Hi, everyone. Let me get straight to the point: I know I'm a terrible blogger. I've had a couple other posts drafted for at least two months now, but I haven't been in any sort of mood to finish them. Hopefully, this is the post that knocks me out of whatever writing slump I'm currently in.

A lot of exciting albums came out during this year's third quarter, particularly in September; in fact, about a third of this list was released in the last couple weeks of the month, which is why I waited slightly longer to post than I might have otherwise. You'll also notice my favorites don't particularly align with the big releases everyone else has been talking about, either because I find them overrated or because listening to them is an overwhelming prospect. Besides, I'd rather focus on smaller (but no less important) releases that are more likely to slip under the radar. You can go read about all those other albums somewhere else.

1. Banks - Fuck with Myself

Listen, on a hot summer day, I know you think you want to down an entire Slurpee in five minutes, but the ensuing combination of brain freeze and sugar rush really isn't worth it. The same goes for summer jams: for the most satisfying experience, it's best to ease your way in. The first single from minimalist electro-pop chanteuse Banks' upcoming sophomore release is perfect for the job. It's certainly catchy, and you'll likely find yourself attempting to imitate Banks' flirty delivery of the hook almost immediately. But it never hits you over the head with its infectiousness, instead relying on its dark, slinky atmosphere to work in more insidious ways.

2. Pixx - Baboo

Last year, 19-year-old Hannah Rodgers, otherwise known as Pixx, released a surprisingly mature EP of mellow, chilled-out dream pop that lies somewhere on the spectrum between Beach House and Cocteau Twins. She injects her latest single with a much heavier dose of poppy energy but does so without sacrificing the complexity of her quirky, intricately layered melodies. The deep-voiced, slightly off-kilter delivery of the verses gives them an unsettling edge, but this quickly gives way to the ethereal harmonies of the chorus, although a backbone of stuttering percussion rattles insistently beneath the bright swell of voices and guitar.

3. Flock of Dimes - Semaphore

If pressed, I would have to say that this is my de facto song of summer '16. It strikes the perfect balance between cerebral and catchy as shit. Flock of Dimes is Jenn Wasner, and, on one hand, the project doesn't veer too far from her main band, Wye Oak, thanks to the distinctness of her smoky vocals and introspective lyrics (for example, the gut-punching declaration, "I can tie my own laces/Find the solace I seek in other places/But I cannot need you more"). On the other hand, the song is brighter and glossier than anything else she's released; dare I say, it's downright dance-y. The hardest part will be keeping yourself away from the "repeat" button.

4. Kristin Kontrol - X-Communicate

Kristin Welchez is best-known for fronting Dum Dum Girls, who often flirted with the boundary between charming retro pop and grungy garage rock. Her new project, Kristin Kontrol, goes full pop, taking its inspiration from the unabashedly ornate synth soundscapes of the 1980s. The entire album hasn't yet done much for me, but the title track is a real knockout. Driven by a relentless drum machine beat, it sounds classic, contemporary and, ultimately, timeless all at once, culminating in the effortlessly light, nearly transcendent chorus. Welchez's voice has never sounded better, and her songwriting has never been as sharp.

5. Blood Orange - E.V.P.

Speaking of the '80s, Blondie called and they want "Rapture" back. All jokes aside, this has to be a direct homage - I mean, the opening beat and synth line are nearly identical and Debbie freaking Harry even contributes guest vocals. At any rate, Dev Hynes nails the sensual, funky atmosphere, juxtaposing breathy spoken-word verses against an understated chorus that, despite its subtlety, very quickly gets stuck inside your head. Along the way, the song changes melodic gears on a dime, leaving you guessing as to where it's headed next. Yet, despite the unpredictability of the ride, it's never anything less than smooth sailing.

6. Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights Out, Words Gone

In my opinion, Bombay Bicycle Club is one of the most underrated contemporary indie rock bands. Because of their name, they get lumped in with the likes of Tokyo Police Club and Two Door Cinema Club, but they're far more consistently adventurous. Jack Steadman's off-beat approach to melody and structure, as well as the band's world music influences, mean that no two songs sound alike. This track has long been one of my summer favorites because it perfectly encapsulates that breezy, tropical, lounging-on-the-beach-with-a-margarita vibe. Steadman's distinct warble plays well against Lucy Rose's feather-light accompaniment. Together, they wrap you in cool, gauzy layers that outlast the song's five-minute length.

7. Vampire Weekend - Step

I have a tumultuous relationship with Vampire Weekend's music, in that sometimes there's nothing catchier and sometimes there's nothing more annoying, but when they're on, they're very on. This is one song I never get tired of, and its mellow yet buoyant atmosphere fits seamlessly alongside "Lights Out, Words Gone." Ezra Koenig's delivery is both lazily nonchalant and charmingly suave as he saunters through the laid-back verses, which take their time looping back around to the memorable hook, "Every time I see you in the world, you always step to my girl." The occasional forays into distortion and quirky instrumentation add layers and texture that benefit repeated listens.

