Highlighting the songs I've discovered, rediscovered, or repeatedly played each month. The order reflects an attempt to create a cohesive mixtape, not to rank the songs in any way.
In one month, Spotify has opened my eyes to so much new music, especially recent work from artists I've enjoyed in the past but recently neglected. So let's get to it:
1. Passion Pit - "I'll Be Alright." Another devastating song whose title could end up being the ironic epitaph of troubled lead singer Michael Angelakos. Like almost all of PP's music, though, this bubbly pop track is catchy and enduring.
2. Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith (of The Cure) - "Not in Love." I always liked the original of this song because of the waves of synths that kick in during the chorus. But it felt understated (as does the large majority of Crystal Castles's electronica) because of Alice Glass's murmured vocals. Smith's addition totally reinvigorates "Not in Love," transforming the pessimistic line "I'm not in love" into a triumphant anthem. I've listened to this song over and over again; it's so catchy, builds up gradually, and has a huge payoff at the chorus. I need check out The Cure now.
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| Crystal Castles (left) with Robert Smith. |
3. Passion Pit - "Mirrored Sea." The ghostly yet zany synths that open this song are perfect. It's such a unique, evocative sound that somehow blends seamlessly into the frenetic keys on the verse. These discrete parts then intersect at the chorus, and it somehow works. Sonically, this may be as dark as PP is going to get, but it's impressive new ground to tread, and it importantly balances out the sugary, "gossamer" sounds on this sophomore album with something weightier, more brooding.
