Sensitive tracks of the month

A. G. COOK – "BEAUTIFUL"

Future experimental pop label PC Music has done it again by releasing their most recent summer love song from UK producer A. G. Cook. “Beautiful” is a luminous track featuring pitched vocals singing in harmony with vibrant electronic production that reminisces those rare-peaking PLUR moments in dance music.

G-UNIT – "REAL QUICK"

The first time I played this song for someone was when DJ Assault was getting ready for a set and as soon as he heard the different rappers, he looked at me and said “Is that G-G-G-G-Unit? Turn it up!”. That might have added to my feelings for G-Unit’s remix of Drake’s “0 to 100” but the comeback of American allstars as they each take turns rapping verses with each other – Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent, Tony Yayo and Young Buck – makes everyone a bit nostalgic and maybe overly enthusiastic.

ALPINES – "OASIS" (MR. MITCH REMIX) 

With the original track “Oasis” from UK band, Alpines, already being a delicate pop song, grime producer Mr. Mitch pitched an extra layer of sensitivity in his remix. It's a gloomier edit, with a dark distortion stalking the female lead vocal and vaporous beats crawling in and out.

MELISSA STEEL – "KISSES FOR BREAKFAST" (FEAT POPCAAN)

The official video for Melissa Steel’s debut single featuring Popcaan, “Kisses For Breakfast”, came out earlier this month and it deserves endless plays throughout the booty shorts season. UK pop princess meets up with Jamaican dancehall artist, Popcaan, by the beach for a blissful summer love song that’s nothing but good vibes all around. Let’s also admit, who doesn’t want kisses for breakfast? 

ALLAN KINGDOM – "WAVEY" (FEAT SPOOKY BLACK)

St. Paul, Minnesota-based rapper Allan Kingdom released a 12 track EP on June 30th, Future Memoirs , a collection that showcases Kingdom’s brilliantly quirky cadence and in “Wavey”, he teamed up with a fellow St. Paul native, Spooky Black, where they are both rhythmically singing about the conflicted feelings from a heartbreak: “I know what I meant to ya, that’s why I’m getting so bent for ya”.

ORLANDO VOLCANO – "CTRL- ALT- DEL"

RBMA graduate Orlando Volcano recently self-released his debut EP Nice To Meet You, a diverse showcase of his production talents. “Ctrl-Alt-Del” is on the gentler side of the record – with its melancholic washes of water flowing in the background of the steadily empowering yet dulcet percussion, let this song take you on a breezy summer hike.

LITANY – "SLOPES"

Rhythmic UK pop duo Litany begin “Slopes” with lusty, spacious lulls between whirling synths and Beth’s mellifluous voice. The song later progresses into an emotional plea, with Cornell's vocals “if there was another way I can make you see, that there is more to me” as someone beatboxes – making every sound that little bit more tactile.

CHAPMAN – "CHAPSTICK" (PROD FROSKEES)

NYC underground staple Chapman's hip hop career may still be very fresh, but the young buck already boasts a New York Times profile. Earlier this month, Complex premiered the follow up to his XL Life EP “Chapstick”, a play of words which compares putting on his music to lipbalm. Summer can make those lips dry but hydrate it with Froskees and Chapman’s summer collab.

DEERS – "BAMBOO"

Madrid's new garage-rock duo Deers will release their two-track "DEMO" on July 28 (Mermaid Ave / Lucky Number). In their debut video for “Bamboo”, we follow the girls for adventures all over Spain, guided by their shouts, laughs, hair flips, guitar riffs and a blast of fun. 

CARIBOU – "CAN'T DO WITHOUT YOU"

The lead single from Caribou’s forthcoming record is everything you can ask for. With an intro of a distant voice sample repeating “can’t do without” and eventually finishing with “you” – the song ascends to its full potential as the words get closer, clearer, complementing the euphoric dance production to the point where every piece of the song is sending chills down your spine and bringing you into clarity.