With the advent of custom playlists curated just for you, it’s easy to get absorbed into the same few songs on repeat. With that in mind, our staff has rounded up a list of artists that deserve a spot in your next mix, groovy edition.
Zack Villere
Hailing from Louisiana, indie artist Zack Villere has created his own eclectic sound amongst the slew of generic bedroom pop that the Spotify algorithm just can’t seem to forget. His debut album “Little World” pieces together funk, jazz and R&B in a way that turns each genre’s principle sound over its head. Aptly named, a full sit-down listen of “Little World” will make you feel like a character in a Gen Z coming-of-age book, as if you’ve stepped into Villere’s teenage diary. His lyrics feel like confessional diary entries – “And then we start making out / While we’re listening to Cherry Bomb” – interlaced with his darkest yet most relatable insecurities – “But not enough of me is worth enough to love / Maybe that’s why I’m so guarded.” With instrumentation that feels like homemade GarageBand tapestries and lyrics that are both light-hearted and reflective, Villere is the embodiment of an artist at work, baring his soul for the taking. – Skye Salamat
Yellow Days
An indie-soul god disguised as George Van Der Broek is the driving force behind Yellow Days. As an 18-year-old from Manchester, UK, he has a unique talent of sounding like a funkadelic relic straight out of the ’70s, while using popular synth beats gives him a modern spin. The thing about his music is that it’s incredibly versatile. “How Can I Love You?” is just as likely to pop up in teens’ “makeout” playlists on Spotify as it is to play over speakers in your local coffeehouse. His music makes sorrow sound like warm honey, and love feel like pure melancholy. Van Der Broek lists Ray Charles as one of his main influences, as well as newer artists like Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco. Yellow Days is essentially the perfect blend of the old and the new in the sense that, if you took Tame Impala’s dreamy, abstract sound and combined it with the passion of Ray Charles, their 2016 album “Harmless Melodies” is exactly what you’d get. – Sinclair Andruska
Thundercat
His stage name is Thundercat and he usually sports handmade hats or furry wolf headwear with comfy basketball shorts, socks and sandals. His laidback and unique fashion represents his soulful music that often makes you feel like you’re on an Adult Swim Show. His dexterity with a rare six string bass is unquestionably impressive. Stephen Bruner, the talented dude behind Thundercat, began his career as a session musician working with artists like Kendrick Lamar, jazz artist Kamasi Washington and Erykah Badu. He also toured with Snoop Dogg in his early years and still refers to him as his “uncle.” His most recent album, “Drunk,” consists of electronic and acid jazz sounds combining elements of jazz, soul, funk and disco. The dude loves cats and often talks, tweets and writes songs about his cat Turbo Tron. “Tron Song” declares his underlying loyalty to his feline friend, and its sequel “A Fan’s Mail” is written from the perspective of his cat, where he wonders what it would actually be like to be Turbo Tron. The soul tickling lyrics are melodic and the song’s catchy tune will have you singing it all day. – Lily Lopez
Anderson .Paak
What makes Anderson .Paak so outstanding is that he’s not just a rapper; he combines soul, R&B and funk with hip hop to create songs that can get you in the mood for some lovin’ or get you movin’ on the dance floor. But what sets him apart from any other R&B artist or rapper is his raspy yet soothing voice. The way he is able to flow with a beat and add a splash of grooviness to a song is unrivaled in the music industry today. And to compliment his unique vocals is brilliant production that includes synths, guitars, pianos, drums and many more instruments. Anderson .Paak’s love for his home of Southern California is reflected in his music. His four albums are named after his favorite cities in the area: Venice, Malibu, Oxnard and Ventura. Each album carries a style and sound that reflects the feelings of the cities they are named after; Venice is funky, Malibu is soulful, Oxnard is spriteful and Venture is laid-back. His diverse musical styles allow him to break out of the label of being a rapper and lets his heart drive his music. – Jordan Hom