With a new EP, What It Is, arriving August 6 on RCA Records and a hometown show on tour with Icona Pop on August 30 at the Fillmore, Bay Area rapper K.Flay shares her current favorite songs of summer.
The San Francisco rapper and vocalist’s open-minded, genre-hopping musical personality is likely attributable to early exposure to Parliament Funkadelic and independent female artists like Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill and Fiona Apple. Her personal favorites this summer are equally diverse, with anything from psychedelic rock to mainstream pop in regular rotation. Check out K.Flay’s top five summer jams below along with a bit of personal commentary about each track:
Disclosure – “Confess to Me”
I Heard of these guys about a year ago and their new album has a great uptempo, summer feel. There is just a bit a little darkness, but still it has the uptempo house vibe. Their whole album (Settle) is good.
Vampire Weekend – “Diane Young”
I know everyone likes this, but Vampire Weekend’s new album is complex and diverse. This is definitely my favorite record that they’ve done so far as its most in the line with my personal tastes—the vocal experimentation and summery effects. It’s always interesting to see tools used in a novel capacity.
Tame Impala – “Feels Like We’re Only Going Backwards”
I’m obsessed with this and I probably listen to it everyday. It’s probably one of the best songs in the past two years It’s a throwback, but still new and fresh at the same time. The album (Lonerism) as a whole is solid and the pop song structure is perfect for driving, biking and walking. I’m not normally into psychedelic rock, but I can’t get enough of this song.
Gesaffelstein – “Pursuit”
This has such a sinister sound, like a summer jam for the goths. He’s a really good producer who in this track creates a new and different industrial sound with swirling energy. The video for it is amazing, crazy long and shot super moody.
Selena Gomez – “Come and Get It”
I confess: I’m in love with SG. Her single—it’s like I only want to hear that song and I’m not sure why. I have heard it so many times and I still want to hear it again. It’s such a pop summer jam that makes me want to commit a crime. It makes you feel like everything will be OK.
What’s your favorite summer jam? Share it in our comments section.