Each week, Audio Taste Test serves up an obscure and independent playlist for your evening, tantalizing your musical palate with flavors from all different soundscapes. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Thursday.
As the temperatures continue to drop, staying indoors by a cozy fireplace (or with the heat cranked up) seems more and more appealing. That’s why this episode featured “My Soul,” the groovy collaboration of Bblanco & Zulu. It’s a song with 2000s-era R&B rhythms paired with rap to create an intimate backdrop perfect for slow dancing at a low-key basement party.
If you’d like a little more movement to stay warm, we’ve got “Bloody Mary” from New Orleans metal/hardcore band BRAT’s highly anticipated second album, Manslayer. Vocalist Liz Selfish’s guttural rebellion against abuse and the patriarchy spans 17 tracks, weaponizing rage and balancing melodies to create an environment of headbanging bliss.
From warm and sultry Nigeria, “The Duke of Highlife” Fanzy Papaya dropped “Highlife Rockstar,” a track padded with the traditional sounds of Highlife mixed with warm synths for a go-to feel-good vibe. For a different kind of feels, “Good for Me” from pop-punkers The Paradox transport us back to the heyday of Good Charlotte and blink-182.
Finally for this warming feast, we’ve got a double helping of dessert. French electro-beatmaker Degihuegi blends hip-hop and trip-hop on his track “Favelas” that makes me feel like I’m getting down on a beach in the tropics somewhere. Then L.A. reggae/rocksteady band Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos serve their own soulful melodies with “‘Til You’re Gone.”
Happy tasting!
Episode playlist
- Bblanco & Zulu, "My Soul"
- Hypnotic Tonic, "In My Dreams"
- Ter Rewat, "Mun Plak De Na"
- Brånd, "Födweg"
- Dean Blunt, "August Echo"
- BRAT, "Bloody Mary"
- The Paradox, "Good for Me"
- Ankara Echoes, "Eyvah Meyvah"
- The Moving Stills, "Rock Band"
- Four Tet, "Baby"
- Ethan French, "reckless and arranged - day 56"
- Fanzy Papaya, "Hada"
- Degiheugi, "Favelas"
- FrontnBack, "Odogwu"
- Devon Parkin, "Gutterball"
- Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, "Til You"re Gone"
- Fujimaru Band, "Paper Machine"
- Tonique & Man, "Your Lovin"
