Five songs you need to hear right now!
We’re keeping things pretty Gen Z this time around. Here’s some bops we’re buzzing about at Activaire HQ.
James Blake, Lil Yachty: Bad Cameo
James Blake’s collaborations with big-name rappers are nothing new; if anything, they’re often regarded as some of his most important works. However, when Blake and Yachty announced an entire collaborative album, ‘Bad Cameo,’ set to come out this Friday, the internet was left in an excited sense of shock, particularly as no one is quite sure how it will sound. Blake’s return to his Electronic roots on his last album and Lil Yachty’s entrance into Psychedelic Rock on his previous album show the versatility and creativity of both minds alike. What direction is this going to go in? We’ll only truly know once we get a chance to listen.
SOPHIE, Kim Petras, BC Kingdom: Reason Why
‘Reason Why’ is the first release from Sophie’s estate following her untimely passing in early 2021 after years of curiosity from fans as to what would happen with SOPHIE’s final works. It acts as the lead single to the artist’s upcoming posthumous record titled after the producer herself set to come out in September as a final send-off to the 2010s electropop icon. The track, featuring Kim Petras and BC Kingdom sees Sophie return to her slick club roots with bouncy pads, an addictive hook, and straightforward drum work, resulting in a song that is so classically SOPHIE.
The Hellp: Colorado
In what’s become a now-iconic snippet amongst fans of the American Electronic duo, The Hellp is finally releasing ‘Colorado’ after well over a year’s wait. Its fast-paced, loose-feeling vocals and crunchy saw bass waves will finally exist outside of low-quality SoundCloud uploads and Instagram live recordings on YouTube, perhaps leading to an announcement of a new project after such a long wait if lucky. Whatever it may be, it is good to hear The Hellp back in action.
The Dare: Perfume
The Dare’s flashy hedonism has defined the sound of New York City’s alternative music scene in the last year, playing into the city’s early naughties electroclash tropes to make bloghouse unlike ever before. ‘Perfume’ is one of these tunes: a song that sounds like it could come from the very back catalog of James Murphy himself. Its humorous sarcasm and untamed performance make for an electrifying listen, particularly as the lead single to his debut album ‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH NEW YORK?” set to come out this September.
Clairo: Nomad
Clairo’s eagerly anticipated third album, “Charm,” drops on July 12th. The album’s first single, “Sexy to Someone,” advances the direction she took with her previous release, “Sling.” This time, Clairo ops for modern soul god Leon Michels as her production partner. Michels plays with warmth and intimacy in a different way than Sling’s producer, Jack Antonoff. Where Antonoff sought to draw out the musical intricacies in Clairo’s songs, Michels is working side-by-side with Clairo to deepen the maturity of her music. Rather than a young artist needing direction, Clairo is an accomplished artist working with collaborators. “Nomad” is the second single, a quiet slice of 70s coziness. The song feels like a thesis based on Clairo’s academic research into the sounds and themes that excite her. There are no accidents on “Nomad”; it’s the product of years of thoughtful composition and relentless editing. In a recent TikTok, Clairo shares some of the years-old voice notes where she sketches out ideas for Nomad, and a quick look on YouTube will show she has been working out the song in her live shows for a while as well.
You can find these songs and many more in our “Now Playing at Activaire HQ” playlist on Spotify. We update it weekly, so be sure to hit that heart button.
