7 sunshine filled songs to start off your summer!
7 sunshine-filled songs to start your summer
As the sun is beginning to show its face again, we all are (or at least, I am) craving a long drive to the nearest beach. Windows down, music blasting, sunshine warming our faces, healing from the harsh winter. However, this is all obsolete without a perfectly curated summer soundtrack. Here are some recommendations for both your Hot-Girl-Summer and Sad-Girl-Summer playlists.
True Blue - boygenius
The new Boygenius album, The Record is filled with upbeat hits for the coming season, just barely tinged with melancholy. In “True Blue,” Lucy Dacus flawlessly captures the idea of summer healing with the line, “You said you wanted to feel alive, so we went to the beach.” The sun rays are almost tangible along with the warm guitar as Boygenius describes the meaning of true friendship.
I Need A Woman - Hockey Dad
Off of their 2014 EP titled Dreamin’, indie band Hockey Dad’s “I Need A Woman” feels straight out of a coming-of-age film, making your summer break feel like a movie. The killer bass line combined with the droning, unintelligible lyrics creates a smooth alternative rock sound similar to bands like Inhaler or Current Joys.
What I Want - MUNA
Indie-pop trio MUNA are known for their catchy hits accurate to the young, queer experience. This track about wanting to live life to the fullest is no different, perfect for partying on hot summer nights. In the synth-filled, rhythmic “What I Want,” MUNA make all of their listeners want to drop everything to dance like Timothée Chalamet in that one Call Me By Your Name scene.
Saviour Complex - Yellow House
In his 2022 single, Emile van Dango of Yellow House creates an aptly deep backtrack to a late-night summer drive. With lyrics filled to the brim with self-loathing and pity, “Saviour Complex” is full of contrast with its light-hearted drum beat and twangy guitar. This shoegaze-esque combination creates a woozy feeling in the listeners, like coming down from a high in a crowded room.
American Teenager - Ethel Cain
A hit single from Ethel Cain’s recent concept album, Preacher’s Daughter, “American Teenager,” feels like the first day of summer break after a trying year at school. While the lyrics and themes are on the darker side, this is juxtaposed by Cain’s uplifting tone in which she sings and the catchy pop beat.
Sugar - Men I Trust
If sunlight could be physically infused into a song, it would be this one. Emmanuelle Proulx’s lead vocals are warm and whispery, comforting in a sense. As she lovingly sings the repetitive chorus, “And it goes on and on and on again,” the listeners fall deeper into a trance, corroborated by the sultry rhythm and low bass track.
Solar Power - Lorde
“Solar Power,” from Lorde’s 2021 summer album is a must-have on every playlist for the coming season. When she dropped the line, “I’m kinda like a prettier Jesus,” Lorde gave her teenage fans a new classic feeling-myself-in-a-swimsuit track. She encourages us to throw our phones into the ocean as she leads us into the process of healing, singing, “Forget all of the tears that you’ve cried, it’s over.”