Summertime brings several things: heat, a break from the everyday stresses of work and school, and a wave of brand new music. What would a day at the beach or by the pool be without a good “Summertime Playlist”?

Looking for songs to add to the dance party playlist that gives the feel of a summer night shouldn’t be hard with new music coming out almost every week. The countdown to what’s new and what’s now is on and the list keeps growing.

Number one on my new music list is Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 by Calvin Harris.

The 33 year old DJ released his new album only four days ago and it has brought with it a storm of 10 new songs. The tracks stay true to the name of the album, as they exude a Mark Ronson Uptown Funk feel, with a modern day twist. The artist, know for his upbeat dance songs like Feel So Close and I Need Your Love, goes a new direction with this project and brings back the essence of funk.

In this piece, Harris gives listeners funky dance beats that are more chill and musical than a regular Electronic Dance Music song, however what really makes these tracks different is the break in the catchy hooks that allow several featured rappers to add verses as a nice compliment to the beats. Those rappers include big names like School Boy Q, Future, Big Sean, Snoop Dogg and others.

Rappers, however, are not the only artists to share their voice on this album. The project also features well known singers like Frank Ocean, Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and many, many more. If it was not obvious already, this is a very collab-heavy album, more so than what Harris is known for. That being said, these ten tracks are all a new sound for Calvin Harris, which I am sure was intended for this piece. Every song has a different beat to it and the vocals from the different artists just add an array of color from minute to minute, which to me as a listener keeps me interested and singing along rather than just dancing to a catchy beat like some old Harris EDM.

Billboard has already put Slide featuring Frank Ocean and Migos on the 10 Best Songs of 2017 so far, in a video they tweeted out. Also, Harris released the music video to Feels featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean days before his album release date and it has already hit over 11 millions views on Youtube. Overall, I think Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 is going to be the anthem of the summer and bring a new sound for Calvin Harris; I am already looking forward to a hopeful Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2.

If dance songs have already filled up your playlist and you are looking for calmer songs for those cool summer nights, next up on the new music list is the already popular Melodrama album by Lorde.

Although this album is already almost a month old, it should not be off your listeners list just yet. The 20 year-old has taken a long break from making anything new form her last album in 2013, but has come back in full force with Melodrama.

From my many listens and re-listens of this album, the one thing that stands out is the growth of Lorde as a songwriter. Not to say that Pure Heroine was a lyrical let down, but the emotion and dedication of the young songwriter is seen on a much deeper level with this new piece. While the beats are nice and calm and are perfect for a late night summer drive, every word in the 11 tracks are detailed with struggles that she has gone through and that many can relate to.

In a interview with Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show, Lorde revealed that she moved back to New Zealand to get away from the limelight and even traveled to some remote places to clear her head and focus on songwriting. The concentration into this album very much shows. One of my favorites of this project is Sober II (Melodrama) and Writer In The Dark, which both tell the story of a young girl in a struggle to overcome heartbreak and loneliness.

Lorde is taking her new album on the UK tour this summer with new artists Khalid, and if you’re lucky enough to attend, enjoy the musical genius and captivating voice of the singer. Melodrama offers an outlet for all those looking for a more meaningful feel to their summer playlist.

Lastly, if your backyard barbecue or late night house party is looking for some visual accompaniment to your playlist, then these new music videos are perfect for the occasion:

DJ Khaled release his new music video to Wild Thoughts featuring Bryson Tiller & Rihanna and it is sure to get the party started. The video, directed by Colin Tilley, is a visual stimulant of mesmerizing blue, red and green color. It is sure to get the party started. On the other hand, Kendrick Lamar recently released the third music video to accompany his new album DAMN. The video for ELEMENT is a visual masterpiece to say the least. Each shot was meticulously thought out and carries a strong message behind it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see even more videos from Lamar in the near future.

So if you are looking for any new music to spice up your summer, these are just a few of my suggestions to make those hot days a little more bearable.