The Faves Playlist - December 2023
New music from Wishy, Jade., iVANA, Cleaver Blue and more. Check out our faves below:
LPTHERAPPER - No Obligations
What started as a freestyle over a HNNY-produced instrumental soon becomes a deep examination of past actions and intentions. On “No Obligations,” Atlanta’s LPTHERAPPER explains, “I write love music. I write history. I write however I’m feeling, really. ‘No Obligations,’ is a lost love story that will never get to end with a happy ending, at least not right now. I was writing from a point of view of just feeling a way about somebody, but honestly waiting too long to tell them that–and having to accept the fact that they moved on. It’s [about] saying things you know you’re not really obligated to be saying,” she says. In the same breath, LPTHERAPPER retracts, “Then again, you know, fuck that. Say how you feel. That’s really what I did in that song. I realize that it ate me up so much that I didn’t say anything–and I never understood why until I started writing more.” The song “No Obligations” is off LPTHERAPPER’s latest album Da Vault, which is out now.
Future Husband - Good Company
On their new and independently released single “Good Company,” Netherlands indie pop band Future Husband looks within for answers. The four-piece notes that the song is “dedicated to the power of self.” Vocalist/bassist Adura Sulaiman hints at being comfortable in your skin and putting yourself first. According to Future Husband, the track was recorded in “a unique sleep-away camp-style studio.” This is the band’s first single since their 2022 EP I Love You Forever. Could this be the start of something new?
Leveller - You, Fading out of View
Leveller, Bristol musician Daniel R. Bell’s solo project, has released the new track “You, Fading out of View.” Bell describes the song as “a baritone break-up poem, detailing a love cruelly cut off in its prime.” The post-punk love letter to a former flame is a result of merging the old with the new, as Leveller is influenced by acts ranging from The Cure to Drab Majesty. “You, Fading out of View,” also features Callum Brown of Ulrika Spacek on drums.
Mimi Pretend - First Time
“First Time,” the new single by LA-based songwriter/producer Mimi Pretend tells the story of growing up in a cursed town in the Colorado mountains. The track’s descending piano chords, minimal strings, and pedal steel guitar reinforce the lyrics portraying a western ghost town inhabited by trouble. At the chorus, Mimi Pretend asks “Do you remember the first time?” The haunting track is off of Mimi Pretend’s upcoming EP Colorado 1996.
Mr. Floyd Larry - Sweet Caroline
Miami shoegaze/dream pop project Mr. Floyd Larry sums up ghosting culture in under two minutes on “Sweet Caroline.” As Garry Larrieux explains, “The song is about someone I would be attracted to, but it just doesn’t seem to fit my standards or what I want.” Though he began producing hip-hop beats in 2018, Larrieux’s love of live music from bands like DIIV, Beach Fossils, and Cocteau Twins led him to make shoegaze. Mr. Floyd Larry performed at Miami’s III Points festival back in October.
Maria Rosenberg - Slow Dancing
According to electronic Real Lies, no one is safe from the homogenization of modern times. Their new song, “I Remember High Streets,” is described by the London-based duo as a “suburban revenge fantasy.” As Real Lies explains, “‘I Remember High Streets,’ is a rebel song for the voiceless gutted town centres ravaged by the coming world.” The track is off their latest EP SINKING SUBURB, which was partly inspired by Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach Trilogy. SINKING SUBURB is out now via Never Sleep.
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On their debut album Ambivert, Houston-based duo Blemishes—comprised of Julienne Ceron and Jessie Huntington—defies easy categorization by blending diverse musical influences and styles. This 50-minute album showcases a spectrum of sounds, from frantic rhythms to gentle instrumentation, reflecting their view of albums as cohesive narratives rather than mere collections of songs. To highlight its various influences, Ceron curated a playlist for us. Read our Q&A with the writer/producer and listen to the playlist.