In work terms, Vol 31 is a "fast-follow" to Vol 30, released just a few weeks ago. Since it's been so long since Vol 29, there was a lot of really great music by a lot of up and coming artists that I've been listening to, so I split the playlists in two - Vol 30 was rap, trap and more aggressive electronic, while Vol 31 is pop, indie, alt, and electronica. Spotify playlist below and tracklist after the jump.
It always takes me a bit of time to put these together, mostly because I'm super selective about the music I listen to and decide to share with other people. I generally got to fall in love with a track in order to share it because I feel like I'm putting my name on the line, even for something as simple as a song recommendation. Check out volume 23 (and every playlist before it). Some of the cuts (and reasoning) include:
Ariana Grande (pronounced Grand-ee) - Breathin': In her come back from a terrorist attack at one of her concerts, she puts everything into her upcoming 3rd single. It's one of the most powerful, optimistic and incredible tracks I've heard in a long time
Calvin Harris - Promises: This dude does nothing but make hit
RL Grime - OMG ft. Chief Keef: Chief Keef has a second career making electronic dance music. He's got similar tracks with Alison Wonderland and NERVO
Alison Wonderland - No: Singer, producer, DJ, writer - she just makes hits
Jungle - Busy Earnin': Just makes you wanna dance
5 Seconds of Summer - Talk Fast: I wish I was 10 years younger when 1D was big. Boy bands are back in style
Diane Birch - All The Love You Got: I get a little sad everytime I hear this track, but in a good way. The writing on this track is fucking incredible
ZAYN stays slaying. HIs debut album, In My Mind, was an underrated collection of high-level electro/r&b bangers — "Like I Would" is low-key classic (but the video is trash. Sigh). ZAYN lends his vocals to "Cruel", the latest single from British electronic producers Snakehips, who are best known for "All My Friends" with Tinashe and Chance The Rapper.
Zayn Malik left One Direction in March 2015 and dropped his debut solo album, Mind of Mine, roughly a year later in March of this year. His debut single, "Pillowtalk" was pretty bleh to me, but the rest of the album was a dose of refreshing R&B-inspired electro-pop. The standout track, which turned out to be the second single, is the above "Like I Would".
The playability of the song is only rivaled by the awfulness of its music video. From the Tron-inspired clothing and light show, to the motion sickness-inducing direction and camera movement — this will be the last time this music video plays in a room I am present in. Between the "Pillowtalk" video and this, it doesn't quite seem like he has much of a stage presence when it's just him and the camera. The necessary energy, when you remove the models and the dancing and everything else, just doesn't seem to be there for Zayn. But I've never seen a 1D video, and I've only seen these two solo ones, so what do I know.
