A glimpse into my July playlist

As July draws to a close and we start the month where only salt air and the rust on your door exist, also known as August, I thought I would share some of the songs that I discovered recently or that I simply played a considerable amount of times these past thirty days. 

I did not close my curtains at all last month, because in the summer I like to feel the sunrise through my eyelids and wake up early to really enjoy a full day of sunshine. Thus, as I got up every day on my own, the lack of my irritating iPhone alarm set me in a good mood; one could say a mood for novelty. 

So almost each day, while I was getting ready for work, I tried to listen to a new song to enrich my playlist. Here are the highlights of my July discoveries with, for each song, the lyrics I appreciate the most!

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THE ALBUM

Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves

Does it count if I only discovered it last week? I have become obsessed with it, so let’s say that we’ll let it slide. I had already loved her album Golden Hour, released in 2018, and honestly Kacey Musgraves keeps on impressing me, especially with her latest record Deeper Well. 

All I can say is that as a new adult, this album, with its country folk and folk pop echoes, feels like a hug. The lyrics deeply resonate with me, and I believe they will have the same effect on anyone navigating adult life and its complicated relationships. Tackling topics such as moving on, growing up, leaving people behind, breaking up, and learning how to resist life’s hardships, Deeper Well is like a friend you can take with you wherever you go, to tell you that you are not alone and everything is going to be okay. 

And if you’re not here for the lyrics, at least stay for Kacey Musgraves’ voice.

Highlights : Cardinal, Deeper Well, The Architect, Jade Green. 

(I cannot help but associate Jade Green with Lorde’s Mood Ring. Give them both a listen and you will understand what I’m getting at. It seems that astrology and crystals are all the rage in the music industry recently).  

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THE SONGS

Hiding – Florence + the Machine

If my adoration for Florence + the Machine is nothing new, I have specifically had Hiding on repeat for the past few weeks. Getting to know the dark parts of someone who does not want to open up to you is hard – and almost impossible.

If, with Hiding, Florence does not offer neither a remedy nor a solution, she at least gives us this song. You may take it as a waiting partner, a companion to sit with you, to combat the excruciating silence of the person who does not want to let you in. 

Tell me I will be released / Not sure I can deal with this

Up all night again this week / Breaking things that I should keep

Song 2 – Blur 

Rediscovered this alternative rock gem in June, and I can never bring myself to press “skip” because as soon as I hear the first WOO-HOO, I’m gone… A classic to listen to without moderation!

Woo-hoo

The Cage – Marie Naffah 

A groovy melody that bids you to break free. You can hear that Naffah puts her whole soul in the way she sings, and it feels like a bowl of fresh air. I want to play this song in my car with my hair in the wind, feeling light as a feather – but I still need to get my driving license. Bonus : when you follow her Instagram account, Marie Naffah welcomes you with a DM to get to know you – as she is a bit old-fashioned!

I don't wanna find myself in a bunch of lost souls / I don't wanna no violins

I wanna drumroll / So drive on, love

Maple Syrup – The Backseat Lovers 

The feeling of regret that the lyrics depict are counterbalanced by the indie holiday-ish instrumental that instantly makes you forget that the singer took his ex-partner for granted. 

Did it hurt / When I kicked you to the curb?

Now I'm all alone / I guess I'll never learn

Femininomenon – Chappell Roan

If you have managed to escape the Chappell Roan phenomenon, I want to know how. But do not fret, you can still catch the train on time. Femininomenon is an anthem about overcoming comphet and how having sex with women is simply, well, better. It’s camp, you can dance to it, and it celebrates lesbian relationships. What more can you possibly want?  

Dude, can you play a song with a fucking beat?

Blue Skies, Big Nights – Will Hearn 

Possibly the most summery track on this playlist… Imagine yourself in a cabin in the mountains, near a lake that you are about to go swim into. And later that day, in the evening, you will build a campfire and stargaze with the people you love. Will Hearn deserves much more recognition!

I hear a distant call / From an animal

Is that my cue to go to the great unknown

The girl, so confusing version with lorde – Charli XCX, Lorde

The pop culture event of the summer… I almost shed a tear the first time I listened to it. It is personal, raw, and relatable. Who has never let their own insecurities push them away from other people in fear that they might notice them? It really is SO confusing sometimes being a girl.

I was so lost in my head / And scared to be in your pictures

'Cause for the last couple years / I've been at war in my body

I tried to starve myself thinner / And then I gained all the weight back

[...]

And it's just self-defence / Until you're building a weapon

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IF YOU LIKE :

Destiny’s Child, 2000s r&b, and early Beyoncé

YOU’LL LIKE :

one u need – GLADYS

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BONUS 

Tough – Lana del Rey, Quavo

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Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed and that you will find a few gems to add to your own playlists!

Malou