Ever since my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to match 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. Get everything I've recommended this year on Spotify, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, and leave a comment below telling me what you're listening to this week.
Wildes "Circles"
Not to get too nerdy on you, but this song is a production marvel. It slowly builds, adding more instruments and volume as it goes on, creating this feeling of being sucked further and further in, like a riptide. Before you know it, something that started softly and gently has turned into the eye of a major storm. It's great, and modulating all those sounds while keeping the vocal mix just right to continue to evoke a feeling of longing is no easy trick.
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Outer Spaces "Teapot #1"
This song got me with the "crimson and clover" chanted over and over because dammit I love a good Tommy James/Joan Jett call back. The lo-fi guitar, paired with singer/songwriter Cara Beth Satalino's voice, is some top-notch indie rock. The repetition of that phrase does something to a song; in this case, it made me interested in hearing what else Satalino has to say.
Girl Ultra "Ella Tú Y Yo"
Move over, shit I used to think was sultry — we have to make room for this Girl Ultra track. This creepy sci-fi-inspired song has a sexy beat, and a message (and visual) that will probably make you leave the internet.
Sonta "Type of Way"
There's something so familiar about the situation this song evokes: Disappointing relationships with dudes who just can't be up front and let you make your own decisions based on the truth. Sonta avoids the frustration that usually infuses the vocals of songs like this, opting for a laid back flow instead. But I suspect it's a trap. If you say it all calm, maybe that dude will finally tell the truth, but it's absolutely going to be a conversation that ends with some broken glassware and slammed doors.