Killed Darlings: Part II
Another special edition with five songs that didn't make the cut.
I have curated 35 editions this year, so the playlist counts 175 songs. It’s a stunning curation by outstanding artists from all over the world. And I have little to do with it besides curating the hell out of every week’s new releases.
Back in May, I produced a first Weekly5 special called 'Killed Darlings'. And I wrote what still remains true:
The process of curation produces winners and losers. That is one uncomfortable truth. The other is that sometimes those who don’t really deserve it end up on the losing side. And sometimes, I hope rarely, losers come out on the winning side. But, of course, this is a subjective perception.
Today, I again look back and present five songs to you that didn’t make the cut but still deserve your time.
All the best,
Lea Porcelain – Shoot The Moon
🎧 Spotify | Apple Music
After their astounding debut in 2017, Choirs to Heaven, Lea Porcelain’s sophomore record stands as proof of the duo’s versatility and development. More so, the album features Pool Song, their 2020 single and, in my opinion, one of the best tracks released in recent years.
However, the record’s least regarded song, Shoot The Moon, definitely deserves more attention. It’s a breathless and driven hymn, a constant energy flow, and yet Shoot The Moon never feels violent. A song that is full of longing, euphoria, and doubt.
Elis Noa – Always Been You
🎧 Spotify | Apple Music
After their latest single release, Vienna’s electro-soul duo Elis Noa kept sticking in my ear. Always Been You has a captivating groove, supported by pumping bass and ultimately tells a sweaty love story in glowing dancefloor lights.
Elis Noa's synthesized sound of contemporary RnB and electronically enhanced soul creates a sensation. There’s excitement encapsulated in Always Been You, but also a hint of sugary melancholia.
Hanne Mjøen – Hell with You
🎧 Spotify | Apple Music
I can clearly remember why Hell with You by Norwegian singer Hanne Mjøen didn’t end up in a regular edition: It’s simply too much pop. However, the song kept spinning around in my heavy rotation. It’s the devilish poison of pop: catchiness.
And rising star Hanne Mjøen surely knows how to play the genre’s strengths. Hell with You is constructed with the blueprint of the Scandinavian variant: Wide synthesizers, a subtle but consistent beat, finished by an etheric voice. It all adds up to this icy atmosphere of Northern European pop music. Hell was never so cold.
Vita Bergen – Can’t Hold Much Longer
🎧 Spotify | Apple Music
In March, Vita Bergen, the band of Swedish artist William Hellström, released their new record Another Day in Paradise. I’m not sure where or when I stumbled over the album's first track, Can’t Hold It Much Longer.
But Vita Bergen’s song immediately caught my interest. Can’t Hold It Much Longer remains almost monotonous for most of its runtime, yet you feel the pressure rising. Hellström’s voice builds up until the song bursts into ecstasy and collapses again in the end. A song like a rollercoaster.
Julian Winding – Bleed for It
🎧 Spotify | Apple Music
In July, darkness spread. Bleed for It by Danish/English producer Julian Winding pushes sinister beats through the speakers. Berlin-based Winding, who also composed soundtracks for various movies, descends into the dark territories of electronic music.
Bleed for It stalks like a vicious predator. The techno beats hammer; the wiry synthesizers create an uneasy feeling. It’s the inevitable downforce, dragging you down like a nightmare.
