Listening Post #12

1. Meeka Kates - The Waves

As soon as this song got recommended to me I was on board, largely because I’m completely infatuated with the ocean; anything about waves or the sea, more often than not, has my full unwavering, unhealthy support. I’m not biased with this one though. It really is very beautiful. Drowsy synth notes open the track over the sounds of waves, and gentle guitar comes in over it shortly after. The first 40 seconds is instrumental and it’s already won me over. It’s so lazy and atmospheric and the vocal is just as lovely as the rest, echoing in and out. It’s Bon Iver and Tycho mashed up together and it’s so relaxing and moving and pleasant. I want to lay on the surface of the sea and drift about a little while.

2. MNEK - A Thousand Miles

I don’t really know where to start with this one because it’s just so hot I can’t really describe it. We all know the song A Thousand Miles, originally by Vanessa Carlton. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, then the very opening bars certainly would. It was a 2000 pop hit and instant classic, featured in films White Chicks and Legally Blonde, and in a great deal of promotion for the TV series, Gilmore Girls. It’s iconic. MNEK has taken this track and reworked it, singing beautifully over a percussion/clap driven background with vocal samples from the original track. If that wasn’t incredible enough, after the chorus has finished there’s a huge drop into Love Shack by the B52s. It’s potentially one of the best remix/reworks/mashups ever to be released. It’s the perfect blend of modern synth and burning nostalgia. Another instant classic.

3. Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do (Duck House Remix)

Okay, so I know this is that rubbish single (which isn’t actually that rubbish) from the 50 Shades of Unacceptable Abuse franchise. I know it’s already been on the Listening Post recently, but not like this. I promise you. Another rework/remix on this week’s Listening Post is the Duck House remix of Love Me Like You Do, in which the vocal has been moved down a pitch or two and the background has been replaced with incredible wonders. It’s a bit like Kygo: it’s bongos and atmospheric panpipes and long, lazy, overlapping, single guitar notes vibing off of various synths and clicking percussion. It’s so addictive and it’s a perfect Summer jam. Plus, it’s truly so much better than the original ballad-like pop song. Sorry, Ellie. This song is like laying in a hammock with an ocean breeze passing gently across your face. And there’s free cocktails. Maybe Taylor Swift is hanging out with you. It’s just really, really great, It’s tropical and chilled out and summery and I’m forcing it on everyone I know (which they’re enjoying massively, I’m sure).

4. Pr0files - Get It Up

Huzzah and hooray - Pr0files are back. Previous single, Forgive, has featured on a previous Listening Post because it was emotional and slightly 80s and I just wanted to rollerblade to it. The vocal was senstational. The production was great. Same can be said for new track, Get It Up, which is a certified banger. There are still some very strong 80s vibes coming from this one; the female vocal is sexy and strong and powerful and totally holds up against an array of synths and pops and bass heavy moments. The chorus is so infectious without being at all irritating or annoying and I genuinely haven’t heard anything like it in quite a while. I’m genuinely excited to hear more music from this band. I want to have a cocktail-fuelled, low-energy dance party, with a lot of sofas and swaying.

5. Eves The Behaviour - TV

TV is a slow burning, slow building, angsty, smokey tune, led by a husky female vocal and some bass-heavy, low-energy backing notes. It layers up and layers up before dropping into a chorus featuring extra components and a driving percussion section. It’s intricate and interesting and the bridge before the final chorus is trippy and dramatic, with distorted vocal and irregular patterns to the music that only adds to the big finish. This one’s too technically proficient for me to fangirl too heavily about. Too many words will not do this justice. It’s a really big track.