J Balvin and Willy William’s “Mi Gente” was a certified banger from the moment it dropped—in the streets, the clubs, the airwaves, and the charts. Released during the summer of “Despacito,” it proved the Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s Spanish-language pop smash was no fluke. With the track’s latest remix, blessed by none other than Beyoncé, Balvin and William seem to be following the “Despacito” playbook, adding a feature from an English-speaking pop star singing in Spanish to expand the song’s reach.
Rock bands used to be mysterious organizations. Fandom was an exercise in extreme patience. You whiled away the hours in monk-like private study of records, lyrics, and liner notes. A new song or video or interview hit like a scientist’s “eureka” moment, offering a new lens through which to explore familiar worlds more closely. But there were weeks and months where you heard nothing and pure enthusiasm and hope had to suffice.
Never the kind of band to do things by the book, Brand New’s career the last two decades has felt like a series of mazes. The Long Island-bred rockers, a product of the early aughts pop-punk/emo scene, became known for receding into the shadows and shying away from the public eye.
As far as indie duos go, Stalgia is at the top of our list. They haven’t put out a bad song yet, or even a mediocre one. Their latest lands itself in either the awesome or incredible category. “Talk To My Skin” will give you goosebumps all over your body from start to finish.
Perennial UK-rock instigator Liam Gallagher has released the second single from his upcoming debut solo album As You Were, a title which is also the way he signs most of his tweets. “Chinatown” is a number driven by acoustic guitars and a thumping bass drum, drenched in monolithic reverb.
London’s Trailer Trash Tracys are releasing their first album in five years as Althaea comes out August 11th on Double Six Records. Lead singer Susanne Aztoria’s vocals are dreamy and gorgeous, underpinned by delicate, shuffling beats and shimmering little bursts of bright sounds on their new single “Siebenkäs”. Meanwhile, the Latin percussion gives the tune its forward motion and makes this music stand way out from the rest of the dream pop pack.
Since coming together in 2010, HUMANS has established itself through creating sounds that successfully fuse experimental electronic elements with catchy indie-pop hooks. Focusing on performance and production styles of both the past and present, HUMANS has consistently impressed upon audiophiles with their technical and compositional skills. Using a combination of synthesizers and instruments, the sound has a certain way of being very unique, while not tied down to one specific genre.
We connect to each other through particles. Calls and texts ride flecks of light, Web sites and photographs load on electrons. All communication is, essentially, physical. Information is recorded and broadcast on actual objects, even those we cannot see.
Tomorrow marks the official release of Boo Boo, the latest album from Toro Y Moi. In advance, the synthpop musician has shared the LP in full via a short film. Directed and produced by Company Studio, it follows Toro Y Moi as he’s driven around the beautiful Bay Area. Stream/watch it up above.
