If music was one of the things you gave thanks for when it was your turn to express gratitude during your awkward Thanksgiving family dinner, this post chock-full of new releases is for you.
- Cigarettes After Sex – “K.”
Why shoegaze has yet to be universally perceived as an omnipresent genre is beyond me. It might be because it’s not the type of music that can be enjoyed regardless of your mood, but rather one that greatly complements the saddest, most melancholy of your days. Pro tip: if you’re ever feeling down crank up the volume of your speakers and put on the OG shoegaze album, My Bloody Valentine‘s Loveless, and you’ll feel like at least someone out there “gets you”. Cigarettes After Sex comfortably rests on the same tier as their modern dream pop companions Beach House, DIIV, and Beach Fossils. They have a knack for delivering slow, reverb-filled, and hypnotic jams that can snuggly fit into your alternative ‘Rainy Day’ playlist. “K.” is certainly not an exception to this rule – it’s so sultry, yet sad. It makes even the most adamant non-smoker crave a cigarette to relieve the inexplicable nostalgic pain this song induces. Pseudo-hipsters, this one is for you.
- Gold Panda – “Chiba Days”
Earlier this year the almighty and powerful Gold Panda hit us with a mind-blowing album which was inspired by his travels across Japan. Little did we know that he had plans to release a 6-track EP just a mere 3 months after releasing Good Luck and Do Your Best. The EP, adequately titled Your Good Times Are Just Beginning, is overflowing with good vibes. It is comprised of 4 remixes and two new songs, one of which – “Chiba Days” – is the counterpart to “Chiba Nights”, one of the most popular tracks on GLADYB.
- Aquilo – “Sorry”
Aquilo first crossed our radar in 2014 when they released their first-ever self-titled 4-track EP. They proved that they have no problem with bending the rules by releasing Marian Hill’s remix antecedent to dropping their then-unreleased song “Human”, which went on to become a massive hit. Since then, they’ve grown a loyal and supportive following (partly because they’re endearingly cute and oh-so-talented) that has helped them launched into the sphere of well-respected indie artists. “Sorry” is a soft, emotionally-packed downtempo tune that highlights the beauty of simplicity. You can add this one to your break-up playlist. - Badflower – “Let The Band Play”
Talk about being a tease. Badflower has been dropping this song during their live sets performances throughout the course of the past three years, but they only decided to officially release it as part of their debut album this month. We can definitely see why there was so much hype around this song. The subtle build-up that leads into the gritty Band of Skulls-esque riff is prime live material. Not too shabby of a headphone listening experience either, if you ask us.
