This Week In Music - Part 2 - Week of March 22nd

Free Form Telephony is your cure for the paradox of musical choice, or a weekly mixtape of 24 songs presented in two parts.

Scroll to the bottom to find the full playlist or explore the songs one by one. The choice is yours.

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Joyce Wrice - So So Sick

Growing up In San Diego, California within sight of the U.S./Mexican border Joyce Wrice crafts a nostalgic sound while simultaneously blazing her own path. She pours her soul into everything she does whether that's writing and performing or teaching English to Japanese children. So So Sick is a wonderful example of her unique sound where she tackles the heartbreak of being in a relationship with someone who isn't giving their all.

I’ve really learned to just be the music, be in it, and be vulnerable in it.

Orville Peck - No Glory in the West

This mysterious masked country singer has never shown his face publicly. What do we know about him? Orville Peck has been performing since a young age starting with voice overs for cartoons. He trained in ballet for 12 years and by his early 20's was touring nationally in musicals. Clearly a subversive man, he uses the genre of country music on No Glory In The West to deconstruct the myth of manifest destiny.

I think the rap world always has a lot of cowboy energy – Megan Thee Stallion, Tierra Whack, that new crew. Doja Cat, who I really like, and Rico Nasty. I think with the new crop of – especially female – rappers, there’s a lot of cowboy energy going on there.

Chilla - Bridget

Chilla was born Maréva Ranarivelo to a Malagasy father and a French mother. She studied violin in high school before rapping for the first time at 17. She quickly became known for her ability to freestyle and her engaged, introspective lyrics. On her track Bridget she dismantles the unrealistic expectations of our culture set by Social Media, Movies, and Television.

I sing about my life in general and but yes it’s normal to talk about the place of women in our society. It’s important especially in the rap industry to defend women rights! As well, in this project, I wrote so many things about believing in me and my daily shit.

220 KID & JC Stewart - Too Many Nights

Born William Edward Graydon in Oxfordshire, England his father was a music manager, most notably for Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. William, an ambitious man, gained a bachelors in bioscience and a masters in sustainable development from the University of Exeter before embarking on his musical career. His stage name comes from a charity effort where he once ran 220 miles over the course of 7 days. Too Many Nights is a bouncy track exploring the need to remain centered in a chaotic world.

To keep the songs authentic to ourselves. Although this can mean they sound a bit weird, but again Don’t Need Love sounded weird at one point and now it’s doing really well!

Hayley Mary - Like A Woman Should

The former front woman of The Jezebels, Hayley Mary, has begun a solo career of her own. After a long ride with the band through much tumult including one of the members being diagnosed with ovarian cancer she's looking for the light in the darkness. On her song Like A Woman Should she expresses a desire to feel free in a world that men have crafted to oppress her simply for being a woman.

Getting up at 5am and riding through the rain in the Scottish winter to this cafe job and having miserable tradies coming in and being grumpy at me because the coffee machine wasn’t on, I was like, ‘I need to write some songs! Now!'

Behn Gillece - Why Try To Change Me Now

Behn Gillece began studying classical percussion as a teenager and fell in love with jazz while attending Rowan University. Beginning his career he played many shows in his home state of New Jersey before moving to New York City. He's played as a sideman on over 30 projects while also creating his own impressive body of work. His latest album Still Doing Our Thing released on March 19th 2021 has him recording music with long time friends using safe protocols due to the pandemic.

I try to approach music with melodic honesty and feeling. I like to look at ensembles I play with as a team and I always try to base my musical decisions on what is best for the group, moment, and the music.

Maya Jane Coles - Cherry Bomb

Maya was born in London of British and Japanese descent. She developed a passion for music at a young age and set out learning how to produce music using the Cubase software program when she was fifteen. Her dedication payed off when DJ Mag named her one of the best newcomers in 2010. On her 2018 release Cherry Bomb she puts her unique blend of techno and house on full display encouraging all who listen to move to the beat.

Being huge music lovers, my parents were both always so proud and supportive of what I did. I know if my mum was still here today she’d be even prouder and my dad is still always the first to be asking for my new releases.

