A selection of new and/or relevant genre tracks that have recently left an impression on us. For the full playlist, click here.
KENTON – “I’m Breaking My Father’s Heart”
“I’m Breaking My Father’s Heart” by KENTON is equal parts grief and fortitude. As the child of Taiwanese immigrants who raised him in California and then returned to Taiwan once he entered adulthood, KENTON’s music is shaped by his experiences of reconciling with the layers of his identity: Asian American, queer, son.
With lyrics that offer a rare honesty, this Indies track is full of tender vulnerability. KENTON’s soft, distinct vocals accompanied by minimalist and delicate piano notes offer a potent blend of sadness and courage that will tug at your heartstrings. Once the backing vocals enter and begin to harmonise, they quickly give way to a strong bass and the kind of intensity that results in goosebumps.
The song ends with a declaration-turned-chant carrying a pulsing ache that is all too familiar for anyone who has ever had to break their own heart while choosing the survival of their soul.
Luxury Fruit – “I Liked You Better When You Couldn’t Sing”
Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Luxury Fruit is a distinctly delightful recording collective that serves up Indie rock with psychedelic textures, sometimes sprinkled with a dash of hopepunk.
“I Liked You Better When You Couldn’t Sing” is the first track of their third and latest EP ‘In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Selling Out’ which they impishly referred to as ‘music-flavoured noise’. Here is a platter of instrumentals that are harvested together with intention and intuition. The vibrant guitars, playful keys and energetic drums yield a zesty soundscape, summoning you to stop being so serious and just have fun. The lyrics are ripened with a citric, tart humour and are entirely unpretentious in nature with the gift of undiluted candour.
Luxury Fruit is holding out a picnic basket full of auditory treats. Won’t you sit down and take a bite?
Paul Louis Villani – “Two Hearts”
Australian singer-songwriter Paul Louis Villani’s latest single “Two Hearts” is an acoustic ballad born from a harmonious coupling of country and blues.
Villani skillfully utilizes contemporary vocal tools in his production process while retaining profoundly human care and attention. This mid-tempo Indie track begins with clear, bright guitar strumming, beckoning you to come close and lean in. The steady drums, bass and stratified electric textures that follow are paired with simple and expressive lyrics, comfortably offering connection without demanding excessive adornment.
This song, composed by Villani after a nudge from his wife, honours the privilege of loving and being loved in a language whose fluency exclusively rests between the two lovers. Full of yearning and soaring affection, “Two Hearts” invites lovers everywhere to anchor up to each other and inhabit a dimension of their own creation.
