The Archive’s Song of the Week: 11/20/2023

Each week the Archive will shine a spotlight on our (my, I’m the only one on staff here) favorite songs. All songs are welcome, from swooning ballads and plucking folk ditties to pounding club bangers and sugary pop confections.

Genre(s): Dance, Alternative, Soul, Pop, Folk, Dance Pop, Electronic

1. “The Fields” by Nourished by Time: Not very often can a song bridge the gap between dance and soul in such a way that inspires religious fervor, yet this is an attribute I most desire in a dance song. The brilliant centerpiece of Nourished by Time’s recent album, Erotic Probiotic 2, “The Fields” rushes in after warbling trumpets’ calls, a fiery chariot surging towards the earth, glowing with psychedelic, funk-inspired production that bounces like some dancehall or roller rink in Nirvana. Laced into this track are the doubts and contradictions of faith and religion through a modern lens: “Once or twice, I prayed to Jesus/ Never heard a word back in plain English,” he sings while the current rushes around him, a deluge washes him, the fields around him running with tributaries and deltas as the flood races. “Now the ends the end/ The now and then/ The fallen kings/ The broken men,” he ends, leading into the next verse. There is a cleansing nature to this song as Nourished by Time sings of struggling through life, while one gleans the sense that life is trying to embrace him through the lush harmonies and arrangement. The ability to translate matters of one’s personal faith into music is a win in my book and a must-have on any emotional playlist.
2. “Bury Me,” by PinkPantheress (ft. Kelela): It took me a while to finally board the PinkPantheress train. She has long been circling my view, just a little too young in my eyes to draw me in, but her debut album, the glittering Heaven Knows, finally sold me. One of the strongest, smoothest, and prettiest tracks on this collection, which features one of my favorite artists ever, “Bury Me” with Kelela proves a definite highlight. An ode to failing situation-ships, this song resonates with me, drawing out my younger, 20-year-old self to the psychic forefront. “I almost fell in love but I couldn’t tell you,” she sings, repeating over and over that sentiment. It never quite worked out, it never met her desires. Kelela only adds to the story, creating a sort of flashback scenario, perhaps suggesting the start of the relationship’s troubles. “I never wanna come unless you’re comfortable/ Ignore me when I get there/ Where do I go?” sings Kelela, her smooth croon curling over the production like smoke. She doesn’t falter in her confidence, however, reminding her lover of her own conviction: “If I wasn’t that bitch, then I’d be on the floor.” “Bury Me” marries PinkPantheress’s bubbly pop sensibilities with something deeper, huskier, and weightier; the track oozes with her own musical sensibility: fresh, cheeky, introspective, and altogether ear-grabbing.
3. “Shit Talk,” by Sufjan Stevens: As I’ve developed a regular listening habit for Sufjan Steven’s recent album, Javelin, I have had much time to explore this collection, and develop new and ever-changing feelings on its 11 magnificent tracks. One such later player was the twisted and heart-wrenching opus “Shit Talk,” stuck firmly as the album’s penultimate song. While the mesmerizing “Genuflecting Ghost” and “Everything That Rises” first drew my attention upon first listening, “Shit Talk” was a slow burn. Crawling across an 8-minute run is a tale of love disintegrating, a cacophony of Greek choruses bursting out, lamenting this tragic tale of lovers discovering their time together has run its course. “I will always love you, but I cannot live with you,” sings Stevens, laying out the crux of the issue, the emotional core, quite early, so the rest of the song has time to riff off the sentiment and the initial, plucking guitar arrangement that welcomes the rest of the track. “Hold me closely, hold me tightly, lest I fall,” a chorus of cherubic voices pick up from Stevens, answered by a choir of his own voice repeating, “I will always love you.” It’s a symphonic undertaking and one that glows like the shining gold paint backdrop of an Orthodox Christian icon, the light of something sacred emanating. The song dies a bit: “I don’t wanna fight at all,” all voices, big and small, begin to chant, rippling out and through the air. There is still love, after all, though it is diminished. It remains, but it will never be the same. “I will always love you,” he continues, ad infinitum. Yeah, just listen to it.
4. “Houdini,” by Dua Lipa: Dua Lipa is back, baby! I have to say, I may not be a diehard fan, but I do look forward to a new release from Ms. Peep. “Houdini,” her newest single, did not disappoint. Though the Kate Bush via The Dreaming-inspired social media imagery did perplex me a bit, the resulting dancefloor anthem did not disappoint. Though the style harkens back to more of a “Hung Up” by Madonna sound instead of Kate Bush, I haven’t been able to put this track down. Thumping, Tame Impala-indebted production grooves with an almost diabolical vibe, not too far from “Thriller” on the pop musical family tree. “I come and I go, tell me all the ways you need me/ I’m not here for long/ Catch me or I go Houdini,” Dua Lipa sings, feathery harmonies cocooning her as she beckons us forward to the floor. It's infectious; I’m foaming at the mouth for a chance to dance to this at the club. I might demand it. The lyrics are direct, a talent she and her writing partners possess in spades that provides a refreshing air for the bold synths and spacey backing vocals to do their work, all creating a habitat for Dua Lipa to thrive. Throw it on any pregame playlist or any DJ set and the floor should heat up easily.
5. “Never be Like You,” by Flume (ft. Kai): I love a song that harkens back to an era, and “Never Be Like You,” by Flume brings me so firmly back to 2016 that it should count as a form of time travel. The swooning, bellowing sound was a staple of the time, paired with the saccharine lyrics, creating a college bar spiritual experience paired with the right cheap well drink. Signature, nasally vocals are a nostalgic essential. There’s not too much to say about this track besides its beautifully corny-in-hindsight sound that will always take me back to nights of bar-hopping with my best friends and roommates before life became a little tougher and the lessons a little harder to learn. And some nights, it’s fun to listen to this song and feel that energy all over again, and to remind myself I’m still young and still human.