PANDEMIC PLAYLIST
The Square One Magazine team joined together to curate a playlist of newly released tracks to help you get through your lockdown.
‘C2.0’ - CHARLI XCX
ROSIE CHALK
Charli XCX has been working hard in insolation on her latest full album, how I’m feeling now. While absolutely blown away by the album as a whole, ‘c2.0’ is one to be hooked on. A lockdown summer anthem about missing our best friends. With funky bass lines, layered melodies and new sound effects, Charli really does thrive off of pressure and her creativity has really bloomed.
‘GHOST’ - ATWOOD
TAMMY WALTERS
A triumphant jump into 2020 for Milan rockers, Atwood, ‘Ghost’ covered all of the ground that makes a solid heavy record in this decade; a balance of punk and pop elements for wide appeal, a belting chorus, chest-swelling drums, soaring guitars, a seesawed light and shade dynamic and a classic song structure.
‘I LIKE IT WHEN YOU LOVE ME’ - OH WONDER
RYLEY REMEDIOS
The standout single from their lockdown collection Home Tapes is intimate and personal, yet universally relatable and real. It is a different feel than what we normally hear from the duo. It is powerful, beautiful, and showcases the genuine chemistry between the two artists with their distinctive moody sound. There isn’t a crazy beat drop, or catchy chorus, but it is the honest words that make for an intense song.
‘BE KIND’ - MARSHMALLO, HALSEY
YANI BLACKBURN
Be Kind by Marshmello and Halsey tells the heartbreaking story of a lover who feels neglected. Marshmello provides upbeat tunes and high-energy drums, while Halsey sings lyrics that beg someone to open up. This song is relatable and catchy. These two artist’s styles blend together well!
‘EMBERS’ - SPHERICAL
TAMMY WALTERS
Spherical have the stove burning on high for this melting pot of genre jam. Following on from ‘Two Door Ford Fiesta’, ‘Embers’ swerves between Brit pop, shoegaze and alternative rock, jumping the curb outside of urban territory and ultimately arriving at Groovesville. Tasty food for your ears!
‘ALONE’ - LUCKY BLUE
ROSIE CHALK
Packed with repetitive riffs and echoing vocals, Lucky Blue draw on influences from the likes of FIDLAR and Twin Peaks in debut single ‘Alone’. It is a taste of what’s yet to come for Rotterdam’s limited music scene. While the lyrics are bleak, the music itself delivers them from an entirely different perspective with uplifting melodies.
‘SLICED BREAD’ - JOSIE PROTO
TAMMY WALTERS
Quirky, colourful and clever, Josie Proto’s latest single ‘Sliced Bread’ is one the greatest things since the sliced loaf variety was invented. With her self-proclaimed “Lily Allen sound”, Proto fuses infectious synths with catchy, brutally honest lyrics for the ultimate liberation sing-along.
‘WORK IN FINANCE’ - ACKERMAN
GEORGIA GRIFFITHS
‘Work In Finance’ is a sunny, reverb-drenched lament about our capitalist world. The opening refrain of “I don’t know what to do to make money” pretty much sums up the creative struggle (and may be even more pertinent right now). With a driving bass line, surf-addled guitars and an 80s synth, ‘Work In Finance’ is perfect for a quick dance break while you consider how you’re going to pay rent this month.
‘LOVE, HERSELF’ - LILI KENDALL
TAMMY WALTERS
Lili Kendall gets sultry, soulful and super sweet on ‘love, herself’. A slow pulsing beat and slinky rhythm carries this empowering feminist piece which explores the concept of love and discovering self love. Devine intention and devine delivery.
‘BLOODY VALENTINE’ - MACHINE GUN KELLY
SHYLA DAVIDSON
Bloody Valentine is the latest release from Machine Gun Kelly as he works on a transition into the pop-punk scene. The song is musically and lyrically different from anything he has released previously. It gives a nice synth-pop vibe and a catchy chorus that anyone can find themselves singing along to.
‘WASTED’ - OVERLAPS
TAMMY WALTERS
Out of the Treviso/Pordenone region of North Eastern Italy, Overlaps serve up a rich rock sound on their moody single ‘Wasted’. Gloria Piccinin’s glorious velvet vocals caress the driving guitars and pounding drums to deliver an eerie and melancholic, yet captivatingly powerful, anthem.
‘RSVP’ - KNUCKLE PUCK
JENNA JOYCE
Sick of RSVPing to Zoom meetings? Knuckle Puck’s ‘RSVP’ may be your next infectious, summer anthem. The new single trades a bit of grit for sparkling pop-punk polish, but that won’t stop the chorus from getting stuck in your head or quelling the anticipation for their upcoming album, 20/20.
‘DRIVE ALL NIGHT’ - KING CHARLES
TAMMY WALTERS
Charles Costa is the king of electronic bangers and he doesn’t disappoint with ‘Drive All Night’; a space- trance driven dreamscape ready to underscore a late night roadtrip. The K-pop alliteration of some seriously catchy “na, na, na”’s over a whispered chorus will be stuck in your head for days.
‘IF YOU’RE TOO SHY’ - THE 1975
KAYLA SPAAR
The 1975’s sixth single off their fourth album Notes on a Conditional Form bursts with the uninhibited joy of an 80s love song. Primed to be the anthem of a carefree summer untouched by coronavirus, this is an indisputable bop sure to provide a much-needed rush of endorphins.
‘WEIRD’ - YUNGBLUD
EMILY RAINES
‘Weird’ begins with a synth pop vibe, entering into a beat drop featuring a pop punk sound, giving the song two separate genres. From the chorus it gives perfect representation to the world we live in now, captivating how it will all be okay, as spoken in the song. Yungblud put out this song in anticipation for his new era of music, which he said should be dropping this year.
‘GARDEN’ - MAE KRELL
TAMMY WALTERS
Mae Krell shines on this stunning 3.20 minute track, showcasing their beautifully layered songwriting talent and story telling ability. Their delicate vocal performance sits upon a simple guitar and piano mattress, pillowed with comforting harmonies to allow the listener to gracefully sink into a truly compelling piece of Krell’s songbook heart.
‘LEVEL OF CONCERN’ - TWENTY ONE PILOTS
SHAWN WILSON
This well produced pop song’s campy simplicity keeps your feet tapping all the while thinking ‘superstars Twenty One Pilots are human too?’. The lyrics convey a nervous anxiety with lines such as “panic on the brain, world has gone insane / things are starting to get heavy” and “you could bring down my level of concern, Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay”.