The Continuing Adventures in Exploring New Music
As I wrote in the beginning of February, my resolution for 2020 was to listen to more new music and just explore more and expand my horizons. Well, it’s late April and I’m still continuing to follow that goal and finding new stuff. One of my main new things was finding Korean rock bands. This is technically distinct from K-pop, as it doesn’t incorporate some of K-pop’s main hallmarks, but like all genres, they bleed into each other. The others are a random blend of things I’ve run into and that have stuck with me.
Sex and Stardust by ZZ Ward
One of my goals that I developed like, 2 weeks before Covid hit everything, was to go to concerts alone. And the first concert I was going to go to was for ZZ Ward, who was playing at one of the DC indie/rock venues. I’d actually never heard of her until I was looking at shows to go to, but once I started listening to her music, I was sold. I love her voice in particular. It’s even more bluesy in other songs, but this song turned out to be the one I listened to the most. Hopefully I’ll still get to see her live. In the meantime, that’s what YouTube is for.
Q by ONEWE
Last time I wrote about the song Valkyrie by ONEUS - a group I’ve since explored deeper and now love. ONEWE is a rock group under the same label and a close sibling-band with ONEUS – they release joint songs/do joint appearances etc. As a result of that and their new single, they popped up on my YouTube and I had to check them out. I was completely sold. I debated a lot on what song to post for them, but this one, specifically the acoustic version of this song, won. I like acoustic versions of rock songs anyways and this is just quality music. No frills, just good vibes. Also, make sure to listen to their cover of the song “Twit', which is by their label-mate Hwasa of Mamamoo.
Circles by Post Malone
I’d of course heard of both Post Malone and this song, but I’d never bothered listening to it because, honestly, I find his myriad face tattoos off-putting. And then BTS sang this in Carpool Karaoke, and I was sold. It’s a low-key jam and one of those songs that kind of imprints on your brain and you just know you’ll be singing along to it in 5 years, 10 years when it comes on the radio. I hadn’t listened to this song in a while, and when I went back to it I realized that somehow I knew the entire chorus and at least half the lyrics. Also, I instantly started singing along. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I love this song, but it’s one that I’ll always enjoy listening to.
Leave It by N.Flying
The second I heard this song I was hooked. It sounds just like the pop-punk/rock I was listening to as a teenager in the early aughts and I am so here for it. I literally cannot listen to this song without rocking out along with it. It is my jam! I bought this entire EP and I enjoy all the songs but this one hits me in the exact right place every single time. The only downside of this song? I can’t sing along to yet.
China by Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna, and J Balvin
One of my new music projects, inspired by the recent episode of the podcast Hit Parade, is to try to explore Latinx music more. And in my exploration, the YouTube algorithm led me to this song and I could not be happier about it. I might have squealed a little. This song isn’t a cover exactly, but more of a reimagining of the song “It Wasn’t Me” by Shaggy. A song I deeply love. This version has almost entirely new lyrics, but the same tune over a Latin trap beat. It is delightful, and feeds my nostalgia the exact right amount.
