Music I Liked: November 2023
Apologies for not replying to comments so far. The past month has been extremely hectic for me. Nonetheless, November had some fantastic releases, some of which I would like to share here.
Aditya Gadhvi x Achint - Khalasi
When a South Asian Coke Studio release is good, it is really good. At its best, it finds a way to create the fun artsy folk-pop that shows what the region's most talented can do in a side-project. Khalasi is in the language of Gujarati, composed, written, and sung by some rising ethnic Gujarati stars. The key of Khalasi is the female choir that assists Aditya Gadhvi, with some fantastic moments in the pre-chorus. With this major hit under his belt, I just hope mainstream Bollywood remembers to save Achint's number.
Ali Sethi, Nicolas Jaar - Intiha (Nazar Se - Song of the Month)
Electro-ghazals sound like a bizarre, RateYourMusic genre that would never exist in the real world. Nonetheless, Intiha exists, and it is a blend of Chilean electronic producer Nicolas Jaar's work (notably interloping his Telas album), and the traditional Ghazal singing of Pakistan's Ali Sethi. From what I understand, this change has been controversial with both artists' fandoms, but I just happen to love it.
There is something cold and icy at the heart of Intiha, a fear of intimacy, a fear of emotional closeness. There is a wonderful contrast between Sethi's passionate, slurred, and emotive performance of many classic Hindustani poems, and the distant, almost freezing production by Jaar, almost as if the feelings bubbling before the surface hide, hide from a paralyzing fear. My favorite songs from the album are as follows. Intiha is a haunting opening track, Nazar Se's sliced-up production and Sethi's passionate delivery provide what might be one of the best songs of the year (and one of two songs of the month), Muddat is the turning point of the album, as the production almost begins to assist, and then overwhelm, Sethi's voice. Not long after, we get the paralyzing Dard's voice. The coldness remains, but now envelopes Sethi's voice. Finally, Chiragh marks a point where the album aims for a more drone-esque production. It is still strong, even if disorienting.
Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun
Years ago, comedy duo Key and Peele released a sketch noting that hip-hop duo OutKast would never reunite, because Andre 3000 had lost it, wanting to release a bizarre, overly long concept album with titles no one could understand. They only got one thing wrong, his solo album is a flute concept album, and the song titles, well, look below. Nonetheless, New Blue Sun is a surprisingly fantastic piece of new-age ambient music. The opening song is my favorite, with some fantastic mixing quite ready for sampling. The rest of the album is solid too. Three stacks may be unconventional, but that makes his music all the more impressive.
The Beatles - Now And Then (Song of the Month)
As someone who only recently began to appreciate the depth of The Beatles' catalog, Now And Then's release was something I could never have imagined before, but appreciate so much now. Taking an old John Lennon demo that The Beatles were never able to fix or clean for their Anthology sessions, and cleaning it with the help of AI technology would be impressive enough. Even beyond that, Paul McCartney's touch is all over the arrangement, from the dense, 'wall of sound' arrangement to turning what likely was a ghostly love ballad into a memorial for John Lennon, George Harrison, and his beloved, The Beatles. Now And Then The Beatles inspire a new fan, Now And Then they come back and release a masterpiece, Now And Then, Paul likely sits at a window, working with Ringo for a final tribute to The Beatles, Now And Then.
Dua Lipa - Houdini
Dua Lipa has always had a grasp on how to make crowd-pleasing retro bangers, and Houdini shows she is at the top of her game. Instead of disco, Houdini plays with new wave, and I love the pulsating instrumental. Houdini is a beast, moving from hook to hook without a second of rest. It could be exhausting, but instead, it comes off as cool and suave. If this is how her next album will be, I am excited.
Eite - Independent Woman
Despite the title suggesting something conceptual, Eite's debut Independent Woman is nothing more than a fun electro-pop dance track. The thing is, it is a really well-made electro-pop dance track. The groove bobs up and down with a pulsating electronic backbeat. The girls provide a solid enough performance for their debut, and the small twists and turns in the melody make Independent Woman all the more addictive.
Golden Child - Feel Me
It has been a wild since I've loved a Golden Child song, despite the group being one of my favorite boy bands to debut over the last six or seven years. Feel Me is perhaps the group's best song since 2021's Burn It, with a beating, emotive core. I love a good emotive pop-rock anthem, and Feel Me is exactly that. Even if the vocal talents of the group are underutilized, the shout-along chorus is memorable enough to compensate.
PinkPantheress - Heaven Knows
Minus a few bizarre choices for collaborators (side-eyes Rema and Central Cee's verses in otherwise great songs), Heaven Knows is pretty much the perfect debut LP for PinkPantheress and her UK Garage sound. The mix of samples, early noughts beats, PinkPantheress' emotive vocals, and surprisingly deep lyrics turn Heaven Knows into a late-year highlight. Themes of death, paranoia, and obsession mark what would otherwise be a lighthearted album into a surprisingly deep listen. Previously released singles such as Boy's a Liar Pt. 2, Mosquito, and Capable of Love sound even better than before in the context of the album, but new songs like Another Life, Nice To Meet You, True Romance, and especially the grisly Ophelia, make this album a must hear.
Taemin - Guilty
Perhaps due to his debuting in the cutthroat K-Pop industry while in middle school, the death of long-time friend and mentor Jonghyun, or his disturbing sexualization while just a teenager, Taemin's music has always been slightly paranoid and off-balance. After a military service that saw his depression first publicly brought to light, Taemin has taken these darker elements and owned them. Guilty is paranoid, but it is also self-assured and aggressive. Taemin performs the hell out of the song, especially with that ornamental, menacing, chorus.
Tyla - Tyla
I loved Tyla's Been Thinking earlier this year, so seeing her blow up only a little later for the equally fantastic Water has been gratifying. These four tracks are a pre-release for her upcoming album early next year. It seems she is planning to focus on Water's smooth and sensual sound, which is great, even if I will miss Been Thinking's afro-house.
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