By Udita Nair
Overview: For this playlist I tried to create an upbeat aura without making it seem too chaotic. I tried to add in songs that were similar (beat wise) but still different in style and execution so that it doesn’t feel repetitive but still maintains a smooth flow. I think it’s an enjoyable playlist to play in the background when doing UNIS work without getting distracted, I would know I had to listen to it multiple times while writing this!
Track 1:
feel u – okayceci
This was the first song I chose this for this playlist since I think its tempo is perfect for the start of any playlist. Similar to putting your feet into a pool before you fully let yourself in. This song is able to maintain a rather soft demeanour with the lyrics while having a fast tune and beat, ultimately making it pleasing to listen to. When I first heard this song I immediately enjoyed its unique mixture of playful and calm.
Track 2:
Needs – Verzache
Similarly to the previous song, ‘Needs’ by Verzache manages to capture the listener with its relatively simple beat. This clean beat paired with the melodies and harmonies make it interesting as it sounds very musically coherent. I’ve been listening to this song since early 2018, so it’s always had kind of a nostalgic feel to it but, for some reason, even when you hear it for the first time, it seems familiar and comforting. I associate this song with comfort as I think it has a natural feel to it; it’s not completely extraordinary or over-the-top. Music simply made to enjoy.
Track 3:
3005 – Childish Gambino
I think everyone can tell by now that I wanted this playlist to have an upbeat feel while not creating something too fast-tempo or loud. This is particularly evident through ‘3005.’ Childish Gambino masters both rap and vocals in this song with his meaningful lyrics and tune. This song point blank is just really good. Childish Gambino is a very creative artist who is talented in many ways. This is because he manages to convey deep issues through music; if you want a specific example of this I’m sure you’ve watched or even heard of his music video for ‘This is America.’ His musical genius is not shocking to anyone.
Track 4:
Looking Out for You – Joy Again
This song has such a friendly feel to it, I can’t really explain it. I especially enjoy the chorus because if you really pay attention to it, you can really appreciate all its different beats and sounds. Again, it’s not something too complicated, it is simple and direct but the slight shift in the chorus is something I find quite intriguing. Usually, the first few verses of a song have a similar beat to the chorus, almost as if they are smaller beats leading the way to the big one. For this song however, there is a slight change in the tone of the singer. I think this makes the song more substantial as it relishes in subtlety.
Track 5:
CAN’T GET OVER YOU – Joji (ft. Clams Casino)
The sound of this song. There is something about the beat of this song that is so energising; it just lifts my mood. I don’t mean this in a ‘jumping up and down’ kind of way, it’s more like ‘quietly bobbing my head to the beat with a smile on my face’ kind of happy. The lyric, “Tell me more I got a box cutter with your name on it” feels especially nice to me since it’s an interesting way to ask someone to move in with you. Joji is known to have sort of a more serious and sad sound (Slow Dancing in the Dark) but this song just proves that if he wants a less sorrowful, more upbeat tune, he can definitely do it.
Track 6:
HOTTIE – BROCKHAMPTON
You may know them from TikTok and ‘Sugar’ but trust me that is barely scratching the surface of Brockhampton’s talents. HOTTIE by Brockhampton is one of my favourite songs by them. With 5 voices on this song they manage to perfectly weave in each verse without making the song seem broken or unorganised. It’s all the more interesting that when one first listens to this song I’m sure they don’t even realise the amount of people who have worked on it. The best part about this song in my opinion is the bridge. The bridge is where I find myself jamming out the most, and I’m sure you did too. The higher voice paired with the more monotone voice makes it such a perfect harmony. This is a song that you can really listen to on repeat since every time you listen to it, you find something new about it that you love, whether it is the lyrics or just the beat of this song.
Track 7:
Ribs – Lorde
Ah, ‘Ribs.’ This song, I’m sure to many, is the epitome of nostalgia. Lorde knows how to grip her listeners with intense emotions through sound and lyrics. The song seems like the musical representation of being on a late-night road trip with your friends blasting music with the windows down. I think what makes this song so utterly unique is that it has meaning to it when you’re listening to it completely alone and also the same amount of meaning when you’re listening to it with your close friends. The dreamy, almost bittersweet melody of Ribs is enough to make your heart swell whether or not you relate to its equally dreamy and bittersweet lyrics. Ribs is a song that needs to be cherished throughout your life, something that seems impossible to fully let go of.
Track 8:
Tyrant – Kali Uchis (ft. Daniel Caesar)
Kali Uchis perfects the use of harmonies and lyrics in her song ‘Tyrant.’ I think this song is such a good one since it makes effective use of rhyme and repetition. Moreover the lyric, “Your lovin’ is like a kaleidoscope” is so poetic I love it. One meaning can be taken as the ‘lovin’’ is vibrant, bright and colourful and another could be that the love is hypnotic and ever-changing and shifting. Her grasp on music really flows through with this song. She also blends English lyrics with Spanish, describing it as this: “(being in a bilingual house) you’ll just switch on and off, between Spanish and English. And it’s just kind of like a naturally occurring thing. So, to be able to do it in music and get away with it is really sick, to me.”
Track 9:
Flaming Hot Cheetos – Clairo
This song is like releasing a deep breath. To me it’s a good breather for any playlist, taking a moment to calm down, close our eyes and just enjoy the music. Clairo’s voice, particularly in this song, feels as if it is flowing water in a cold stream. Now that may be dramatic but am I wrong? Clairo always has the right music for the right occasion. In this playlist, it sort of signals the fact that the playlist is ending soon. Sad, I know, but all good things must come to an end<3 What is confusing is the title of this song. Why is it named after a very popular spicy snack? Why am I now craving Cheetos? Thanks, Clairo.
Track 10:
I Got You – Maddie Jay
I think this song does a really good job of leading up to the chorus. The beginning is slow and sombre, building up the tempo ever-so-slightly in order to slowly usher the listener into the chorus. And once it reached the chorus, oh it’s perfect. The entire beat of the song increases and just portrays the intensity of the feelings put into the song and its lyrics. I love how songs also allow us to reflect on our own lives, which is why listening to this particular one is so comforting because the listener is able to place in the person they believe this song is for. It forces us to reminisce on who we believe has our back and the happy memories they bring with them.
Track 11:
GONE, GONE/ THANK YOU – Tyler, The Creator
I think this is the best song to end this playlist. It begins with a unique voice and beat, something soft and not too fast, with no rap, which is usually unlikely for Tyler to keep up with for around three and a half minutes. This song is long, unconventionally six minutes and fifteen seconds and each one of those seconds is worth your while. The song follows different beats and sounds creating a plethora of melodies for your ears to listen to. Finally, when Tyler does begin the rap, you are reminded of his skill. The latter half of the song, approaching a bit more than four minutes, completely shifts into something entirely new. The tune, sound and beat are changed and the same lyrics are repeated till the end of the song, emphasising their meaning and what Tyler intended to convey through this song which may be different to anyone who listens to it. To me, this song has three distinct parts where it feels like the natural progression of losing a loved one. The first half of the song is when that person has first left and the feeling associated with that, thus the lyric, “You kept me going, the Band-Aid is falling off now.” This is then paired with the second half of the song which I believe showcases the bitterness that accompanies loss; “You got your thing, I got nothing but memories.” Then finally we get the last half of the song which ties in the other two by portraying that he has moved on and was grateful for what he once had but doesn’t know if he can go through it all again; “Thank you for the love, thank you for the joy // But I don’t ever wanna fall in love again.”
Commentaires