Monday Mixtape 6.18.18
Happy Monday, Dentonites! This week's mixtape will be a bit shorter because the person who writes these is hundreds of miles away from Denton. *Crash.* That was the sound of me breaking the fourth wall. In Tennessee it is just as humid, except there's Yuengling ads everywhere.
"Strollin'" - Phlowerie
Denton and Houston-based artist Phlowerie has the delicate voice to croon over an equally soft and charming lo-fi beat. The jazzy piano and soaring harp arpeggios make "Strollin'" sound as though its straight out of an Aristocats-era Disney film. For Phlowerie, "the beauty's in the trouble" this summer. Kudos for the wonderful producing on this mesmerizing earworm.
"Where Does the Love Go" - Troy Garrick/OG Garden
There's no sugarcoating it: Troy Garrick deserves to be in the Billboard Top 40. The stellar craftmanship of this track is the work of both Garrick and his old friends from OG Garden, and every instrument is, in its own way, a standout act. The synth, the saxophone, the drums, and Garrick's crystal clear vocal chords. The song is sinfully short, but I'll be damned if it doesn't leave me wanting more.
"No Telling" - Claire Morales
I wish I could listen to the chorus of this song forever - specifically the octave-jumping melisma on the word "blind." This song is so wonderfully erratic to match the equally manic video. Pastel clothing items mingle with primary colors, with glistening red syrups and gels marring the video's pristine color palette. The body horror is real with this one, as Morales uses mirrors and magazine cutouts to make her lips and eyes literally larger than life. The edge in Morale's voice mixes so well with all of these saccharine elements - again, we can't wait for her upcoming release.
"Honey" - Sad Cops
Sad Cops' newest release is entitled Transition Songs, and that is the perfect title for this track - what begins as perhaps a song perfect for pining or confusing summer flings turns into an incredibly personal story of seeing a lover struggle through family strife. The simplistic guitar and the soft synth build into an incredibly powerful and poignant ballad. Happy belated Father's Day, "I already hate your dad/even though we've yet to meet."