NEED
SONG RECS?
We got you covered with a selection of some of our recent favourite tracks.
The festive season is inching ever closer and we are dreaming of the beautiful Cape Town summer that awaits. Once you enter your holiday period from work/university if you’re anything like us you’ll be spending plenty of time listening to new music, alongside days at the beach and going out with friends. With this in mind, we thought we’d share a couple of our favourite tracks from the last little while, and hopefully put you on to some new tunes you’ll have on repeat this festive.
We’ve put together a selection of some of our favourite tracks from the past little while. From Hip-Hop to Alt-Pop to Punk there’s something for everyone in this listicle. So get comfy, crack open a cold beer or cool drink and listen to these varied yet equally captivating (and largely local) tracks.
Spotlight
Mars Baby
Cape Town-born, Joburg-based singer-songwriter Mars Baby has blessed our ears with a little taster of his upcoming February 2025 album “Handsome Luke and the Heartbreakers“, dropping the first single Spotlight. The track pulses with the kind of raw, electrifying intensity that feels intimate and cinematic all at once. In this track, he crafts a soundscape that captures the haze of self-discovery and the vulnerability of longing, wrapped in distorted, grunge-infused melodies and a beat that feels like a heartbeat on overdrive. His vocal delivery is simultaneously fierce and delicate, holding space for moments of quiet introspection amidst explosive choruses. Spotlight is an atmospheric journey into the late-night psyche, a reflection on the emotional high-wire act of navigating relationships and identity.
St. Chroma
Tyler The Creator
Tyler, The Creator’s St. Chroma is an opening salvo that introduces Chromakopia with a sonic intensity that’s impossible to ignore. As a track, it’s a masterclass in Tyler’s experimentalism: an amalgamation of synth-laden beats, jazzy riffs, and layered vocals that create a heady atmosphere, rich with texture. Here, Tyler’s lyrical delivery oscillates between self-reflective and brazen, setting an emotionally charged tone. The track’s sweeping arrangement feels alive, almost tactile, as it weaves through different musical phases with precision and unpredictability. Serving as both the album’s opener and lead single, St. Chroma stands alone as a fiercely evocative piece, capturing the contrasts that define Tyler’s evolving sound.
Talk Shows
Twenty One Children
Talk Shows by Twenty One Children, off their recent four-track EP “Only The Gundwan” is a Punk anthem of disillusionment and restless energy, plunging listeners into a gritty yet melodic soundscape. With a driving bassline and frenetic guitar riffs, the track builds a raw, almost claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors the song’s themes of societal critique and inner conflict. Twenty One Children’s lyrics cut through with biting clarity, laying bare the superficiality and noise of modern life as though they’re dissecting it on live TV. The chorus crashes like a wave, cathartic and explosive, while quieter verses give space for introspection.
Crush
Honeymoan
Honeymoan’s Crush is a mesmerizing Alt-Pop dive into the exhilaration and tension of newfound infatuation, and has been one of my favourite tracks lately. From the first beat, the track hooks you in with its sultry bassline and smooth, shimmering synths, creating a sound that feels both intimate and electric. Alison Rachel’s vocals glide effortlessly over the lush instrumentals, delivered with an understated intensity that perfectly matches the song’s hypnotic rhythm. The chorus pop with color, echoing the rush of emotions that come with a “crush”—heady, urgent, and unapologetically honest. Crush is a seductive anthem that encapsulates the thrill of romance, balancing dreamy Alt-Pop ambiance with a more Rock edge
Riverside
Club Valley
Club Valley’s Riverside flows with a haunting beauty, blending dreamy indie-rock riffs with an underlying melancholy that feels as deep and endless as a river at dusk. The track’s steady rhythm and soft, atmospheric guitar melodies create an immersive backdrop for lyrics that ponder themes of nostalgia and change, evoking the bittersweet pull of memories tied to a familiar place. With vocals that alternate between vulnerability and quiet resolve, Club Valley captures a unique emotional space where comfort and longing coexist. The chorus swells like a current, subtle but powerful, carrying listeners along with its heartfelt simplicity. Riverside feels like a reflective late-night drive, capturing the essence of holding onto the past while moving forward.
