With yet another long weekend upon us, we invite you to take on an unparalleled musical escape with a well-curated playlist of must-listen to music that is a total left field from the oversaturated pop bangers ringing down on our ears as of late. A selection of easy listening and hard-to-find tracks by Kim Galanza (aka DJ Boykillsrobot), this long-weekend soundtrack will have you cruising along the days just fine.
1. Dreams – No One Defeats Us
Dreams is the project of Daniel Johns (Silverchair) and Luke Steele (Empire Of The Sun) whose main goal was to build a gang–one that is straight out of the future. Think cheeky and formulaic music that is embedded on the same Empire of The Sun template, but edgy. Most of all, this track is fun and guaranteed to get you bouncing off the long weekend.
2. Twin Shadow – Saturdays (feat. HAIM)
Following his last release of Eclipse in 2015 and a battle with recovery following a reconstructive surgery, George Lewis Jr. (aka Twin Shadow) is back and continues to do what he does best—music. Saturdays is an example of Lewis’ penchant for introspective song writing. This track is ostensibly about taking time to feel at peace with a loved one, feeling that the world is starting to tear itself apart and maybe falling through the cracks. But when you’re lying in bed next to someone you care about, none of that seems real.
And isn’t that what long weekends are all about?
3. Young Fathers – In My View
In the realm of music and genre reinventions, Young Fathers sure knows how to pull a 360. After releasing Dead and White Men Are Black Men Too, who’s sound was built on Hip Hop and Grime, 2018’s Coco Sugar is fuck-off to that sound. With a hint of Bloc Party but vocally confident, the avant willfulness of this record is so sorely needed at these times when Top 40 Radio all sounds too similar. It’s fresh and haunting and this track captures their goal to be different and bold.
4. Sol – If You Don’t Call
Seattle-based rapper Sol has had a steady come-up and is up for it. Bubbling up at a steady pace—one cannot deny the 90s bop this track is modeled after. A stunning surprise because it isn’t just Bruno Mars who is up on that alley. Built on the back of relaxed drums and an easy flow, the mood of the track is something like a thawing cold shoulder. The synths are dampened, everything feels settled. But don’t be fooled—the song’s drift is to capture the somber feeling of coming to terms with losing touch and detaching from the people you love most.
Damned if you still are not paying attention. Give this tune a play and repeat it ‘til the long weekend is done. Then don’t forget to call us to say thank you.
5. Sofi Tukker – Batshit
If you don’t know who Sofi Tukker is at this point in your existense, then take a step back, sit down and read intently. New York-based duo Sofi Tukker crafts a throbbing 90s house-inspired jungle pop ditty that resulted in a Grammy nomination before they even released a full-length album. Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern are fluent in the international language of fun. Drawing on many sounds yet beholden to none, their electro-funk-disco-pop anthems offer a post-regional Rosetta Stone of good vibes. While earlier singles are mostly vocaled by Sophie—Batshit is Tucker’s introduction to finally doing vocals in this bounce-off to their upcoming LP Treehouse.
6. Fischerspooner – Have Fun Tonight
Electroclash icons Fischerspooner have finally returned after a long wait of 8 years with a lead single that is a pulsating club number, as reflected in the accompanying visual that features the swirling, trailing bodies of men dancing around each other. Their YouTube post describes the track as a queer dance ballad about polyamory encouraging your lover to go out and have fun without you. Fischerspooner has never shied away from brazen sexuality, which has always been a core aesthetic. Have Fun Tonight is co-written and produced by Michael Stipe and Boots—tasteful and coy as it is inviting
7. The Beaches – Money
The Beaches needs no introduction. Their sound is youthful, for sure, but they don’t sound like a young band. The sharpness of their songwriting and the range and confidence of their playing betrays the years of diligent hard work they’ve already put in to get to this point. Take for example Money, a muscular track from four confident women in their 20’s rippin’ a tune with sensible, catchy melodies and a 60s stoner voice that’s almost in Grace Slick territory.
8. Calpurnia – City Boy
Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things shows us how to grunge out with his band Calpuria. With Wolfhard on guitar and vocals, Malcolm Craig on drums, Ayla Tesler-Mabe also on guitars and Jack Anderson on bass. They’ve outed their first single City Boy and it’s a lo-fi garage rock banger with a swaggering, blues rock track inspired by the Rolling Stones. Singer-guitarist Wolfhard laments his situation as the song’s titular “city boy” falling for the “city girl” who’d rather date “the city tool” than his “city fool.” Now isn’t that cute?
Get on with this hot track so you can swagger all weekend long.
9. Monarchy – mid:night
Synth-pop duo Monarchy, made up of Andrew Armstrong (producer, DJ) and Ra Black (vocals, lyrics) are back in full effect. If you don’t remember them, check out Disintegration, their 2013 track with Dita Von Teese, which guarantees to make you take a bath after a few listens. Now, they are back with new material filled with pop-dance feels, all tied in with catchy lyrics and synth-dominated melodies—a kind of synth wave, French touch atmosphere. It’s clear the French touch plays a significant part for Andrew, the funk and disco morphed with a Monarchy setting offers a refreshing take on these assembles. The track mid:night is the song to express a feeling of finding a sanctuary in love and is guaranteed to keep things sexy and pulsating this long hot summer weekend.
10. Little Dragon – Strobe Light
Swedish band Little Dragon has never shied from a good sweet-syrupy hooks. More importantly, the visuals celebrates that feeling of being young and creating your own universe within your environment and being able to express yourself in any shape or form. Taken off their 2017 LP Season High, Strobe Light brings a cheerful, lighthearted electro-pop sound filled with simple, upbeat lyrics and breezy instrumentation—almost to a point where it is a self-prescribed exercise in escapism. Give the LP a rerun or even just this track and give your weekend a lift-up to a stunning brazen start.
