¿Donde esta Donda?

Nu Music Monday #33 / 26-07-2021

Hey there,

I’m Red, and welcome to Nu Music Monday. Glad to have you here.

Every week I share my favorite tracks released in the past seven days (-ish). I also go into the latest music news when I feel like it and share stuff I think is worth your time.

Lil Nas X, Kanye West, James Blake. Bingo.

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Leon Bridges - Gold-Diggers Sound / review

Notoriously calm, cool and collected musician (and twenty-first-century dandy) Leon Bridges is stretching his signature soulful sound in more directions than ever before in his third album Gold-Diggers Sound.

Crafted over two years at the hotel-studio-speakeasy complex of the same name in LA, the collection of tracks holds a mirror to the smoke-filled lounges it was conceived in, preferring to anchor its appeal in musicianship and rhythm rather than the development of a strong narrative.

The sun rises along with its warm opening leg, starting with the alluring ‘Born Again’ featuring Robert Glasper. Disoriented at first, Bridges finds a solid footing as soon as the beat kicks in, basking in the same kind of rejuvenating energy found in the more laidback end of Little Simz’ catalogue on our side of the pond. It’s nearly midday when Bridges revs up ‘Motorbike’s engine. The air is hot and dense; chords, synths and drums all condense into the amorphous backbone of the imagined excursion.

Read my full review in Riot Mag.

The Nutshell ~ news of the week

• Kanye’s new album, Donda, is not out yet but will be soon, he promises. Until then, rumors have it Kanye’s ghost is haunting the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Spooky.

• Whitney is coming to Vegas! Well, her hologram is. Also spooky.

• The Olympics are underway. And?

• Camila Cabello was accused of having a backup dancer wearing blackface during a Tonight Show performance.

• Lil Uzi Vert is reportedly trying to buy a planet. Worst investment ever. Or is it the best? Thinking about generational wealth…

Track of the week: INDUSTRY BABY - Lil Nas X (feat. Jack Harlow)

Another win for Lil Nas X doing God’s work. Production by Take A Daytrip and Kanye (!). It’s gotta be my fave from the rapper and Jack Harlow fits right in. A big old celebration with accompanying visuals. In other words, a triumph.

Runner-Up: Say What You Will - James Blake

Gorgeous new track from Blake to announce his upcoming LP. Tender vocal performance all around–a delight, albeit extremely sad.

Runner-Up (2): Demonic - Namasenda (feat. La Zowi)

Wear a seatbelt for this one. The latest from A. G. Cook.

Intro: Dear lord

Camryn Garrett 🌟 @dancingofpens

imagine you're in class and a girl starts reading a poem clearly directed at another guy in your class and she starts crying and they're having intense eye contact and you're just sitting there like..... anyways...

I Go - Peggy Gou

Ur Best Friend - Kiana Ledé (with Kehlani)

Call Me - Logic

Interlude 1: Government outreach your honor

frax @fraxiommusic

my message for gen z: why don't you use that "driver's license" to olivia rodriGO to THE POLLS!

Stoned At The Nail Salon - Lorde 

New Normal - Khalid

These Things Will Come To Be - DJ Seinfeld

Interlude 2: Every time

Laura @fairycakes

sorry I didn’t like your photo - I saw it 5 seconds after you posted it because I’m wasting my life online but I didn’t want to come across looking too keen so I made a mental note to come back and like it a bit later but then I forgot and now you think I’m never happy for you

Sunset Jam - Baltra

The Narcissist - Brady Watt, Westside Gunn, DJ Premier

Phoenix - Big Red Machine (feat. Fleet Foxes, Anaïs Mitchell)

Interlude 3: No lies there

charlie @chunkbardey

when i say “i should be there in 5!” i’m almost always using the moral sense of the word ‘should’, not the like probability sense. like yeah being there in 5 minutes would be the right thing, even though it’s not going to happen

Stay High - Childish Gambino Version - Brittany Howard

Lifetime - Swedish House Mafia (with Ty Dolla $ign, 070 Shake)

Our Bones Turn To Stone - Aquilo

Outro: The stanning-to-cancelling pipeline

anand @demon_squid

just finished my 12 hour shift at the separating the art from the artist factory

More, more, more

Also check out these *refreshing* new tracks:

• Party Again - TOPS

• Penduloop - Glenn Astro

• Over The Top - Smiley (feat. Drake)

• I Can See The Future - Tinashe

• Alone With You - Alina Baraz

• Right On Time - Brandi Carlile

• Kiss My (Uh Oh) - Anne-Marie, Little Mix

• Better Believe - Belly, The Weeknd, Young Thug

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You’ll find my favorite July releases in this Spotify playlist.

Thanks for reading! Back soon with more great music & stuff,

I’m @red_dziri on Twitter.