THE TOP CHILL MUSIC TO SEE OUT SUMMER
by Jess Grant
8/21/20
As August gradually comes to a conclusion, I’m already starting to turn my attention to the incoming fall and winter months. Okay, so maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tiny bit excited for the imminent onslaught of pumpkin spice produce, flashing holiday lights, and cozy autumnal mixtapes. Until then, We Are: The Guard is here to help you see out the end of summer in relaxing style with the latest edition of Best Chill Music. Featuring Melanie Faye, Holly Humberstone, Charlotte Day Wilson, and lots more, this playlist has something for everyone.
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MELANIE FAYE – JUMP
“Jump” into the spellbinding sounds of Melanie Faye. Having caught the attention of everyone from SZA to John Mayer with her Instagram videos, the social media star is here to take you to another galaxy entirely with this cosmic cut from her recent self-titled debut EP. Produced by We Are: The Guard regular Cautious Clay, “Jump” is a twanging, enchanting swirl, with Melanie’s vocal and instrumental dexterity coming on full display.
HOLLY HUMBERSTONE – LIVEWIRE
She’s only 20 years old, but Holly Humberstone exudes with the maturity of an adult almost double her age on the gorgeous “Livewire.” Featured on her recent decent EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel, “Livewire” is a piano-driven hymn about growing up and growing older, with Holly’s vocoder-laced vocals reflecting on a fast, thrilling relationship that once was: “Ooh, are you still a livewire?/Ooh, are you still starting fires?” Beautiful.
CHARLOTTE DAY WILSON (FEAT. SYD) – TAKE CARE OF YOU
It doesn’t get much more irresistible than this, trust me. Canada’s Charlotte Day Wilson teams up with The Internet’s Syd for “Take Care of You.” Described by Charlotte as a “lesbian love song that needed to be heard,” “Take Care of You” is a truly heady, potent slice of R&B and electronic soul, with Charlotte’s rich, vibrant vocals making for the perfect contrast to Syd’s more delicate dulcet tones. Just alluring.
GIANNI LEE & ANDREA VALLE – GAS
Visual artist and fashion designer Gianni Lee turns his attention to music production on “Gas.” There’s something at once dreamy and entirely disturbing about this two-and-a-half-minute number – which features fellow Pennsylvanian Andrea Valle – with the ethereal synths and Andrea’s otherworldly vocals coming cut up by the kind of pulverizing basslines that send subwoofers shaking for days on end. Tune in. Drop out.
ALICIA KEYS (FEAT. KHALID) – SO DONE
Alicia Keys and Khalid? Name a more iconic, legendary duo. The R&B two-piece are reminding you to do you on their collaborative single “So Done.” “This song is about being done with changing yourself for the sake of others and letting go of anyone else’s ideas of how your life should look,” writes Alicia of the swooning, giddy guitar ballad, which features on the GRAMMY Award-winning artist’s forthcoming album ALICIA.
BRYCE HASE – SOAK’20
Dirty Hit never fails to deliver the goods, with the Matty Healy-assisted record label introducing us to another viral star in the making in the form of Bryce Hase. Hailing from Texas, Bryce is the definition of mesmerizing on his latest single “sOak’20.” Written about the heady chemical rush of young love and sex, “sOak’20” is an inky, sweaty slice of nocturnal-R&B as headed by Bryce’s Weeknd-indebted falsetto. Intoxicating, indeed.
GLAIVE – CLOVER
North Carolina’s glaive continues to make the transition from SoundCloud’s best-kept secret to Spotify editorial favorite with the delightful “clover.” Clocking in at just under two minutes, “clover” hears the 15-year-old embracing a more pop-oriented sound than what we’re used to, with soft, joyous guitars and drums backing glaive as he sings about his rise to fame and the impact this has had on his relationships.
GRAE – 2725
Introducing GRAE, the Canadian act who has completely won us over here at We Are: The Guard with the woozy “2725.” “2725/That’s how many miles your bed is from mine,” sighs GRAE on the rose-tinted ode to online love, which effortlessly combines Billie Eilish-esque pop sensibilities with Cure-channeling guitars, with the rising artist singing about meeting her digital date with hazy teenage finesse.
YAEOW – EVERYTHING AND MORE
The mysterious yaeow returns to steal our hearts all over again with his gorgeously tender latest single “Everything and More.” The follow-up to the previously featured “Just a Little Bit Lonely” hears the enigmatic singer-songwriter and producer continuing to hone in on his beautiful breed of emo acoustic-pop, with guitars intertwining with yaeow’s lovely vocals for an ode to devotion like no other.
AFONSO – BLOOM
Just in time for the end of August, Afonso returns with the perfect addition to summer-night playlists everywhere in the form of the balmy “Bloom.” Written about the early stages of a relationship, when you and your lover are exploring and getting to know each other like two flowers entwining, “Bloom” is a humid offering that hears Afonso’s Frank Ocean-esque croon pairing with King of Limbs-like jazz flourishes.
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Jess Grant is a frustrated writer hailing from London, England. When she isn't tasked with disentangling her thoughts from her brain and putting them on paper, Jess can generally be found listening to The Beatles, or cooking vegetarian food.