Monthly Tune-Up is back with the best new LGBTQ2S+ music released during the month of August! With September comes the end of summer, but I’ve got an eclectic bundle of songs to blast on repeat as you unwind in the last few weeks of remaining sunny days ahead. From buoyant punk rock artists like Pale Waves and WILLOW to smooth electropop and dance tunes coming from KAYTRANADA and Phoebe Green, indulge yourself in some musical queer goodness.
“Unwanted”—Pale Waves
British indie band Pale Waves knows how to pay homage to angsty early ’00s rock, and the song “Unwanted” off of their new album of the same name proves it. The band’s gay frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie cheerfully sings about ditching an ex who mistreated her in the past, leaving them as unwanted as they made her feel in their relationship. The guitars and percussion of this track have that classic pop-punk sound that whines and crashes over Baron-Gracie’s bright vocals, delightfully reminiscent of Avril Lavigne or Liz Phair. “Unwanted” may be a break-up song in theory, but it’ll leave you feeling strident instead of wallowing away in sadness.
“HORNY”—Pussy Riot featuring Phoebe Ryan
Everyone’s favourite Russian feminist performance art collective, Pussy Riot, is back with a new project. Their mixtape Matriarchy Now has a dance-pop sound, a stark departure from their notable punk rock. The group paired up with singer Phoebe Ryan on “HORNY,” a glitzy and bombastic pop track, and the lyrical content is pretty self-explanatory here—women like to fuck, and they’ll declare it from the rooftops proudly! Coquettish vocals flirt and seduce listeners over a booming bass and cheeky xylophones ringing in the background. It may not be subtle, but who needs that when you have raunchy pop fun?
“Twin Flame”—KAYTRANADA featuring Anderson .Paak
Nobody does electronic and funk-fused dance jams like gay DJ and producer KAYTRANADA, also known as Louis Celestin. His signature slick and smooth production along with rapping from frequent collaborator and friend Anderson .Paak guarantees a great earworm. “Twin Flame” is exactly that, a smoky, sexy house and R&B song that emits a loose and leisure vibe. Celestin adds his own flourishes and magic over a sample of Sister Sledge’s “One More Time” while Paak raps soulfully about his perfect lover, just as the song’s title suggests. The cyclical piano and repetitive beats are perfect for getting lost on a dance floor, whether you’re dancing with your own twin flame or going at it solo.
“hover like a GODDESS”—WILLOW
Ever since WILLOW pivoted to a rock- and punk-oriented sound in her music career within the past couple of years, the bisexual singer-songwriter has produced nonstop uptempo bangers that sound straight out of the mid-2000s pop-punk era. Her new single “hover like a GODDESS” is the latest addition to that roster. This time, a dash of ska influence has been thrown into the mix, evident on the jumpy guitars and bouncy bassline chugging on and driving the song forward. WILLOW’s vocals move from shouty and fiery to soft and liquid smooth, much like the jarring frenzy of love and lust she’s singing about. “hover like a GODDESS” is passionate and punchy, but will still manage to get you in your lovelorn feelings.
“This Bitch Matters”—Doechii
Here’s a perplexing question as old as time—why are all of the best and catchiest songs always under two minutes long? Doechii has added to this mystery with the one-minute-and-40-second “This Bitch Matters” from her new EP she / her / black bitch. The queer rapper has been having a year full of success, and this short but impactful track is a shining example of the artistry behind that. Doechii’s relaxed flow over an old-school ’90s beat, in the same vein as a Lauryn Hill song, is emotional and confessional while still keeping a laid-back charm. She paints a picture of aimlessly riding the subway searching for meaning and love. It’s the perfect track to play for those wistful, end-of-summer evenings.
“Leach”—Phoebe Green
Electropop singer-songwriter Phoebe Green’s “Leach” off her album Lucky Me is a song that sonically resembles its title—dark, eerie and creeping with mystery. The queer British artist captures an ’80s synthpop energy on this track, with heavy, disjointed stacatto synths on top of a softer one that slithers in the background like a snake. “Leach” could have come directly out of an old (albeit gayer) John Carpenter horror movie—Green depicts herself as a bloodthirsty creature who warns her prey of her destructive forces before feeding on them. It’s a unique electronic track that feels both like something modern and a throwback at the same time, and Green orchestrates the old and the new to work in tandem seamlessly.
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