January Music Wrap-Up
- Emma Zoe Polyak
- Jan 31, 2024
- 4 min read
It’s only been a month into the new year, and there have already been several new releases I’m obsessed with. From Nell Mescal’s upbeat single to NewDad’s debut album, 2024 is shaping out to be an exciting year for music. Keep reading to see Zany Wave's top 5 picks of the month, and scroll all the way down for a playlist with all the new releases I loved this month!
“Give Me A Reason Why” by Swim School
Released January 10
Give me a reason not to like this song – you can’t!
Swim School are a three-piece band hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland. With sounds inspired by shoegaze and 90s guitar, the band consists of Alice Johnson, Billy McMahon, and Lewis Bunti. “Give Me A Reason Why” is a triumphant single with compelling vocals on top of a head-banging tune. In fact, its chorus might be my favorite of theirs yet. Swim School have been playing this song live for a while, but it’s finally out on streaming platforms, blessing the ears of listeners around the world. While the song could be taken as a breakup song, Swim School told Clash, “it isn’t necessarily about a romantic relationship. It’s about taking ownership of your own life and making hard choices.” Either way you interpret it, “Give Me A Reason Why” is the perfect song to blast if you’re looking to beat winter blues and get up and move.
If you want to catch Swim School on their first ever UK headline tour, check their dates out here!
“White Ribbons” by NewDad
Released January 11
“White Ribbons” was originally released at the start of January, as the last single from NewDad’s debut album Madra. While there’s so much to love about the album, I settled on “White Ribbons” as my top pick because of its haunting vibe. NewDad, comprised of Julie Dawson, Cara Joshi, Fiachra Parslow, and Sean O’Dowd, really leans into shoegaze on this song. At first listen, it can come across as a simplistic song, but Dawson’s almost child-like voice carries with it a sense of innocence. This compared to the single’s cover with a bloodied white ribbon tied in a bow gives a darker feel to the song. However, when you pay attention to the lyrics, you realize that the song’s message is a bit more hopeful, with Dawson sharing in an interview, “This song is about how no matter how much shit you put your body through, it always finds a way to fix itself, and that’s a very beautiful thing. ‘White Ribbons’ is a metaphor for my skin; something that always heals my wounds. It’s like a promise to my body that I will be kinder to myself.”
The Irish band will embark on a UK and Ireland tour this February and March, concert dates are available here!
“Satellites” by Ellur
Released January 16
“Satellites” has been on repeat since the moment I heard it. It opens with Ellur’s emotional vocals and melancholic piano chords. As the song progresses, we get to hear beautiful strings that only make the song more heartbreaking. This song is a ballad for the hopeless romantics and anyone going through a long-distance relationship. In an interview with analoguetrash, Ellur shares, “In my life I’ve witnessed the disintegration of relationships that seemed so full of love. ‘Satellites’ is a song about that. When approaching the writing with Dan, I told him I wanted to write a song that felt timeless both in lyrics and melody.”
And they achieved that goal; “Satellites” is a song that will stay with me throughout the year. Luckily, Ellur is just getting warmed up. She recently announced her first headline tour in the UK this May, and you can check out her dates here.
“Killing Time” by Nell Mescal
Released January 19
Nell Mescal’s newest single has all the makings of a hit. It’s upbeat yet full of emotion, with a catchy chorus that is built on energetic instrumentals. I fell in love with Mescal’s songs because of her reflective lyrics in “Homesick” and “In My Head”. and “Killing Time” is no different. Its lyrics talk about “looking back on a relationship and wondering if the other person was just as invested or just killing time” explains Mescal.
At only 20 years old, Nell Mescal is another artist to watch this year. The Irish singer has supported artists like Florence + the Machine and Birdy, and she just finished a successful UK tour. She also recently announced her debut EP, Can I Miss it for a Minute? which is set to come out May 3rd.
“In Cards We Trust” by Ocean LeClair
Released January 26
Even though this song only came out a couple of days ago, I had to add it to my list. “In Cards We Trust” is a dreamy song that makes you want to put ribbons in your hair and dance in a meadow. I stumbled across LeClair’s music last year and was hooked by her atmospheric songs that reflect everything magical about being a girl. LeClair embodies the vibes of her songs, and her Instagram aesthetic is to die for. Her songs are my go-to for when I’m doing my hair, going on a walk, or just want to dance in a candle-lit room.
LeClair has supported artists like Suki Waterhouse and Findlay, and I’m eagerly waiting to see her live!
You can listen to all these songs in the playlist below (plus a few more new releases that I loved this month)! Happy listening :)
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