Songs people need to know about: Haya

This is a second list of songs that more people should know about, this time chosen by my friend Haya Abdelrahman, who's taste in music is more centered around indie/dream-pop and rock than mine and as such has a very different list to mine. Not every song is one that I myself love, so I've asked Haya why she loves each song and that's what I'll be writing about. I've also decided that I'll be adding a few more of my own songs that I think people should know about onto each of these lists, but I'll try keep it fairly similar in theme to the rest.

Kid Bloom - Does It Make Me Wrong?

An infectiously upbeat song with lyrics that are easy to latch onto, the bass is hypnotic and brings a proper swagger to the song that makes it hard not to whistle along to the silky smooth vocals. This song isn't normally my kind of thing but I can't help but envisage a scene similar to the music video for 'Happy' every time I hear it, quite simply this song is an upbeat ode to happiness and love.

The Honeysticks - Out Like A Light

With this song Haya's introduced me to a new type of track I didn't realise really existed or could be good, 50's-style love songs with modern pop tropes. The best part of the song, in Haya's words, is the lyrics, The Honeysticks make you feel like you want to fall in love and that you're living the story with them all the while creating a beautiful nostalgic and 'homey' feel.

flor - spoiled

We've come to the conclusion that 'spoiled' is the soundtrack to late-night Garden of Eden gone dance, all about being sick of feeling sorry for yourself. The dream-pop chorus makes you want to dance in a dark room but still manages to be grounded to earth enough to make it relatable.

Tyde Levi - Sober

Troye Sivan's brother manages to really convince you he's in love not just through the lyrics but through the vocal performance, being one of the main reasons it is a song that's easy to obsess over, even though it's fairly musically simplistic. 

Alvvays - Party Police

Most people like their favourite songs because they have certain memories attached, which is the case with 'Party Police', bringing back memories of people. The central "You don't have to leave" somehow manages to be desperate without sounding too tragic, just longing. 

New Politics - Ozone

Probably my personal favourite song on the list and quite different in comparison to the rest of Haya's list, and the reason she likes it so much is actually its difference, a lot of New Politics' other material is quite self-pitying and soppy but this manages to be a love-song with courage, catchy melodies and a good drum track.

Chase Atlantic - Paradise

I described the vocals as Matty Healy after a couple xanax and every time I listen I believe in that more, although the main attraction of the song is the way the music overpowers the vocals and makes you want to relate the song to someone. 

Orphie - PLAYGROUND

Another one of my favourites on this list even though the song actually has very little going on musically, but that's its beauty. The lead singer's voice is soothing and hypnotizing whilst also interesting enough to keep you focused on the song, effectively being so powerful simply because of how soft it is.

Neko Case - I Wish I Was The Moon

One of the sadder songs on the list, but not so obviously so, the lyrics manage to reflect that feeling when you want to get away from everything and float away from it all, which Haya says always makes it feel like it's a full moon night where so much is going on that you can feel the singer's exhaustion, which is easy to listen to due to the smooth soothing vocals.

Holden Laurence - Cover Me In Roses

The last of Haya's choices is difficult to work out whether it's sad or happy, one that she describes to be about needing love but also knowing the heartbreak that often comes with it, all delivered by a voice that draws you in to it. 

Bonus songs

OK Go - Needing/ Getting 

A lot of people may know this song from the video, but the album version (that's on the playlist below) has an extended outro that changes the entire feel of the song giving it a much more contemplative feel and makes it really easy to relax to.

Everything Everything - Warm Healer

A fairly long song. but the 6 minutes are well spent as it goes from catchy upbeat guitar riffs through smooth jazz-like vocals into atmospheric harmonies and a slow pulsing outro making it difficult to really figure out what the song is. 

Tera Melos - 40 Rods To The Hog's Head

A confusing and lyric-less math rock that manages to be overwhelming and technical whilst also consistent and comforting, this is definitely not to everyone's taste and a bit of a departure from the rest of the music here but it carries a similar mood.

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