A Playlist for Those with a Unique Taste

I've recently discovered that I have a similar music preference as most, but for some reason I still have a knack for finding the buried, emotion striking tunes that are scattered across music platforms. I put together a playlist of my most recent discoveries. :) The Spotify link to the playlist can be found at the bottom of the article.

"Miss Primetime" - Big Gigantic & Pell

First on the list is "Miss Primetime" by Big Gigantic with a Pell feature. It is the perfect fusion of old school jazz and modern hip hop. The blend of the two genres makes for a unique tune. I had never heard of Big Gigantic before this song, but I had listened to a few Pell songs before I came across this one. He's got a few other anomalies under his name that can fall under the same genre as this song.

"N" - Waldo

This song was completely stumbled upon while just browsing. I've never listened to any other song by the artist, but that doesn't take away from the fact that this song is different. It still invites you to listen with intent, but it keeps its distance with the spaced out verses and mish mash of vocal samples thrown in.

"Bout To" - CalenRaps

Much like "Miss Primetime," this song takes a choir sample from somewhere, and sneaks it underneath a bangin' beat and busy vocals. While the lyrics might be quicker than most, the artist strategically winds them around the beat to tell a story, something not commonly found in today's hip hop.

"These Days" - Derin Falana

A bit of a different approach than the last few mentioned songs, this song implements a piano melody for the intro and foundation of the entire song, but the producer also throws in a flute in key sections of the song if you listen closely. Also unlike most of the prior songs, the loud, demanding 808 ish basses are not present in the drums of this one. Instead, it's a more old school kick snare with an electronically distorted hi hat if I'm not mistaken. The combination of all these unique sounds make for a good listen.

"Shake Something" - Louis the Child

I vaguely remember listening to a single Louis the Child song a while back, but it obviously wasn't special enough to stick around for very long. This song, though, is substantially different from most other songs you'll find on this playlist and even from most songs you'll ever hear. It blends a more EDM style chorus with a hard, crate digging trap beat to hook in the listener with something special.

"Cake" - 88GLAM

Arguably my favorite song on the entire playlist, the rap duo combine two mesmerizing vocals on an intricate beat that includes a basic piano chord sequence, background vocals, and modern trap hats and snares. The first voice you hear, although I'm not sure which of the group it is, resembles NAV who has several R&B hits, and the second of the two sounds much like Kevin Abstract from the BROCKHAMPTON boy band. The mix of the two voices puts this song high on my list.

"UR NOT PRECIOUS" - Aries & Slippery Salazar

This song is definitely not as special as any of the other songs on the playlist, and in my opinion serves as a bit of a buffer from the other styles of music present on the playlist, but that's just my opinion. It's possible that this could be one of your favorites because in the end it's up to the listener.

"Niche" - Eric Reprid

This song closely resembles the likes of Russ and his self produced beats that all pretty much sound the same. Nobody likes Russ, not anymore at least. Got it? Good. Anyway this song sounds a lot like Russ, but, as you can imagine, is actually worth listening to.

"Block Game" - Rozwell Fitzroy

If you're looking for something off the rocker of the general public, look no further than this song. While still providing something catchy and harmonious, this song has some sounds and samples that wouldn't generally be present in this genre or any genre for that matter.

"Rain" - Cal Scruby

This one can be quite sad, and I don't recommend it if you're going through something with high emotion, but the musical expertise that's in this song reminds me of Felly (who we will discuss later) from a few years ago with the piano melody and the easy going drum kit. The beat really leaves the artist as much room as he needs to tell his story, which was obviously needed for this track.

"Call Log" - Jace

Call Log can almost be an addition to Rain by Cal Scruby, and the placement of the two songs next to each other on the playlist was not by coincidence. They compliment each other with the piano samples, but this particular song has a bit of a trap flare with the hi hats, but the use of the trap influence fits in well with the rest of the beat.

"GIRLS IN THEIR 20's" - Luke Christopher

Luke Christopher is an artist that I listen to not particularly often, but I have no doubt that his music is a form of art. I was more recently turned onto him by his song "Roses" that has an unreal piano intro and a story to tell in the lyrics, but this more recent release caught me more because of the throwback hook. The intro vocals remind me of the 2000s Weezer or We the Kings or Green Day, but the farther you dive into the song, the more extravagant the track really is. There's a beat switch around 1:21 that I would put on the same level as the switch in Frank Ocean's "Nights." That's all I'm going to say about this one because the more I talk the more you don't care, and the real attention should be on the artistry of this song and that can only really be done by listening to it.

"SAD!" - Kid Travis

Yes, it's a cover of X's "SAD!," but trust me when I say that this is worthy of your ears. If you like the original song, which I did, I promise that you'll enjoy this one as well, but not only is this song a solid remake of a hit, it also tosses in several musical elements not present in the original which adds to the overall environment the song embraces.

"Amphetamine" - Smino

I have had this song saved in my library for ages, and after your first listen you'll understand exactly why. Yes, it is next to 8 minutes in length, but with a keen ear it will demand your attention for all 7 minutes and 50 seconds. However, this song can also be listened to with the pure intent to not pay any attention at all, and yet it will still provide you with the perfect background ambiance.

"What Am I to Do" - Felly

Felly is an artist whose music I hold to tightly, and this track of his most recent album release is a divine masterpiece, but I may be a little biased. I have never heard such a backwards take on a hiphop (kinda?) song. As someone who has followed the YouTube channel of his and most social media's, I can confidently say that Felly makes music and creates art. See for yourself.

"TROUBLE" - Luke Christopher

The versatility of Luke Christopher is evident on this playlist, as his last entry was a throwback to the 2000s with a mind warping beat switch, while this track sounds like a little bit of LANY with some synthy sounds for the melody. The resemblance is a bit troubling, but then again I would rather listen to this than LANY so it still claims a higher pedestal.

Here's a link to my Spotify profile if you're even more interested in what I listen to.

If you're less interested in my personal music taste, and more interested in this playlist, this is for you.