10 Tracks to Start Your Summer

Summer is finally here!  To kick off the new season, we’ve chosen ten of the sunniest instrumental-based songs around.  These are tracks to play while getting ready to go out, driving to the beach, playing Can Jam or simply relaxing in the back yard with a barbecue and a good group of friends.  We’ve stored up a few surprises, as 8 of these tracks make their site debut in this feature!  So grab the towel, the cooler and the listening device, and enjoy!  A happy and healthy summer to all of our readers ~ may you be able to handle every wave that comes your way!

Astrobal ~ Everybody loves the sunrise (Karaoke Kalk)
Waking up is tough, but when a beautiful vacation day beckons, all it takes is a cup of coffee and an open blind to get one started.  The first half of the track is quiet, but the song bursts into bloom at the halfway mark.

Smileswithteeth ~ Now It’s Thunders
Bring on the cowbells!  This track bursts with exuberance and sounds like a house filled with happy children.  Who cares if it’s thundering outside?  It’s thundering inside.

Lapsihymy ~ Everything is holy!
Young Finnish sensation Lapsihymy has already released four EPs this year, enough to comprise an album.  This is from his third ~ a soothing, laid-back track that exudes calm.

Bassnectar ~ Reaching Out
One of three lead tracks from this week’s new Bassnectar album, “Reaching Out” is a perfect mood setter for the remainder of the set ~ a sci-fi beat blast meant to put listeners into orbit.

Lo Tide ~ Hustle (Nuages)
The artist’s moniker says it all.  Low tide brings the waves, the bodysurfing, the beach glass, the sand.  And the vibraphone of this piece provides it with a super summer vibe.

Gold Panda ~ Time Eater (City Slang)
Gold Panda’s Japanese sojourn bleeds into his music, never more apparent than on the chimes of “Time Eater”, which makes a fine introduction to the new album, Good Luck and Do Your Best.

Robin Buyer Sextet ~ Shelter (Odd Gift)
The lead single from the sextet’s debut album Leave is a sunny slice of jazz-pop-rock, highlighted by horns and a sense of confidence seldom heard this early in a band’s career.

Factory Floor ~ Dial Me In (DFA)
The album won’t be out until August, but until then, we’ve got this dark club teaser, marked by steady drums, insistent bass and a sense of slow-growing energy.

Quantum Milkshake ~ Colossal Opening
This Australian mega-band contains dozens of members on orchestral and groove instruments, and “Colossal Opening” makes a spectacular entrance to their new album Determination.  This is the sound of everything happening at once, with a nod to early Chicago.

Le Gros Ballon ~ Iceberg, Stop! (casamedusa/Hashtag)
With this title, one would expect the song to be wintry; instead, it’s a summer stormer, a pure piece of post-rock party music, replete with bass drums, handclaps, horns, la-la-las and the sound of water.

Richard Allen