Early summer is filled with anticipation, while late summer is graced by a sense of melancholy. We’re in mid-summer now, caught between the two extremes. These dog days are characterized by heat, haze and humidity, which have already produced heat waves on both sides of the pond. We’ve gone from longing for summer to wondering if we have too much of it.
Meanwhile, August is vacation time in Europe, a last hurrah before school and work resume. The cars are packed, the rentals are booked, the kids are covered with sunscreen, and we’re ready to enjoy some new tunes. In deference to the summer’s phases, our first ten tracks leaned toward the electronic, while this second batch leans toward the ambient. All offerings are new, some from as-yet unreleased albums.
Our cover image is taken from Niclas Lundqvist’s “Hushed Lake,” a deep cut from Summer Memories Vol. 1 on Echoes Blue / Silent Sonic Records. We hope you’ll enjoy our selection of Ten MORE Tracks That Sound Like Summer, presented in recommended listening order!
Go Outside ~ Goldenrod (Echoes Blue / Silent Sonic Records)
Taken from Summer Memories Vol. 1, this peaceful piece folds in the sound of birdsong, and serves as the introduction to a gorgeous summer morning. Goldenrod begins to bloom in late summer, so the first flowers should be appearing anytime soon!
Playback Head ~ Late Summer Trees (Hotham Sound)
Music boxes are the highlight of this piece, taken from the album Bodies of Water. While all of the album’s tracks expand on the feelings associated with water, this one produces a sense of childlike innocence and play, beginning with the very first click of the cassette.
Scree ~ August (Ruination Record Co.)
Isn’t it nice when a band – in this case a languid post-rock nonet – releases an album or track in its season? “August” is the title track of the band’s second album, released 22 August. As their debut album was titled Jasmine on a Night in July, it’s safe to say that Scree loves the season!
Almost an Island ~ In Light Of (Past Inside the Present)
The highlight track of the just-released self-titled album from Almost An Island, “In Light Of” is enhanced by pedal steel and a late, light vocal line that urges listeners to “slow it down,” perfect advice for all times of year, but especially for summer, when rest and rejuvenation are essential.
Birds in the Brickwork ~ Houses Facing Seawards (Wayside & Woodland)
Billed as “5 pieces of music for 5 photographs taken by the Welsh Coast,” Coastal Study #1 is a peaceful postcard set and a reminder that summer can be pensive. The calm guitar is like an unhurried walk on the beach, nowhere to go, nowhere to be, lost in the moment.
Coco Francavilla ~ Re-oceaning (Music for the Sea)
The title track of Coca Francavilla’s recent EP is also a call to ocean awareness. The new imprint Music for the Sea, based in Ibiza, supports efforts to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. The track includes whale song and a growing sense of awareness and engagement.
David Boulter ~ The Cinder Track (Clay Pipe Music)
Taken from the EP Whitby, “The Cinder Track” traces a walk on the old Cinder Line on England’s North Yorkshire Coast, where David Boulter felt an incredible sense of centering. The EP offers an escape from the mad rush of humanity by nudging the listener into the peace of nature.
Sven Wunder ~ Daybreak (Piano Piano Records)
Sven Wunder’s sea-themed album Daybreak will be out on September 26; the title track is one of the early singles. The brief piece revels in the reappearance of the sun, the dew on the leaves and the promise of a new day.
unitrΔ_Δudio ~ Summer Somewhere (Onionwave)
The title track from unitrΔ_Δudio’s fourth album, “Summer Somewhere” glitters and then grows, transitioning from ambience into blissful beats. Even if summer seems to be slipping away from us, it’s always summer somewhere, an encouragement to those who feel the days shrinking and want to extend that summer feeling for as long as possible.
Disiniblud ~ Disiniblud (Smugglers Way)
The new duo of Rachika Nayar & Nina Keith, Disiniblud honors the playful spirit of Sigur Rós and múm, while their debut record is an excursion into innocence, as bright as a kaleidoscope and as ebullient as a sunshower. The title track rings with gratitude for all that has passed and all that is to come.
Richard Allen
a closer listen 