10 Songs You Might Miss This Festival Season: Yoshi Flower, Jelani Aryeh, Tep No and more
Dream Wife – “So When You Gonna…”
Dream Wife’s unapologetic lyrics and punk rock riffs make for perfect jumping-around-in-your-living-room music. The playfully explosive hook “So when you gonna kiss me” rings in almost immediately at the start of the song, setting the tone for their upcoming album release in July, making it their second album since the band’s inception. The band’s playful and pop-rock vibe is also reflected in “So When You Gonna…” ’s music video, where we follow them around one of their shows through a human mouth.
EMBRZ – “Reconnect”
Dublin-born Jack Casey describes his music as “emotional dance music,” and his latest song, “Reconnect,” is just that. The electronic bops blend nicely with the cascades of crisp, soft sounds. Having attended many of Ireland’s biggest music festivals and Europe’s, EMBRZ is one to look out for in the festival season.
Jelani Aryeh – “Stella Brown”
Twenty-year-old Jelani Aryeh from San Diego started his music career as a rapper on Youtube in 2016 but has since experimented with alternative music. His latest single, “Stella Brown,” screams (or angelically sings) happy, head-bobbing, hip-swaying summer bliss. It’s a precious and tender song about being nervous around a girl, with lyrics like “How has my head just hollowed out / thoughts use to orbit all around.” Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Jelani’s next album, which he is working on now.
Call Me Loop – “Strike”
This infectious track is a staple for your indoor festival experience this summer. Brixton’s Call Me Loop captures pop’s magic by turning a confrontational breakup song into a high-spirited dance party. Her wispy voice floats atop the punchy crescendos that characterize the pop genre. For another empowering breakup song that doesn’t sound like a breakup song, listen to “Downhill From Here.”
Moses Boyd – “Rye Lane Shuffle”
From the London Jazz scene, Moses Boyd’s “Rye Lane Shuffle” is a masterpiece of powerful drumming as the backbone for the melodic brass instrumentations over the top of it. In typical Jazz fashion, the cheerful and incredibly fervent dialogue of instruments belts good vibes against your living room walls or into the summer air in your back garden. Moses’ newest album, “Dark Matter,” was released in February this year, with top-notch tracks like “Stranger Than Fiction” and “Shades of You.”
Tep No – “Heavy On My Heart”
For those of you missing out on beach festivals, this song from Toronto’s own Tep No starts off like a summer yacht anthem and is met with hypnotic vocals throughout. Let the lightness of this song whisk you away to an imaginary beach vacation, and stay for the brisk but soulful trumpet feature.
Yoshi Flower – “More”
Joshua Smith, a self-proclaimed ‘Detroit Boy,’ took the stage at Grant Park, Chicago, for Lollapalooza last year. The variety of guitar instrumentation on this track reflects Yoshi Flower’s beautiful sense of musicality. Be sure to listen to his latest album (2019), “I Will Not Let My Love Go To Waste.”
Pongo -“UWA”
The Angolan-born, Portuguese-bred singer Pongo suffuses her music with nostalgic, happy memories from her childhood in Angola through the kuduro genre. Her latest EP, “UWA,” released in February this year, consists of five songs, including her title track – all of which are vibrant, energetic and exuberant with a strong sense of celebration for her Angolan roots. That same celebration and zestfulness comes through in her music video as well.
Allan Kingdom – “BLESSED”
Minnesota-based rapper Allan Kingdom has recently released his new EP “IDDTFM (I Don’t Do This For Money),” each track quintessentially rap, with Allan’s unique flair for mixing vocals and rap with a good beat. “BLESSED” will have you thinking about the good things in life – positive festival energy. Be sure to listen to the rest of the EP for more.
The Q Brothers – “Feel Real Good”
For a quirky, feel-good festival tune, The Q Brothers’ latest album, “Buggin,” characterises the collective’s hip-hop/theatre fusion. The last song on the album, “Feel Real Good,” is fitting as the last song in this playlist because of its high-spirited lyrics and funky beat.
