Songs to Obsess Over and Over…
By Mike Biggz – KPFA Interim Music Director
Magdalena Bay – Image
(Mom+Pop Music)
Ever hear one of those songs that’s so hypnotic and entrancing you just slap on a pair of headphones and get completely lost in the music? Image by Florida duo Magdalena Bay is that type of record. Uptempo, bass heavy with some beautiful, raspy at times and almost haunting vocals by singer Mica Tenrnbaum that climax with an explosion of lightly distorted bass that rattles the hell out of a good sound system. Their new album imaginal Disk drops August 23.
LP Giobbi – So Nice To Be In Love
(Counter Records)
LP Giobbi is one of the world’s most interesting and important producers and DJs. A jazz-trained pianist who takes inspiration from the world of jazz music, she prefers to eschew the often intricate and pre-programmed structures of electronica for spontaneous, live collaboration/ So nice To Be In Love is a great summer banger with a funky French House feel with it’s groovin’ bassline and piano chords that sound like they came out of Miss Me Blind by Culture Club. LP’s sophomore album drops October 18 on Ninja Tune’s imprint Counter Records.
L’Impératrice — Danza Marilù (feat. Fabiana Martone)
(Microqlima)
This has been in my rotation for a few months. L’Impératrice makes me miss the days of listening to French House artists like Daft Punk, Cassius, Modjo, Fred Falke & Alan Braxe. This song or album isn’t really house as it’s a good 15-20 bpms too slow, but it’s structured like a classic French house record, with a bassline that really moves and is just funky. This song is built for good weather and happy vibes.
Salute – Luv Struck feat. Piri
(Ninja Tune)
This is my song of the summer. It’s UK garage at it’s best and Salute is one of the better younger artists to check out as his new album True Magic, impresses top to bottom. Luv Struck is him at his most pop, but it’s an incredibly catchy tune, featuring vocals from Piri, who until seeing this video, thought she was an alias for Pink Pantheress, who’s similar in voice and style. This is the perfect feel good record to just let go and dance while the sun is out.
Liana Flores – Butterflies
(Verve)
Since all of my picks are coincidentally dance records (i listen to a lot of dance music), it’s only right to end this edition with a chill pill to help you come down off the high energy of the 4 previous songs. Liana Flores, who just released her debut album, Flower of The Soul, on Verve, is part of this revolution of Jazz for Gen-Z artists who’ve been not so quietly taking over young people’s playlists for the last couple years. Similar to Samara Joy and Laufey in vibe, Liana Flores brings her own take on classic Bossa Nova, vocal Jazz that places her as the Bibel Gilberto for this generation The Brazillian by the way of the UK, Flores will make you fall in love with her upon the first 30 seconds.