The academic year is nearing its end, and this is probably the hardest part of the year to get through. If only there was an easily accessible list of songs that could help motivate or get you through the long days...
Well, fear no longer, because I have gone to the trouble of searching far and wide for great music that will lift your spirits, and what's more, my generous heart has decided to immediately share them with you here. You're welcome.
1."MOST" by Saba
Saba's artful bars really flow effortlessly over this pitch-perfect, tight instrumental, and there's something about Saba's delivery that really motivates me and helps me push through and get over whatever obstacles I'm facing. Saba's music always manages to convey depth even if it's not accessibly apparent. In "MOST", he takes on his roots and the ills of his city but also celebrates his triumphs while he's at it, and that's what has me always returning to this track.
Trapo is another artist who, like Saba, seems to be able to voice this beautiful and unique music without even trying. "She Moved On" isn't a motivational song. It's a track about spite and it comes from a place of real pain. But damn if it doesn't induce a most full-body workout of a head-bop. Trapo manipulates his voice in a really compelling and unprecedented fashion, and the song really flows together in an uncharacteristic but seamless fashion. Really hoping to hear more from Trapo in the near future, he really seems to have the power to turn the already diversified platform of hip-hop on its head. He certainly has the talent to do it.
2. "Mornin Dew" by The Last Artful, Dodgr, Myke Bogan and Neill Von Tally
The reason I will always champion Spotify as my favorite way to listen to music is that it's able to recommend songs like "Mornin Dew" to me without blinking an eye. And I mean, goddamn. This song is something I would never have heard before and I likely wouldn't have ever turned an ear towards these artists in the first place. But it popped up in one of my discover playlists, and I've been addicted to it ever since. The Last Artful, Dodgr gives us an incredible hook that has legitimately never left my conscious mind since I first heard it. Myke Bogan's easygoing and charming bars unflinchingly lead into Dodgr's delicate lilt, and the whole track is buoyed by an incredible instrumental from Neill Von Tally, all in all making one of those rare songs that truly makes me want to make music. It's just a perfect melodic composition, one that is more than the sum of its parts, and it creates an even more perfect vibe. Looking forward to many summer kickbacks with this track in the background.
3. "Summer" by Innanet James
One of the greatest crimes in modern musical history is the fact that Innanet James's off-the-wall, insane, incredible 2016 debut album "Quebec Place" went largely unnoticed when it's one of the most consistently fresh and fun records of the past five years or so. At the forefront of James's refreshing oeuvre is his stupidly vibey "Summer", which blends sharp synths with deep, thumping basslines and immersive drum patterns to create one of the best bangers of recent memory. Throw in Innanet James's energetic delivery and you're guaranteed to get up and groove with pure, untapped rage, both at the disbelief that any one song can be this good, and at yourself for not having exposed yourself to this before.
4. "Shadow Man (feat. Phoelix, Saba and Smino)" by Noname
Noname's debut album "Telefone" is a lot of things, and a clear title it has to hold is the smoothest album of 2016. Ohhh God, the beat drop on "Shadow Man" gives me chills. Every moment of this song oozes emotion, pure pain, and even purer celebration. It's filled to the brim with the kind of gospel sensibility that emphasizes the power of human emotions. Every single rapper elevates and expands on the heart of this track and further hammers in the point that we're getting an insider view on hardship and finding love in adversity. It's one of the most beautiful tracks I have ever heard from start to finish, a true journey that is worth every second.
5. "Venezuela Trains" by Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae, a.k.a. the silkiest vocal cords in the history of music. Ever. Like seriously. And "Venezuela Trains" is a gooooooorgeous example. This song inevitably feels like the beginning of something new, something incredible and something powerful to come. But there's a tinge of ambiguity in there, a little bit of resignment, and there's something beautiful about accepting that you won't always know what's coming. But you know it's on its way. This is a track that gets me thinking about how far I've come and how far I have to go.
7. "Dapper" by Domo Genesis
Domo Genesis tends to be a more somber, low-key rapper, so it's kind of a change of pace for him to take on this funky, groovy, uptempo jam, but he nails it. His calm understated take on rapping over such a danceable track... it just works. Maybe it's the presence of Anderson .Paak that gives this song so much energy, but either way, it's impossible to listen to this song without your foot tapping along. I'm a sucker for beautiful chords, and even though this song is a little repetitive, is that really a complaint when this fantastic track keeps going?
8. "Crazy, Classic, Life" by Janelle Monaé
This is heartful pop music, the likes of which honestly hasn't spurned such an emotional reaction from me since I heard M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes". This track gets to the heart of a paradoxical self-concern and lowkey recklessness, wherein one wants to navigate the entire realm of human experience, but also leave a noticeable impact. Janelle Monaé wants to be crazy, but she also wants to be classic, and most importantly, she wants to reconcile those two objectives in hopes of understanding that grand old thing called life. Side-note, if you haven't checked out Monaé's new album "Dirty Computer", do yourself a favor and listen to the damn thing at your earliest convenience. It's beautiful and rich and complex and above all else, full of human soul.
Good luck on finals everybody! You've made it this far, and you'll easily make it this much farther!
