I always hated the “back to school” commercials in early August because it felt simultaneously premature and a harbinger of summer vacation’s conclusion. It’s that weird line in the sand where, as a youth, you just want to grasp onto the last remnants of the season before you’re beckoned back to your perennial routines; the final hurrah before the alarm clock strikes your ears in the morning.
Now a fully-fledged adult, I don’t even bat an eye at those commercials anymore because the alarm clock strikes for me no matter what month it is. And I honestly yearn for those crisp fall days to rescue me from the summer’s sear, especially as heat waves become more frequent.
That, however, doesn’t mean I neglect the charm of summer, and for that matter, the vague wistfulness of the season’s dog days. August has always been a fascinating transition period in that way: the 95-degree days are a reminder of what we experienced, and those sporadic cool nights are a taste of what’s to come.
The three songs I want to highlight here deftly capture that collision of past and future: not so much in the literal sense, but in sound and feeling. Hope you all enjoy, and as always, feel free to email me with stuff you’ve been listening to!
Tyler, the Creator (feat. Madison McFerrin) — “Don’t You Worry Baby”
It feels like this song is about to burst into a million pieces and induce a mosh pit when Tyler starts rapping in the beginning… until it doesn’t. The beat drop will get you moving, but instead of pushing and shoving in front of the stage, “Don’t You Worry Baby” will likely make you take a more rhythmic approach to your movements.
Lately, I’ve preferred Tyler’s foray into R&B/pop aesthetics, and this feels like the ultimate culmination of that. I don’t consider Tyler to have the greatest singing voice in the world, but he knows how to produce himself and layer the vocals to add emotional depth when needed.
Other times, like here, he’s willing to take a back seat vocally, instead opting to serve as the conductor to McFerrin’s trip on the “love train.”
The song is simple, yet sweet and understated. It feels like a spiritual sequel to Ghost Town DJs’ classic, “My Boo” in its rap/R&B fusion, and it’s hard not to buy into McFerrin’s endearing chorus: “Don’t you worry, baby/I’ve got time and I’m gon’ give it to you/I’ll give you the world before you fall asleep.”
Listen here: tinyurl.com/4tu49ye5
Jim Legxacy – “sos”
One of my least favorite trends in modern music is when an artist uses a sample, not to elevate their song, but carry it through its nostalgia — i.e. Jack Harlow’s “First Class.” I’m much more interested in an artist who can bring new life to a sample by using it to accentuate the track’s premise.
Legxacy achieves the latter multiple times throughout his fantastic new album “Black British Music,” but I especially love how he utilizes Case’s “Missing You” to add a tenderness to his pleading. Throughout the song, the British musician attempts to convince a girl that spending time with him is a better use of her days than with anyone else.
Although this comes off as egotistical on the surface, Legxacy’s intermittent use of that sample and his affectionate personality yield much more emotional depth to this sparkling Afropop hit. The “I’m missing you” bit enters and exits the track like a constant shooting star, adding soulfulness to what otherwise could have been a simplistic serenade.
Listen here: tinyurl.com/mw87fkea
zayALLCAPS (feat. Anto the Wayward) — “Saturn”
The fuzzy texture of this feels like a much more fleshed-out version of what Travis Scott was trying to accomplish on Astroworld deep cut “Astrothunder.” It’s relaxingly pensive, and zay’s space-themed ruminations bode well next to a beat that glistens amongst the stars.
It’s equal parts whimsy and wistful; accentuated by Anto’s vivid meditations about finding balance. The chorus’s melody is infectious, too: “So I got in my little Saturn yeah/Searchin for a clue/Stunt — stuntin like you are/None of that matters now.”
Listen here: tinyurl.com/4m8ucz3a
