Some of you may be aware that we actually curate playlists all the time over on Soundcloud. (If there’s demand, we’ll do the same on Spotify.) These lists are specially crafted with under-the-radar artists in mind, so you’re not going to find top-40 artists on our lists. We are going to reset our lists for the summer (starting next week), so let’s run down a few of them here.
Our Americana playlists features a wide range of music that covers everything from blues rock to chilled out singer songwriters. We loosely define Americana as anything that has a basis in American forms of music. That said, highlights from Lion Sphere, Wake Child, and Underhill Family Orchestra should prick up your ears here.
When it comes to rock, there are as many styles as there are bands out there. So how do we decide what makes the list? Well some might call it completely subjective; it’s all about the ear of the editor. That said, I tend to look for a melodic kind of rock that doesn’t veer too far from the canon. Keep your ears out for SPINN, GRDNS, and the Yada Yada Yadas.
Singer songwriters can be all over the place. Sometimes they are contemplative and acoustic, other times being supported by a full band or full board of electronic elements. That said, what makes them unique is the style of writing and often what some call “storytelling.” We look for talented artists who can craft an idea and an image sonically that we find pleasing. Check out the Duke of Norfolk, David Gorman, and Max Garcia Conover especially.
Finally we have the folk list. Some of you might argue that most of these could either fit into Americana or singer songwriter. Just hush, okay? We like them altogether here. In fact, it’s often a pretty quick call in categorizing these. What makes good folk music is often about the style of delivery and instrumentation. In any event, we’re hoping you’ll give Marmalakes, Francis Luke Accord, and Jeremy Messersmith a listen at the very least.
