Hello Music Club, 2020 May
Well, it is been over 70 days since we started lockdown here in San Francisco and it feels like both many years ago and only yesterday since this all began.
What is great is that music is still being released and we can dance away the indoor blues! This month I’ve got a mix of new and old and a little bit in between to get you groovin’ and movin’.
A bit late with this one but still made it within the month! Whew!
So here we have it, Hello, Music Club 2020 May
The Weeknd
After Hours (Deluxe)
2020
Lordy, this is pretty. I have had this on repeat for a few days, just groovin’ around the house. Lots of collaborations (and more being released every couple of days (I added the Doja Cat remix to “In Your Eyes” at the end of the album as a special treat). Seriously, this is already a contender for the top 10 for 2020 already.
Theophilus London
Bebey
2020
This record came out in January and I’ve been really enjoying it, but it didn't fit with any of the previous playlists (I have a secret playlist of lost souls that I collect trying to find a good place for them in playlists over the year — playlists are important). Anyway, I first heard of Theophilus London because Nick Waterhouse was supporting him at the Mezzanine. I didn’t make it to that show but wished I did. This record is super Interesting. It jumps genres and it a super solid release.
Yelle
Je t’aime encore
2020
Every Yelle release will find it’s way onto one of my playlists. This was released this month with a super cool video.
Looks like Yelle will have a new album in September which is super exciting. She/They was/were planning to tour the USA in October, but who knows if that will happen now or if October is even real.
Jarreau Vandal
Nothing Nice/Bad Shit
2020
This popped up on my Instagram as an advert and the cover made me really want to check it out. I had no idea who Jarreau Vandal was. Turns out he is a producer from Amsterdam who makes beautiful music. The first track is Jarreau Vandal with Kojey Radical from East London’s rap and Gaidaa, who’s stunning voice is just cream to this magic. It is a beautiful song that makes you want to sway around the house. It made me look into some of Jarreau’s other stuff and saw Bad Shit which is also golden but I LOVED the Bad Shit remix by Faisal. Enjoy
Persian Funk
Various Artists (Secret Stash)
2011
Holy crap… Persian Funk is “a collection of rare funk and soul recorded in Iran during between ‘70-’76”.
WHAT!!!
Yeah, you heard me. Listen. This is AMAZING.
Fuze The MC
This Really Happened
2020
I have no idea how this came across my desk. If it was a recommendation let me know so I can call you out for having great taste. The internet tells me that Fuze The MC is “an Oakland-based digital strategist, hip hop artist, and business developer”. I kinda love that. This album shows his great abilities, sounds and soul flowing out of each track. He gives a shit. He cares. This album is the kind of album that makes a kid change their life.
Khushi
Strange Seasons
2020
This album is a young Thom Yorke for the COVID blues. This is stunning. Mixed by James Blake, it is a turn the lights off, sit in bed and put on headphones album.
[ KSR ]
Unfiltered
2019
[ K S R ] is super hard to find on Spotify. The search algorithm means that the [ is ignored and I think he uses spaces between each letter so finding the link to this was [ H A R D ]. He came up while I was researching Jarreau Vandal (he released something around the same time) but he is from Manchester, where the lady I love who sometimes loves me is from. So I had a listen. This is a super nice R&B EP. Then I heard Sweet Jungle (another release from him) and this felt SO MUCH like the mix of Garage and R&B that young Carlita plays me from her youth that it made me love this dude. Super rad.
Against All Logic
2017–2019
2020
I was originally going to start this playlist with this but thought that it felt better to end with it. I have been blasting this around the house. I have an ethical issue with the use of a non-paid for stock footage image on the cover, but as the album really can make no sense at times and perfect symmetry at others, this use of a watermarked stock image and the moniker Against All Logic kind of all makes sense. In the pitchfork review, it said: “Textures undulate and basses overwhelm, while vocals flutter in and out of focus as if someone were flicking through channels on a decrepit television”. This is a perfect review for this album and I love it. There are moments that you could be listening to Múm’s song Small Memory (I’ve linked both Múm and Against All Logic — With An Addict so you can hear what I mean). What a ride!
Well, that’s May 2020.
Hopefully, you are all safe and just bobbing your heads to good music.
Yours in rock and/or roll
Waxamillion Dondalinger
