There is something about summer. It isn’t just the weather, the festivals, the time off for students… it’s something impossible to describe, an intangible shift that happens each year as we break free from the colder seasons.

To me, summer isn’t summer without music. Even during the coldest winter, just hearing a certain song has the power to take me back to summers previous. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent time wondering what this year’s season will sound like. It’s easy to get caught up in the modern phenomena of the “song of the summer” as a popular track heard everywhere from your car radio, to your Spotify playlist, to the grocery store. But summer can sound any way you want it to. And so, as yet another summer is upon us, here are 10 songs to kickstart the best time of year.

“Here’s Where The Story Ends” - The Sundays 

London-based indie rock group The Sundays is a band which quickly built a following in the 90s, mainly in native England and in America. Since they formed in 1987, they released three albums: Reading, Writings and Arithmetic, Blind, and Static & Silence, each with a distinct guitar pop-rock sound inspired by groups like the Smiths and the Cocteau Twins. Perhaps the most characteristic trait of the group is Harriet Wheeler’s vocal style, which is free-spirited and evokes a sense of wonder. With an incredible range, Wheeler can evolve from soft and emotional singing to passionate cries within a single song.

“Here’s Where The Story Ends” is by far my favorite track from their discography. To me, it has always captured simultaneously a melancholy yet peaceful ending, and a hopeful and exciting new beginning. The song has a jangly, upbeat sound, driven by coffeehouse pop guitar and Wheeler’s mournful vocals. Despite lamenting throughout the track, “here’s where the story ends”, Wheeler encapsulates the duality of the passage of time, by singing of both “a terrible year” and “a colorful year” that coexist. This is the perfect song for summer because of this duality, as summer, like every other season, is both an ending and a beginning. This track is beautiful and lighthearted for bright summer days, with the depth of a cool summer night. 

“Days To Come” - Bonobo, Bajka

Bonobo, the stage name of Simon Green, is an English producer, DJ, composer, and artist based in Los Angeles. He boasts an eclectic sound combining trip hop, electronica, jazz, and world music, all brought to life with a full band during live performances. His discography includes 10 albums and many more singles, often featuring collaborations with other artists. “Days To Come” is the title track of his third album from 2006, and features Bajka, the stage name of Bajka Pluwatsch. She is a German artist, born in India and raised in Portugal and South Africa. Along with an extensive history in spoken word poetry, her clear voice perfect for jazz and soul has led her to a career in music as well. 

I first heard “Days To Come” while accompanying a friend to get a tattoo. It was one of the first warm days of the year, and from outside of the window I could see the faintly green trees. Summer was just beginning, and this song was the perfect accompaniment. With a confident yet laid back sound, Bajka’s smooth vocals perfectly compliment the rhythmic multi-instrumental backdrop laid by Bonobo. The song details connection and change with a flawlessly intricate and driven sound, laying the perfect foundation for your summer ahead. 

“Death & Romance” - Magdalena Bay 

Synth-pop group Magdalena Bay never fails to create upbeat yet meaningful and substantial music. The duo is best known for popular tracks such as “Killshot” and “Top Dog”, but they have gained support for all of their music by their over one million monthly listeners. One of the most unique things about this group is their releases of mini mix vol. 1, mini mix vol. 2, and mini mix vol. 3, which are short EPs, each around 15 minutes in length. Each “mini mix” accompanies a full-length video featuring grainy, nostalgic green-screen visuals. The videos are lighthearted and continuous between songs, providing an interesting and unconventional approach to listening. 

“Death & Romance” is Magdalena Bay’s most recent single, released on May 28, 2024. The song has a psychedelic pop sound, with ethereal vocals, a grooving baseline, and bright, bubbly piano and synths. The track combines both retro and modern elements with a danceable, upbeat result. When speaking on the song, the group said, “Imagine rain pouring, streetlights glowing. You sit at home and wait for your alien boyfriend to pick you up in his UFO… but this time, he’s not coming.” This truly encapsulates the futuristic yet reminiscent sound of “Death & Romance”. The typical “song of the summer” is an upbeat pop song. And this song is exactly that, and so much more.

“Rarotonga” - Café Tacvba 

Café Tacvba is a Mexican rock band most popular in the 90s for their alternative sound. The band draws influence from many American groups such as The Cure and Violent Femmes, but maintains a Mexican influence and features singing mainly in Spanish. They have also experimented with a variety of sounds beyond rock, such as ska and punk, and have been an unwavering voice for social justice as they promote equality and fight for underprivileged and underrepresented groups. 

“Rarotonga” is a high-energy, adrenaline-packed track driven by a repeated, exciting riff and raw, screaming vocals. With each desperate and chilling vocal howl from Rubén Isaac Albarrán Ortega, the song builds to a climactic finale, keeping listeners entranced and stimulated throughout. The excitement of this track is perfect for summer adventures.

“Seaforth” - King Krule 

Few young artists have made waves the way that King Krule, the stage name for Archy Ivan Marshall, has. At just 17, the musician released his self-titled EP, and has been redefining the indie rock genre ever since. Most know him for his popular classic, “Out Getting Ribs”, but his entire discography deftly combines punk, jazz, rock, and avant-rock or experimental. His guttural voice and melodious guitar tone have combined to create some of the best and most distinct and haunting music that sways from intense sadness, light hope, and visceral anger.

