3 Artists that Deserve a Spot on your Weekly Rotation
By: Nadya Barghouty
Around every two weeks, I begin to find myself unsatisfied with my daily rotation of roughly 50 songs. For a while, I just thought I was losing my attention span from the countless hours of mindless TikTok scrolling or looking at work spreadsheets on my computer. While those things may be partially true, finding new genres, artists, or songs is one of my favorite hobbies. Beyond my Spotify discover weekly, I try to attend local gigs to gauge the scene in my area or follow the work of up-and-coming producers to stay current. That being said, I spend a lot of time searching so you don’t have to. Here are three artists that deserve to be on your rotation:
Enumclaw
Photo: Colin Matsui
This indie alt rock band from Tacoma, Washington is on the cusp of hitting it big, or maybe they already have. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you would believe Toro Y Moi who was sporting their merch during his performance at Capitol Hill Block Party this past July. My favorite tracks are either “Jimmy Neutron” or “2002.” The almost dreary ambience and whiny vocals hark back to 90s grunge rock, while still sounding resoundingly current. “Jimmy Neutron” begins similarly to a midwestern emo song with the conversational intro leading into a drum count; However, Enumclaw seems to gravitate much more towards alt-noise rock, than the pop punk emo scene. The lyrics are simple, which make these songs perfect to scream in your car or in the shower. Enumclaw’s debut album, Save The Baby, is set to come out this fall on October 14. You can also catch Enumclaw touring with pop-punk powerhouse Illuminati Hotties this fall across North America.
Check out Enumclaw!
quinnie
Was it just me who had quinnie’s latest track “touch tank” teased on their TikTok feed hundreds of times? While this song may be something you are aware of, I want to highlight the rest of quinnie’s discography. For example, the title track “gold star” continually rips my heart out every time I press play. She is able to describe interactions with such delicate precision that make the songs even more intense. Her intimate, borderline stream of consciousness lyricism creates gutting yet relatable songs. Soft and sexy, “touch tank” is one of quinnie’s most popular songs and for good reason. At the track's core, it is a mushy love song with a catchy chorus that makes you feel warm inside. Haunting vocals and ambient acoustics make quinnie’s songs perfect for early morning or late night reflection. I cannot say, however, that I haven’t been teary eyed to “gold star” walking to Trader Joes in the mid-afternoon. You can pre-save quinnie’s next single “man” on Spotify now!
Check out Quinnie!
Louke Man
Toronto-based DJ and producer Louke Man is very elusive. They have no Spotify or SoundCloud bio and a limited social media presence. What they do have, however, is an addicting debut electronic album Sd-1. While house music never necessarily went away, there has definitely been a resurgence in layered, beat heavy, dance music in the North American mainstream. House music has found itself intersecting much more with popular culture with albums like Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind or Beyonce’s Renaissance. Not only that, but doesn’t it seem like there is a general influx of all your college friends going to raves? Sd-1 is a refreshing mix of noise and simplicity. Tracks like “Pulled Apart” are mellowed out lo-fi beats, while other tracks like “Shadows” have more bubbly rhythms and conflicting layers. Louke Man shows their skill as a DJ by sampling well-known popular songs like Billie Eilish and Khalid’s “Lovely” without sacrificing their own sound. I recommend putting Sd-1 on when you want to dance around your apartment with friends or cram a day's worth of work into one hour.
Check out Louke Man!
