The Infinite Loop Vol. 4
Featuring: Cibo Matto, a.s.o., SuperJazzClub, Kelela, John Coltrane, & Matthew Hallsal
Hi friends! I hope you had a great weekend! Sorry there was no Best New Music post last Friday. My tummy hurted, and I couldn’t do much that day lol. But that got me thinking — BNM will be less frequent moving forward. I don’t want to share new music just for the sake of it. So for now, I’m going to focus on quality, not quantity.
Today, I have a couple of different vibes for you: smooth trip-hop, lowkey R&B, and some jazz for the holidays. I hope you like them, and please feel free to share any songs you’ve been loving lately in the comments!
Velvety Smooth Trip-Hop
Over the years, I’ve grown to really appreciate trip-hop. My first taste of the genre was “It Could Be Sweet” by Portishead, and I’ve been hooked ever since!
“Sugar Water” - Cibo Matto
I found out about this one earlier in the year and have revisited it once or twice a month ever since. Will I ever decipher the lyrics? Probably not. Does that matter? Nah, not really. I love the sample in the chorus, and the bass line throughout is insane. Also, still not over the fact that not only did Buffy the Vampire Slayer use this song in the show, but Cibo Matto are canonically apart of the show lol.
“Go On” - a.s.o.
I’ve been talking about a.s.o. a lot since last year, and until every person is as much a fan as I am, I won’t stop! a.s.o. makes everything from trip-hop, dub, ambient, and dream pop. The crazy part? Each dip into a different genre is as good as the last.
R&B for a Rainy Day
Music that evokes specific weather might be my favorite way to categorize music. It’s so personal to you and your experiences. Here are some of my picks for R&B for a rainy day.
“911” - SuperJazzClub
SuperJazzClub is a group out of Ghana that I absolutely adore. “911” is one of those songs that sounds like an overcast day.
“Missed Call” - Kelela
If “911” sounds like an overcast day, “Missed Call” feels like a light storm. When I hear this one, I can still feel the cool wisps of air and hear the soft pitter-patter of the rain.
Jazzy Christmas
With Christmas only a couple of days away, I wanted to share a couple of jazz songs that feel like the holidays to me. If you have any other jazz songs with a similar vibe, I’d love to hear them ❣️
“My Favorite Things” - John Coltrane
So, I’m not sure about you, but The Sound of Music is a Christmas classic in my house. All of the music goes hard, but “My Favorite Things” is probably my favorite. A couple of years ago, I found out about the Coltrane version, and just like the film, it has become a Christmas standard.
“I’ve Found Joy” - Matthew Halsall
Swapping the sax for a trumpet, we have “I’ve Found Joy” by Matthew Halsall. I’m not a music theory guy, but both of these songs have that Christmas-y vibe. Whatever Mr. Halsall is doing is working wonders and makes this song the perfect addition to any Christmas playlist you might be making.
Goodbye, for now!
Hope you liked this week’s picks! If anyone can explain why “I’ve Found Joy” sounds so sweet and Christmas-y, please enlighten me!
If you celebrate, I hope your Christmas is amazing and that you get to eat lots of great food and be around people who love you.
Talk to you soon!
I've been just recently following, because I've enjoyed your recommendations a lot!
One question I have, since you've mentioned the genre here:
Do you have any additional recommendations for that "Velvety Smooth Trip-Hop" vibe?
I've loved Trip-Hop ever since I heard it in high school, between Massive Attack, Tricky, Sneaker Pimps, etc., but I haven't asked around for what other folks get into!
Keep up the great work, bruh!