NEW ADDS: Sudan Archives, The Orielles, & more!
Sudan Archives - ChevyS10
Genre: R&B/Soul
RIYL: Kelela, Ravyn Lenae, Bree Runway
Lean back your seat, crank up the speakers and let Sudan Archives take the wheel. I wasn’t familiar with singer-songwriter Brittney Parks before the release of her ambitious sophomore album Natural Brown Prom Queen in September, but I was ready to come along for the ride the second I laid eyes upon Prom Queen’s arresting cover—and the music proved just as alluring and powerful as its artwork. Track 8, “ChevyS10,” is the record’s suave, swaggering centerfold. Parks steers her voice over synthy production like a car on a winding back road, oscillating smoothly between breathy falsetto and a nonchalant drone as she sings about the thrill and escapism of riding shotgun. “Fast ass car, is it fast enough so we can fly away? / We gotta make a decision / We can leave tonight or we can die this way,” she sings before the atmospheric production gives way to a bouncing chant. If Parks is in charge, either option is fine by me.
- Fitz
The Orielles - Beam/s
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: Vanishing Twin, Jockstrap
A relatively newer indie rock band, The Orielles are based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Their new release "Beam/s" was very reminiscent of a concert I attended earlier this year in April at The Observatory, featuring Vanishing Twin. "Beam/s" will transport you into an alternate dimension with its intergalactic essence and unique lyricism. The fusion of electronic techno sounds and classical instruments creates a single that is both stunning and funky that definitely deserves a place on everyone’s Fall playlist.
- Michaela
Ayoni - Vision
Genre: Indie R&B/Pop Soul
RIYL: Cautious Clay, Elah Hale
Hey, did anyone else attend the Visions and Voices concert during USC’s welcome week? Because I did, and Ayoni absolutely wiped the floor. Born in Barbados and now based in LA, Ayoni attended our very own Thornton School of Music here at USC!! After Ayoni blessed us with her sneak-peek performance of “Vision” back in August, I was buzzing with impatience for her to release it on her most recent EP, The Vision. If you’re wondering whether or not her vocals actually sound that flawless during a live show, wonder no more because this girl has the voice of an angel and is a joy to watch perform. This track is shimmery and upbeat and is what ultimately pulled me out of bed for class in the week leading up to my Statistics midterm.
- Mia
Natalia Lafourcade - De todas las flores
Genre: Pop-Rock & Folk
RIYL: Ely Guerra, Paté de Fuá, Silvana Estrada
With a tonality that instantly reminded me of Norah Jones, Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade captured my attention at the seventh second of this single as her voice rang clear above the quiet acoustic guitar. About halfway through the song, a sultry guitar solo is accompanied by angelic, siren-like harmonies that compliment each other beautifully. The primarily acoustic instrumentals create a well-balanced, nostalgic and yearning bossa nova rhythm that support Natalia’s vocals and make you feel like you’re remembering a lazy Sunday morning dancing with a partner in the kitchen. In her statementannouncing the release of this single, Natalia said the lyrics referred to one’s “inner flowers,” and that the album accompanying this single follows a relationship, with “passion and fireworks, then deteriorated into agony and self-destruction.” After hearing the beauty that is "De todas las flores," I can’t wait to hear the rest of her album out on October 28.
- Shiloh
Jockstrap - Concrete Over Water
Genre: Art Pop
RIYL: FKA twigs, Let’s Eat Grandma
From London, England, Jockstrap consists of producer Taylor Skye and Black Country, New Road vocalist and violinist Georgia Ellery. Last month, the duo released their highly anticipated debut album, I Love You Jennifer B. Its fifth track “Concrete Over Water” feels like a fever dream (in a good way). We start off with Georgia’s soft, angelic vocals accompanied by an organ before ascending into Taylor’s erratic electronic production style. I found the structure and melody of the song to be very similar to that of “The City”, a track off their 2020 EP, Wicked City. The song feels like it has light and dark sections, ultimately creating an eerie and slightly haunting atmosphere.
- Hannah