1. “Cooking Up Something Good” - Mac DeMarco
Canadian born and only 25, DeMarco released his first album, Rock and Roll Night Club, in 2012. This indie indie rock piece from his album 2, also released that same year, is filled with catchy guitar riffs reminiscent of bands like The Smiths, while still playing with more pop-rock influences as well.
2. “No Destruction” – Foxygen
Foxygen, an indie rock band with experimental edge, initially sprung up in 2005 out of a Los Angeles suburb. “No Destruction,” from their 2013 album We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, is dreamy and light, perfect to coax you out of bed with smooth, yet temptingly sing-along sounding lyrics.
3. “Break” – DJ Sun
This song from the Dutch-born (and American raised) DJ Sun’s 2013 album One Hundred, offers a change of speed, leading us into the funky, soulful, and electronic. Its powerful baseline offers great slow grooves, and its relaxing beat offers a helping hand through that early morning routine.
4. “Turn Your Love Around” – TOPS
This comparatively bubbly indie tune focuses on the use of strong guitar and bass juxtaposed with lead singer Jane Penny’s lighter, almost ethereal vocals. This Canadian born band formed in 2011, and released their first album Tender Opposites in 2012, which included “Turn Your Love Around,” and in 2014, they released Picture You Staring, their latest album.
5. “Here” – Alessia Cara
Alessia Caracciolo, the Canadian born singer who goes by Alessia Cara, is a young, emerging artist in the pop world. “Here”, her first single, was released this year. Showcasing a powerful voice and sense of lyrical structure, as she perfectly complements Isaac Hayes’s much sampled, and much loved 1971 piece, “Ike’s Rap II”.
6. “Gold” – Andra Day
This confident, powerful, and relatively new voice in the hip-hop jazz scene, released her first full album, Cheers to Fall, this year. The San Diego born artist included “Gold” in her album pre release, filled with soul, attitude, and strikingly captivating vocals.
7. “You Can Believe” - Superfood
Taking a turn back to alternative rock, the British band Superfood’s single You Can Believe, was released in 2014 along with their album Bubbles. This refreshingly loud, crisp, and confident pump-up song is perfect to get the day going.
8. “Can’t Get Happy” – Only Real
One of Only Real’s most popular songs, “Can’t Get Happy” was released as part of both the EP, One For The Road, and Jerk At The End Of The Road in 2015. The West London native’s unique alternative sound was first showcased in 2013 with Backseat Kisses, and Days in the City.
9. “C U On the Flip Side” – Rock Candy Funk Party
This contemporary jazz album is exactly what it sounds like. Released in 2015, Groove Is King, features jazz foundations with funky, experimental rock influences, and the solid bass and horns of “C U On The Flip Side”, creates a groovy, yet still new, feel.
10. “Like A Drum (Beat It)” – Lauriana Mae
R&B singer Lauriana Mae debuted her first album, They Don’t Know, in 2010, and her second, Love Mae, one year later. Love Mae includes this upbeat and loud piece with more pop influences than the rest of the album; nevertheless, the New Jersey local succeeds in showcasing her soulful vocals with this fun mix.
These 10 songs should do the trick and get you in the mood to take on this semester’s classes!