Pierce Brothers - Brother

Comprised of twin brothers, Jack and Pat Pierce, these multi-instrumentalist have taken their unique blend of folk from busking on the streets of their hometown Sydney, Australia to touring the world. Throughout their extensive touring they've worked diligently to hone their craft and it shines on their latest release Into The Great Unknown. Brothers off this album is an exuberant expression of the desire to stay connected to those closest to us.

As we all know 2020 was a year with a tectonic shift and the great unknown ahead of all of us was more evident than ever. Jack was about to have his first child, the lockdowns and uncertainty of everything played a massive part in the concepts we explored on this record.

Jill Scott - Golden

Jill Scott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised as a single child by her mother and grandmother who were Jehovah's Witnesses. She began her career as a spoken word poet before Questlove invited her to join his band, The Roots, in the studio. She's since recorded countless records and established The Blues Babe Foundation which helps minority students help pay for university expenses. Golden off her 2015 release Golden Moments is an uplifting track. A reminder to be true to oneself through the hard times and the good.

I could hear music playing in the background of works by certain authors, like Poe and Shakespeare. And I discovered Nikki Giovanni when I was in eighth grade. Her writing has a musical energy with pulse and rhythm, almost like jazz or hip-hop.

Jupiter & Okwess - You Sold Me a Dream

Jupiter Bokondji born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo formed his band in 1990. They quickly gained popularity touring the African Continent when a civil war broke out in his home country. Some of his bandmates fled to Europe to avoid the violence, but Jupiter stayed put. Once the conflict was over he began performing and touring once again ascending in popularity. You Sold Me A Dream unveils the myth of American colonialism and the destruction it has brought the whole world over.

I became famous as a singer who performed at wakes and mourning rituals. My father said that this brought shame on the family so he threw me out and I started sleeping rough. Through those mourning rituals I discovered the traditional music of all the hundreds of ethnic groups in the country. The more I discovered, the more I rebelled. I created my first band, Bongo Folk, – the people of the drum – in 1983. That was my first laboratory.

Palaceburn - Stars Align

Palaceburn is a hard rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania fronted by a black woman, Meredith Bell. Their name is play on an album title from one of her favorite bands Lamb of God, As The Palaces Burn. She draws inspiration from her grandparents her instilled in her a intense work ethic, and who were her biggest fans. Stars Align is a hardcore expression of giving your only be rejected.

My biggest musical inspiration – I have a few, but if I had to say a top one, it would be Amy Lee from Evanescence. She was the first woman I ever heard singing for a rock band, and it showed me that women can be taken seriously in this scene.

Steven Halpern - Ocean of Bliss

Steven Halpern is considered the father of New Age Music. After playing as a trumpeter and guitarist in the New York jazz scene of the 1960's he became disillusioned by its frantic nature and moved to California. He began creating music entirely for the purpose of relaxation and firmly believes in the healing properties of music. After releasing over 30 albums he's still playing with these same ideas on his latest peaceful release Ocean of Bliss.

As things started evolving, and as I started hearing music pouring into my head internally, there came with it a strong urge to share music with others with the purpose of not just trying to create a one-time experience, but to use music as a tool and resource to help other people tune into higher vibrations and inner peace – of feeling good in another energy spectrum than what they were used to in the higher energy spectrum of jazz and rock.

Hurray! You've reached the end of Part 2!

Or, you simply scrolled down here...doesn't matter because here are all 24 songs you need to hear this week!

And, as always, remember to check back on Tuesday when the slate is wiped clean and we begin the whole process over again.

Is the playlist different than expected? I hope you're not prone to intense bouts of FOMO, my friend, because you've missed out! As the playlist is updated weekly, it's in with the new and out with the old, as they say.

But, there is hope for you yet!

I'm working on a patreon page where all this does not simply become dust in the wind. Stay tuned for updates. Many exciting developments are in the works.

If you enjoyed this content and would like to see more please drop me a tip below. Much love from my family to yours!

Namaste,

Charlie Le Fol