What day is it? What week is it in quarantine? What’s my age again? Around the world, places are starting to open again—for better and also for worse—but regardless if every place opens up (please don’t) it won’t change the fact that the coronavirus threat is still very much out there. To brighten up the rest of your week, here are some new tunes that we’ve discovered from around the globe.
FERAL — “Crash and Burn”
There’s nothing quite like a killer punk song when everything is going to shit and that’s where our friends FERAL come in. Hailing from the Netherlands, “Crash and Burn” is the theme song to my whole entire quarantine. Yes, I will get to your emails. Yes, I will post all of your content. Yes, I will feed my dog. Soon as I take this nap …
FERAL sounds like a punch in the face, which I could use right now to continue writing all of these submissions that have been dormant in my inbox. The main attribute is Distortion (yes, capital D) with a touch of overdrive and topped off with a lot of fuzz (and a bit more Distortion?). Thanks boys for that little face smack.
Nicotine Black — “Fool Yourself”
Nicotine Black is that French lover that you wish you had. His soothing, sultry voice comes through your headphones like a box of dark chocolate and in the middle of quarantine, his voice is basically like Barry White talking to you.
His dark synthpop features an irresistible guitar and vocals that are reminiscent of that time Penn Badgley had a band (Mother or MXTHER). “Fool Yourself” is the post-quarantine babymaking jam. You heard it here first.
The Vacant Lots — “Rescue”
My friends just did a new wave dance party and now I’m kicking myself that this track wasn’t submitted to his DJ queue. The Vacant Lots is everything I love about goth new wave tunes.
“Rescue” features dark, broody vocals, upbeat synth-driven instrumentals, and a drum machine that was taken straight out of The Wedding Singer. The lyrics speak exactly to many of our moods right now, when they sing “I need a rescue.” Don’t we all?
Mother Sun — “Sucralose”
Alright, who could use a dose of summer sun and good vibes? British Columbia-based band Mother Sun is coming in hot with this good energy. Equal parts Tame Impala meets Flaming Lips, “Sucralose” is an indie acid pop track that features submerged vocals, catchy-as-hell guitars, and a heavy dose of psychedelia.
Just like the Scottish guy I chatted with on Tinder who was coming down from a quarantine acid trip, “Sucralose” is that trippy tune that helps you forget everything else going on outside your four walls.
BisonBison — “Ocean”
If you’re quarantine/moment of despair is needing less punk music and more chill vibes, then BisonBison’s “Ocean” is the track for you. Less of a track and more of an indie electronic lullaby, “Ocean” features a collage of acoustic and electronic elements that when mixed together creates a downtempo atmospheric soundscape.
Can someone choreograph a ballet piece to this track? Please. It’s the quarantine content we all deserve.
Listen to the full playlist here
