New Music Mondays | 11.21.16

What’s a better way to get ready for Thanksgiving break other than jamming out to some new tunes? Check out the Media Team’s newest addition to #NMM below!

“Kerala”– BONOBO

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“Last week, British producer, Simon Green, otherwise known as Bonobo, released ‘Kerala’, the first single taken from his upcoming new album Migration that will come out in January 2017. The textured track samples R&B vocals from Brandy and has a twinkling backdrop of steady beats and is euphoric and uplifting. The accompanying video features English actress, Gemma Arterton as a woman shuffling through the streets avoiding an incoming meteor, a literal and visual representation of the movement that is expected to come when Bonobo releases his new album, three years after his 2013 masterpiece The North Borders. With an impressive list of collaborators from the like of Rhye, Nick Murphy (aka Chet Faker), Hundred Waters’ Nicole Miglis and Moroccan band Innov Gnawa, this hyped single is definitely a marker of what’s to come.

His tour dates recently came out too so if you’re fan, keep April 26th free and head to the House of Blues.” – Anita Wu

“Redbone” – Childish Gambino

“Jaco Pastorius once said, ‘All you’ve got to do is keep your ears open.’ In his latest single ‘Redbone,’ Childish Gambino sings in a heavily altered high pitch, ‘Stay woke… they gon’ find you, gon’ catch you sleepin.’ Gambino uses Pastorius’ song ‘Portrait of Tracy’ in this track, and isn’t the first to do so, but perhaps the most innovative. Chingy’s ‘Pullin Me Back’ and SWV’s ‘Rain’ both use the sample as well, but to a lesser extent. Gambino has given us a modern slow jam, full of the funk that once was so common in our music. The song is beautifully familiar and yet remarkably innovative. Reminiscent of Kamasi Washington’s splash in the music industry last year, Gambino is using music of the past to create something new. The song closes with echoed synths and some soft piano in the background, lulling you in slowly. But Gambino tells you to stay woke, and to believe in something. For only having had released two songs off of his upcoming project, Gambino has done so much. One can only speculate the impact Awaken My Love! will have.” – Christian Triunfo

“30,000 Megatons” – Pond

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“‘30,000 Megatons’ is the newest from Tame Impala’s rowdy little brother, Pond. However, this song is not as rowdy as the band’s material usually is. Instead of featuring powerful drum beats and loud guitars like so many Pond songs do, this song starts off pairing only a few soft synths with Nick Allbrook’s effect-ridden vocals. The drums come in later in the form of a fast, yet quiet electronic kick beat. This, along with distant saxophone and guitar features make for a very unique Pond song. I can’t wait to hear it in the context of the band’s next album which was hinted at with the release of this song.” – Spencer LaChance

“On Hold” – The xx

“The xx have returned after a four year break with a brand new song and a new sound. While keeping the familiarity of Romy and Oliver’s soft, complimentary vocals, they’ve introduced a more upbeat sound that’s more reminiscent of member Jamie xx’s recent solo album, In Colour. ‘On Hold’ reflects on the end of a relationship that’s clearly failing. The track begins with a softer, slow intro, but the tempo builds as vocalist Oliver sings ‘When and where did we go cold?/I thought I had you on hold.’ The chorus is supplemented by a Hall and Oates sample and almost starts to sound like a club remix, but not in an overdone way. The song switches between typical xx style and Jamie xx’s clear new influence, fading between barely-there guitar melodies typical of the xx and electronic beats. Overall, it’s quite a different sound for the quiet group, but it breeds excitement for the new direction they’re headed in.” – Ingrid Angulo

“Riparian” – Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

“Experimental electronic music composer, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has released a new song, titled ‘Riparian’ paired with an interesting music video animated by Andrew Benson. The song is an unreleased track that didn’t make it onto her incredible second album, EARS. This connection is made clear by the song’s rich, modular synthesizer landscape and mesmerizing vocals that are present in most every track on EARS. Smith brought in more analog instruments on her second album, and the xylophone in ‘Riparian’ exemplifies this further. She has been putting out a lot of music recently, but I still find myself always craving more, so hopefully, this prolific trend continues.” – Spencer LaChance

“Me and Your Mama” – Childish Gambino

“Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) is back and better than ever. After announcing his new album, Awaken, My Love! Glover released the first song of the album, ‘Me and Your Mama.’ The song is an orchestral masterpiece that starts off softly, with a series of oscillating notes, mimicking a lullaby. This is immediately followed by an abrupt entrance from a choir, singing, ‘I’m in love when we are smokin that la-la-la-la.’ The track builds in volume, bass and rhythm, suddenly morphing into a soulful rampage. Glover’s screams of ‘Let me into your heart’ will guarantee goosebumps and leave you breathless right as the track ends its climax and falls back into a relaxed pace, ending with an organ solo and chirpy synths. The piece is unlike anything Glover has released thus far, and yet, while listening, it is somehow blatantly clear that this was made by him. Coming off the success of his new TV show Atlanta, Glover has taken an entirely new approach to dissecting what it means to be black in contemporary America, and this album is sure to be part of it.” – Christian Triunfo

“Call Me Up” – HOMESHAKE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SirNLqYlBtM

“The first single off HOMESHAKE’s newest project Fresh Air seems like a logical next step for the brainchild of Peter Sagar, a confident, refined, and groovy track about isolation and romance.” – Ryan Gottlieb

“Bones” – Crumb

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“From across the river come Tuft’s rising stars. Crumb is a four-piece amalgamation of everything that makes music good. With coursing rhythms and guitar, masterful and warm bass lines, and soothing vocals to complement, ‘Bones’ showcases the band’s raw ability and talent to jam hard. With a tight groove, the chilling electric piano tones couple well with the psych-soul, floating in and out of oddly metered time effortlessly. Look out for them as they continue to rise in the Boston/NYC music scene.” – Andrew Goldberg

“Say You Do (Remix)” – Joey Purp

“Switching the original song up completely and exploring a new direction with his sound Joey Purp remixes his song “Say you do.” With the lone acoustic guitar accompaniment and the raw, bare-bones vocal production, this version really lets the pain and the emotion shine through. A high energy party song quickly becomes a melancholy introspection on the unfufilling and ultimately empty, fast and loose lifestyle. Each lyric gains a lot more weight than in the original and the song becomes much more impactful. Play this at your next “kickback” with your “friends.” Listen to this with a “girl” you’re “interested” in while the snow falls outside and you slowly lose the will to get off the couch and slip into oblivion.” – Kenneth DuMez