Despite music being a constant in my day-to-day life, my listening habits tend to shift with the seasons. Winter calls for blues and folk, fall for rough-around-the-edges indie rock, and spring is undoubtedly for pop. My summer playlist, however, is tempting me to bend the rules a bit.
Perhaps it’s the warmth, the extra free time, or just the magic of watching the world finally open its doors and windows after a particularly bitter winter; regardless, to me, summer has a warm je ne sais quoi that sways me to music genres I might never visit otherwise. It’s a season of exploration and experimentation. And this summer, I think I’ve found my favorite batch of music yet!
If you’re anything like me, you’re an avid playlist-maker. I have the most fun making playlists when I’m just about to get ready for a night out with friends. And after stumbling upon this handful of standouts, I curated a mix that’ll carry you from the pregame to the trek home.
“Losing You” By Solange
In this song, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and model Solange takes you along a dreamy, upbeat journey detailing a messy, in-between love connection. Despite the vulnerability she conveys in her lyrics, which pine and long so earnestly for the subject matter, this song feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s light, breezy, and a perfect intro to your evening.
A highlight of the song is the unconventional production and beat created using Solange’s vocals. It’s matched with absolutely gorgeous layered synths, making it equally funky and easy on the ears.
True to its release year, 2013, the song has a mid-2010s charm, reminiscent of a bit of a rom-com. I see this song as the sonic embodiment of a leading actress with messy glitter eye shadow stumbling out of her apartment and into a taxi filled with her equally messily glittered friends.
“Paradise” By Sade
Beyond being an obvious classic, this song makes it quite literally impossible to stand still. The baseline is, in every sense of the term, iconic. The millisecond it touches your ears, you know the song, and immediately know the vibe. It’s groovy, hot, and the perfect push to get you on the dance floor.
The entirety of The Best of Sade could easily stand alone as a summer staple. Her voice is warm and silky, and the jazz motifs littered throughout the album make it perfect for the warmer seasons.
“Topdown” by Channel Tres
Despite not typically feeling a pull to house music, this song was an instant favorite of mine. The intro alone is an absolute ten out of ten, but the way it slowly builds and drops off in the most satisfyingly soft way was, in my opinion, perfection.
The very matter-of-fact, casual delivery of the lyrics also contributes to this perfect smoothness. The bass keeps the tempo up, and the breathy, whisper vocals complement it perfectly.
The song bends genres between rap, R&B, and house, combining the best of every piece! It’s perfect for a rooftop bar scene, or even just to jam to on the way there!
“Da Fonk” by Mochakk (featuring. Joni)
From the moment I first heard this song, it became a staple in my nightlife experience. It exemplifies the perfect balance between upbeat quickness and technical groundedness. More than anything, this track is intriguing. It starts by building toward this eventually huge drop off, which makes you want to listen over and over.
The vocals echo in an interestingly hypnotizing way. Meandering through these lyrics about immense magnetic desire, expressing how a person puts the vocalist in this dream-like state. The sound of the song perfectly mimics this idea by building wild vocals over classic house beats.
If there’s one song to visit over all the rest, I’d say go for this one.
“Verdigris” By SERAPHINE NOIR and Mauricesax
This is where things get a little wild. This song does some crazy combinations and transitions between EDM and jazz, but if you’re into unconventional genre-bending, this is the song for you! It has a slightly DIY charm that I absolutely love, especially so when considering it’s coming from two relatively small artists.
It’s a song you can dance to, drink to, groove to, and everything in between. The production is extremely unique, which is especially highlighted by the seemingly improvised jazz notes sprinkled throughout. The intro, which repeats a few times throughout the track, is an absolute highlight. It’s somehow both dreamy and hard-hitting in all the best ways.
“Girls Just Wanna Have Some” By Chromatics
This track is the perfect slow down. It’s a spin on Cindy Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, and it completely flips the original on its head. Had I not known who came first, I’d likely assume it was the Chromatics originally. While Lauper’s version embodies the rush and excitement of partying, this take on it is much more subdued. If the Original is the first shot you take at a new bar, this version is the smoke break.
Because of the layered whisper vocals, it feels deeply intimate. It’s gorgeous and feminine, elusive and hypnotizing. It’s that moment when you just close your eyes on the dance floor and feel the music as if it’s happening inside your own body.
“Instanté” By Paradis
Slowing things down a bit more, this song is mellow in the best possible way. It’s the perfect way to tone down the night. The song comes from another album that could stand alone as a summer classic, but what I love about this track in particular is the long breaks of vocal silence. The production is perfection, so letting it breathe on its own was such a good choice.
The mixing is somehow both bouncy and slow. It has such a satisfying ring to the ear, repeating this same complex techno sound throughout the song, and layering different styles of vocals and keys to complement it.
“Wish” By Blood Orange
Last but certainly not least is a favorite from Blood Orange’s discography. This track puts the feeling of walking outside a club or bar after hours of dancing, yelling, and laughing, feeling the fresh night air on your face, into sound. It’s the calm after the storm, and the perfect end cap.
I find the intro to be the most interesting part. It’s atmospheric and airy, taking in sounds of the street: conversations, car horns, wind. It’s so beautifully human. And the feather-light synths complement the harshness so well. It’s truly gorgeous and the epitome of Blood Orange’s dreamy sound.
If a night out must end, it might as well be with a calming, gentle song like this.
