May & June Playlist | 2018

Photo: Ta - Ku 

Time for a short, honest update: these past two months have been a whirlwind of events, emotions, and realisations. I ran from my problems, both mentally and physically, came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right thing to do but at the same time I knew it was much needed, and then tried to cope with the aftermath. I finished my exams (and successfully passed the hardest one) and now I'm trying to keep my head afloat and stay organised by having a new addition in my day-to-day life, and that's a full-time job. With all these things happening in a short span of two months I turned to music as a "type of escape", something that would lift up my spirits when I was feeling down, or make me feel the emotion even more. So, each song on this playlist was carefully selected and represents one or another period from these past two months.

Starting off with something that always managed to cheer me up. When someone mentioned 5 Seconds of Summer to me, the first thing that came to mind is somewhat catchy music that 15-year-olds die for, but I gotta admit their latest singles are proving me very VERY wrong. Their new sound reminds me of Fall Out Boy, but with more of a pop sound to it, which I'm not opposed to ofc. And I say this with pride: I've had "Youngblood" on repeat for two months straight! It's new, it's fresh and it's catchy - what more could you ask for in a song.

I am not ashamed to say that I am a BIG Eurovision fan. Every year I sit in front of my television, with the Tumblr app ready on my phone, scrolling through #Eurovision and laughing my butt off at the hilarious comments. I watch it more ironically than seriously, but I can't help myself not to pick a favourite. And this year, Sweden took the cake for me. Benjamin (aka my future husband) had the coolest song EVER. "Dance You Off" is a catchy tune that sounds straight off of a JT album. Give it a listen, and a watch too because the video is also very cool.

And now that I finished living my teenager fantasy with the two previous songs, it's time to get to business. Disclosure *FINALLY* released a new single called "Ultimatum" and it's everything I needed, and more. Their mix to Fatoumata Diawara's sample resulted in a catchy, funky summer tune that I find myself playing when in the need of a pick me up. I am beyond happy to see these guys return to the music scene, and I can't wait for more!

Khalid's "OTW" featuring 6LACK & Ty Dolla $ign is such a "vibe with me" type of song. It's easy to get addicted to this one, the beat is chilled and laid back, but the vocals of each artist keep the tempo up. The artists on this track flow together perfectly, so big props to Khalid for getting 6LACK and Ty Dolla $ign on the track with him.

Now we're entering the more recent territory. This remix of Jhene Aiko's Comfort Inn Ending is one of the best things I've heard in a while. The dynamic of "We Were In Love" is indescribable, it's a perfect blend of light and darkness with a moody beat flow. If you have no clue what I'm rambling about, just listen to the song and you'll understand.
P.S. Ta-Ku is also an amazing photographer and creative director, I strongly suggest you check out his website here.

When I first heard this song I immediately knew I've listened to it before, but I couldn't pinpoint in what song. And after a short research, I found out it was used as a sample on one of Halsey's earlier songs which I loved back in the day. And after listening to the original by Son Lux called "Easy" I now appreciate the beat even more because it's such a good beat sequence that wasn't even acknowledged in the Halsey song. Here it takes centre stage and it's oh so amazing. And dark. Very, very dark.

Massive Attack - Teardrop
"Teardrop" is one of those songs that seem like you've listened to them all your life - you've loved this song and it sounds so familiar, but in fact, it's your first time listening to it. This rarely happens to me, but when it does, I get a strange homely feeling, like I was supposed to listen to this song at this specific point in my life. This one is a highly recommended listen!

Last but not least - Billie Eilish with "bitches broken hearts". Those lyrics, my oh my. I understand the power of music and how it can affect a person's mood, but this one... I want to cry and smile at the same time when I listen to it, even though it's such a simple song with a simple beat, it's soo powerful.

*BONUS* track - If there is one thing I'm always glad to find it's good Macedonian music that's not mainstream, boring pop. DUPER, a new band on the MK stage, pleasantly surprised me when I listened to their first single "Ne sum tvoj tip" and I found myself singing along to the catchy chorus just two minutes into the song. Looking forward to more songs from them!

As always, click HERE for the whole playlist on Youtube, or click each individual title above. Happy listening!