MINNESOTA SOUND - 7/28/21

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Top songs on the Minnesota Sound Playlist.

Moopy “Invincible Under the Sun”
“Invincible Under the Sun” provides plenty of feels for a rainy day, yet there’s something lazily optimistic about the chord progression on the final track of Moopy’s new album “Lily Takes a Nap.” A sleepy drum kit holds down the tempo, melancholy keys and guitars swirl beneath Moopy’s poetic lyricism. Reminiscent of Earl Sweatshirt, this track will leave you intrigued and the album doesn’t disappoint, “Lily Takes a Nap” is an incredible project full of finesse and subtlety.

Ludu “One By One”
“One by One” starts with a gentle, hypnotic melody, a lullaby almost. Singer Laura Lou’s layered vocals are beautiful and haunting. The track builds slowly in intensity thanks to the delicate and measured production of collaborator Bryan Shackle. The track sets you up wanting more and ends in a crescendo that certainly satisfies that desire. This Vocalist/Producer duo are definitely on to something with this formula and you can hear more on their new EP “The Devil Inside” which was released earlier this year.

Victor Shores “Drowning”
Victor Shores keeps Minnesotas pop punk lifeblood alive with their new single “Drowning.” The music video, directed by Parker Hagen, features a nostalgic camcorder aesthetic and finds the band performing in front a slew of iconic Minneapolis landmarks: the grain-belt sign, the stone arch bridge etc. The song features glistening electric guitar and thundering drums. Conversational lyrics like “I’ll ask about your day, and what you had for lunch” are paired with more introspective ones like “I’ll try to care, because you care so much.” The contrast works perfectly.

KPT “Give Up”
“Give Up” is a dark, industrial electronic track featuring eery, confessional whispers and a jarring snare drum sound. A dark ambience swirls around a simple, repetitive kick drum pattern. Drawing on material from his unique live sets, KPT recently released “Obliterate,” an EP that is deeply experimental and will certainly keep you on your toes!

SOLANA “Redondo Beach”
“Redondo Beach” is one of the most uplifting tracks you will hear all year. The nylon strings of SOLANA’S acoustic guitar will transport you straight to the coast, which is exactly where the incredible music video for this song was filmed. Watching SOLANA sing this song is an absolute treat. Laying in the sand by the ocean, SOLANA delivers his crooning romantic vocals over impeccable production that will have you relaxing and thinking of love. SOLANA’S Spotify bio sums it up perfectly: “I like the beach. I like love. I like to sing.”

The Awesome Boys “No Pants at Falbo’s”
“No pants at Falbo’s” is a crazy story set to music. The track sounds more like an interlude than a full fledged song, coming in at track nine off the bands new full length project “What’s It Take?” Quickly after the track begins however, you will become fully engrossed in trying to piece together an epic tale of what appears to center around someone losing their pants and ordering pizza. The track has an unquestioningly DIY vibe to it, sounding somewhat like an improv performance for which someone has unceremoniously tossed a single microphone into the center of the room. While this might not sound like the most professional production technique, it provides a real sense of space and authenticity to the performance that is fascinating and works perfectly with the flow of the album.

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Review by: Jonathan Fuller, Writer @JonnyDarko3
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC