Staff Picks 3/11/24
Sparky Staff Picks is a series where our writing and editing team comes together to talk about what’s been stuck in our heads and on repeat in our playlists. it doesn’t matter if it’s new or old, popular or underground, it just needs to have us in a chokehold. Follow Sparky on Twitter and Instagram @sparkywtf for more.
bby, "hotline"
Addictive and danceable, “hotline” is a dose of fun you can't help but replay. Opening with a formidable bass guitar that keeps pace throughout the track, the song is arranged to highlight the lyrics. The bass, guitar, and drums all pause to allow lead singer Benjy’s voice to whisper-sing each line of the verse. The first two lines are not subtle in telling you what the song’s about: “I won't stop until you're shaking, all your neighbors know my name / If you really have to ask, then you know they never came.” However, the arrangement is never predictable. Once the chorus approaches, the song strips back to just the vocals and the lead guitar.
“If you wanna work weekends, yeah, you know where I am,” Benjy sings, the last word coinciding with the crashing return of the unrelenting bass guitar and drum lines, sending the listener into a frenzy that is perhaps reminiscent of the excitement that the lyrics’ contents reference. bby’s just having fun with it, and they clearly want their listeners to do the same. The song ends with a giggle and a phone number, daring curious listeners to give their hotline a call. -Leina Gabra
Future, "Fly Sh*t Only"
Every once in a while, I get deep into Future’s discography and look for tracks I’m not familiar with. This is a task I impose upon myself as someone who has had Future as their top artist for four consecutive years between 2017 and 2021. The penultimate track on EVOL, “Fly Sh*t Only,” opens with a moody guitar melody that emulates the end credits of an action movie. “I take my drugs in doses,” Future’s unmistakable voice admits in the intro, reverberating until the beat drops. The lyrics are Future’s usual fodder – drugs, private jets, women, designer clothes—but his melodic and fast-paced flow turns his voice into an instrument that sounds perfectly paired with the guitar.
Breaking up the verse from the chorus (essentially just Future repeating the song’s title), the beat changes in tone entirely. It sounds like a vinyl scratch in reverse, something akin to an early 2000s Timbaland song. With this sound, prolific producers John $K Mcgee & DJ Spinz evoke a Y2K nostalgia that has resurged in the last few years, making them both ahead of and behind the times, depending on how you look at it. -Leina Gabra
Nieve Ella, “The Things We Say”
Nieve Ella returns with her first single of 2024 “The Things We Say,” starting the year with her staple existential indie-pop track reflecting on the messiness of a friendship break-up. The accompaniment is led by a rocky lead guitar and opposing gentle vocals, creating a juxtaposition between artist and instrumentation and setting a confrontational tone throughout this track. As the song progresses and the lyrics reveal the narrative, a snare drum drives the song into a dramatic chorus of explosive angst. However, before diving into the chorus, it's important to note how incredibly crafted the hook of this song is. The hook reels a listener in right before dropping them back into the deep end. Within the chorus, Nieve questions the pain inflicted upon her by a friend and concludes with: “I would never hurt a friend that way”, separating herself from the distasteful nature of the opposing character. I don't want to spoil too much but Nieve's discography is worthy of your consumption, especially if you are a fan of Olivia Rodrigo or Holly Humberstone. I do feel as though Nieve's slightly gritty and indie feel to her music sets her apart from others in her genre. Check out ‘The Things We Say’ on any streaming platform. -Matz Kiernan
Zach Bryan, “Tourniquet”
There is little to critique when it comes to Zach Bryan’s music, his ability to take something so simple as a man with a guitar and turn it into one of the most moving and captivating songs you’ve ever heard will forever hold a close place in my heart. Recently, I’ve found myself turning to his titular album, specifically his song “Tourniquet.” Opening with delicate piano keys and slowly joined by an acoustic guitar, Zach’s vocal then cuts through, allowing his penmanship to shine. Zach represents the tourniquet for a bleeding soul, expressing the lengths he would go to save the person he is singing to. The simplistic nature of this track keeps the song feeling raw and vulnerable; guitars, drums and ambient sounds are weaved together to perfectly depict the empathetic pain Zach is feeling. The middle eight guitar solo crescendos the entire song and flawlessly pulls at our heartstrings, setting up the further heart-wrenching post-verse of Zach’s closing intimate vocals. If you haven’t heard of Zach Bryan, I would suggest you find a porch swing to sit on, some iced tea to drink, a good pair of headphones, and some time dedicated to changing that. His music has changed my life. Check out ‘Tourniquet’ on any streaming platform. -Matz Kiernan
Charli XCX, “Von dutch”
Mother has arrived–again.
After a series of teasers on Tik Tok, Charli XCX returns with “Von Dutch,” the first single off of her upcoming album, brat. Charli XCX has proven her ability to invent, reinvent, and then re-reinvent herself, her sound, and pop music at large. Her Vroom Vroom EP was a catalyst for the hyperpop movement, how i’m feeling now summarized quarantine blues with electro-pop perfection, and, now, “Von Dutch” brings a hot and fresh sound to the pop landscape. “Von dutch” is, in classic Charli-style, like a car zooming down the freeway. It’s easy to imagine the Brit-popper behind the wheel, weaving in and out of lanes as the track rides up and down, flirting with classic electronic dance beats, hyperpop, and XCXisms. A droning repeat of “I’m your number one” pulses through the track, meeting into the climatic declaration of: “I'm just living that life/Von Dutch, cult classic, but I still pop.” XCX sings under a twisted vocoder, pumping the song full of a candy-coated murk. “Von dutch” is for a promising preview of the rest of brat to come. Miss Charli XCX, thank you for your service. -Liz Foster
Matt Ox (ft. Chief Keef), “Jetlag”
Matt Ox’s “Jetlag” is a calm, chipper banger off of his 2018 project, OX. At the time of release, the rapper was a mere 14-year-old and had landed features with impressive names like XXXtentacion. On OX, he brings in collaborators of his own, acting as a starring role rather than a guest. Matt Ox’s voice flits around over steady production from the I’m working on dying team. “It’s time to get rich (Rich)/It's time to get lit, that's it (It)/Young Matt is the kid (Kid),” he declares in a punchy verse. He handles the track with the coolness of an adult, despite being a literal 8th grader at the time of making the track. “They mad 'cause I'm gettin' bags (They mad)/I ain't even sleep yet, I still got jet lag (Jet lag),” he chirps on the chorus, flexing like a seasoned rapper. Chief Keef appears for a fun feature with a Santa-like hearty tone, as he intros himself with “I'm poured up, dope give me a buzz (Dope).” He sounds like he’s having a great time as he extends his vowels and drones at the end of his bars. Matching Matt Ox’s energy, Chief Keef helps the youthful rapper elevate the track. He also drops one of my favorite ad-libs of all time: “I pull up, fly like a bird, kacaw (Kacaw).” - Liz Foster
MIKE & Tony Seltzer, "Lethal Weapon"
Choosing one track off of Pinball was very difficult—quite contrary to the easy listening that MIKE and Tony Seltzer upheld throughout the entirety of the tape. I landed on “Lethal Weapon,” due to it being the first cut to sell me on the idea of the project. MIKE has been leading the underground contemporary rap scene as an unmatched lyricist. Although his delivery remains monotone, he never sacrifices any energy. Pinball is his first mainstay stab at a trap tape, and it most definitely delivered. By the end of my first listen, every track had the green check next to it on my Spotify. If MIKE has been on your radar for a while, you’ll easily recognize this as his most exciting work yet. On the other hand, it’s also a great access point for a beginner to fully grasp his sound. -Hunter Petch
Lil Skies & Landon Cube, "Red Roses"
A recent conversation with a friend concluded with an agreement that we both would only listen to melodic SoundCloud era rap if given the ultimatum of one genre for the rest of our lives. The nostalgia “Red Roses” holds for not only myself, but an entire generation of teens is unbelievable. Being reminded of the track recently has been a true joy. It not only marked Lil Skies first appearance on the scene, it also sparked the beginning of Cole Bennett’s Lyrical Lemonade as the greatest production company of our time. Crooning over CASHMONEYAP instrumentals feels like a fever dream looking back on it, but Lil Skies easily did it the best. Although I may not be as up to date on Skies’ and Cube’s current work, this run holds an incredibly special place in my heart. -Hunter Petch
