Hear new songs from Dua Saleh, The National, The Staves, Shamir, L7, and Peso Pluma with Jasiel Nuñez, Junior H
by Jade
September 20, 2023
This week hear new music from Dua Saleh, The National, The Staves, Shamir, L7, and Peso Pluma with Jasiel Nuñez, Junior H.
Dua Saleh — “daylight falls”
Minnesota based Sudanese-American artist Dua Saleh is a force – working with Bon Iver, featured on Travis Scott’s UTOPIA album, and staring in Netflix’s show Sex Education. Dua continues to expand their sound on the new song “daylight falls,” a delicately balanced song about people on the fringes keeping hope in difficult times. The song kicks up to balance the sweet introspection with the swelling yell of confusion, it’s a new direction for an ever changing and experimenting artist and it may be one of their best.
The National — “Laugh Track feat. Phoebe Bridgers”
A surprise second album from consummate sad dad band The National came out this week called, Laugh Track. It seems to be a companion piece to their album from earlier this year, The First Two Pages of Frankenstein. There a continuity of sound and story – which makes sense considering that they songs were written at the same time and the album art is an extension of the other. The only difference seems to be the recording session that took place after the band performed the songs during their recent tour giving the songs a more lived in and relaxed feel.
The Staves — “You Held It All”
The Staves have altered their sound, with sister Emily Staveley-Taylor taking a break from the band, the harmonies are a duo now. Now trading off vocal lines more frequently with the dramatic, “You Held It All,” there’s still a gorgeous blend of sounds when their voices join. According to the sisters, “’You Held It All’ is a song about understanding, and the knots we tie ourselves in when we don’t express our truth; and how much power and freedom there can be when we do.”
Shamir — “The Beginning”
The 90s are back, not only in the new video from Shamir, but in the sounds of their new song “The Beginning.” Their new album, Homo Anxietatem, came out in August and as Shamir shared, “‘The Beginning’ is a song I wrote when I was 14 years old and had never experienced love, yet I was already inundated by all the typical tropes. Even back then I realized a happy ending was contingent on a healthy beginning.”
L7 — “Cooler Than Mars”
Cult indie-rock favorites, L7, are back with a new song for a good cause. The ‘90s band reunited in 2015 (and even swung by The Current studio), and released their first new album in 20 years back in 2019. As they prep for a 30th Anniversary tour and reissue of the album, Bricks Are Heavy, they released their new song, “Cooler Than Mars.” In it, L7 tackle the issue of climate change with big rock riffs.
Peso Pluma, Jasiel Nuñez, Junior H — “Bipolar”
Peso Pluma is one of the most popular Latin artists making music at the moment (his album, Genesis, is the highest charting Reginonal Mexican album in US history). There were calls of it being the biggest snub when he wasn’t nominated for any award at the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards. The nostalgic slow jam, “Bipolar,” featuring Jasiel Nunez and Junior H is full of heartbreak and longing.
