New this week: Run The Jewels, blurblur, Chapelier Fou, Isabel Sörling, Flox, and the cast of Hadestown 🎭
Ooh la la, a confluence of insane realms that cover my ears as I’m coming out to Hadestown
I love writing this newsletter because I usually know within the first 5-20 seconds of a song whether I’m going to feature it.
Last night, this one came on and I was all about it:
Run The Jewels’ “ooh la la”
If you’re not familiar with Run The Jewels, just know that they’re not for the faint of heart. The infamous El-P and Killer Mike are unapologetically loud and aggressively in your face.
The first few seconds of this 2020 single are best described as an off-beat, disconcerting oscillation of piano notes oddly reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas’ newer work, and creating a hell of a musical tension begging to be resolved. (Hint: it never does 😱)
When the beat drops in, I’m banging my head before I know it.
Normally I’m not a fan of exhaustively repeated lyrics, which get fucking annoying after the fourth, sixth, twentieth iteration. Normally I’m not huge on RTJ’s musical style or lyrical choices.
But, this time, RTJ did something interesting, and it’s caught my ear.
Give it a listen yourself, if you’ve got the stomach for some head-banging rap:
Let me know if you dig it or hate it in the comments. ✌️
blurblur’s original Confluence
A smooth, steady house/trance track always makes for great productivity music. blurblur’s Confluence (the original, not the remixes) is just that.
Simple in lyric, basic in tempo, ambient in vibe, the piece rides like an easy afternoon stroll on your favorite transportation device — roller blades, myself.
But it’s the incredibly pleasant hook that comes soaring in and gets stuck in your head. I pick songs like these not in spite of their elegant simplicity, but because they contain a singular melody that is incredibly memorable.
Give a listen when you need something peaceful yet energizing:
Insane Realms, from Chapelier Fou
In French, “chapelier fou” translates to a mad hatter—and this dark & jazzy piece delivers exquisitely on the artist’s name promise.
The track starts gradually, building on a soft yet disconcerting piano melody, then kicks in before meandering through some instrumental twists and turns. Around 2:00 the hauntingly unforgettable stair-step takes over again and you could be lost in a world even crazier than the one we currently live in.
Layered with electronic bits, sweeps of strings, foley scratches, and animal hoots, this number off Méridiens is the type of song I just love describing with words, yet always fail to capture in true spirit. 😅
It’s a must-listen for any fan of strange, unique sounds that stay with you long after you’ve heard them:
4. Isabel Sörling: Cover My Ears
FOLK, TRIBAL, INSPIRING
This short, uplifting number didn’t immediately catch my ear, but Sörling’s voice in itself is a miracle of power and ranges.
Starting softly, her first verse teases gradually at the fireworks she’s about to detonate, which crescendoes into Native American-inspired chanting in the second half of the song.
It’s a goosebump-causing moment if you’re into this type of sound.
5. Flox sings Coming Out
REGGAE, UPLIFTING
On a more uplifting and lighthearted note, English elecro-musician Flox’s “Coming Out” is a fun, memorable tune with easily recognizable roots in reggae.
This guy was apparently exiled from the UK and went to France, so as a Frenchman myself I’m proud to know he’s rocking my home turf.
6. Hadestown on NPR Tiny Desk
PLAYFUL, STORYTELLING, BROADWAY MUSICAL
What can I even say about this textbook eclectic musical journey? Piano, guitars, violin, viola, cello, trombone, accordion, … train whistle? Spoken word storytelling, soulful singing, humor, drama …
This uncommonly busy Tiny Desk episode hints at everything the talented and incredibly diverse Hadestown crew promises to deliver on Broadway 🎭
It’s truly a study in eclecticism and musical soul, and that’s what we’ll end on today.
That’s it for this week! You can find all these songs on the Spotify playlist and the YouTube channel.
Hit reply or comment and let me know what you liked. What you didn’t like. What you’d like to hear more of. What unique & interesting music you’re discovering these days.
And as always, keep it weird. 😉