THE PLAYLIST
Singto Numchok (feat YB, Wan Wanwan)/ Na Doo
By now most of us are probably already familiar with Singto Numchok and his well-established artistic brand. Referred by some as “Thailand’s Jack Johnson”, the ukuleletoting Thai singer-songwriter trades in the kind of breezy, laidback sound that could be filed under surf pop. A follow-up to the loungey Tok, Na Doo finds Singto in his usual playful mode, using words (in this case, “doo” which in Thai means to look at) as part of the melody. “Doo, doo, doo, doo/Are you aware that you’re so lovely to look at?” he intones over the blithe lite-reggae production as he’s later joined by rap duo YB (Young Bong) and The Voice Thailand alumnus Wan Wanwan.
Yaeji/ Raingurl
Young Asian rappers are killing the game at the moment. First we have Indonesian MC Rich Chigga and now Korean-American Yaeji, a female producer who’s representing the unlikely face of hip-hop. Raingurl, a standout from EP2, showcases her ability to marry house production with trap and rap. Talk-singing in Korean and English, Yaeji repeats “Make it rain, girl/Make it rain” until it becomes some sort of magical dancefloor chant. This is some next-level banger.
Geowulf/ Hideaway
Made up of childhood friends Star Kendrick and Toma Banjin, London-based Australian duo Geowulf have been serving up dreamy indie-pop since 2016. Their latest cut, Hideaway, recalls the mellow lo-fi nostalgia of established indie acts such as Best Coast, Cults and Tennis. Vocalist Kendrick sings about a lover who’s closed off emotionally (“Oh, dear god, what are you frightened of?/You never opened up/All you do is hide away”). By the sound of it, it seems like Geowulf’s upcoming full-length debut album, Great Big Blue will pick up where their four-track EP, Relapse, left off last year.
Tune-Yards/ ABC 123
Art-pop duo Tune-Yards have just dropped ABC 123, the latest offering off their just-released fourth studio record, I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life. Built around percussion-driven production, the track arrives on the heels of its ‘80s-inspired predecessor Look At My Hands and shares with it the frenetic energy of band leader Merrill Garbus. “California’s burning down/Sitting in the middle of the sixth extinction/Silently suggesting the investment in a generator,” she sings before addressing today’s hot topics like racism and politics (“But all I know is white centrality/ My country served me horror coke/ My natural freedom up in smoke”).
Samia/ The Night Josh Tillman Listened to My Song Hailing from the ol’ Big Apple, self-published singer-songwriter Samia has been making waves on Spotify with her biting “anti-mansplaining anthem” titled Someone Tell the Boys. As her music gets more exposure, the buzz surrounding the 20-year-old pop upstart seems to become even stronger especially now with new track The Night Josh Tillman Listened to My Song. Like its name suggests, the song is a slow-burning piano ballad dedicated to indie rock’s resident wise man, Father John Misty. Samia’s voice is particularly arresting here, a sign that she’s no flash in the pan.