Can you hear that? Not the music from Take 5 this week yet, but the end of summer approaching. Now that we’re in August, many of our readers are only weeks away from returning to school. Not that going back and seeing friends isn’t fun, but make sure to pack the coming weeks with all the summer fun that you can. Those summer memories are always some of the best, and hopefully August will cool down a little so you can enjoy them in a more temperate environment. You need music to go with your memories, so let’s dive into the list.

Saint Slumber – Stay Away

If you read my premiere for Saint Slumber’s “Stay Away” this week, you knew it was going on the list. This song was basically tailor made for me. Are there expansive, captivating indie-pop synths? That’s a yes. Does “Stay Away” have smart music writing, including a well-placed and well-executed key change? I’m turning the speakers up right now. Do Josh Perna’s lyrics cover a fiery, but complex relationship? I could listen to that all day. There’s not much else to say, so excuse me while I listen to “Stay Away” 15 more times.

Basement – Disconnect

It took approximately 4 minutes after Basement released “Disconnect” and announced their new album Beside Myself for Substream’s group chat to go wild. Just the face Basement are back in our lives is exciting enough, but “Disconnect” is also an incredible track. The chord progressions on the riffs are still running through my head, the bass line is satisfyingly nuanced, and those drums are a blast. For those of us who have ever felt out of sync with the world or even with ourselves, “Disconnect” is a reminder that we’re not the only ones who have felt like that, and that we’re not alone. Beside Myself isn’t out until October, but Basement has already gifted us an amazing preview with “Disconnect.”

YG – 10 TIMES

Last Friday saw a lot of great hip-hop albums drop, and YG’s STAY DANGEROUS is my favorite of the bunch. There are a lot of great features on the album, with A$AP Rocky, Quavo, and Ty Dolla $ign making appearances, but many of the best songs are the tracks that allow YG to flex on his own. Album opener “10 TIMES” is one of those tracks. The beat is a DJ Mustard masterpiece, built around a spooky looping piano hook. Over two and a half minutes YG expertly jumps between bragging about his own skill and launching pinpoint criticisms of 2018 society, with the hook and title both frankly stating how much harder it is to just exist as a black man in America. YG has always been a thoughtful writer and a captivating performer, and “10 TIMES” showcases both in full effect.

TELYKast, Rachel Raquel – Summertime (Festival Mix)

We’re now at the dance party portion of Take 5, so feel free to get up and move while you read this. With summer still here for now and Lollapalooza just wrapping up, trio TELYKast have picked the perfect time to release the “Festival Mix” of their song “Summertime.” This is pure EDM bliss, with big, boisterous synths popping up all through the song. Rachel Raquel delivers the vocals here, and the dreamy tone in her voice provides a good contrast to the bombast of the rest of the instrumental. The quiet bridges also serve as an exciting way to get listeners amped up for the next big musical rise of “Summertime”‘s chorus. “Summertime (Festival Mix)” is a song you can dance to or sit down and parse through, and that’s the kind of dance track I love.

Robyn – Missing U

I don’t know about everyone else, but I missed Robyn, too. The Swedish icon has only sparsely released music since album Body Talk came out in 2010, so I welcome any new music from her. Robyn rarely disappoints, and “Missing U” is another amazing entry into her storied career. Shimmering, cascading synths develop into a strong, constant pulse that makes up the backbone of the music, and Robyn’s lyricism will touch your heart as always. Robyn has evolved numerous times over the years, and “Missing U” is definitely a 2018 song while still sounding unmistakably like the Robyn we all know and love. I am excited for what’s next for Robyn, and “Missing U” will be on repeat until I find out what she has in store.

 

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