8. Iamamiwhoami - Chasing Kites

I fucking adore Iamamiwhoami, in all of their elusiveness and aesthetic pretension, and Blue is the dictionary definition of an album made for blasting from your car speakers all summer long. This song feels particularly sunny and joyous, its bubbly synths propelling more straightforwardly poppy melodies than Iamamiwhoami typically employ. The chorus hearkens back to childhood nostalgia, an indispensable element of summer's appeal, as Jonna Lee ethereally coos, "Waste my youth chasing kites I know will blow out of my hand." Ultimately, the song tells us to let go of the past's small failures and advance toward an optimistic future, a message well-suited to the season.

9. White Sea - Never a Woman

First of all, everyone reading this should also check out my other post about White Sea because it hasn't gotten nearly the views it deserves. Morgan Kibby's lush electronic compositions usually veer darker and more dramatic, but this song is uncharacteristically open and light. That's not to say Kibby sacrifices any of her intense, sweeping vocal runs (in fact, her transition into whistle register at the song's end rivals the very best of contemporary pop vocalists). This time, though, her imposing presence is brightened by propulsive, major-key instrumentation that further emphasizes her talent for writing a killer hook. As a bonus, here's a pretty stunning live performance.

10. Empress Of - How Do You Do It

Holy fuck, this song is catchy. Last year, I majorly slept on Empress Of's debut album, Me, dismissing it after a half-distracted cursory listen. It came back on my radar recently, and I'm so happy I decided to give it another go as it's full of delightfully energetic and youthful electro-pop that's both immensely danceable and surprisingly more complex than it appears. Here, warring layers of playful, arpeggiated synths compete with one another, weaving in and out and overlapping to create an intricate web of sound.  Above it all, Lorely Rodriguez's vocals inject the lyrics with desperate passion, intoning each repetition of the title question just differently enough to cast it in a new light each time.

11. Black Kids - Look at Me (When I Rock Wichoo)

Whatever happened to this band? They were poised to blow up when they released Partie Traumatic, their first and only album, back in 2008 and then completely disappeared. It's a shame because they may have actually been ahead of their time: their '80s-aping, enthusiastic post-punk revivalism is more on-trend now than it was then. Reggie Youngblood's sensually disaffected vocal style was absolutely made for the genre, and the occasional interjection of a brash, bratty female chorus provides a refreshing counterpoint to his effortless cool. In an alternate universe, this certainly would have been a smash hit. On the other hand, maybe the fact that the band never capitalized on their potential for success makes it all the more singularly inciting.

12. PWR BTTM - Projection

I'm not going to lie: I started thinking of ways to shoehorn this in about twenty minutes after it was released. If you're paying any attention to the flow of this thing, it sticks out like a sore thumb. But PWR BTTM's entire mission statement is about not being afraid to stand out from the crowd, so, actually, it kind of works. Anyway, like most PWR BTTM songs, this one manages to win you over in under three minutes with no chorus to speak of. It gets the job done with scrappy guitar riffs, propulsive drums, passionate vocals, and lyrics that temper self-deprecation ("Looking at myself, I feel okay, but when will I be alright?") with tongue-in-cheek humor ("It's raining men" delivered with absolute sincerity). Voilà, another queer punk masterpiece is born.

13. Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me

This song sounds like it was recorded in a basement on a tape deck in the early 1990s, which is a large part of its appeal. I just don't think it would have nearly the amount of rebellious, ramshackle charm if its production were crystal clear and squeaky clean. The muffled, distant quality of Molly Rankin's voice as it strains to rise above the fuzzy, chaotic instrumentation makes her urgent plea - "Hey! Hey! Marry me, Archie!" - sound more like a command than a request, which is exactly the way she intends it. Even in its simplicity, the chorus is big, immediate, and undeniable, especially in contrast to the near-monotone delivery of the verses.

14. Tennis - Traveling

The only constant in this track is the burbling organ-like synths that persistently underlie Alaina Moore's sweet, light vocals and girl group-styled self-harmonizing. The vocal melodies themselves refuse to settle: you could make the case for three choruses packed into as many minutes, considering each new melody is stronger than the last. But what truly allows Tennis to stand out from the crowd is their lyrics, which are often more poetic and insightful than pop music traditionally allows for. "Now, with your hand in mine, the heat strikes me as divine," goes the opening of the first verse, which sounds nearly like the opening sentence to a very good novel.

