St. Vincent "Fast Slow Disco"
This week is trying to put some pep in my step; that's par for the course in summer when my energy levels fall because of the heat, but music speeds up anyway. First up on my "Dance To This In The Air Conditioning Only" playlist is a rework of St. Vincent's "Slow Disco." Now it's "Fast Slow Disco," and this iteration could absolutely fit right in on the soundtrack for Pose, if Ryan Murphy or Janet Mock are reading this.
Cyn "Believer"
Cyn's track was another one that caught my ear thanks to its sped up tempo and high-pitched synths. I really like the way a high-pitched female voice next to an extra-low pitched bass line sounds — they make nice dance partners. The way Cyn sings just behind the beat on the chorus makes this an irresistible sing-along.
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Samaria "Foolish"
This track starts with a kick drum that sounds like a heartbeat and drags you in slowly from there with its seductive melody. Between the delay in the opening sounds and the melody kicking in lies a sea of anticipation. The way Samara holds back on her verses, singing so emotionally but not quite revealing what she's singing about, is also a seduction. You've got to stay with it to know what she's about, because she's not giving the full story away in the chorus. And that's a master class in making a song that is not about sex totally sexy.
Big Freedia feat. Lizzo "Karaoke"
Big Freedia has a new EP out, and obviously I gravitated immediately to the track with Lizzo on it, because who wouldn't? As one should expect from Big Freedia, this track is doing the most. There's pussy bounce-inspired instrumentation with a driving beat, there are insistent commands in the chorus about what you better do, there's Lizzo's bigger-than-life voice, there's a horn section. I am now convinced I've been doing karaoke all wrong.
Weezer "Africa"
My Twitter timeline was completely lit up with people talking about Weezer's cover of Toto's "Africa" this week. I get it, man, this song is a jam that makes everyone bob their heads. Weezer don't do anything to improve on it, other than a few bigger guitar breaks than the original, and so everyone's got that lovin' feeling. It's too hot to hate, might as well give in to this track.
After my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to matchmake people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book called Record Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or leave me a comment below and tell me what you're listening to this week.