If you’ve been having a hard time keeping up with new music these days, you’re not alone. No matter how devoted a sound junkie you may be, we’re inundated with so many new bands and songs, it’s easy to miss out on something amazing. There’s just too much damn music out there to keep up with all of it!
Thankfully, Crave’s music staff is here to help. We’ve pulled contributions from our music writers from around the world to bring you a killer weekly mixtape playlist. Here’s how it works – each week we’ll deliver a handful of must-listen tracks, most of them new, some of them classics, all of them awesome. Get a leg up on the best new tracks on the circuit with this week’s playlist featuring new tracks from Driven Fear, Plants and Animals, Sheer Mag and more. Haven’t heard of ’em? That’s a good thing.
As always, keep up with our weekly new music finds as they arrive by subscribing to the frequently-updated Crave New Music Playlist on Spotify.
Plants and Animals – ‘No Worries Gonna Find Us’
When you’re staring down a work day that you just KNOW is gonna take a big ol’ shit on top of you, the choice of accompanying playlist is of vital importance. I generally aim for the subtly upbeat vibes of some guitar strumming indie fair of the likes of Local Natives as I combat a particularly heinous day in the salt mines, but as they’re yet to get off their moustachioed arses and bring me some new tunes, I’m settling with this new track from Montreal based outfit Plants and Animals.
With some Arcade Fire-y melodies and the kind of delicate string work that swims into your ears and circles around you like a tranquil stream, “No Worries Gonna Find Us” makes the impending bloodbath of a work day, just that little bit better. Someone hold me? – Mitch Feltscheer, Crave Australia
Driven Fear – ‘CRISIS’
For your recommended daily dose of all things punk, look no further than the brand new single by Gold Coast rascals Driven Fear. After supporting Strung Out on tour and unfurling their new album Freethinker, the lads have come out swinging with a catchy AF new hardcore-laced warning anthem dubbed “CRISIS”.
If your current symptoms include frustration, disillusionment, feelings of oppression, animosity or bordering-on-apeshit rage at the corrupt political institutions that regularly abuse power to suit their own ends, take one of these and call me in the morning. – Emmy Mack, Crave Australia
Sheer Mag – ‘Nobody’s Baby’
Sometimes you just want to go back to the roller rink and pretend the biggest problems in the world revolved around falling down during the couples skate session. Like a page ripped out of “Freaks & Geeks,” Philly sneerers Sheer Mag drop this crunchy little independence gem, pulled from their third consecutive four-song release, III. – Johnny Firecloud, Crave Music Editor
Kilter – ‘Fool For You’ (Ft. Micah Key)
Having kept us waiting for the better part of a year since his last original release, Kilter clearly hasn’t deferred at all from his uncanny knack of hitting higher and higher heights with every new cut.Fool For You fits beautifully within the Sydney producer/musician’s ever growing opus of understated electro.
As with much of the rest of his catalogue, this latest effort teases some heavy drops whilst still utilising some incredibly smooth synths and other effects that compliment Micah Jey on vocals so perfectly you’d be forgiven for being shocked that this is the first time the two have worked together. Each bridge builds so beautifully and keeps the space nice and think, making the absolute most of Jey who cuts over the top of these softer sections with a deep, sometimes echoic timbre. – Zanda Wilson, Crave Australia
Shirlette Ammons – ‘Earth Intro’ ft. Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes
Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes lends her voice to this Crave-premiered remix from Shirlette Ammons, whose latest record Language Barrier is a star-studded collaborative event with remarkable potency.
A fractally-splintered blend of hip-hop, rock, R&B, pop and beyond, Language Barrier is equally defined by its guests as it is by Ammons, who wrote the lyrics and constructed the dynamic backing tracks with multi-instrumentalist Daniel Hart. The concept behind the record is love, as a means of resistance, and the myriad styles and characters that flow through the record are refreshingly abstract in their contrasting context to one another. Featured artists include Meshell Ndegeocello, Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso), the Indigo Gilrls, Hiss Golden Messenger, German rapper sookee and more. – Johnny Firecloud, Crave Music Editor
Emmy The Great – ‘Algorithm’
London-based Emmy The Great’s latest LP Second Love expertly explores romance in the information era, with it being a testament to the singer/songwriter’s talents that she managed to actually call one of its tracks ‘Hyperlink’ without making me involuntarily jump off a cliff edge.
But while the sincere usage of the word “millennial” may typically make me cringe so violently I feel like I’m going to turn inside-out, Second Love’s debut single and album highlight ‘Algorithm’ manages to find warmth among that generation’s Tinder right-swipes and sexually frustrated Facebook photo comments. – Paul Tamburro, Crave UK Editor
Hooded Fang – ‘Impressions’
Toronto’s Hooded Fang are building serious anticipation for their upcoming Venus on Edge LP, Due May 13th via Daps Records. The latest offering from the release, ”Impressions” is a jittering rocker, bursting from beat one with frantic guitars and a panicked rhythm. This is my first taste of Hooded Fang, and I can’t wait to bite off some more. – Johnny Firecloud, Crave Music Editor
