Summer may be coming to an end and 9am lectures may be on their way, but our writers have come together with their top music recommendations to get you through it! Here’s what we’ve had on repeat for the last months from artists and songs to entire genres that we can’t stop thinking about.
Genre: Hardcore
A recent (ish) shift in popularity for Hardcore punk music has allowed for more bands to find themselves in the spotlight. The genre has always been a bit niche and that’s not changing any time soon. A genre built upon themes like anarchy, mental health, depression and pretty much everything else that punk music stands for, along with typically harsh and violent vocals, it’s clear why it isn’t for everybody.
Bands like Turnstile, Knocked Loose and Trapped Under Ice find themselves as some of the most popular bands in the genre with Turnstile appearing at and headlining stages at festivals in America and Europe. Knocked Loose have recently released a new album A Different Shade Of Blue which has been rocketed into some mainstream success already. Singles like ‘Mistakes Like Fractures’ have been a favourite in my playlists for the last few weeks.
The themes of hardcore music are often aimed at current issues like political climates and police brutality meaning that the genre is often a good soundtrack for how I feel towards everything that is wrong with the world right now.
Listen to Knocked Loose’s ‘Mistakes Like Fractures’, available via Pure Noise Records, below:
Artist: Emilie Autumn
Question: What happens when heavy alternative rock meets a classically trained violinist with a wonderfully creepy Victorian aesthetic? Answer: Emilie Autumn. Her enchanting vocals and insane musical talent mix together to create a unique sound that you just can’t stop listening to. She’s not just a fantastic singer though, but also a poet, author, artist and more recently, actress. Starting out by touring Europe, she was quickly accepted in underground music scenes all over the world.
The music of Emilie Autumn has the power to transport you to a whole new world, blurring the lines of music and fiction to create unparalleled theatricality. I’d recommend you check out her instrumental album, Laced/Unlaced, too, and discover the sheer energy of the electric violin which brings new life to classical pieces as well as original compositions.
Listen to Emilie Autumn’s ‘Dead Is The New Alive’, available via TRISOL.
Album: Kelela & Asmara – ‘Aquaphoria’
Thanks to Warp Records’ 30th birthday this June, I felt gifted with a takeover on NTS radio. The best gift of all being Kelela & Asmara’s Aquaphoria mix – which I haven’t stopped listening to since.
The amazing blend of ambient tones from Asmara (half of Nguzunguzu) floats from Takashi Kokubo to Aphex Twin, with Kelela’s voice lulling you into a fantasy world where you’re held by a mixing pot of crescendo’s, wind chimes, trickling streams and even a drink can opening. Yet, despite Kelela doing a Cocteau Twins style improvisation over the tracks, it never feels self-indulgent, just complimentary and enveloping in the best way.
This is a must-listen if you’re interested in electronic music or not (trust me, it will soothe your soul and hydrate you, it’s got ‘dat woda’).
Kelela &Asmara’s Aquaphoria is available via Warp Records.
Song: Let’s Eat Grandma – ‘Hot Pink’
Despite this song being over a year old, my recent discovery of Let’s Eat Grandma led me to this tune, and it has since been on repeat. Their unique sound is only made better by the energising vibes this song releases, making it entirely impossible to sit still throughout. The band themselves define this song as about “the misconceptions of femininity and masculinity, and the power of embracing them both”, which makes me love this song even more. The empowering line “I’m only seventeen” is a reminder of how talented the duo are for their young age, which, for me, is definitely inspiring.
‘Hot Pink’ is definitely one for the Freshers playlist, as it is the perfect opportunity to move, dance and generally enjoy yourself to.
Let’s Eat Grandma’s ‘Hot Pink’ is available via Transgressive. Watch the music video below:
