A track list to mark the end of summer
August is a time to feel both nostalgic and excited, to obsess about where the summer went and how quickly things change. All of these songs deal with a push and pull: between reality and another place, within a relationship, of time’s progression. They come from my Discover Weekly playlist, people I love, concerts I attended when I was 17, and moments in between that I can’t latch onto but wish I could.
“21” by Samia
But I’m wasted now on confidence / I’m busy, I’m hesitant to spend more time in class
A song about growing up and reminiscing about what it means to be an adult and a child at the same time. With an expressive voice, Samia sings about the constant push and pull of acting however you want while distancing yourself from your family and confronting new responsibilities.
“S T R E T C H” by Orion Sun
I don’t know when this is gonna end / But let’s start right now / I don’t wanna ever fall in love
All of Orion Sun’s lyrics could be the soundtrack to coming of age in 2018. They highlight her Blackness and the way it influenced her youth in America. She has opened shows for Daniel Caesar, and there’s a similarity to their music. “S T R E T C H” is a mellow song that speaks about wealth, summer, and power as a young adult.
“The Next World” by Opus Orange
It’s times like this I forget to breathe / My body writes but my mind misreads
A six-minute-long love song about connecting with a person in another place or time, in a circumstance that could somehow work. Opus Orange’s dreamy pop sound is at its best here, highlighting poetic lyrics and vocals with simple, consistent drumming.
“Homesick” by Catfish and the Bottlemen
See I’m not the type to call you up drunk / But I’ve got some lies to tell
The opening song of Catfish and the Bottlemen’s successful 2013 debut album The Balcony, “Homesick” speaks about distance and time, and how they change the dynamics of a relationship.
“400 Lux” by Lorde
I love these roads where the houses don’t change / And I like you
This is a song that I will always connect to my eleventh-grade crush. Lorde’s progression from Pure Heroine’s teenage suburban angst to Melodrama’s breakup party night is evident here. She reminisces about the stagnant comfort of being in one place and of the teenage buzz of first loves.
“Holy” by King Princess
I’ll rule with the velvet tongue / With my dress undone
King Princess is an obsession-worthy emerging queer icon whose entire first EP deserves a listen. This pop hit speaks about the future, rather than the past. It’s an intimidatingly cool love song that’s still honest and relatable.
“Flaming Hot Cheetos” by Clairo
Girlfriend or girl, that’s a friend? / It’s easy just to pretend / That we don’t have something real
Clairo began producing her signature synth pop beats in her bedroom for YouTube, and this immediate relationality with her listeners is still present as she rises to music stardom. She speaks explicitly about her bisexuality and the confusing in-between feeling and idealization that comes from a complicated relationship with a friend.
