Songs people need to know about: Bella

Another list of songs more people should know about, this time from my mate Bella who probably has one of the most diverse tastes in music I know of, so this list is pretty all over the place in terms of mood, energy and genre, but it's a bloody good list. There's 11 songs on this list just because there is and again I'll be chucking in another couple songs I reccomend. 

Jack Larsen - Bubba

Kicking off the list is a fantastic 'Night-drunk' song, as Bella calls it, the kind of thing you want playing when you're stumbling home with beer on your top and missing a shoe. It feels a bit like it's about leaving home, which is perfected through the mix of the slightly urgent vocals coming in over the slow and methodical instruments leading to a muggy and calm finish.

Clairo - Softly

Right, Clairo can be as interesting as watching paint dry sometimes and a bit of a wetwipe, but for once the vocals are a bit crisper, it's not as silky smooth as her other work and it's just got a bit more of a "boppy" groove to it compared to a lot of her other stuff.

Coatseller - To Be In Love

I must be missing out on a complete genre, this is the second classic crooner/ love-song-style track that's been on these lists and it's another great song. Tracks like this really make you want to buy a record player, just to play it on, or email film directors to try get it put into a new soppy teenage coming-of-age film, purely for the chill beats.

Ryan Leahan - Right Here, For You

My favourite song on this list and one of my new favourites in general, it's a bit deceptive because of the slight party beat vocal intro but quickly transitions into a pretty sentimental song that keeps you on edge right until the come down at the end. 

The 1975 - By Your Side

I'm a fairly big 1975 fan but this completely passed me by due to it being a charity single, but what feels like a Frail State of Mind and I Like America And America Likes Me lovechild leads to a comforting and engaging song, the fact that there's constantly little pings and chimes in the background just keeps it fresh despite the lazy feel of it. 

Foster The People - Pick U Up

A band who are greatly underappreciated and only known for 'that song that's about a school shooter' this song does sort of blend in to a lot of others simply because of the smooth swing to the beat and a lyrical flow that I can't help but be reminded of Yung Gravy by. 

Strabe - Best Worst Year Ever

The repetitive bass line is what sets this off but it's the prominence of the vocals that make it so distinct and such a great song, it's not the most complex but it's really just such an easy song to like and listen to.

Chiiild, Shungudzo - Back To Life

An odd mix of a Lofi feel and beat, dreamy female vocals and Black Lives Matter-esque lyrical content resulting in a nice easy listen for the background that doubles as a catchy social commentary piece.

tyke james, the moss - Celebrate

Just feels like one of those days where you don't want to get out of bed, especially considering it sounds like the singer's been smoking most of that day but can still hold a great tune. 

Denzel Curry, Twelve'len, GoldLink - BLACK BALLOONS

This is fairly different from the rest of his stuff, a lot slower and less in your face with fairly obvious Biggie influences that make it feel like it'd slot easily into the early 2000s, especially in the verses and has the difference of the features somewhat influencing the beat. 

Hudi - Rain

Considering the beat isn't super slow this is such a lowkey and 'vibey' song, the delivery is lazy but controlled over a beat that would be sampled hundreds of times on Soundcloud. But the vocals feel like just an extension of the beat, intertwining with it and making the voice feel like a very rhythmic instrument. 

Bonus songs

Jack Garratt - Time 

First heard this on Annie Mac's radio show and fell in love with it, it somehow manages to build throughout whilst also getting more mellow. To me it really feels like what indie-rock should definitively be sounding like at the beginning of the 2020s. 

Only Real - Can't Get Happy

A musically simple song that's greatest attribute is how great it is at being an earworm, in spite of (or possibly due to) the fact that it doesn't really stick to any one genre properly. For a song that seems to be about bonding over depression it's incredibly uplifting and easy to sing along to. 

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