15. Sharpless - Summer 2012

Sharpless is kind of like what would happen if a mid-2000s emo band like My Chemical Romance met up with a bunch of over-caffeinated, auto-tune-obsessed poptimists and combined their efforts into the self-created genre "violent pop." It absolutely sounds like it shouldn't work, but it somehow does, due largely to Jack Greenleaf's fearlessness and inventiveness as a producer and songwriter. This track, which in title alone couldn't be more appropriate, shows off the perfectly-matched vocal interplay between Greenleaf and Montana Levy but also encapsulates the band's relentless energy and sincerely ironic (now there's an oxymoron for you) twist on bubblegum pop.

16. Emily Reo - Coast

Only I would end a "summer jams" playlist with three 6+ minute songs in a row. Listen, this might seem like an odd choice at first because it's not overtly "catchy," but summer is so much more than a single mood. You just as often need songs that allow you to zone out while sunbathing or falling asleep under a beach umbrella or just lying immobile on your bed because the heat is too much to bear. Emily Reo's songs are like puzzles put together before the listener's ears, one piece at a time, from nothing more than voice, synthesizer, and drum machine. The end result is an entrancingly tactile swirl of sounds that allows you to easily forget your circumstances and just, well, coast along on its cerebral groove.

17. Icky Blossoms - Perfect Vision

And sometimes, in the words of Icky Blossoms, there's "nothing left to do but get high in the afternoon." The darkly glittering, gauzy, and expansive layers of instrumentation; detached, spacey vocals; and infinitely looping lyrics and melodies provide the perfect atmosphere for just such occasions. Fronted by (former?) Tilly and the Wall member Derek Pressnall, Icky Blossoms aren't shy about showing off their shoegaze and post-punk influences - from The Jesus and Mary Chain to The Cure to My Bloody Valentine - but they also maintain originality, especially when they unexpectedly add a cacophony of horns to the song's chilly electronica in its final moments.

18. Lowell - Words Were the Wars

I wanted to return a little energy into the mix's finale, but it seemed too jarring to jump straight back into high-energy pop. This track, then, is perfectly transitional, taking its time to build up from reflective, almost hymn-like verses and minimal, atmospheric backing to its massive, cathartic revelation of a chorus. Elizabeth Lowell Boland's voice is remarkable less for its range and more for its uniquely emotive tone, which leaves the listener hanging on her every word. The song is massively appealing both emotionally and aesthetically, which makes it as ideal for road trips or dance floors as for singing along privately in the comfort of your bedroom.

Everyone loves a good curse word, right? Especially the ever reliable and versatile "fuck." Sure, it could be argued that overzealous use of the word comes across as immature and unimaginative. Yet, sometimes, a single perfectly-placed "fuck" can increase the emotional impact of a song tenfold, creating an unparalleled moment of catharsis. Other times, it's just really fucking fun to say and no ulterior motive is needed. So here are ten of my most favorite uses of the word in song - or at least the ten I most instantaneously remembered upon conceiving of this post.

Florist has the honor of being today's header image because I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use such an adorable photo. Led by Emily Sprague, this is another band associated with the Epoch collective, which I'm just going to keep repping here because all of its members are incredibly talented. In fact, you may recognize Felix Walworth from Told Slant on drums; they've actually appeared on Tiny Desk three times (previously with Eskimeaux and Bellows), which must be some sort of record. The gentle, honest simplicity of Florist's low-key performance is instantly charming, and I've now fallen head over heels for their recent debut album, The Birds Outside Sang, which I'll surely have more to say about later. That album's sweetly unassuming sing-along "1914" closes the set, but "Vacation" and "Cool and Refreshing" from last year's Holdly EP make up the bulk of it. Sprague writes direct, hard-hitting observations (i.e. "Please remember to feed the cat/Please remember that I'm never coming back") but sings them so nonchalantly that it takes a moment for their full impact to hit.


Seratones is a blues-and-gospel-infused rock band out of Shreveport, Louisiana. They released their first album, Get Gone, a few weeks ago, and, as is so often the case, Spotify's Discover Weekly feature introduced them to me. My playlists have been pretty spotty recently, but within the first thirty seconds of "Don't Need It," I knew it was a winner. It's the first song of their Tiny Desk set, too, and AJ Haynes' fiery, versatile vocals will knock your socks off (meanwhile, her giggly nervous energy between songs will put hearts in your eyes). Even her occasional flaws play well against the loose, rollicking style of the instrumentation. Seratones' music has already drawn comparisons to Alabama Shakes, but their tight songwriting and performance skills make them more than a mere imitation. Their talent is solidified by "Get Gone" and "Chandelier," though these offer only a tiny, tantalizing taste of what's to be found on their impressively consistent debut.