Trying to write while neck deep in the grind means sometimes good tunes fall through the cracks. Here I’m going to offer my inbox some relief while sharing worthy musical goodness with you lovable clickers. Five tunes not to miss coming right up!
Opeongo – tragedy
Opeongo’s voice is so uniquely clear that it paints “tragedy” in bold colors. His tone is sweet and vaguely nasal that it feels like Steve Harley, making “tragedy” feel very glam. It nods so good and demands your attention. The lyrics tell a grim story of Canadian-indigenous genocide, but end in the potential for hope as voices like Opeongo’s try and remember history so it never repeats. It’s gorgeous and sorrowful, and that voice will stick to you.
Listen to “tragedy” ★ Opeongo Facebook ★ Opeongo Bandcamp
Down With Space – We Were Strangers
“We Were Strangers” has a post-punk drum flavor and an electro agenda. The chorus has that kind of foot-stomping energy that is completely magnetic. The result is a pop tension that feels a lot like 1am with four drinks in the gullet, about to make a very exciting bad decision. Vaguely nostalgic, exacerbated by the video’s visuals as the viewer perpetually leaves everything behind. There’s just something about that combination of tones that is so compelling.
We Were Strangers Video ★ Down With Space Instagram ★ Down With Space Bandcamp
Lydia Persaud – Good For Us
Soulful, smooth, and cool as hell, Lydia Persaud’s “Good For Us” is the flavor of self-care and new clarity. Simple rhythm and delicate guitar let Persaud’s voice wash over and cleanse the soul as she sings the praises of time away from one’s lover. The video sees Persaud smudging away the bad vibes and spending some much-needed personal time with her besties. Send the other half out for groceries and roll out the bath bombs to melt into this one.
Good For Us Video ★ Lydia Persaud Instagram ★ Lydia Persaud Bandcamp
John Orpheus – House of Cards (Radiohead Cover)
It’s hard to top an original, but John Orpheus gives and old favorite new breath in his Afro-pop cover of Radiohead’s “House of Cards.” Capitalizing on the original’s minimalist percussion, Orpheus adds delicate Caribbean rhythm that gives the song a new optimism. His vocals feel a bit like Phil Collins at moments. Refreshingly honest, video director Patrick Hodgson illustrates the tune with images of real couples in love, from the joyful to the mildly erotic, which capture the (often underrepresented) love shared in a long-term relationships.
House Of Cards by John Orpheus Video ★ John Orpheus Instagram ★ John Orpheus Bandcamp
Agath Christ – Blood
It starts like a post-punk electro tune until the beat takes on this off-kilter syncopation that rests on the border between darkwave and electro jazz, if there is one. Noisy and tense, “Blood” is trying desperately to break through the weighted chains of our algorithmic technological oppression. “Blood” is visceral, and stressful, and so very easy to connect with if you’ve ever felt overburdened by the world as it has been engineered. Visuals show (what I interpret as) sufferers escaping their homes to find the last vestige of land free from the looming pressures of technocracy, only able to find rest by laying in the woods in snow. I get it – screens can start to feel like prison walls. Engage with this one.
Blood Video ★ Agath Christ Instagram ★ Agath Christ Bandcamp
Try ’em out! Let me know what you think in the comments or hit us up on Instagram.
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