10 Songs: Jams to Add to Your Summer Playlist
1. Gimme Love - Joji
“Gimme Love” may be one of the poppiest songs Joji has made to date, and it’s also one of his most magnetic. The upbeat drums and repeating lyrics make the chorus an instant earworm, and with the atmospheric backing vocals and cooing performance, it still maintains that signature Joji haze. In its latter half, the song plunges into a dreamy, string laden ballad, making the perfect cooldown to the feverish pulse of the intro. Overall, “Gimme Love” is a one-two punch of indie pop danceability and malaise, providing the best of both worlds in just one track.
2. Woo! - Remi Wolf
The music video for “Woo!” is a green-screen bonanza, showcasing dozens of cloned Remi Wolfs dancing through a technicolor cross between The Sims and Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. It’s fun, it’s playful, and it reflects what Remi Wolf does best as an artist-- effortlessly blend nostalgia with a cheeky wink to the camera. The bright synths, twinkling keys and crisp drums come together to form a relaxed groove that serves as the perfect backdrop to Wolf’s soaring performance.
3. Kelly - The Aces
Released in honor of 2020 Pride Month, this song about heartbreak in a relationship between two women has legs that will last long into the future. With bubbly bass and locomotive synths, this pop rock track mixes romantic frustration with a bouncy beat reminiscent of “All That She Wants” by Ace of Base. “Please stop playing with my heart / Before you tear it right apart” lead vocalist Cristal Ramirez pleads to the titular love interest. Who knew heartbreak could be this easy to bust a move to?
4. Baby Girl - Chloe x Halle
Chloe x Halle may have already cemented a song of the summer with “Do It” on the back of a popular dance challenge. However, another track off the duo’s sophomore album “Ungodly Hour” deserves a spot in the running as well. “Baby Girl” builds a breezy tropical feel with its production, utilizing watery synths and hip-swaying rhythms. On top of that is the Baileys’ undeniable vocal chemistry and signature silky harmonization. Sprinkle in some lyrics focused on empowerment and self-love, and you’ve got the soundtrack for warm nights spent dancing on a patio.
5. Superfruit - Maude Latour
Maude Latour’s 2019 EP “Starsick” features several dreamy pop tracks worthy of a summer playlist slot, but “Superfruit” takes the cake. The strength of the song comes from Latour’s balance of cheery fun and wistfulness. The flute-peppered production and imagery of orange juice and Pop Rocks both contrasts and compliments lines like “This is real life, by the pool side / Have I told you that I'm really fuckin' scared to die?” During a summer where many are feeling their fun times tinged with anxiety or sadness, “Superfruit” hits a nerve while still compelling you to dance around your room.
6. Chicken Tenders - Dominic Fike
Dominic Fike has shown with “3 Nights” that he knows his way around smooth yet quirky summer hits. With this release, it seems like Fike has gone from spending “Three nights at the motel” in that song to having “Chicken tenders at the hotel” in this one. If nothing else, that’s a sign of character development. The plucky electric guitar, swarming synths and crunching drums that build up the instrumental form a tight groove Fike rides with confident ease.
7. Tangerine - Blu DeTiger
Blu DeTiger amassed major groundswell shredding her bass on TikTok to songs like Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage”. However, if you want to see her shine as a performer even more, check out her retro-tinged pop jams that have also begun racking up viral clicks. One of these cuts, “Tangerine”, is entrenched in a slinky nostalgic feel, with woozy backing vocals, disco flourishes and, of course, amazing bass work. DeTiger’s swagger spills over in spades as she inquires to the listener “The crown look good on me / Don’t it?” It does Blu, and when listening to this, one can’t help but feel like a queen
8. Come Over - Dagny
There’s nothing like a full-on blast of poptimism to brighten up your day. Dagny has always shown her knack for producing memorable hooks since her debut single “Backbeat” in 2015, and that skill is on full display with her recent releases. In “Come Over”, after building anticipation with reverb-swathed vocals in the opening verse, the chorus thunders in with dizzying sugar-rush intensity and brassy synths. While it might not be a good idea to have anyone “come over” right now, Dagny’s yearning vocals and earnest positivity will keep you looking forward to the future where that’s a possibility.
9. SOUNDS LIKE FUN - BLACKSTARKIDS
One of the most promising up-and coming acts of 2020, (with a cosign from The 1975’s Matty Healy to boot,) BLACKSTARKIDS are a trio dedicated to creating sun-drenched, genre blending music to surf to. From its drumstick-clashing opening moments, “SOUNDS LIKE FUN” pulls you in with rambunctious rock energy. Built from propulsive guitars and soaring keys, the song hurtles by at lightning speed, bringing you into a world of surfing, road trips and young love. It may only clock in at just above two minutes, but every pulse-pounding second is cranked to full capacity.
10. Manta Rays - chloe moriondo
Sometimes there are moments when you just want to sit and let the days wash over you. This recent release from 17-year-old YouTube singing sensation chloe moriondo provides the perfect moment of contemplation in an upbeat summer mix. The lyrics are mournful, the instrumental stacked with misty guitars and soft drums, but there’s still a beam of light shining through the mix. moriondo’s gentle vocals reminisce on a love lost, but also a love that could be.