ListenUp
New tracks from Future Islands, Tennis, Sam Nicolosi, Tempers and more in our weekly musical round-up
Syd: Fin
Syd (member of The Internet and associate of Odd Future) never disappoints and her debut solo album Fin is sublime from beginning to end. From the slightly dark, bubbly “Body” to the sexy “Got Her Own,” the record smoothly slips from spacey to woozy and seductive—complemented by Syd’s effortlessly sultry vocals. With robotic sounds and synths blending with ’90s-tinged R&B influences, this entire record warrants repeat listens.
Future Islands: Ran
Inherently powerful and exuberantly warm, despite the occasional lyrical darkness, the music of Future Islands carries a force that few bands can match. With “Ran,” the first single from their forthcoming album The Far Field, everything we’ve come to love about the band is in place: howling balladry, uplifting synths and a bass-line one can grab ahold of. It’s a strong indicator of what to expect from the band’s forthcoming effort and it’s exciting to say the least.
Sam Nicolosi: Caught Up
Sam Nicolosi’s new track “Caught Up” is a surprising tune that rises and falls with immediacy—but never becomes jarring, thanks to its seamless production. From his upcoming EP Origins, the song is genre-bending in the best way—folding classical guitar into a dance track that boasts plenty of drops and seemingly effortless vocals.
Sin Fang, Sóley + Örvar Smárason: Random Haiku Generator
Icelandic musicians Sin Fang, sóley and Örvar Smárason (of Múm) have announced that they’ll be releasing a collaborative track at the end of every month during 2017. The first, “Random Haiku Generator,” carries an almost mystical balladry. Electronic flourishes complement all three vocalists as the lyrics—described as “a confusing commentary on modern life”—impart a complex but beautiful gravity.
Tempers: Further
With their just-released official video for “Further,” NYC-based Tempers key listeners in to what can be expected of the brand’s forthcoming Fundamental Fantasy EP. Moody guitars get electronic punctuation and a thoughtful atmosphere develops around rather complex songwriting. There’s a lot of beauty here, emphasized in the video, but also darkness.
Tennis: Modern Woman
From the upcoming Yours Conditionally comes “Modern Woman” by Denver-based duo Tennis (aka Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley). The track builds organically—layer upon layer, until its gorgeously swamped end—and is an enticing blend of tenderness and power. The video is made up of a series of highly stylized, retro vignettes, with Moore gazing at herself in mirrors. These visuals add to the vocals’ exploration of femininity.
ListenUp is a Cool Hunting series published every Sunday that rounds up the music we tweeted throughout the week, also found in Listen.
