Jack Johnson / Big Sur
The eternally chill singer-songwriter Jack Johnson may have been politically vocal with his last couple of singles off most recent record, All the Light Above It Too. His latest offering Big Sur, however, finds him circling back to his roots as a carefree surf bro/beach bum troubadour. "Behind the wheel against the road/ Next to you the central coast," he sings over breezy acoustic guitar, detailing a drive to his favourite spot. "Again, the lines begin to speak/Words are broken/Smoke signals that will lead us into the light." Right then, guess we'll see you at the beach.
Lula / Jom (Remixed version by Casinotone & OrbitalXX)
Jack Johnson is not the only one who's aware of the therapeutic powers of the sea. Here, bossa nova queen Lula's ode to a beach getaway has just received a sleek, sophisticated house treatment courtesy of Casinotone and OrbitalXX. "Let the ocean embrace my heart/Let it sink," sings Lula over euphoric Balearic beat. "Pain or heartache/Let the sea breeze console me/Let the waves crashing/Bury the sound of you." We must admit that this is a major improvement from the original, which was just a run-of-the-mill pop-rock number.
James Blake / Vincent
British singer-songwriter James Blake has blessed us with his rendition of Don McLean's 1972 single, Vincent. The track, originally written as a tribute to celebrated Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, arrives as a simple piano ballad on which he alludes in his inimitable vocals to the artist's famous painting The Starry Night ("Starry, starry night/ Paint your palette blue and grey") and his much-publicised madness ("Now I understand/ What you tried to say to me/ And how you suffered for your sanity"). A beautiful, solid cover McLean himself would approve.
Avicii / You Be Love
The Swedish DJ/producer may have retired, but we're still fortunate enough to hear new material from him. You Be Love, a collaboration with Canadian rocker Billy Raffoul, appears on this EP released to accompany the Avicii: True Stories documentary. The track itself doesn't digress too far from Avicii's EDM-country crossover bangers such as Wake Me Up and Hey Brother (ft Dan Tyminski), with synths gradually building into an obligatory drop. This is right up the EDM fans' alley.
Rhye / Count To Five
The LA duo Rhye has been teasing us with the music from their forthcoming second album, Blood, since late last year, and Count To Five marks their third following Taste and Please. Staying within the groovier sonic palette of its previous cuts, the song rides on a smooth funk bassline and subtle jazz flourishes. "Bring yourselves to me/ I'm not afraid to hit them … I'll keep you waiting/Make your move first/You kept me waiting/I'll count to five first," frontman Milosh sings in his signature coo that strikes a wholesome balance between sensuous and vulnerable.
