What do Milky Chance, Frat Mouse, and JPEGMAFIA all have in common? Probably not much, but they each put out some of our favorite songs of the month. Here are 9 of our top songs of May 2020. Listen to them all with an open mind, and maybe you'll find a new favorite song, too.
Editorial by D
5/16/20
Little - Jany Green
With only 4 singles released on his Spotify and 200,000 monthly listeners, Jany Green has established himself as a unique indie pop powerhouse. His latest song, Little, is the lighthearted, upbeat banger we all needed to bring our spirits up during quarantine. This song just feels like summer. Get in a car with some friends, drive around with the windows down, and enjoy the good vibes.
beep boop - Frat Mouse
Who knew a group of suburban Californians could make such good Midwest emo? beep boop describes the awkward high school anxiety everyone who's ever been a teenager has experienced. Frat Mouse found the perfect middle ground between not taking themselves too seriously and writing meaningful lyrics that the listener will identify with, even sneaking in a pretty deep metaphor about tile floors that their English teachers would be proud of. Alfo Media described their music perfectly: it's a listening experience that has me feeling like I'm just hanging out with my friends.
A24 - GOON DES GARCONS*, Cuco
The self-described "black trash rockstar" GOON DES GARCONS* is the mastermind behind one of the most interesting hip hop features of 2020. Backed by a woozy, infectious beat, GOON raps about his rise to stardom from his humble beginnings in Little Rock, Arkansas. When I saw Cuco's name as a feature, I was expecting soft bedroom-pop vocals or something similar; instead, Cuco shows off his rapping skills and absolutely kills the second verse. We need to hear more Cuco hip hop.
Dreamlike State - The Know
Husband-wife duo The Know released their debut dream pop EP wearetheknow this month, and it was difficult to pick just one song to feature. The title of this one, Dreamlike State, pretty much sums up the whole project. Jennifer Farmer's soft, reverb-heavy vocals create a - dare I say - dreamlike, psychedelic soundscape. Put on some headphones and get lost in a different world.
Was It Something I Said - MyKey, Cavetown
I'm so glad I discovered MyKey through this dumb Jubilee video (and I'm still upset he got eliminated so early). Though most of his older songs are more in the singer-songwriter genre, Was It Something I Said is an indie, bedroom-pop bop, and MyKey just released a remixed version featuring Cavetown this month, which is the perfect addition we didn't need but are so thankful to have. It's a fun, relatable, danceable tune that makes me feel like I'm in some quirky coming-of-age film.
So We Won't Forget - Khruangbin
Don't let their name scare you away - Khruangbin have been on top of the world recently, making a big name for themselves for combining exemplary instrumentation with diverse ethnic influences, creating some of the most unique music we've ever heard. So We Won't Forget is a funky, psychedelic single from the band's upcoming album featuring airy vocals from bassist Laura Lee Ochoa. Just relax and nod your head to this sonic masterpiece.
BALD! REMIX - JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Curry
Two of the biggest names in alternative hip hop, together on one track? If you aren't familiar with JPEGMAFIA yet, it's difficult to even describe his music: hard, lyrically-dense rapping over experimental, unconventional beats. If you're a fan of Peggy, you've probably heard the original Bald!, but Denzel really takes over this remix, dropping insane bars like it's nothing to him. It's like these guys went Super Saiyan on this track, but instead of turning blond they lost their hair.
Do You Light Up? - Dijon
Dijon is finally starting to get the recognition he has long deserved. Do You Light Up? is the opening track off his new EP, How Do You Feel About Getting Married?, an interesting new sound for the R&B artist. This first song is the perfect introduction for the rest of the project: it's minimalistic, ambient, dreamy, and as always, it features Dijon's signature gentle, intimate vocals. If you like Frank Ocean, you'll probably love Dijon's discography.
Don't Let Me Down - Milky Chance, Jack Johnson
Everybody and their mom loves Milky Chance, and it's hard not to. They have really been taking advantage of their newfound free time, releasing their Stay Home Sessions EP last month and now blessing us with this new single featuring acoustic pop legend Jack Johnson. It's yet another fun, danceable tune that you'll probably (hopefully) be hearing throughout the summer.
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