Wopping at any hour is acceptable with some SBTRKT.
Photo: Creative Commons via TogetherBoston
Frat and Keg music cramping your style already? Here are some of our picks to give your brain a break. Don’t worry, everyone loves the ‘hipster over night’ look. Have fun getting these songs out of your head after the jump.
“Acker Bilk” by Chad Valley (Album: Equatorial Ultravox)
Amidst the increasing commercialization and homogenization of “indie” music (see: Lana Del Rey or Foster the People), Chad Valley’s debut single stands out as unforgettably unique. You’d think the song’s generous use of Auto-Tune would irritate a purist like myself, but C.V. uses the technology to synthesize his voice into a breathtakingly defined instrument that ferries his harmonies through glittery waves of chord progression and syncopated percussion.
“Adult Goth” by Gang Gang Dance (Album: Eye Contact)
Gang Gang Dance is a bit of an enigma to many people. They’re nearly impossible to categorize, with most critics settling on “experimental” for lack of a better genre. “Adult Goth” combines the best aspects of Gang Gang Dance—a perversely poppy, sensual lead soloist juxtaposed with a furious rhythm section—without including any of the bands hyper-experimental inaccessibility. If M.I.A. had been born in Brooklyn instead of in her Sri Lanka via London roots, she might have created something very much like Gang Gang Dance.
“Vomit” by Girls (Album: Father, Son, Holy Ghost)
Girls’ “Lust For Life” was my summer beach anthem, and “Vomit” may be the only thing keeping me motivated during fall finals week. If this band knows how to make one thing well, it’s visceral snapshots of a moment in time. “Lust For Life” stops just short of featuring the sounds of a crashing surf and “Vomit” reeks of a dive bar’s stale cigarettes and desperation. The dark, retro vibe only gets stronger with distorted guitar solos and a droning organist, but look out for the wailing gospel soloist in the last minute that will send chills down your spine.
“Wings” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (Album: Wings-Single)
I like to think of Macklemore as Eminem without any of the misogyny, homophobia or bigotry, which means he’ll never be as popular. Macklemore, however, writes incredible verses and has all of the explosiveness and hunger of an early Kanye West. “Wings” tells a story that initially seems like just another rap song about expensive shoes but quickly turns into a mournful recollection of how consumerism drained him at a young age and eventually tragically ended his childhood. The initially cheerful but quickly eerie children’s chorus is a nice touch.
“As I Lay My Head Down” by Other Lives (Album: Tamer Animals)
Other Lives is one of those bands that you can put on loop and play for a six-hour study session without needing to change the song. But not in a dull, monotonous way. They’re a group that writes music designed for the long haul—swooping orchestral melodies that blend seamlessly into one another. Think Sufjan Stevens mixed with Freelance Whales, stirred vigorously and put on ice.
“Wildfire” by SBTRKT (ft. Little Dragon) (Album: SBTRKT)
Let’s be honest, this song is going to end up on the secret sex playlist you titled “Study Music Pt. II” in the hopes that no one would discover it. Little Dragon’s voice is already outrageously sultry, but SBTRKT’s naked beats improves “Wildfire” just like that bottle of tequila improved your sex life freshman year.