Cleo Sol, “Know That You Are Loved”
I was in the middle of a downward dog pose when this song hit me in the feels. 8:00 a.m. yoga always touches a vulnerable part of the waking experience. I have heard from the wise that the first thing you start your day with is what you will reach for throughout the day. This song is one that I reverted to at least three more times after hearing it first thing in the morning. It walked me home, holding my hand, and tucked me in at night. Cleo Sol speaks to me like a mantra stuck to my mirror. "Know that you are loved / Even if you don't love yourself," repeats for the entirety of the song, and it feels so soothing every damn time. It may have been the yoga, but for me, the tender touched guitar melody mixed in with the gospel-like piano, this song by Cleo Sol feels genuinely holy, something delivered to us by the spiritual. -Rosa-Lee O’Relly
Los Bitchos, “Tropico”
Los Bitchos are the coolest cowgirl four-piece coming out of London right now. With a rock-centric, funky instrumental jive, their sound is zestful and full of zippy Afro-pop ripples and dream-pop swirls. Their debut album, Let the Festivities Begin! replaces lyrics with Latin rhythms, yips of joy, and ecstatic chanting. Although there is no single lyric or vocal on the record, there is a shared sense of celebration that needs no vocabulary, as the instruments speak for themselves. Vocabulary is required to describe their eclectic sound..."Greek-Surf, "Psychedelic Sunshine", and "Surf Disco Safari," to name a few. "Tropico" is a feverish hype-up song that gets the juices flowing for whatever occasion. These four women have such a fun energy about them, making whatever the party or the performance electric. Let the era of girl bands commence! -Rosa-Lee O’Reilly
Royel Otis, "Foam"
While I'm not as big a fan of indie rock and jangle pop as I once was, I've almost been able to pencil in exactly two albums to come from that genre each year that I really enjoy. The first of those for 2024 is Royel Otis' PRATTS AND PAIN, which is a short, lovely pop rock record that has kick-started their ascent up festival bills. "Foam" is the best song on PRATTS AND PAIN, mixing the sounds of the most commercially successful indie rock band of the 2010s (Tame Impala) and its best and most underrated (Deerhunter). The track especially leans into the latter band's knack for balancing a melodic, catchy core with weirder accents to keep things interesting, an elevated version of the thousands of breezy, melancholy rock songs that flood YouTube every year. Proof of concept from a band looking to be the next big thing in indie music. -Michael Di Gennaro
mk.gee, "How many miles"
Mk.gee is a rare case in the post-TikTok landscape: he's enjoyed a slow ascent into fame in the world of alternative music, mostly fueled by positive reviews and word-of-mouth as opposed to paid social media campaigns. Both he and his musical twin Dijon have gradually won over the hearts of both R&B and indie fans through their '80s leaning, heavy-yearning take on pop music, and gee's newest album, "Two Star & The Dream Police", pushes it even further, moving at the rhythm of '90s slow jams while dipping into the "22, A Million" sample database for many of the instrumentals. While the album has the same consistency issues as "22, A Million", "How many miles" is the song that most fully realizes this balance, with smooth guitar licks and calming percussion playing in tandem with warm, warbling synths that evoke feelings of a leaned-out slow dance at a prom in outer space. Very calm, very soothing, and very good. -Michael Di Gennaro
