Ice in the Air and Mist in your Hair: A playlist for January + February
Mist and gloom looms; here is a playlist for icy strolls; emerging back into the sunlight. Full playlist linked at the end of the article.
Image credit: Canva
Follow Ice in the Air and Mist in your Hair playlist on SPOTIFY
All the Dark Places - Kat Leon and Jo Blankenburg
I first came across Kat Leon as she did the theme song to Wondery’s podcast Operator ( which is about the phone sex industry in the 1990s, and I would highly recommend listening to both the song and the podcast) ‘All the Dark Places’ is a collaboration with composer Jo Blankenburg, and opens with a gorgeously macabre and haunting string section. You can pretend you are in a gothic period piece while listening to this, following Kat’s voice into the darkness, before pounding cinematic drums enter; bringing with them a rush of adrenalin, reminding you that you can survive anything.
Killing Jar - Guayaba
I recently came across a genre known as Horrorcore on Bandcamp; Guayaba’s album ‘Fantasmagoría’ being one of the first results. Killing Jar is divine; featuring old cinematic strings ( bringing to mind the gentle music of golden age Hollywood) Heavenly lush vocals, whisking you into another magical world. You can listen to the whole album here.
I Don’t Mind - Joy Crookes
The dreamlike world of I don’t mind ( the first track from the UK artist’s album Skin) opens with sublime strings, before delving into a hypnotic beat with gleaming epiano. The singing, production, and mixing all have a warm, analog quality; this combined with Joy Crooke’s stream of consciousness-like lyrics, will ease your mind and make you feel more open to being honest with yourself.
Happier Than Ever - stories, Phoebe Katis
Weeks before the pandemic began, and worldwide lockdowns were put in place; I had the pleasure of seeing Phoebe Katis play at Cyprus Avenue supporting Cory Wong, and the joy from that show lasted for months into lockdown.. This is a cover of Billie Eilish’s song, featuring haunting and soulful vocals that could be coming at you from another time, muted piano accompaniment, resulting in the feeling that this could be playing on a record player in another time. This cover is done with stories ( the team behind Scary Pockets), who do stripped-down versions of popular songs, with a variety of artists.
Bats in the Belfry - Qveen Herby
Taken from the artist’s EP Halloqveen - the gothic glam of the visuals from this EP weave their way into the tapestry of the music and the production. Opening with 70s style horror movie ambiance; the song dissolves into a sub-bass fuelled beat, set against an eerie descending choir and haunting sound FX. Fun all around.
Kiss of the Creature - Dance With the Dead
Taken from the duo’s album ‘Driven To Madness’ - we enter ominous horror movie land; opening with a wall of rising synths, letting us know that something looms beyond the horizon as we drive into the night. The duo Dance with the Dead are heavily inspired by 80s John Carpenter-style horror music and metal, I definitely recommend checking out the full album.
Synch - Sabriel
Enter the surreal world of Synch, where the unexplained is happening all around you. Synch is taken from the artist’s debut EP ‘Pulse’ (which was written and produced in its entirety from the artist’s bedroom) and features magical, uneasy synthesis (the lead instrument bringing to mind a Theramin), with serious sub-bass and blissful bird/nature-infused ambiance. The incredible sound design will soothe you and will allow you to dive headfirst into another wondrous dimension.
Vacío - Jarina De Marco, Empress Of
Opening with lush, heavenly vocals set against a bed of analog-sounding pads - Vacío is addictive production, songwriting, and arrangement at its best. We then dive headfirst into the dreamiest, smoothest beat you have ever heard, with divine vocals and expert vocal chopping.
We Just Wanna Have Fun - FHUR ( niina remix)
A dark and haunting techno electronic remix, from the mysterious producer niina. this is one to lead you into the darkness of night; and all the promises it holds.
Orgone - Yarni, Give Me Monaco and Emily Marks
Orgone is a collaboration between UK-based producer Yarni, Give Me Monaco and Emily Marks. Orgone is fuelled with house flavor and is mixed with incredibly immersive and organic sound design. If your brain is fried, and you just need a break, this will recalibrate your senses and bring you to the magic of the world around you.
Layers - Ol’Burger Beats
The sun is starting to shine. Layers is taken from Ol’Burger Beats’ new album ‘Loft’, featuring international jazz legend Ralph Thomas; and is an instrumental jazz hip-hop album. Layers is made for walking through crisp air; with a fresh coffee; or sitting in a luscious and green back garden, just thinking. The album was inspired by the free and spiritual jazz played by the New York loft movement of the 1960s and 1970s, read more about how Ol’Burger Beats gets his sound here.
Yesterdayz - Senseless Optimism
Nobody does indie-pop/bedroom pop more magnificently than US artist Senseless Optimism. This is a dreamy, melancholy song with a gorgeously arranged chorus.
Happy For A Day - Carpark
Nothing suits this time of the year better than the grunge pop-rock of the 90s/early 2000s, and nobody does this sound better than UK band Carpark. Happy For a Day features layered vocals over flawless, 90s style songwriting; this song is from a memory, but still manages to be something new.
The Game - Liz Phair
This is taken from Liz Phair’s 2021 album Soberish (one of our favourite albums of 2021) and features one of the best choruses of 2021, that brings back memories of the 90s and early 2000s. This will keep you warm on cold evenings.
Happiness is a butterfly - Grace Monaco
The newest release from UK-based bedroom pop artist; featuring ethereal vocals with laid back dreamy instrumentation. We spoke to Grace about how she gets her bedroom pop sound, see here.
For You - Lava La Rue
Every single song Lava La Rue releases is flawless; featuring addictive sampling and impeccable beats; For You being no exception. Lava’s heavenly vocals and imaginative lyrics flow over a pounding beat that evolves from hip-hop to electronic seamlessly.
L2M - City Girl, Kelsey Kuan
City Girl is the personification of a truly skilled producer. L2M features vocals from Kelsey Kuan; and ignites the sunshine, happiness, and expectation of youth. Taken from the 2021 album C-Girl, it opens with glittering e-piano chords and rich vocals, before sliding into the smoothest RnB beat you have ever heard, with Kelsey’s heavenly vocals sliding over the slick sub-bass fuelled drums.
Sound Waves Detected - your best friend jippy
Opening with what sounds like a radar in a sub-nautical machine, we slide into a hip-hop beat, with a west coast/halloween-esque sounding synthesizer flowing in and out. Sound Waves Detected is truly magical and imaginative production;and is made for walking in the dark hours, taking in the mysterious wonders unfolding all around you.
Cherry on Top - Lou Hayter
This is what rainbow-soaked technicolor would sound like in musical form - glorious.
Wonder Drugs - Spectacular Diagnostics
Taken from the producer’s 2021 album Ancient Methods, ‘Wonder Drugs’ opens with piano, and glorious sound design; and is littered throughout with ambient and abstract effects, guiding you into another dimension of reality.
Spotify Playlist
About Eimear O Sullivan
Eimear Ann O Sullivan is a multi-genre music producer, audio engineer and vocalist. After receiving a Masters in Music Technology from the CIT Cork School of Music, she went on to operate as a producer under the name Blakkheart. Her releases have received critical acclaim from Ireland's biggest music publications, such as District Magazine and Nialler9, alongside receiving heavy commercial radio airplay. She currently works in Cork recording studio Flashpoint CC. Previous clients of hers include the likes of Comedy Central’s Dragony Aunt star Candy Warhol, rapper Darce and Outsider YP. (Photo credit @Fabian Boros)
Contact Eimear O Sullivan at eimear.o.sullivan@musicngear.com
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