We're all in the same spot: working all week, wondering if the weekend will ever present itself, and dreaming of the possibilities of a day or two without work. You spend all week making plans with friends and family, and now that Summer Fridays have begun...the world is your oyster.
Summer is the best time not only because the weather's finally warm enough that you can tolerate the outdoors...but it's one of the hottest times for new music. Live performances are abundant, your favorite artists are all in contention for Song of the Summer.
With Gov Ball happening this weekend, I couldn't be more excited to listen to some new tracks...especially since I'll be hearing some of them being performed live for the first time. Whether you're preparing for a weekend filled with fun with your friends, or live in the NYC area and are one of the thousands attending Gov Ball, you need a good playlist to get you ready.
And that's where I come in. If you're new here, I make a Weekend Playlist filled with fresh releases hot off the press. It's the best-of-the-best, so you don't have to comb through every New Music playlist and search excessively for actual good music released this week.
Since I have you all excited now, there's no more time to waste. Let's get listening!
Sabrina Carpenter- "Please, Please, Please"
Oh, Sabrina Carpenter, how you amaze me. With the announcement of her new album, Short 'N Sweet, coming August 23 and hot off the success of viral hit "Espresso"...you'd think she'd rest. But no, we're here with another certified banger: "Please, Please, Please."
In the song, Carpenter begs for her lover not to make her cry when her makeup looks so nice. It's a struggle we've all experienced...but of course, Sabrina conveys another message with the song: she's the next Big Thing in pop music, ushering in the new era of popstars that we so desperately needed.
Dom Dolla- girl$
Dom Dolla is one of the hottest DJ's in house music right now. He's fresh off a few massive Coachella performances, where he played for the likes of Ice Spice, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce. His breakout year - 2023 - gave us singles like "Saving Up" and "Eat Your Man (with Nelly Furtado)." And he's not slowing down any time soon.
No, Dom Dolla is not even close to reaching the height of his illustrious career...but "girl$" is just another stepping stone to becoming one of the top DJ's in the world. Fun, sexy, and just enough bass, this house track will be a staple for any pregame playlist of yours.
ASHRR- "Different Kind Of Life"
Supergroup ASHRR delivers a groovy, vibe-heavy song questioning why we're all searching for some different sort of life...when we're living the one we've got? It's a message for us to stop looking to others for happiness when we have all the tools on our own.
"DKOL is about the expression of samsara, the cycle of never being pleased with what you have, but always wanting more or something else. When we went to write this song which started out with the bass line and polyrhythmic drums, we eventually mixed up our love of Afrobeat rhythms from the late 70's with the post -punk soul dance floor anthems that Frankie Knuckles would be playing at Paradise Garage on a Saturday night.” -ASHRR
Glass Animals- "A Tear In Space (Airlock)"
An exploration into the mind and soul lead band member, Dave Bayley, Glass Animals' newest single is both introspective and otherworldly. Certainly a risk, "A Tear In Space (Airlock)" is unlike your usual Glass Animals sound...however, it works because that's completely the point.
Writing and producing their next album after having a breakdown over their newfound success following "Heat Waves", "A Tear In Space (Airlock)" shows an ethereal side to their music we've never seen before.
SALEKA- "RELEASE"
SALEKA is quite literally a triple threat. She's starring in the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan's newest film, TRAP, a concert thriller following a girl and her father's nightmare concert experience. Not only that, but she's releasing a song, "RELEASE", that's being featured in the film as well.
The song is brooding and powerful, a piano-driven ballad that builds with suspense and crescendos into SALEKA's powerful vibrato.
ROSIE- "Rock Bottom"
ROSIE's music is always empowering in some way- whether that be through lyrics emphasizing self love or moving vocals that make you want to replay her songs over and over. Now, with "Rock Bottom", she shares a point in her life where she felt like she wasn't going to make it through...but this song is a reminder that there's light. She says,
“‘Rock Bottom,’ explains why I am the person I am today. I’ve overcome many hardships over the years, from grieving the loss of a dear friend, to battling anxiety and depression, and this record recounts it all. More than anything, this song is about finding light within the darkness or as I say in the song, realizing that ‘nothing looks bad when you’ve seen rock bottom.’”