Music can often soundtrack the best moments of ones life. No matter what the occasion is, music can be a memorable and vital part. As summer rolls around, here are some albums to help it start to feel like summer.
Since I Left You
Since I Left You is the debut album by Plunderphonics duo The Avalanches. Plunderphonics (often called samplepedia) is a genre where songs are constructed by sampling recognizable musical works. One of the aspects that make this album incredibly unique is the list of samples which is estimated to go up to 3,500 throughout the album, with samples from Madonna, The Isley Brothers, and De La Soul, among many others. With this long list of influences and musicians, the album carefully balances each sound and note into a summery soundscape. Songs like Since I Left You and Two Hearts in ¾ Time immediately bring feelings of love and happiness to the forefront to captivate the listener. Similarly, the song Electricity feels like a party at night, with pulsing synths and an amazing drum loop. Although this album is made up of previous songs, these sounds put together make up a beautiful tapestry.
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You: Caroline Polacheck
By far the most recent album on this list, (only coming out this February), this album carries a sunny and beachy vibe. The album starts with Welcome to My Island, and here Caroline Polacheck brings us to her world with her howling vocals immediately enchanting the listener. The song Sunset features a prominent flamenco guitar lead which practically brings the listener to the beach with a loved one to watch the sunset together. Throughout the album, Caroline plays with pop leanings by enchanting and manipulating them to make an off-kilter yet extremely enjoyable listen.
Pet Sounds: Beach Boys
A list of music that evokes a summer feeling cannot be truly finished without the Beach Boys. One of, if not the most, important musical acts of all time, the pop group led by musical genius Brian Wilson helped evoke the modern age of albums as a musical expression. On their 1966 magnum opus, Brian Wilson and his crew of surfer buddies create what is commonly known as one of the first concept albums about the falling apart of a relationship. Although the themes of heartbreak might not seem very summer-like, the harmonies and instrumentation bring it around. Songs like Wouldn’t It Be Nice and You Still Believe in Me craft an immaculate beach feel, with the harmonies in each song meticulously crafted. The latter song God Only Knows also features these harmonies, albeit on a much slower song. On this song, however, the major theme of love covers the entire song, with it often being considered the greatest song ever written. Although it can be a little sad as the album get closer to its end, it’s hard to admit many other songs feel more like the sunny days of the summer.