Change The Symbols

Night Tapes “Babygirl (Like NO1 Else)”

This song is basically Night Tapes offering us another ride on the “6 Underground,” and how could I possibly decline? Many have tried to emulate this mid-90s neon-lit trip-hop vibe but they get it just right, and I like the way the lyrics Iris Vesek sings come off as shallow until you listen a bit closer and notice the way she’s poking holes in the affectations she’s evoking. She’s trying to take a symbol, embody it, and then change what the symbol means.

Buy it from Bandcamp.

Hether “Fake It With You”

Hether are iterating on musical ideas laid out over a decade ago by artists like Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Mac DeMarco. While those acts have since moved on to different sounds, Hether continue to delve deeper into a distinctly 2010s style of stoner funk, but with a bit more warmth, sensuality, and light jazziness to set them apart. There’s also a touch of androgyny in their vocals, which emphasizes the sensitivity and delicate romantic spirit at the core of a song like “Fake It with You.”

Buy it from Amazon.