Photo: C Flanigan (Getty Images)
Labor Day weekend may not be the official last day of summer, but it sure feels like it. Lucky for most of us, we’ve got a three-day weekend to go out with a bang or at least a dry hump. Whether you’re getting out of town, heading to the beach or just chillaxing at su casa here’s Crave’s Labor Day weekend playlist.
“Cadillac” – Miguel
Miguel dropped this retro-futuristic disco ball of fire on Zane Low’s Beats 1 radio show in early August, but most will have heard this instant classic while watching The Get Down on Netflix. Baz Luhrmann’s new TV series chronicles the birth of hip-hop in late-Seventies New York, but it also spreads its love for music with sly nods to disco, funk and rock. “Cadillac” has a sleek vintage Marvin Gaye feel with Miguel’s falsetto supped up behind modern production work.
“Holiday” – Overjoy
No Labor Day playlist worth its weight in Jello shots doesn’t have a song with “Holiday” in the title. Overjoy’s “Holiday” has a psychedelic feel, not in a tie-dye way, but dreamy as if taking you on a five-minute body high that you wake up from not asking “where the am I?” but “can we do that again?” If you like what you hear check out Crave’s interview with the LA-based indie electronic band who just released an excellent EP, Another.
“33 “God” – Bon Iver
Disregard the oddball song title. When Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon sings people listen. Although Vernon debuted his highly-anticipated new album recently in his own backyard music festival, this is the first official single off of 22, A Million. The lurching ditty is lush with beautiful piano melodies under Vernon’s revered hushes about god knows what.
“High & Low” – Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun have been on the off-the-beaten path since their “Walking On A Dream” anthem way back in 2008. Well, it seems the the Aussie dance-glam rockers have found the road back to hit singles with “High And Low,” a thumping, booming electro-pop sing-along that’s the first single of their upcoming third LP “Two Vines.”
“Timeless” – James Blake featuring Vince Staples
James Blake and rappers go together like burgers and baked beans. “Timeless” first appeared on Blake’s solid, yet dour The Colour In Anything album back in May, but this new version featuring rapper Vince Staples breaks the ice off of the cold-hearted original synth-powered soul ballad, giving it a full, livelier voice with something to say.
