Mini Mix (Whitney)

A good amount of fun stuff has emerged from the rubble of 2021, and I think it’s time I acknowledge some standouts (for me) from the past few weeks. The world, or Texas at least, is reopening whether we like it or not, so here’s a mini-playlist to add a little color in the background of your busy week!

WILLOW ft. Travis Barker – t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l

It’s wild to think that Willow Smith has already spent a decade in the music industry and she’s only 20 years old. 2015’s Wait A Minute proved that even at 15 she was not to be fucked with, and her decision to release a pop-punk album this Summer is a bold move. This new song is catchy, quick, and has just enough Travis Barker on the drums to send you back to 1999 in the best way.

Doja Cat ft. SZA – Kiss Me More

My love for Doja Cat can only be matched by a few artists, and one of those artists happens to be SZA, so this is a collab that’s RIGHT up my alley. The song has a dreamy disco sound that’s almost saccharine, but when you have lyrics that float between the innocence of Kiss Me More and the salacity of I Feel Like Fuckin’ Somethin’, you’ve got me HOOKED. I’ll take another 100 songs just the same way, please and thank you.

Rochelle Jordan – All Along

Travel with me, if you will, back to “the late 1900s” (as the Gen-Z-ers are calling it). A time when dance and house ruled the airwaves, we bought our Z. Cavariccis at the mall, and a dark club with lasers and a DJ was peak live entertainment. That is how I feel when I listen to Rochelle Jordan’s All Along.

Hard Feelings – Holding On Too Long

Now that we’re comfortable in the “late 1900s,” stay with me there for one more song. Is this a nostalgic trend? Could be! Powerhouse NYC singer/songrwriter Amy Douglas and Joe Goddard of Hot Chip teamed up to bring the world something to dance to with Hard Feelings, and I think it’s working.

Litany & Oscar Scheller – Playlist

Litany hooked me a few months back with a song called Uh Huh, and I’ve been curious about her ever since. The band began as a duo and, until very recently, became the solo project of Beth Cornell. I don’t know much about this Brit-pop gal, but I’m picking up what she’s putting down, and I hope we get a lot more of her.