This summer brought many amazing albums such as Charli xcx’s ‘BRAT’, JPEGMAFIA’s ‘I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU’ and Dua Lipa’s ‘Radical Optimism’. With the release of all these new records, summer has been full of great music. It seems as if there is something new to listen to in nearly every genre.
By far one of the most beloved albums this summer season is BRAT by Charli xcx. This EDM-pop fusion record brought some of 2024’s biggest hits, with songs like 360, Apple, and 365. In addition to being one of the most popular releases this year, it has also inspired trends such as the Apple dance trend on TikTok, and it gave the summer months the title ‘Brat summer’.
“Of all its triumphs, BRAT’s most impressive has been its accessibility as an album for the people– not just the pretty girls, the confident dancers, or the internet socialites, but anyone who wants to join the fun. BRAT makes you feel like you are part of the party just by being you,” C. Pinkerson, an author for Los Angeles Magazine, said.
More recently, experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA has released his new album, ‘I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU’. This record takes a more cinematic approach to his music, utilizing more string and synthesizer centered production. Unlike his more experimental projects like ‘Black Ben Carson’ or ‘Veteran’, JPEGMAFIA uses this LP to talk more about his mental state and recent events. Although it is not as upbeat or marketable as other albums released this summer, it has not failed to impress listeners.
“On I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, JPEG entrenches himself in the agitator role. The follow-up to his 2023 collaboration with Danny Brown is blanketed in frenetic energy, as if JPEG can’t decide where to aim first. On I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU, it feels as though he’s tearing in 30 directions at once, incorporating a dizzying mix of genres seemingly at random,” Matthew Ritchie, a reviewer on Pitchfork, said.
Dua Lipa’s ‘Radical Optimism’ is her third studio album, maintaining the pop-disco fusion sound that her 2020 project ‘Future Nostalgia’ adopted. ‘Radical Optimism’ focuses on storytelling; it tells many different stories across various tracks, as opposed to telling one story across the whole record. Songs like ‘These Walls’ and ‘Maria’ feature very descriptive writing with help from the bubbly instrumentals, with hits like ‘Houdini,’ ‘Training Season’ and ‘End Of An Era.’ The album features very synthesizer focused production to better add to the 80’s inspired sound.
“The album was great. It was well written, catchy, and she sounded awesome. It also truly reflected her thoughts and emotions which is what takes an album to the next level,” Eva Schwartz, sophomore, said.
Although they have not yet released an album, Biking With Francis is a music group that perfectly captures the summertime feel. With their latest EP, ‘SUNROOF,’ they continue their rap/r&b fusion music, taking heavy inspiration from artists like Tyler, The Creator and Redveil. Songs like ‘CERBERUS,’ ‘END’ and ‘COWGRIL’ are perfect for summer with their light feel and vocal style.
“Somewhere between the jazzy bedroom pop of Rex Orange County, the new age funk/neo-soul stylings of Steve Lacy, and the oddball raps of Brockhampton, it’s easy to get lost in the group’s dreamy synths and clever instrumentation,” Cameron Lee, reporter for CLTURE, said.
Ranging from underground to topping the charts, there is something for everyone to listen to this summer. 2024 has been a great year for new music, and it will only get better with time.
