With the change in season rapidly approaching and the arrival of the sun, we asked some of our writers to recommend songs they consider to be essential to any summer playlist.
‘Oceanic Feeling’ – Lorde recommended by Kitty Carter
‘Oceanic Feeling’ by Lorde is a perfect six-minute track for the hazy summer days by the beach. It has the weightless feeling of floating on the water, and the writing is of shimmering details: the “rays in the bays”, “the waves and the cicadas all around” as Lorde sings that she “can make anything real”. There’s one beat drop on the word “kick-flipping” that captures the feeling of the summer heat hitting you as you get off the train by the coast. It is optimistic, reverberating through the sun and the waves, and reminding us of all the good that is to come.
‘Beach House’ – Del Water Gap recommended by Cristina Ferrin Pereda
‘Beach House’ by Del Water Gap is a great summer song, deceptively so, given its dark lyrics. The song itself is energetic, and dizzying, and chaotic. It feels like speeding down a clifftop road at sunset, windows down, the wind in your hair as the dark oceanic breeze rushes in. I am a sucker for lyricism, and upbeat energy with a heavy edge is the perfect combination for those summer nights when you are happy but not quite at peace. This song is equally perfect whether you are thriving or falling apart, encapsulating the versatility of summer.
‘Champagne Coast’ – Blood Orange recommended by Maya Dallal
Blood Orange’s ‘Champagne Coast’ is my quintessential summer track. ‘Champagne Coast’ is the penultimate track on Coastal Grooves, an aptly named album for a summer’s night. A simple but propulsive beat grounds the song as the ethereal vocal harmonies climb higher. Hynes’s guitar tone on the iconic riff is dead precise, gliding fluidly across the track. Introspective lyrics are layered over ethereal harmonies, immersing the listener in the song’s melancholy. The first half of the song is sleek and percussive as it builds to its deftly layered ending. ‘Champagne Coast’ is hopeful yearning, the moment between breaths, and Blood Orange’s most iconic song for good reason.
‘If You Wanna’ – The Vaccines recommended by Poppy Fellows
No strangers to a British summer festival, The Vaccines are your classic West-London ‘Indie Sleaze’ band and have soundtracked many summer evenings with their upbeat and laidback rock sound. ‘If You Wanna’ is one of their most popular singles and always gets crowds jumping up and down to the strong guitar sound and enthusiastic drumbeats. It is ideal for getting ready for summer evenings in pub gardens and playing far-too loudly on the beach on a little speaker. For fans of The Strokes’ sleazy rock sound, or lovers of Two Door Cinema Club, The Vaccines should have a place on your summer playlist – that’s if they don’t already!
‘The Look’ – Metronomy recommended by Amelie Marah
Is there anything better than infectious beats and effortless groove to complement evenings spent in the sunshine? If you agree, then Metronomy’s ‘The Look’ is an essential addition to your summer playlist. It is a hypnotic indie-electronic track built on pulsing basslines, crisp percussion and soft vocals that pull the listener in, making it impossible not to dance to. It is minimal in its layers, yet the repetitive rhythms and distinctive production style create a joyful atmosphere perfect for this time of year. If you get on with this song, why not give the band’s whole album The English Riviera a go – it truly is a perfect summer evening album.
