‘Five Songs to Briefly Fill the Void’: Soundtrack to summer and Easter term

Normally summer means festivals, live music, and holographic everything. This year, it seems to be many, many Instagram challenges instead (pass the aux? Bill Clinton? 30 day song challenge? – I can’t keep track). But no matter how unprecedented or strange these times may be, Spotify playlists will always be there, and you can still live the summer music scene from your bedroom.

Here are some songs to help fill the festival shaped hole in your heart, and get you into a summer mood anyway:

Your Love (Déjà vu) – Glass Animals

For me, Glass Animals are a band who pretty much define summer. Maybe that’s because I spent summer 2017 exclusively listening to ‘How To Be A Human Being’, or because pineapples haven’t been the same since they were banned at Reading & Leeds because of the band. After the drummer’s tragic crash in 2018 led to a hiatus for the band, they are thankfully back – and releasing new music. Their latest single has much of the band’s classic psychedelic pop sound with its strong beats and catchy melody. It’s a track that’s hard not to dance to, and it’s guaranteed to bring on those summer feels.

Nightrider – Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes, Freddie Gibbs

A slower track for those chill summer evenings. This is a collaboration between three hugely talented artists, and is a single released ahead of the newly released album by Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes. Impeccably produced with smooth vocals and a banging bass line, it’s the perfect track to relax to. If you like studying to music, this will keep you focused without being too distracting. This can probably be summarised with Cambridge’s favourite word: vibes.

Multiply – Love Fame Tragedy

Another indie song (can you spot a trend?). This track comes from the solo project of Murph, best known as the frontman of The Wombats, and his latest project ‘Love Fame Tragedy’. The EP is called ‘Five Songs to Briefly Fill the Void’, presciently named and an apt social distancing mantra. This song is the last on the EP: feel good indie music that is meant to be played loud. (Warning: flashing lights in the video.)

Love Me 4 Me – Rina Sawayama

I’ve written about Rina Sawayama before and I’ll probably do it again, especially as she’s just released her long-awaited debut album. Sawayama describes this song as the happiest on the album: an upbeat, powerful message about the importance of self-love whilst quoting RuPaul – definitely the energy I want to manifest this summer. Also try Paradisin’, wild, giddy synth pop written to evoke Sawayama’s teen years: ‘Paradisin’, living my best life, thriving’. Listen out for the key change towards the end – it shifts up a semitone, adding an extra layer of brightness and euphoria.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9g7z9KA9hW/

Orange Trees – MARINA

Potentially the quintessential summer song. With its Latin-inspired rhythms and the lyrics ‘Flowers in my hair, I belong by the sea / Where we used to be, sittin’ by the orange trees’, this song will take you straight to a sandy beach and away from your supervision essays. The beautiful music video was filmed in Mexico and has enough sun to fix anyone’s Vitamin D deficiency. Is it too optimistic to start planning post-lockdown holidays?

Hope you’ve discovered some new tunes, and who knows, one of these songs might make it to the next Instagram music challenge. Happy listening!