This month I’ve taken a trip back through my music discography and revisited artists and songs that I was really into around 2017. At the time I was really into indie rock artists with female vocals, which also happens to be one of my very favorite genres of all time. What were you listening to in 2017?
“Circus” by Hump Back
This month I’ve been listening to some old favorites, and here’s a great rock song by Hump Back that harkens back to my love of melancholic indie bands with female vocalists circa 2017. “Circus” has those instrumentals that put me right into a meditative mood where I really want to focus on the music, and the vocalist has a nice sweet contrast which brings me right to the resolution of the song, swaying with all of the highs and lows of the emotions.
“Travel # afterward” paranoid void
paranoid void is an all female band that is mostly instrumental (like most math rock bands), which this month I’ve really been vibing with a meditative song that is interesting enough to pay attention to, and this one beautifully takes me there. I love how the music video is simple and progresses with the shape of the song, and again, the highs and lows of this song are beautifully done.
is this LOVE? by Hamasaki Ayumi
This is a long time favorite of mine, which brings me all the way back to elementary school when I was first listening to Ayu’s music. “is this LOVE?” feels like a sweet cascade of sound all around me, and there’s something about the electronics, guitar, and Ayu’s vocals that really work well together. The music video is definitely from the early 2000s with its special effects and downtrodden room, but after all of these years it’s fun to see the lyrics (turn on closed captions) and experience the song in a new way since historically I’ve listened to this song on the bus with my ipod in hand.
“IN THIS WORLD feat.Ryuichi Sakamoto［Vocal：Hikari Mitsushima]” by MONDO GROSSO
After being in the mood to re-explore some old favorites, I stumbled upon this collaboration with two artists that had worked together in 2017 on another song called “Labyrinth” which I really loved. This time, MONDO GROSSO and Hikari Mitsushima collaborated with Ryuichi Sakamoto featured on piano (who I mentioned in a previous Mixtape). It just so happens Hikari Mitsushima had released another song in August 2023 produced by MONDO GROSSO called “SHADOW DANCE”, so “IN THIS WORLD” happens to be their second collaboration out of three so far. This song really feels like the perfect mixture of their previous collaborations, and it’s clear how Ryuichi Sakamoto influenced the overall song in a melancholic and lilting way. This music video is really a beautiful ode to a concert hall as well, and is overall enjoyable to experience together.
“free quiet” by School Food Punishment
School Food Punishment is another artist that I really loved in 2017, and belongs on my list of all time favorites. This song is a slower ballad than most of their music which is usually upbeat, featuring keyboard and electronic elements, but “free quiet” really shows off the depth of the emotions that the artist can display. Another element I love about this song is that it features whale sounds in the background at pointed times throughout, and it expertly layers those sounds with the vocals and piano at the end.
Links
Youtube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3ak6RpCfPehsLdqAKiQll4IarJpBweJA&si=jQeJpqRhE61PBuc8
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PNk6AmgErxn6fHmr2LKxD?si=afd130c492e8413e
This Broadcast was written by Erin; you can find them on instagram at @thekniterin.