Welcome back to another edition of the Pop Off, a Poptized Playlist. This week we have songs from Charli XCX, Toro y Moi, and Saba. While this week’s new releases don’t rival last week’s amount, there was still some heat that deserves to be heard. So be sure to check out What’s Poppin, our favorite tunes of the playlist, and take some time to add your favorites to your musical collection.
What’s Poppin
George O’Hanlon – “How Are You Feeling?”
Trading the acoustic guitar for an electric guitar, George O’ Hanlon’s forward asking track “How Are You Feeling?” leans harder into the influences that may or may not have influenced the young prodigy. Hits of Nirvana and Slowdive serve as a driving force through the track’s mood and tone, where the brutal honesty and thoughtfully poetic lyrics/composition are all George. “How Are You Feeling?” feels like a musical journey, a journey through life’s various obstacles and how you can manage to become what you want to become, feel how you want to feel. Aside from the song’s philosophical foundation, it’s also just really damn good.
Nija- Rare
Nija is an artist that has obtained the unobtainable at such a rapid pace; at twenty-three years old, the singer-songwriter already has THREE Grammy awards under her belt as a contributor. But the songwriter isn’t just a formidable writer for others; she’s also a force on her projects. And “Rare,” arriving courtesy of her debut album, Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, is proof of this. Carried by a vulnerability that she often utilized for other artists, “Rare” finds Nija’s pen shining the brightest as her diary-like narrative presses a lover about his less than stellar and ungrateful behavior within the relationship. Her conversational yet melodic delivery allows fans to listen to the song as if listening to one of your close friends vent about their failed attempts at love. Moody backing ushers the song in a direction that hits all the right emotional beats as “Rare” plays on. “Rare” does a great job of showing audiences what they can expect from Nija as a lead artist while simultaneously showing that her Grammy wins were no mistake.
Floreana-“Takotsubo”
I’m going to be honest with you: I can’t speak Spanish that well. With that being said, “Takotsubo” by underground-indie band Floreana is magnificent. One of the beautiful facts about music is that you don’t have to speak the same language as someone else or even come from the same walk of life as they do to become fully immersed within the world created by music. “Takotsubo” and its instrumentation is awe-inducing as its groove guides your body to move and your finger to hit repeat. It’s one of the highlights from their latest album Cuadros—a fantastic album in its entirety. So do yourself a favor and add this to your musical collection; Floreana is a band full of promise and talent.
Benny the Butcher ft. J.Cole-“Johnny P’s Caddy”
Fire. Absolutely fire. Benny the Butcher has quickly become one of the hottest rappers in the game today, and it’s because of his visceral delivery reminiscent of the East Side streets he used to dwell in. Linking up with legendary producer and recently named producer of the year The Alchemist and another one of the best rappers in the world, J. Cole, Benny the Butcher is out to prove a point: he belongs. “Johnny P’s Caddy” has a sample that is equally soulful and haunting which serves the lyrical masterclass displayed by Benny the Butcher and J. Cole well. If this song is any indication that Tana Talk 4 will be immaculate, that album just became one of my most anticipated projects of 2022. Easy.
Olivia Knox-“Gorgeous”
“Gorgeous” is the debut single by Olivia Knox, as in, this is Olivia’s only song on streaming services right now. Considering her meteoric rise on TikTok with this song in particular and the amount of monthly listens that she has managed to cultivate on her Spotify at such an early stage in her career, it’s actually nuts. “Gorgeous” is a self-help anthem; the song works to reaffirm the listener and Olivia’s confidence within themselves as they look to be the best version of themselves every day. The song’s repetitive nature is perfect for Tik Tok and makes sense considering the song’s mission statement: making people feel good about themselves. Olivia unlocked the secret to making a viral song, and I’m excited to see where she takes us on her next offering. Be sure to pay attention; we may be witnessing the birth of 2020’s newest pop star.
