For many Australians in university and school, it is time, or almost time, to break for the summer. Once those finals are done, you can finally relax and have a moment with fewer worries. For those of us not in school, we can use these songs to look forward to the weekend, or remind us to look forward to anything, really. Perhaps you are seeing this after or during the holidays, and need something to remind yourselves to breathe and smile through your relatives asking why you aren’t married yet. Either way, here’s a playlist to dance to and let out a mental sigh of relief.
1. Cashmere Cat – Throw Myself a Party ft. 2 Chains, Tory Lanez, and Starrah
You’re through what it is you were going through. And now it’s time to throw yourself a party. This incredible track was the second single off of Cashmere Cat’s upcoming project Wild Love, and promises great things coming.
2. Ryan Hemsworth – Burying the Sun
Whatever it was that you needed to bury, leave it behind. This song from Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth is a beautiful journey, from it’s gentle softness to jumpy percussion, this odd yet beautiful song will help us bury our demons.
3. Yogi – Blow You Up ft. AlunaGeorge
This is a song purely designed to make you feel good. Yogi is known best for his harder works, such as the classic song Burial with Skrillex, Trollphace, and Pusha T, but this softer side made for a rather infectious beat.
4. EPROM and G Jones – Warrior
To contrast our last track, we have possibly some of the hardest, soul-crushing trap released this year. Eprom’s iconic subterranean bass sound and G Jones’ expertise birthed an absolute banger fit to make you feel like a warrior.
5. Nick Murphy – Fear Less
Nick Murphy, previously known as Chet Faker, released this as his first single on his project with a new name. This building intensity with the voice and production we all know and love bring us less fear and we look forward to what he’ll do next.
6. Flosstradamus and TroyBoi – Soundclash
“A sound clash enough to heal ya” indeed. After America’s election and after a hard semester at school or day at work, we could all use some healing. The immediately recognizable trap styles of Flosstradamus and TroyBoi expertly mix to create something that’s become a staple in the sets and libraries of many.
7. Willow Beats – From Under the Ground
A bit of an indie flair from one of Australia’s best female-led electronic duos. Lead singer Kalyani’s vocals are reminiscent of a siren song, and this bouncy, almost hip-hop style beat blends well with this floating melodic voice.
8. Major Lazer – Night Riders ft. Travi$ Scott, 2 Chainz, Pusha T & Mad Cobra)
Major Lazer has become something of a worldwide force, and the song Lean On became the most streamed song on Spotify of all time. This song is a perfect way to blend electronic, reggae, and hip hop without outshining the vocalists, creating a song about getting what you want and having the best night ever with none of the cheesy.
9. RL Grime – Core (Djemba’s Selassie Bootleg)
Perhaps you’ve heard Core by RL Grime, or maybe you have and you didn’t know it. Now, not just anyone can remix one of the most iconic trap songs of all time, but Djemba Djemba, who’s done production for names like Sia, Chris Brown, and Alison Wonderland, did it successfully without removing any of the song’s original flair, and that flip near the end is an absolute killer.
10. Flume – Free
As the end to a playlist to a song about relief, we had to have the one song that makes us feel freest of all. This song is a release to bad energy, a new clarity or beginning from Australia’s own, who has had one of the biggest years of his life following the release of his sophomore album, Skin. Listen below.
This is a playlist meant for nothing but enjoyment, to get a taste of many genres and let go of our inhibitions and stressors for a half hour or so.