Top of the Drop
By Daniel J. Springer.
This month, the Gwangju News introduces a new column, “Top of the Drop” by Daniel Springer of the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN). Each month, Danno picks his favorite newly released tunes that you may have missed, along with some upcoming albums and EPs that you might want to keep on your radar.
Miss Grit – “Blonde”
If Mitski and St. Vincent had to pick a perfect musical offspring, it’d be hard to come up with anything better than this band. Miss Grit is based in NYC and led by Margaret Sohn, and this tune from an almost whispery opening (think Mitski’s “Best American Girl”) explodes in a smashing crescendo of vocals and guitars at its apex. “Blonde” appeared as part of the Impostor EP, which is the band’s second career release after “Talk Talk” dropped in January last year. It’s one of the best singles of the year thus far, even receiving a glowing feature in The New York Times.
Julien Baker – “Hardline”
At just 25, Julien Baker has marked herself out as one of the leading ladies of popular music. “Hardline” is the opening tune to her third career LP Little Oblivions, an album that outlets like NME are positively gushing over and for a very good reason, as this is a very solid musician’s most stellar outing yet.
Young Winona – “LA Waste”
This band originally hails from New Zealand but seems to be truly embracing their adopted and dichotomous home of Los Angeles in this grimy, jagged, rock ballad. “LA Waste” is the first of several singles planned by the band for this year.
Bomba Estéreo – “Deja”
The veteran Colombian outfit announced their return after a four-year hiatus with this gem, the title track to their upcoming album due out later this year. The album itself is split into four sections based on the planet’s elements: Agua (water), Aire (air), Tierra (land), and Fuego (fire).
Black Pumas – “Strangers” (feat. Lucius)
An interesting collaboration here with Grammy-nominated, psychedelic soul outfit Black Pumas from Austin, Texas, and indie pop duo Lucius from Brooklyn, New York, teaming up on this beautiful cover of The Kinks’ original released in 1970. This new cover also appears in the promo trailer for the forthcoming YouTube Originals documentary, Life in a Day 2020.
Bobby Oroza – “I Got Love”
Two years ago, the Finnish soul crooner announced his presence to the world with his debut LP This Love, and now Bobby is back with “I Got Love,” the lead single to his upcoming, still-unnamed LP due out later this year courtesy of Big Crown Records. Keep an eye out for this LP if you love that silky West Coast-inspired Latin soul!
Shame – “Alphabet”
The South London quintet announced their latest album Drunk Tank Pink with this tune late last year, the album’s opening salvo. You might be forgiven if you had to do a double take while listening to this LP, as it’s so different from their 2018 full-length Songs of Praise. Drunk Tank Pink is such a raw dichotomy of post-punk adventurism coupled with the band’s dark anxieties, creating a manic and borderline schizophrenic listen front to back.
Arlo Parks – “Hope”
In one of the most highly anticipated debuts in this young year, London-based Arlo Parks and her Collapsed in Sunbeams LP didn’t disappoint. An LP that’s so cool, mature, and confident for a young lady of just 20 years of age, the LP makes for an almost languid listen front to back, but it’s a potent record full of deft lyricism and biting insights.
Robert Glasper – “Better Than I Imagined” (feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello – DJ Tunez Remix)
The Grammy winner for Best R&B Song in 2020 has gotten the remix treatment from Nigeria’s DJ Tunez, who spins this very American R&B original into an extra smooth, clacking West African hymn.
Ghost Funk Orchestra – “Modern Scene” (Ben Pirani Remix)
The original of this tune was released on Ghost Funk Orchestra’s psychedelic soul smasher from 2019, “A Song for Paul,” and was one of the better tunes therein. Here we see Colemine Records labelmate Ben Pirani reworking the track into a string-heavy orchestral jazz phantom of itself to haunting, poignant effect.
The Author
Daniel J. Springer (a.k.a. “Danno”) is the creator, host, writer, editor, and producer of “The Drop with Danno,” broadcasting on GFN 98.7 FM in Gwangju and 93.7 FM in Yeosu nightly between 8–10 p.m. Prior to this, he was a contributor to several shows on TBS eFM in Seoul along with being the creator and co-host of “Spacious” and “White Label Radio” on WNUR in Chicago. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @gfnthedrop
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