Every week the Melodic staff assembles a Weekly Roundup playlist of songs we can’t stop listening to. We have a variety of new finds and familiar faces this week, so let’s dive in.
Here are some of the highlights:
1. “Ashley” – Ari Dayan
Ari Dayan’s delivery of her latest single, “Ashley,” is so wry that it elicits laughter while still being a total bop. “Is she a model, a DJ, or an actress?/ Her Instagram says all three, her name is Ashley/ Are you f*cking kidding me?/ What do you think of me?” Dayan wrote the song after a breakup; she was scrolling on her ex’s Instagram when she came across the aforementioned Ashley. Of the song, she says, “‘Ashley is a song about an asshole and there’s a distinct possibility that asshole is me.” We’ve all been there, but we haven’t all written an extremely catchy song about it, so kudos to you Ari Dayan.
2. “Telecaster” – Swiss Army Wife
Listening to the latest track from Swiss Army Wife is like looking at a sonic black & white photograph of a punk rocker splattering blood from their blistered fingers all over their guitar in the heat of a sweaty basement show. Not sure if that makes any sense, but that’s how this song makes me feel. And I like it. (Also: is it off-base to say that this vocalist’s scream reminds me of Bert McCracken of The Used? Hear for yourself below.)
3. “Halfway Lover” – Chris Walton
This song blends old and new sounds seamlessly and it’s the perfection combination of familiar and fresh that makes Chris Walton’s latest single stand out. With a vocal reminiscent of John Mayer and a melody that brings to mind both Silk Sonic and Hall & Oates, the track narrates the story of two people in an “are we or aren’t we?” relationship, hence the term “halfway lover.” By the end of the 3 minutes we still haven’t received resolution to the question, but we don’t mind listening again to imagine what the outcome might be.
4. “Runnin’ Mad” – Summon Luke
Speaking of blending old and new, Summon Luke is another artist you should listen to if you dig retro vibes infused into modern music. What’s interesting about this track is how it sounds like entirely different influences at various points throughout the song. In the beginning, the artist’s voice has an almost Robert Plant-quality, but by the chorus (especially on that last ”You’re runnin’ maaaaad”) it’s straight up Thom Yorke. Hear it for yourself and you’ll understand why it caught our ears.
You can listen to more of our picks on our Spotify playlist below. Don’t forget to hit that “follow” button!
Full playlist:
1. Ari Dayan – “Ashley”
2. ZZ ft. FRVRFRIDAY – “move”
3. Charlotte Sands – “Rollercoaster”
4. FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot”
5. Swiss Army Wife – “Telecaster”
6. Starcrawler – “Stranded”
7. Muse – “Kill Or Be Killed”
8. Dalby – “bitter”
9. Clinton Kane – “I GUESS I’M IN LOVE”
10. Chris Walton – “Halfway Lover”
11. Billie Eilish – “TV”
12. Pale Waves – “The Hard Way”
13. Panic! At the Disco– “Middle Of A Breakup”
14. BOOTY ft. Loose Ends – “Matter Of Time”
15. Summon Luke – “Runnin’ Mad”
16. Frank Low – “DRAMA”
17. Color Palette – “Rear View”
18. Madison Cunningham – “In From Japan”
19. Demi Lovato – “SUBSTANCE”
20. Rosa Linn – “SNAP”
