The thing I am learning about myself from these monthly breakdowns, is that I change and evolve very quickly… which I did already know, but now I see the tangible evidence. These last couple months especially, by the time I revisit the full playlists to write these posts, some songs aren’t even in rotation anymore. That doesn’t speak to the quality of the tracks, but purely to how quickly my headspace changes. Anyways, that is a conversational arc which I could explore for hours, and a very interesting one at that, but it is not the reason we are here.
We’re here to breakdown #November2020. Weighing in at 41 songs, it is once again a mixture of old and new, and a melting pot of genres.
Playlist here if you’d like to follow along. Let's get started :)
We start with Ellie Goulding. I checked out Brightest Blue this month. How Deep is Too Deep has a hauntingly beautiful chorus. I’m starting to think it may be better to do video essays because I do struggle to find the words to articulate just how much I FEEL certain tracks or parts of tracks. Woman is one of these tracks. I remember having this song on repeat during a 30-minute drive down the A406. Even the traffic could not phase me, I was so content listening to this one, stunning song. “If I’m losing touch, if I love too much… I’ll just leave it up to chance.. that’s just the woman I am..”
Ellie’s vocals are dreamy.
Flux I had been previously been obsessed with. Well over a year ago even. It is another dreamy track– beautiful lyrics with an equally beautiful piano. I do battle with this song... see, I adore it, but it will make me cry if I think about it too hard, so I can’t listen to it too much. “When I think of you now I just think of the day we met”… damn…
DAMN.
God damnit, I’ve thought too hard. Thankfully, we are being saved by Slow Grenade. To be fair, content wise, this song is still messy however, it has a breezier arrangement going on and a nice little Lauv feature. I very much love most of what Lauv creates so it’s no surprise that I loved this song too. We close out this Ellie Goulding segment with Hate Me, which features the late Juice WRLD.
Next, we have two tracks that have featured in previous months and were very much still in rotation in early November. Forever (Stripped) and Selfish. No explanations are necessary here, it is very much the same as before. Fletcher… you pull me back with this song. I do feel I could love it forever and ever. Thank you. Selfish is what it is– the same still scares me. If I do have a fuckboy phase en route, I am so, so sorry in advance. I don’t know how long it’ll last, I don’t know how bad it’ll be, I can only apologise... very, very sincerely apologise to anyone who may find themselves affected. I am praying for myself and the mental grapple I think this universe is yet to put me through, which I would prefer to be spared from. Hurting others will hurt me far too much.
The next song, BLIND, Da Baby performed at the EMAs and what a vibe it was! Naturally, I then checked out the entire album and FIND MY WAY has a wavy little string intro that I liked.
By Yourself I believe I caught on someone’s IG story. Ty, Jhene AND a Mustard beat? That was always going to be a catchy one.
Then, I felt like listening to Nights Like This again. I remember having this on repeat last year too. Things do just cycle with me. I’ve just had to accept this. It is what it is. I don’t let go of them and they shape me forever. We move.
Thank God for Little Mix because the mood definitely needed to lighten up here and that is exactly what they did with their album Confetti. Between Little Mix: The Search and this album, I have well and truly had my fix of the girls. They also always cycle back. It’s always nice to see and hear them. I genuinely wish the very best for these girls and for them to keep thriving.
Jacob’s Piano is next. These instrumentals made the playlist because I was terribly overstimulated one day, and everything was far too heightened. I needed something to slow me down and bring me back. These songs, along with some mindfulness and deep breaths, really helped me.
Then, it's Lose Somebody. This is such a great tune, everything about it is great. The boys from New Priority sang this on The Search and I thought damn, I did not give this song the flowers it deserved. So I’m doing it now. Better late than never!
I followed up with Lewis Capaldi. Another one who I got to really late. I had a friend who raved about him enough last year yet it took me all this time to get to know. Grace and One deserve a special shout out.
Breathe needs no introduction. "All we do is make up! Then break up." Lol.
Don’t Judge Me featuring Santino Le Saint. You guys know I like Santino. This track with Benny Mayne is a little vibe if that's what you're after. "Devil in a red dress…"
And now we have Sam Smith! Sam. Beautiful, BEAUTIFUL Sam. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a stunning album. I adore the pop sound. Your vocals are divine. So Serious made me laugh on a day where I was feeling all the feels. It was the “crying rivers in the street” line for me, as I was literally crying rivers in the street! To Die For sounds like more like my heart than anything I could possibly create. Thank you for being so vulnerable and sharing this project and piece of your heart with us. I could very literally go on for days but words are just never enough and it's beyond frustrating.
The next track, Virgo, is a 1 minute trippy interlude. Short and sweet.
The Real Thing. I don’t even know anything about this track. I just know I was researching BMG the music company and it was on their website and well, you know me, I vibe with retro :)
Jeremy Zucker is someone whose music I have loved for some time now. This song, wildfire, popped up in my head in the kitchen one day (I don’t know why this happens as much as it does– it’s always the kitchen or the car), and I then had the one song on repeat during a whole car journey. What some would call odd vibes are definitely some of my favourite things to exist.
We then have some Taylor Swift. It’s the first line in the 1 for me. "I’m doing good, I’m on some new shit". Blunt and bespoke. Charming.
Oh God. Look at her now! Selena, my love... this is another song where it is best to simply not get me started because I will rave about the last 20 seconds being the best 20 seconds of pop I have ever, and I mean ever, heard in my life. When I first heard this track last year, I had to look through the producer credits and send my guy a whole Insta DM literally saying exactly what I said here– thank you for the best 20 seconds of pop I have ever heard. It sets my soul on fire. Those last 20 seconds are a -masterpiece-.
Speaking of masterpieces, Monster is exactly that. Shawn Mendes, I am so excited for this new era of yours. Songs like Monster are the reason I love music as much as I do. They capture what I sometimes haven’t yet figured out how to say.
November is closed out by Mnelia (you’ll probably know her from Say Yeah). Back To You and Shoot are my personal favourites from the “After 6” EP. Being honest though, I was expecting the Nelly & Kelly sample in Shoot and it did upset me when it wasn’t that.
And that is a wrap on November! I have moved into #December2020 which you can find here. I'm excited for this month... it feels like magic.
If you made it this far thank you and you know what, do say hi on the socials or even the Youtube channel! I've been missing social interaction with creatives for a minute now.
Sending you lots all the love and well wishes in the world.
Love you beyondddddd measure!!!!
Stay safe and healthy,
- rique
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