1. Hell N Back by Bakar
There are few songs that I truly never get tired of and Hell N Back undoubtedly tallies on the list.
From London-based artist Bakar, it’s the vibrant funk and clean-cut production of the song that keep me coming back – always a reliably relaxing pick-me-up. Bakar samples the main horn-backed rhythm from Robert Parker’s I Caught You In A Lie for an inflection of soul, but puts his own playful new spin on the groove.
Bias admitted, I don’t think there’s anything not to like about this one: it’s as easy listening as it gets.
2. Main Girl by Charlotte Cardin
Main Girl is one of my female favourites --- the breakthrough single of Montreal-hailing singer Charlotte Cardin.
She plays around with genres quite a bit in her music, with this song fusing pop into otherwise jazz-based beats. Her vocal talent is also on full display, especially when she lets her voice loose towards the end of the song over backing vocals – an unrestraint that we don’t get very often from pop artists.
Described by Cardin as an ode to independence and self-worth, Main Girl finds her narrating the experience of leaving a toxic relationship. There’s definitely sadness in the melody and lyrics (“you misunderstood me all along… / I’m a fool to love the pain”), but the song also such an empowerment to it.
Watching the music video made me understand all the more: Cardin is filmed in front of the huge natural landscapes of Iceland – which she’s explained as wanting to portray a feeling of smallness and unimportance. But the video takes a turn at the end as you see her looking out to the view with a peaceful smile on her face, as if putting things in perspective. She has said that the moment depicts her realizing “that she’s better off – that there are ways to be happy on your own and you don’t have to torture yourself and try to love someone that doesn’t really love you back.” Gotta love it.
3. Abusey Junction by KOKOROKO
The 7-minute standout closer from KOKOROKO’s debut EP, Abusey Junction is measured and minimalist, with every bit of instrumentation perfectly designed. The band is known for bringing West African rhythms into their music, and the Afrobeat percussion underpinning Abusey Junction is a perfect foundation through which the lead guitar can weave, joined later by a beautiful group of horns.
To me this song captures the feeling of calm that you get after a good cry: sadness mixed with a heavy relief --- but more relevant for my context: it also makes for perfect WFH ambience.
4. Jim Song by Dr. Dog
Jim Song is brought to us this week by The Lumineers Inspiration playlist. In Wesley Schultz’s words: “This might be the greatest break-up song I’ve ever heard. One line after another, one more honest than the last.”
He's exactly right: Jim Song has some of the most candid and true lyrics I’ve come across ("I know we wasn't meant for each other, but oh, all that love in vain” / “I don’t miss her like I miss my pride”). The track has Dr. Dog showcasing their song-writing at its most masterful – helped by some Bob Dylan-style harmonica.
The song rolls forward as the instruments build on top of one another: the vocal layers at 1:40, followed by tambourine, then drums, then piano, then backing harmonies – and so on and so on. The momentum builds with each addition, as if marking the passage of time.
On top of this constant forward-moving motion, the band sings with a tone of constant fatigue – and this contrast is really the song’s brilliance. As the singer narrates his heartbreak enduring despite his ex-lover moving on with time, the whole song sonically reflects the way that pain remains as life goes on.
Listen on Spotify to all 'Songs of the Week' here.
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