Our first installment was so popular that it spawned a sequel! Here are 10 more tracks that sound like summer, culled from new and unreleased albums. From lapping waves to happy beats, this is music to play in the Jeep, on the beach, or as the score to a backyard barbeque. We hope that you enjoy our brand new selection of summer music, presented here in listening order!
pxl sequence ~ Beach
Waves! Gulls! Strings! This beautiful track is taken from the recently released Seas EP, and offers a cool invitation to spend a day at the shore. The orchestral elements make the music sound like lovers lost and reunited, running on the sand in slow motion and collapsing into each other’s arms.
Aaron Martin ~ An Ocean Moves You
This brief but beautiful track is taken from the soundtrack to the award winning film short Adam, and brings to mind the peace of waiting for a wave, while realizing that it’s not the wave that counts, but the surrender to the moment.
Slow Meadow ~ Clouds, Not Clocks (Hammock Music)
Slow Meadow has been releasing music quietly on a regular basis, with three double-sided singles already this year. We recommend all of them. While it was hard to choose which track to include in this feature, the cover and title of the latest release convinced us. “Clouds, Not Clocks” starts slowly but blooms in its closing minute. The track reminds us of how summertime helps us to trade clock watching for cloud watching. Gavin Pretor-Pinney would be proud.
Ólafur Arnalds feat SOHN ~ unfold (Mercury KX)
The trickling water that runs throughout the track is a reminder of summer, and of course we’re super excited to hear new music from one of our favorite artists. And then there’s the haunting ocean video below. “untold” is the lead track from re:member, due August 24.
Pariah ~ Linnaea (Houndstooth)
Linnaea is a plant in the honeysuckle family, and anyone who has honeysuckle near their home has a treasure. This liquid track is like a childhood walk that leads to an unexpected trove of sweet treats. Pariah’s debut album, Here From Where We Are, is set for release on July 13.
Thorns ~ Sakura
“Sakura” is another track inspired by flora. The title may mean cherry blossom, but this track is so happy that it sounds more like summer. Bells and handclaps surround vocal loops and hard beats to form a pleasing whole. The full Visions EP is free to download by clicking through the link below.
Somni ~ Girl (Friends of Friends)
“Girl” is the second single to be culled from the incredible collection Bloom, set for release on August 17. This track begins with a girl’s laugh and continues with whistles and unexpected beats. The full album is mixed like an Avalanches or Bonobo set ~ it’s a true summer treat.
Zach Abramson, Derek Muro and David Perlick-Molinari ~ Surfing On Glass (You Too Can Woo)
This exuberant track from the recently reviewed score to David Carson: All for a Few Good Waves is percussive and upbeat. Vibraphone and electronics carry the listener like a surfer on a friendly breaking wave. The sea may look like glass, but this setting is free of shards.
Maribou State feat. Khruangbin ~ Feel Good (Counter Records)
The lead single from the upcoming Kingdoms in Colour (September 7) is reminiscent of New Order, with a bass line that draws from surf music and Peter Hook. Catchy vocal fragments bounce on the drums like children with their hands raised after somebody asks, “Who wants ice cream?”
Orbital ~ Tiny Foldable Cities (ACP)
The album won’t be out until September 14, but for now we’ve got this amazing track and video that sends us right back to “The Box.” It’s a remarkable return for the duo, who seem to have recaptured their golden years while plunging deep into the current climate. Welcome back, boys!
Richard Allen
a closer listen 