This week, we pass the reins to KCRW Music social media maven Malorie McCall (say that three times fast!) in honor of her solar rotation and ahead-of-rotation taste. Fittingly, all of her 5 Songs selections are by artists she discovered via social media.
TwoLips – "MFKN Free (Feat. delwyn)”
Talk about a multi-hyphenate! Los Angeles’ own TwoLips is a musician, painter, actor, dancer, jewelry designer, creative director and ::pause for breath:: aerial artist. A frequent collaborator of KCRW faves like Tolliver and Def Sound, Two Lips is one of LA’s underground icons. “‘MFKN Free’ ushers in an era of re-wilding, a state of potent liberation when freedom is under perpetual threat,” she says. The track is a trancy hybrid of ballroom and house that just begs to get you sweaty and dancing. TwoLips’ bars are on full display, as is her idgaf attitude. Plus, how can you not love a choir moment to close out a song?
MJ Nebreda – “Subliminal (Feat. Sammy)”
MJ Nebreda is truly *that* girl. From her effortless flow to her signature colorful hair, everything about the Venezuelan singer/producer just oozes cool. You don’t have to speak Spanish to know that “Subliminal” is a track about confidence. Her bedroom vocals and smooth rhythms are a siren call, and any proverbial sailors in earshot are bound to run aground — and by run aground, I mean dance their hearts out. Where a lot of club songs are bright like fresh espresso, MJ brings a richer, more brooding taste to the table. The result is a nuanced reggaeton track made for a main character kind of mood. I dare you to listen to her sultry vocals and not fall in love!
Gully Boys – “The Way”
Gully Boys are MY Fab Four. An all female/nonbinary band, they’re bringing the grungy rock of our youth into the genre-bending world of today by beautifully pairing it with pinches of purposeful pop. An easy feat for the group, whose harmonies embrace pop stylings just as well as their gritty screaming brings out that feral rage. “The Way” sees that hybrid style at its best. Filled with hardcore guitar and bass, this is a song for when you’re too angry to be defeatist. Check out the video for a medieval dual!
Tender Misfit – “All Eyes On Me”
Tender Misfit is the latest project from LA-based Ariel Beesley. With just two original songs under the new moniker, she’s already got all eyes on her after a string of hyped shows around LA. Accordingly, “All Eyes On Me” begins with a simple tropical vibe and layered harmonies before being taken over by pop-punk energy and electric guitar licks. A child of The Cure and a lover of pop girlies, Tender Misfit combines the moodiness of the ‘90s with the sass of 21st century pop to make the perfect soundtrack for dancing alone in your bedroom. Look no further for the perfect anti-gaslighting anthem.
Gilanares – “u caught me at a bad time”
Despite its title, “u caught me at a bad time” caught me at a most excellent time. Gilaneres joins the rare ranks of Gen Z musicians who make songs that run longer than 5 minutes, and I’m so glad she does. The track feels more like three tunes presented over one emotional narrative: It begins with a stripped-back piano over which Gilaneres’ haunting vocals croon existentialism, before an orchestral whoosh sweeps in and she cries “I turn out all of my dudes into deadbeats / They chicken out and I only eat red meat!”
From there, playful alt-instrumentation evolves into a percussive beat, which in turn evolves into an electronic trance that picks up distortion. It’s a musical journey heightened by the artist’s ability to change the energy of her voice without having to change its style or volume. The cheeky lyrics and philosophical undertones are ideal for when you’re deep in your thoughts but still need to remember the badass you are.