As the days get warmer and the sun starts to come out from behind the clouds, I’ve been looking forward to the music that will make my summer. These are some of my top contenders.
“Rein Me In” by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean
While I’m unsure if this track has gone viral on the whole of TikTok or just my little corner of it, there is no doubt that “Rein Me In” has gone triple platinum on my Apple Music account.
Upbeat and fun, “Rein Me In” is a stellar collaboration between Fender and Dean, each with distinct vocal styles. While there is still quite a bit of time between now and when I choose my song of the summer, I already know this track will be a top contender. Windows down, fresh air streaming through my hair, this track playing. I can already feel the carefree glee in my heart now.
“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine
Every spring, this track makes a reappearance in all of my playlists. Its upbeat nature, dancing beat and carefree attitude are perfect for those first warm days after a long, desolate winter.
In my heart, “Dog Days Are Over” feels like freedom, like breaking out of something that has been holding you back. For me, spring is always the end of a long period of a serious case of seasonal depression. With the reappearance of sunny days, warm afternoons and long hazy nights, my winter blues slip away and I am ready to dance again.
“Dog Days Are Over” is the perfect track for this first dance.
“Back On Me” by West 22nd
After seeing West 22nd open for a Sunroom concert back in October, I became a huge fan of their discography. While I am enamoured with their entire body of work, “Back On Me” has recently been on repeat more often than not.
Reminiscent of a warm beach breeze or a sundown summer drive, “Back On Me” chronicles the trials and tribulations of tumultuous young love. The track has enough groove to keep a good mood going without being too overpowering, giving it a level of versatility that isn’t always present in other songs. This multifaceted nature means that “Back On Me” can easily be the perfect background noise for any kind of hangout.
“grey font theory” by grey font theory
I heard this track for the first time in the background of an Instagram Reel a friend sent me and quickly decided that it was the perfect encapsulation of what it feels like to fall in love.
While “grey font theory,” a simple, minute-and-a-half-long instrumental, has yet to make it into the soundtrack of an A24 coming-of-age film, I figure it’s only a matter of time. I can see it in my head now. The song starts warm and sweet, like the early days of blossoming friendship and a simplistic crush. By the minute mark, these adorable moments of blooming romance have transitioned into a gentle realization, one person realizing that the other is the only one for them. As the song wraps up, that conscious comprehension of love has settled into something cozy and temperate. It’s stupid simple, a beautiful breath of fresh air.