Bonjour, chers amis! J’espère que tout va bien pour vous. Soyez les bienvenus aujourd’hui à la derniere épisode de The Summer Jam 3: Electric Boogaloo! Alright, alright, I’ll cool it with the French language showboating. Anyway, since this is the final episode of our annual summer playlist feature’s 2018 run, I thought I should talk about the records which I found to be the best musical accompaniment to the oppressive heat. Below, you can find my personal list of the 20 best summer records to come out this year. Please enjoy!
Zoology – Bloom
The cool breeze in your lover’s hair in the early summer sun. Beau Diakowicz and Emily Krueger aka Zoology have delivered the perfect soundtrack to your summer relaxation with their début EP.
Henry Green – Shift
AOTY candidate and certified AOTS – album of the summer. Lay down in the grass and enjoy.
Tiny Moving Parts – Swell
While this came out back when it was still winter, it’s definitely more suited to the hottest season. Guitar pyrotechnics galore, and that sweet, sweet Midwest emo sound we all love.
Anenon – Tongue
Ambient jazz has always had a rather gigantic sweet spot in my heart, and Anenon’s latest release falls squarely into that category with its electronica-backed modal jazz experiments.
Triathalon – Online
A little indie/r’n’b pearl that was sadly overlooked by many. Let’s try to give them the attention they deserve!
Hookworms – Microshift
Sweltering post-punk with influences from krautrock, psychedelia, and electronic music? Yes please! Where do I need to sign?
COAST – COAST
Inventive, modern, and unrelenting: this is the high-energy jazz fusion record you need for your summer playlist.
Meshell Ndegeocello – Ventriloquism
The Queen is back! This album is filled with unique interpretations of songs by artists who influenced Ndegeocello’s own work. A must-listen cover album.
Say Sue Me – Where We Were Together
The sound of sunshine, beach parties, and teenage romance in the orange-tinged nightfall air. Beautiful.
Beach House – 7
C’mon, it’s Beach House we’re talking about here. Of course their new record is on the list.
Royal Coda – Royal Coda
Two words: Kurt. Travis. Get on this album already, will ‘ya?
Mild Orange – Foreplay
New Zealand isn’t the country you would typically associate with sunny, soul-infused guitar pop, and yet Mild Orange bring exactly that to the table. Chill-out music par excellence.
Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo
Do you want the funk? If so, give this record a spin. You won’t regret it.
Hundredth – Ultrarare
This may ‘only’ be a remix EP, but by golly is it brilliant! It translates the already amazing shoegaze compositions of Hundredth’s 2017 album Rare into an ambient chillwave context, and it works perfectly.
Mast – Thelonious Sphere Monk
Re-imagining songs by jazz legend Thelonious Monk might sound like a dour and unrewarding task, but if it’s done with as much finesse and love for the source material as Mast and his collaborators put into it, it becomes a transformative experience for all involved.
Kraus – Path
This is shoegaze with three exclamation points. Noisy, dreamy, and feverish to the max, Path will undoubtedly wrap you in its memorable soundscapes and never let go.
Deafheaven – Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
I think I said all there needs to be said about this record in my review, but in short, it’s probably their best so far. Perfect for a summer’s day on the town.
Slowly Rolling Camera – Juniper
Even without their former vocalist, Slowly Rolling Camera continue to release stellar material. Especially the Latin influences make this a highly enjoyable affair.
Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD
I must admit: I mainly like this record for the lush, hazy instrumentals of the songs. To give credit where it’s due, Scott was always great at selecting beats to work with, and this is no different.
Gas – Rausch
Turn your brain off and let your instincts guide you in this dance with Mother Nature herself. Ambient techno at its finest.
And with that, we have officially reached the end of The Summer Jam 3: Electric Boogaloo! Thank you very much for scrolling through! Wow, that rhymed. I sincerely hope that this article, as well as the ones that came before it, gave you at least a few new and exciting records to spin this summer. Come back next year for hopefully another stellar cast of guest contributors and even more music to discover. Until then, stay safe, and enjoy the remaining days of warmth and sunshine ahead.
