HI!
Interim Music Director Mike Biggz here, with my songs I have obsessed over and over for the month of May.
Also, starting Sunday June 8th at 9pm PT right here at KPFA 94.1FM, tune in for Living In The Now. This is my new music showcase program, dedicated to brining you amazing new songs I hope you obsess over.
NOW, on to this month’s picks…
Songs to Obsess Over & Over
May 2025
Chaos in The CBD – “Tears” Feat. Saucy Lady
(In Dust We Trust)
With all the new retro jams dropping lately, it was only a matter of time before someone took it back to the late 80’s R&B slap era, made famous by 52nd Street, Surface, Loose Ends, you know, that era. New Zealand based production duo, Chaos In The CBD featuring the vocals of Saucy Lady, from Boston, but with a name that sounds like she came from The Bay (mane!). “Tears” is a dope throwback to that late 80’s R&B vibes that really had a big influence in a lot of the Bay Area’s Hip-Hop slap sound. Tears also shares a key with 52nd Street’s “Tell Me (How You Feel), which was the same source for 3XKrazy’s “Keep It On The Real”. This is a great summer vibes record.
Little Simz – “Young”
(Age 101)
Every generation needs it’s youthful anthem. A song the celebrate that time in your life when you’ve gone from teen to young adult and you’re getting your shit together as you vastly approach your 30’s and full on adulting takes over. Little Simz, who for my money is the UK’s answer to Doechii, drops “Young”, a quirky, humorous track, that tackles those young adult issues by channeling Andre 3000’s “Hey Ya”, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” meets The Streets, “Let’s Push Things Forward” but less Garagey and more punk funked out. The video also goes full Andre 3 stacks with some wild outfits and Simz caked up in old lady prosthetics and make up, directed by Dave Meyers who’s resume is most of the great videos you remember form the late 90’s/earl 2k.s. Love this now since art like this only comes along once in a generation. Also, fair warning, upon first listen, you may not fully get it, but the more you jam out to it, you truly hear it’s genius.
Sault – “R.L”
(Forever Living)
I lowkey feel bas placing this song next to Little Simz, considering Simz lawsuit she filed against Sault Mastermind, Inflo (you can google it), but here we are. Drama aside, Sault IS one of thee more important and prolific collectives to come out of music in the past decade, dropping 10 albums since 2019, with no sign of slowing down. On their 10th album called “10”, we get some of their most polished and funkiest sounding songs yet. The track I chose to highlight is “R.L” which stands for Real Love. This song seems to have cracked the code of that Quincy Jones/MJ, Rock With You” formula, rich and warm with it’s clean crisp drums, wompy bassline and delicious horn sections that perfectly compliment the vocals of Cleo Sol, who if you aren’t knowing is destined to be this generations either Sade or Amy Winehouse.
Young Gun Silver Fox – “Stevie And Sly”
(Blue Elan)
it blows my mind how much new music out currently is sounding more and more like music from long gone eras. Young Gun Silver Fox just did for late 70’s, early 80’s West Coast Rockin’ Soul, or Yacht Rock, as it’s now labeled, is to what Daptone has done for old 45 soul. This album and song sound like it was released in the same era as Peg by Steely Dan & What A Fool Believes by The Doobie Brothers. Warm, welcoming, kinda disco esque with it’s four to the floor drumming and very infectious harmonies and hook. It pairs nicely with Hey Nineteen and a warm day.
Jorja Smith – “The Way I Love You”
(Sony)
She’s back and back with a throbbing bass 4 to the floor Garage banger. I think Jorja Smith is playing with all of our emotions. She’s made a handful of Garage songs and I really just want to know when she’s going to stop playing around and drop an entire album of future dancefloor anthems. This is the perfect time with the success of other artists like Pink Pantheress, helping Garage come back to the mainstream. Jorga’s voice soars over this one as it’s intro builds to that monster bass drop. Jorja makes really incredible R&B music, but I think we all deserve one album with cuts like this, On My Mind and Little Things. Jorja, please, we need this.