The redundancy of the week can be draining. With mundanity following us week after week while we continue our same old routine, it's natural to crave something fun and exciting to which we can look forward. Finding new music can transform an average day into something much more special. So find your new favorite day, or a track that makes your least favorite one not-so-bad with this list of seven songs to soundtrack your week.
"Sunday"- Office Hours
Bassist Joshua DaCosta, vocalist and guitarist Seth Echeverria, drummer Elijah DaCosta, and vocalist Gian Perez make up indie pop band Office Hours. Debuting on streaming platforms in 2018, this Brooklyn-based project hasn't let adversity get in their way. While many of the members attended different colleges, their passion for working together drove them to continue working as a band, despite major distance gaps. With big ambitions ahead, the band's first full-length studio LP is slated for a 2024 release.
"Sunday" was Office Hours' debut single and it's the perfect track to or start off (or close out) your week. A dreamy love song perfect for a slow Sunday, the guitar riffs, mellow drum beat, and groovy bass line perfectly coalesce into a harmonious listening experience. The song's sweet lyrics illustrate spending a perfect Sunday morning with your lover, from kissing their coffee-ridden lips to feeling synonymous with the sunlight shining through the window. "Sunday" embodies the kind of love many idealize and is one of my favorite love songs of recent years.
"monday"- Free Arlo
Chance Famighetti, known under the musical persona Free Arlo, is a California native who has been making music since 2019. While he has yet to release a full album, his discography includes a variety of singles and EPs with clever names like an EP and another EP, which deserve more love and listens. Famighetti doesn't shy away from collaborations, either, as he has collaborated with other artists such as Josue Vasquez, CASO, and Bri Tolani. With just over 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Free Arlo is a must-listen to artist.
Free Arlo's most streamed track, "monday", follows a storyline from the point of view of an unfaithful boyfriend, which is somewhat of a taboo concept not touched on much in mainstream music. In the song, Free Arlo explains how he has been paying to see a girl on the side while he has a girlfriend. The lyrics are humorous yet musically satisfying, with references to mainstream cash exchange apps like PayPal and Venmo, and Free Arlo's vocals really shine on this track. Instrumentally, the bass line is the most prominent instrument featured and the moments where it parallels the lyrical melody elevate the song, highlighting its fantastic musical mixing.
"Tuesday"- Hippo Campus
Jake Luppen, Zach Sutton, Nathan Stocker, Whistler Allen, and DeCarlo Jackson make up the five-piece band Hippo Campus. Originating in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Hippo Campus works together to create their acclaimed indie rock music. Their vast discography includes five studio albums, along with various EPs and singles. The group's founding members met at Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists in Minnesota and began playing together in 2013, with Jackson joining them in 2017. Their most recent song, "Maps", released in June of this year, was met with high praise from a dedicated fanbase.
The sixth track off of 2017 album Landmark, "Tuesday" is a post-breakup song about drinking your sorrows away. While "Tuesday"'s storyline is relatively depressing, an upbeat instrumental contrasts the concept and makes the song both understandable and cathartic (while simultaneously being a track you can jam out to in your car). Band member Jake Luppen penned the track after dealing with a breakup of his own. The authentic, emotional lyrics, "sometimes I think I'm better off like my dad", and, "I think I know you, or is it only liquor speak", are heart wrenchingly relatable.
"wednesday"- haer
haer is the stage name of 24-year-old Brooklyn vocalist Haerin Jang. She describes her musical genre as suburban pop, and with a beautiful voice and stunning instrumentals, her discography deserves far more attention. As a small artist, online information about haer's background is limited, but her musical prowess and ability speaks for itself. While she has yet to release a full album, her EPs and singles boast versatility and a unique style that sets her apart from other small artists.
Released in July of 2022, "wednesday" is a standout in haer's tracklist. The instrumental in particular is a highlight, building in complexity as nightcore elements are added to what starts off as a relatively standard pop track. The strong electronic drum beat combined with the constantly switching pace and tone of haer's vocals make the composition top tier. The lyrics mirror the ever-evolving instrumental through the concept of "moving too fast" in a relationship. That duality alone demonstrates haer's brilliant musical ability and attention to detail. The chorus is effortlessly catchy, with the tagline, "you can rush everything, even beautiful things now," standing out as a particularly powerful anecdote.
"Thursday" - Leven Kali
Futuristic R&B artist Leven Kali has a voice like butter, with catchy lyrics and fantastic instrumentation to boot. While his high profile collaboration with Playboy Carti arguably put him on the map, the project was only the tip of the iceberg in diving into Kali's talent. With two studio albums, one EP, and a handful of singles and collaborations available now, the creative has a little something for everyone. Further, independent artistry isn't his only musical venture; he's also a dedicated songwriter and has written for A-List artists like Drake. Kali even received a Grammy for his work as a credited songwriter on Beyonce's Renaissance album.
Leven Kali's 'Thursday" is an R&B lover's paradise. Combining soulful harmonies, gorgeous piano melodies, and a classic soulful drum beat, "Thursday" feels like the perfect song to lead you into the weekend. With lyrics vividly detailing a glamorous night out ending at Kali's house, "Thursday" is effortlessly sensual. Kali is both the singer and co-producer of this track, working alongside Timothy 'Bos" Bollock. The near-perfection of the single's mixing and mastering showcases Kali's versatility both as a lyricist and as a producer.
"Friday" - Real Estate
For over a decade, indie rock group Real Estate has blessed fans with fantastic music. Formed in New Jersey in 2008, founding members Martin Courtney, Matt Mondanile, Alex Bleeker, and Etienne Dugay came together with the first iteration of the band. Members have come and gone since its creation; Real Estate's current lineup ushers out Mondanile and Dugay while adding in new members Julian Lynch, Sammi Niss, and Matt Kallman. With five studio albums under their belts, their musical evolution–namely through improvements in production–has been well documented. Listening through the Real Estate discography reveals impressive fine tuning in sonic abilities and artistic voice.
Real Estate's "Friday" belongs at the end credits of a classic coming of age movie–in the absolute best way possible. A jazzy rock song that consists mainly of instrumental sections, the band's ability to utilize individual skillsets to create a fully fledged sonic masterpiece is simply breathtaking. While "Friday" is lyrically limited, boasting only two short verses and two iterations of the chorus, the phrases, "If there is a point to this, It's something that I must have missed," and, "If this future's so hard-won, how come sometimes it feels so dumb," feel incredibly profound and leave fans contemplating their ideas as a beautiful instrumental sweeps you away.
"saturday"- Yot Club
Ryan Kaiser, professionally known as Yot Club, shot to the forefront of the indie music scene in 2014 through his early alias (Amateur Observer). Initially only posting his music on SoundCloud, Kaiser made the switch to streaming platforms in 2019 and adopted his current pseudonym, Yot Club. His most popular song "YKWIM?" amassed extreme popularity on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, earning Kaiser his first certified Platinum song status in November of 2022.
"saturday" is the 14th track on the Deluxe version of 2023 album off the grid. Not included in off the grid's original release, "saturday" is truly a hidden gem. With instrumentals and vocals that channel the energy of iconic indie rock group The Strokes, "saturday" is upbeat and joyous by nature. Filtered vocals emphasize Kaiser's production prowess while also complementing the vibe of the song. Lyrically, the song is catchy, communicating the all-too-familiar storyline of wanting to see someone you like but thinking you're no good for them, adding a universal appeal to the song. The lyrics' simplistic essence allows for the instrumentation of the track to really shine.
Check out the full Spotify playlist for this article here. What do you want to see covered on Enharmonic Magazine next? Let us know.