One track from King Krule’s 2023 album Space Heavy that has always screamed ‘summer’ to me is “Seaforth”. It is a delicate lullaby of strength and vulnerability that is both eerie and comforting. This song is more dreamy than the majority of his music, but still has the same intensity of his overall sound. Subtle and beautiful, and layered with aquatic ambience, this is the perfect soundtrack to the months ahead. 

“Anchin Kfu Ayinkash” - Hailu Mergia 

Hailu Mergia is an Ethiopian keyboardist creating music with a unique combination of jazz, funk, and world music. He is best known for his role in the Walias Band, a successful Ethiopian jazz group most popular in the 70s. Overall, he was a massive force in the evolution of Ethiopian popular music. Hailu Mergia, like many other musicians in Ethiopia at the time, struggled with censorship, but he evaded this issue by releasing instrumental music. After spending time touring in America, he eventually settled in Washington, DC, where he records separately from his previous band.

“Anchin Kfu Ayinkash” is his most popular track off of his 2016 album, Wede Harer Guzo, and is a summery, light soundscape of 70s Ethiopia, layered with elements of funk and RnB. The album was recorded at the Ghion Hotel in Addis Ababa with the Dahlak Band, who, at the time, were the house band for the thriving hotel. This blissful, experimental, and carefree song is the pinnacle of the album and of Hailu Mergia’s career, effortlessly contributing to the constant evolution of jazz as a genre. This song will definitely always remind me of this summer, as I plan to see Hailu Mergia at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. Regardless, for any listener from anywhere in the world, “Anchin Kfu Ayinkash” is a summer essential.

“Naked Muse” - Pill 

Brooklyn-based experimental group Pill is absolutely one of the best bands to blend jazz, rock, no wave, and punk. Their music pairs sharp political commentary, intoxicating saxophone, and a sense of controlled chaos as they hurtle towards redefining genre at large. Gritty and aggressive yet thoughtful and purposeful, Pill’s artful kitchen sink of sound reimagines what it means to be a musician in the modern age, and how to use that platform for good. 

“Naked Muse” actually comes off of a compilation put together by Pill’s record label, Mexican Summer. The independent label specializes in experimental indie music, highlighting “adventurous musicians without the limitations of genre or form.” This compilation features some of Mexican Summer’s best, and is entirely worth a listen. “Naked Muse” is a smoky, mysterious, noir track painted with wandering free jazz saxophone licks, and hypnotic vocals and bass. The enthralling song speaks of the freedom of the unknown, as lyrics like “we’re a long way from home”, “makes her own music”, and “we’ll never be this free again” pave the way for a summer of change and liberation.

“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan

Seemingly overnight, everybody knows Chappell Roan. She went from opening for Olivia Rodrigo to selling out shows and playing at some of the biggest music festivals in the world, such as Lollapalooza, Gov Ball, Coachella, and Austin City Limits. The Missouri native has grown particularly popular in the LGBTQ+ community, but there truly isn’t anyone left out in her sudden rise to fame. Her pop music is strongly influenced by the 80s and 2000s, and her aesthetic is heavily based on the makeup styles of drag queens.

“Good Luck, Babe!” is by far her most popular song currently, and is truly the song that you hear playing just about everywhere. The track skillfully blends the pain of loss and the pride of being right and saying, ‘I told you so.’ Roan’s warm, clear vocals blend perfectly with her synthpop sound, creating a song that is both rich in depth and in danceability. Every summer needs a fun, exciting pop track, and “Good Luck, Babe!” is just that. 

“Last Time We Never Meet Again” Sarah Kinsley 

Sarah Kinsley is an expressive and truly captivating pop artist from New York, best known for her hit song, “The King” released in 2021. With an explosive piano intro, driving percussion, larger-than-life synths, and of course, Kinsley’s angelic, Kate-Bush-esc voice, it was one of the best pop songs that I have heard, perhaps ever. Yet Kinsley’s entire discography of dreamy, lush music has been perfectly irresistible. She produces all of her music, accrediting this to a desire to increase the number of female producers in the music industry.

“Last Time We Never Meet Again” is the first song released from her forthcoming album, and is just as magical as always. The track details the end of a relationship, and, as Kinsley described, “is meant to be celebratory… It’s trying to make something that is really sincerely a goodbye… a celebratory goodbye.” It is emotional, raw, and tragically beautiful, all while masterfully maintaining the celebratory aspects that she had been aiming for, making it required listening for the summer of 2024. 

“Miles Away” - Aisle Five 

Indie/alternative rock band Aisle Five can be described as nothing if not a creative and innovative force in the Chicago underground scene. Weaving dreamy indie pop, soulful singing, intricate guitar melodies, and precise yet energetic percussion, this group is undoubtedly one to watch. Frequenting intimate Chicago venues such as Reggies, Bookclub, and Subterranean, they offer an exciting, personal live experience. 

The last song on our list of songs to kickstart your summer is “Miles Away”, Aisle Five’s first release from 2023. The track is emotive and soaring, complimented with percussive guitar and transcendent vocals. It is funky and soulful, and reaches towards individualism and separation from the people and places of the past as vocalist Izzie Rutledge sings, “But I am miles away” after describing her hopes of a previous relationship. Summer should be an escape, and with this song you can step miles away from your problems into an immersive, powerful track. This band surely isn’t going away anytime soon. 

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