Ever since my first job at MTV working as a music programmer, I can't stop trying to match people with music they might like. So, I wrote a book called Record Collecting for Girls and started interviewing musicians. The Music Concierge is a column where I share music I'm listening to that you might enjoy, with a little context. Get everything I've recommended this year on Spotify, follow me on Twitter or Facebook, and leave a comment below telling me what you're listening to this week.
Tennis "Runner"
Alaina Moore and Tennis are back, to the delight of bloghouse lovers (like myself). Her delicate voice, with all its grace and fragility, is one I love to hear. I could use some light, delightful pop on my playlist — this duo couldn't have come back at a better time.
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Σtella "Monster"
Let's mix it up with a little pop music, but make it Greek. Σtella explores whether or not to love the monster inside or lock it away in this haunting track with a beat that will not be denied. There's a child-like vibe to the beats here, as if they're played on children's instruments, that makes them all the more trippy.
Marlaena Moore "Imposter"
Imposter syndrome — way too many of you reading this are dealing with it right now, including me. Moore nails that sense of "fooling everyone," but being a bit high strung while doing it. Her song speaks to that moment of anxiety, when nerves start to jangle at the thought of taking on something I'm not sure I'm qualified to do.
Lou Roy "Ari Knew Before Me"
This dark, moody music accompanies a lovely song about someone who told Roy they had a crush on her before Roy had discovered her bisexuality. The wistfulness you hear is Roy imagining what could have happened between them, if she had been ready for it. Her deep voice and the high-pitched guitar part in the melody hammer home that sense of two things being together, but apart.
Japan, Man "Broke The Law"
Japan, Man is the project of a 15-year-old artist from Beirut. While the song is about feeling persecuted for expressing yourself, the musical references are so fresh and new (perhaps because she grew up in Lebanon) that listening to this is like nothing else on the indie scene right now. Grab a fresh glass of water and go in for something gorgeous and different with this track.