As we enter 2021 for real and for good, new music has begun to emerge that wasn’t recorded in 2020, that misbegotten year that we’re all trying to forget. Leading the pack for the Bubble Wrap crew are Arlo Parks and the new compilation from La Souterraine.
“Caroline” is a brand new track from Britain’s Arlo Parks, whose R&B nouveau has been percolating on the Internet for the last couple years. But she is destined for finer things — public radio interviews and mid-size concert halls in university towns at the very least. Parks’ new song is flawless contemporary pop with perfect vocals and a lyrical maturity that belies her years. We liked her funkier “Green Eyes” last year. Despite her self-assessment as a hopeless misfit, her music adds up to a very accessible package.
And then there’s La Souterraine, the busiest little microlabel in, well, La Souterraine, to be vague. The new installment in their compilation series is a volume 2 of their highly enjoyable Allopop of a couple years ago. Once again, they provide us with a wide variety of indie pop music from around the francophone world. If you haven’t listened to any French tunes in a while, this is a good place to start.
We also like “The American Dream” by Blu & Exile, which enumerates the biggest wish list we’ve ever heard (but hey, as long as you’re wishing, go for it!).
February 3, 2021
If Wishes Were Horses
Space Ghost – What Day Is It?
Parliament – Wizard of Finance
Axiom Funk – Blackout
Arlo Parks – Green Eyes
Field Music – Orion From The Street
Nation of Language – Deliver Me From Wondering Why
Michael Jackson – Working Day and Night
Nintendo – Super Mario Bros. Theme Song
Antonioni – Malcomer
Ravages – Munich
Mumi Fresh – A Healing
Public Enemy – Cold Lampin’ with Flava
Prince and the New Power Generation – To Whom It May Concern
Typhoon – Empire Builder
Jonas and I – Shouts of the Coal Mine
Reflector – Cuando la nieve se funde
Johnny Cash – Civil Defense Spot
Trouble Funk – Say What
Rare Essence – Must Be Like That
Blu & Exile – The American Dream
Blue Hawaii – Not My Boss!
Chai – Donuts Mind If I Do
Funkadelic – The Electric Spanking of War Babies
Madlib – Road of the Lonely Ones
Arlo Parks – Caroline
Emmanuel Emo – Ophélie
Tristan Savoie – Plus rien, plus de nuit