Missed Darlings
A Weekly5 special edition recommending five songs that slipped through the cracks this year.
As 2024 heads to a close, we’re also on track to end another year of Weekly5. With the two editions ahead, we’ll hit a new record: 40 selections, amounting to 200 recommended songs in the playlist.
While I feel that I have improved the quality of the curation again, there are certainly a few songs I wouldn’t consider again in hindsight. On the other hand, some songs either didn’t make the cut, or I discovered them weeks or months after their release. Let’s be honest here: It’s just impossible to listen to every new song out there.
However, today’s special edition of Weekly5 is dedicated to five of these missed or killed darlings. Because I believe they, too, deserve your attention.
Baula – Mercury In Retrograde
Heavy Heart, No Tears, the debut album of Gothenburg’s duo Baula, was released back in April, featuring the incredible song Mercury in Retrograde.
Still, I can’t decide what my favourite thing about it is: the relentless urging of its rhythm, the eerie contrast between the soft, whispering voice and the raw sound, the Western-noir vibe. Mercury in Retrograde is a sinister, haunting anthem—and one of my favourite tracks of 2024.
Francis of Delirium – First Touch
If you want to split hairs, Francis of Delirium’s First Touch was actually released as a single in 2023. But I discovered it on their album Lighthouse this year.
And, oh my gosh, what a chillingly beautiful and bittersweet song it is! It’s pure perfection, executed by Jana Bahrich, the 20-something frontwoman from Luxemburg. First Touch is, without any shred of doubt, one of the best love songs—ever.
Grace Cummings – On and On
What a voice, what a composition. Australian singer-songwriter Grace Cummings pulls off quite a stunt in On and On, found on her third album, Ramona.
The galloping in slow-motion rhythm carries poignant piano chords, soft organs, and a daring horn, while Cummings’ voice meanders almost detached through the thick of the arrangement. But this sonic caleidoscope never sounds overloaded; there’s always a new nuance to discover.
LYR – Profusion
Admittedly, spoken word isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you should give it a try, then with Profusion by the British trio LYR.
The evocative writing of UK’s Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, accompanied by the music of Richard Walters and Patrick J Pearson, bears a unique feeling with both components seamlessly intertwining, never overpowering the other. I won’t claim that Profusion is a song suited for mere background noise. Prepare: lay down, close your eyes, and immerse yourself fully and uncompromisingly.
Joshua Thew – Reveal
After a decade of being a dancer for the New York City Ballet, British Joshua Thew began pursuing music full-time, releasing the EP Endlessly in August—a collection of warm soul and R&B songs.
The closing Reveal is a touching highlight: Only a piano joins forces with Thew’s stunning, velvety voice, again proving how impactful even the most minimal can be. Yes, it scratches on kitsch, but sometimes that’s the comfort we need.
I hope you enjoy these 2024 darlings as much as I do and could discover some new artists enriching your music collection from here on into the future.
