt-J - “Hard Drive Gold”
alt-J is back with a fresh single from the upcoming album “The Dream” (11 Feb). “Hard Drive Gold” is energetic, groovy, and thought-provoking. And this drum beat! 🥁 It feels like we're in for a treat.
The keyboardist of the band -Gus Unger-Hamilton told NME a bit about the song:
“Hard Drive Gold is a slightly tongue-in-cheek song written at what we thought was the height of the cryptocurrency gold rush.
“It’s the story of the ultimate childhood fantasy, the schoolboy who becomes a millionaire overnight, and the different interactions he has with people in his life from teachers to neighbours. How ironically you interpret its message is entirely up to you…”
@NME
Watch the music video and try to play with the meaning of everything. If you look closely enough you can spot a couple of disturbing things like Oppenheimer's (credited father of the atomic bomb) quote on the wall - “I became death, the destroyer of worlds”.
🔍 Papooz - “Hell Of A Woman”
Papooz is a French alt-pop group, straight from Paris. Their new single “Hell Of A Woman” grabbed my attention with a retro, the Beatles vibe, great instrumental breaks, and catchy refrain. Watch their fun, 80’s stylized music video. It may make your day a bit brighter ☀️
🔍 The Lumineers - “ROLLERCOASTER”
It’s my personal fave from The Lumineers new “BRIGHTSIDE” album. The subtle piano chords and gentle vocals get me every time I’m listening to it. If you have a soft spot for nostalgic ballads you’d definitely like it.
The Lumineers duo - Jeremiah Fraites and Wesley Schultz, said themselves in an interview:
Q: "Rollercoaster" has such a melancholy feel. Was the line "everyone was only dying to live" specific to what we've all been living through?
Schultz: “That song is probably the most on-the-nose of all the songs on the album as far as lyrically referencing the pandemic in some direct ways. At the risk of sounding cliche, this the most divided I’ve seen our country, and the song is these vague vignettes with the feeling of developing some level of empathy for what you consider the 'other side' instead of easily vilifying each other. Part of it is almost like a lullaby during sad times.”
🔍 Lana Del Rey - “Watercolor Eyes”
I’ve come across this song watching the new season of the “Euphoria” TV series on HBO GO. “Watercolor Eyes” is a mesmerizing tune with a hypnotic Lana Del Rey’s voice, full of melancholy glitter, and a mellow melody. It reminds me of Lana’s "Ultraviolence" album from 2014. It’s this kind of song that feels like you've already known it for years. This one perfectly matched the disturbing vibe of “Euphoria”, where many abusive relationships are being portrayed.
* On today’s playlist, there are two more songs from the series that are worth checking out.
** And here’s a playlist with songs used in the first 4 episodes of “Euphoria” season 2: Hear on Spotify
🔍 Aldous Harding - “Lawn”
Special thanks to Chris from @emohmorfswen for recommending to check out Aldous Harding music 🙇♀️.
Harding is a New Zealander with an impressive vocal range, an odd, theatrical vibe, and surprising music videos. Experience it yourself by watching the “Lawn” official video.
That’s it my friends.
You can find other songs from today's playlist here on the Midweek Crisis #20 playlist:
Open on Spotify | Open on YouTube
Enjoy listening and don’t forget to let me know which song resonates with you most:
And have a great Wednesday,
Stygi
Z ciekawością przesłuchałam Twoja styczniowa listę najbliższy był mi Rollercoaster i Watercolor Eyes a mnie ciagle chodzi po głowie muzyka z czołówki serialu Wersal prawo krwi doszukałam się ze wykonawca jest grupa M83-Outro dobrego dnia
Love your recommendations 😍 listened to Last day on earth and thoroughly enjoyed it