Sometime within the last few months, I found myself wedged in a musical rut. I found myself listening to the same few playlists with the same few songs that always managed to sneak their way into my speakers over and over again. Though they’re good songs at their core, hearing them virtually ad nauseum was getting on my last nerve. I had to make a change somewhere.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes Fun Fact about the Morning News: I blast music for an hour and a half before the show starts to wake me up. It started with a playlist of tried-and-true favorites. Pop hits from college, angsty emo anthems, indie rock one-offs, an occasional Weird selection- it’s all in there. And yet, with all that variety (1700+ songs at last count), the same few tracks kept popping up. My mornings became stale. I felt uninspired. The easiest fix would be to spin the dial on the digital radio- but where did I want to go?
Folks, let me tell you: that dial was spinning for a while. We had some vocal jazz standards one morning. Heavy screamo played another day. I even went international for a good stretch of time- everything from Hebrew club remixes and Arab dabke essentials, to Reggaeton dancehall bangers and Malaysian rock hits from the 90’s. Nothing was off the table. As long as it helped me get into the groove of the Morning News, I was down to blast whatever found its way into the speakers. Plus, I found some new favorites along the way!
In lieu of trying to convince the powers that be to let me dive into these deep cuts on the air, I’ve put together a Top 10 compilation for you to listen at your own leisure instead. Enjoy!
#10: Рано-раненько (Rano-ranen’ko) – Go_A
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know my love for Go_A runs deep. This Ukrainian electronic group (that also won 5th place in Eurovision 2021) has been hitting the central European tour circuit recently, so they haven’t had a moment to release any new sounds. I’ve been listening to this single a lot recently- mostly because it’s one of the most appropriate songs I can play in the early morning hours. The title literally translates to “Early, early morning.” You’ve got Kateryna Pavlenko’s ethereal folk vocals. The beat is unbelievably catchy. If you’re not up and dancing to this when it comes on, I’ve got some questions. That is… unless it’s around 4:30 am on a Tuesday and you’re not used to working mornings. I get it. But it’s still going to make you groove, regardless of what time it is.
#9: Emily I’m Sorry – boygenius
boygenius wasn’t even on my radar until I saw their Rolling Stones cover pop up on social media. I don’t know why I’ve been sleeping on these three individual artists, but this 3-song record has me hooked on their combined sound. It was difficult to pick a song of theirs to highlight for this post, but I love the harmonies in the chorus of “Emily I’m Sorry.” There’s a powerful vulnerability in the way Phoebe Bridgers carries the vocals in this piece. It’s subtle, like you have to listen to and appreciate the lyrics in order to feel the full weight of the words she sings. It may not wake me up at the crack of dawn, but I think it’s a beautifu palate cleanser. We all need one every once in a while.
#8: Bringin’ Home the Rain – The Builders and The Butchers
Hey, I saw these guys not too long ago! Here’s the thing: I listened almost exclusively to their Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well album. I might have listened to their debut album a handful of times, but don’t remember actively listening well enough to pick out some favorites. They all blurred together. After seeing them live, I found new favorites in their first record. Something about a packed crowd singing along to some of their earliest hits makes it sound so much better afterwards. It’s peculiar to hear Ryan Sollee’s even younger voice, still withstanding the test of time with the emotion he carries in this piece. I love it all the same.
#7: Касета (Kaseta) – SadSvit
This one came out of the woodwork and took me by surprise one morning. I tend to switch between a lot of Ukrainian Spotify stations (shocker), and I thought this track was on there by mistake. It’s got a post-punk 80’s new wave vibe to it- reminds me a lot of the Belarusian band Molchat Doma. If this was released when I was a teen, you maybe would’ve gotten me to bop along while I focused on being as insufferable and broody as possible. Their entire sound is so cohesive, and I can’t get enough of it. It has a great drive to it, despite its somber sound/message. This one goes out to all the former moody teens (and current moody adults).
#6: Do You Love Me (From “Baaghi 3”) – Nikhita Gandhi, Rene Bendali, Tanishk Bagchi
Remember when I mentioned my various forays into international genres? I ended up on a Bollywood kick for about a week. This was one of the highlights- I found myself humming along to the chorus throughout the day. It’s got some deep house beats mixed with traditional Indian instruments. There’s nothing I love more than hearing traditional elements mixed with modern sounds- genuinely, cannot get enough of it. By the way, for all you movie fans out there thinking “Baaghi 3” is some romantic tale- it’s actually an action thriller! It didn’t get the best reviews for its writing, but hey- the soundtrack slaps.
#5: Happy Sorrow – Tao H
This one caught me completely out of the blue. If you’re an O Brother, Where Art Thou? fan, you may think of this track as sacrilege. I am not one of those people. This remix had me out of my seat for the entire 7 minutes the first time I heard this. Once it hit 3 minutes, my mind simply imploded. I look at this track more as an homage to the soundtrack of this movie and the greatness of the original song. It gives the listener the chance to respect the movie rendition, as it were, and then stretches the boundaries of how the blues should sound. Spoiler alert: there are no rules, and I could listen to this all day.
#4: Dancer – Vladimir Cauchemar, alyona alyona
You’ve got a skeleton playing the flute and some sick flow from the queen of Ukrainian rap herself. What more could you ask for? Oh, you want a catchy chorus? No problem. alyona alyona has found herself intermingled with a variety of artists as a feature, and it’s becoming a bit of a challenge to track down all these hits. Fortunately, they keep finding their way into my playlists. I really wasn’t sure if this would hit the same way some of her other songs do after listening to the chorus. I’m glad I didn’t skip this one. The house beats really elevate this to a certified banger in my book.
#3: Hreblia – Yuko
I didn’t expect this song to go the direction it does. It makes every following listen even more exciting, because I always forget when each new element comes in. I won’t ruin it too much for you. Just give it a listen and have a fun time grooving along. Yes, it starts off slow, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one. You don’t want to miss the hardbass.
#2: Ali Ali Remix – Romayei, Aleteo Boom, Nooran Sisters
First off: before you listen to this mix, I strongly encourage you to listen to the original version. Holy smokes. The vocal control?? The synchronicity?? It hasn’t failed to blow me away each time I listen. The energy in this particular remix is something I look forward to starting my mornings with. I’ve intentionally played this first thing when I walk into the studio. It’s that powerful, folks. For what it’s worth, there are several other remixes of this song that also rightfully deserve some love. This one’s just been bouncing around in the ole brain cavity a lot recently.
And #1: Кохайтеся Чорнобриві (Kokhaytesya Chornobryvi) – Jerry Heil
This was one of those songs that played at the Jerry Heil show that came back with a vengeance. I saw it live, I thought it was one of the best sets of the night, and I somehow immediately forgot about it until it showed up on some playlist one day. Look, all I can say is this- Volodymyr Zelensky makes a cameo. You’re going to have a nice time vibing to this one.
The post Beyond The Morning News – Songs On Repeat In 2023, Vol. 1 appeared first on 790 KGMI.