Papooz - Moon Pie
"Moon Pie" is a silky, sweet love song from Parisian pop duo Papooz. The two look like soft-rockers sucked from a time warp—with long shaggy hair, exaggerated collared shirts and flare jeans, their vibe is dripping late '60s / early '70s. Their musicality isn't a dead ringer for this decade (or era), but it's just as solid. While most of their music carries softer, indie pop vocalization (similar to Perfume Genius), this track is far more simplistic and stripped down, in a vintage rock kind of way—think Mac DeMarco but closer to the mic. Some of the harmonies are so pleasant and attention-grabbing, they rival the likes of Simon and Garfunkel or Flyte for a more contemporary reference. The duo's vocal chemistry is particularly evident on their track "Dorothy Says." That being said, Papooz remains far from cuddly by keeping an ostentatious, hard-rock front in making the cover art of this single a cartoon version of themselves blowing out candles on a boob cake. Whatever your initial impression of them may be, Papooz undeniably feel like a summer staple band. Play "Moon Pie" while you're winding down tonight. You won't regret it.
— Hannah Lupas on July 26, 2019
Henry Jamison - The Wilds
Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.
— Natasha Cucullo on January 7, 2018
Moses Sumney - Plastic
Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.
— Dara Bankole on October 22, 2017
