You’re over your Spotify mixes, your YouTube playlists are becoming repetitive, and wading through your muso friend’s ever-pretentious song suggestions is less appealing than listening to Nickelback’s “Photograph” on repeat for the rest of time. We get it. To relieve your decision fatigue, we’ve asked the hottest rising artists to compile their favorite tracks of the minute.
Here, Keshi shares the songs to soundtrack your summer adventures—psychedelic or otherwise.
1. Brockhampton, “San Marcos”
There’s an overwhelming sense of nostalgia for me when this song plays. This record was on repeat last year when I bought my first car and I would play it every day on the way home from work at the hospital. It gave me so much relief, and it immediately makes me think of the sunsets I saw on Highway 90 coming back to the family.
2. Aries, “Santa Monica”
The production on this song just exudes California sunshine, from the dull electric guitar tone to the intermittent bass line that jumps in, to the acoustic guitar that comes right before the beat drop. The way Aries’ flows dance around on this track are so contagious you can’t help but sing along. The whole thing is just so diverse.
3. Keshi, “Summer”
I wrote this song when it started getting warmer a couple months ago. I remember sitting in my room and the first line just sort of came to me: “Feels like summer and I don’t want to miss you.” My feelings will just sort of subconsciously bubble and make their way out in a single line, and I’ll delve back into my memories from there. It’s my recount of a summer romance I had when I left home for college, and I’ll always be happy it happened.
4. Daniel Caesar, “Blessed”
Daniel Caesar was introduced to me by way of my photographer, bringing this particular song to my attention during a blisteringly hot day one summer. We were working on concepts for the live acoustic videos and other potential photoshoots; during a break he asked me if I’d heard of him and put him on. It’s so raw, you can hear the piano keys lift back up. I remember thinking how happy I was that we were indoors listening to this play over and over again.
5. John Mayer, “Love On The Weekend”
I am a huge John Mayer nerd; he’s the whole reason I do music now. When this song came out, I was attending UT Austin, and finals and paper deadlines were looming around the corner. I literally jumped out of my seat during lecture when I found out he’d finally released something after Paradise Valley. I put headphones on right away (discreetly). It’s simply the perfect song to put on a getaway drive.
6. Dominic Fike, “3 nights”
This is a more recent record that perked up my ears as soon as I heard it. The reggae-influenced strumming gives it this groovy, Florida vibe, and the background vocals just make the whole song sound so fun. It’s one of those songs that are impossible not to move your body to.
7. HEIZE feat. DEAN, “And July”
The first 30 seconds of this song are just undeniably groovy. With the old-school hip-hop beat and the DJ scratched sample, it just feels like a house party jam to me; a feel-good track that you’ll bob your head to throughout the night over a few drinks with your mates.
8. Joji, “Worldstar Money Interlude”
When this song first dropped on SoundCloud I was shocked at how lovely and somber it was. It removed me from where I was and immediately took me to an evening stroll in Hawaii. The Worldstar sample is strangely hypnotizing and the ukulele feels like an ocean breeze.
9. Slchld, “She Likes Spring, I Prefer Winter.”
This one’s by a friend of mine who spends half of his time in Korea and the other half in Canada. First of all, the tone on this guitar is amazing, especially when the rhythm part kicks in during the pre-chorus. It makes me think of the sun rising over some dewy grass in the morning.
10. Keshi, “xoxosos”
This one is my personal favorite off of the record. I had the most fun playing around with the guitar melodies that kind of battle on the left and right sides, it sounded like an ensemble. It’s a more somber song for summer’s end that brings us into the beginning of autumn.
Check out Keshi, below.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3pc0bOVB5whxmD50W79wwO?si=PtkBZSewRmyYvlP-nqk4Uw