Gemma Cockrell
Impact’s music editor Gemma Cockrell provides the soundtrack to your summer 2022, with ten of her favourite summer songs.
Hypnotized – KAWALA
Nothing screams summer more than the sweet sounds of indie pop, and KAWALA have got you covered, with this track from their debut album ‘Better With You’. With the airy strums of acoustic guitar, and the incredibly catchy chorus that will remain in your head for days, Hypnotized is the perfect laidback anthem for the summer months.
Everybody In The UK – THE GOA EXPRESS
Another band whose name is stylised in all caps, and another acoustic guitar led indie pop tune; the next track on my list is the recently released Everybody In The UK by THE GOA EXPRESS. A relatively new band to the scene, with this only being their fifth single that they have released to date, THE GOA EXPRESS definitely deserve more recognition.
Female Lead – Honeyglaze
Honeyglaze are another fairly new up-and-coming band, and their fourth single Female Lead is third on my list, a narrative track about a botched hair dye job.
Their self-titled debut album is set for release at the end of the month, and they are touring with Wet Leg in May, so if you’d like a head start before the hype around them builds even more, I can’t recommend Female Lead enough.
Vitamins – ELIO
Straying away from the indie pop sound and going down the pop route now, ELIO is one of my favourite pop artists currently, and her latest single Vitamins continues to prove why. The track is about having a healthy infatuation with a significant other, absolutely perfect to soundtrack the excitement of a whirlwind summer romance.
Talk – Beabadoobee
Beabadoobee is building up to her sophomore album ‘Beatopia’ with its lead single Talk, the next song on my list. This is my favourite song of hers to date – maybe because of the lyric about going out on Tuesdays, a day you will often find me out at Rescue Rooms – but also because it feels like she has truly mastered her 90s inspired alt pop sound.
Amoeba – Clairo
A languorous, easy-going listen – perfect for lazy sunny days
A less recently released track than the rest of the list so far is Clairo’s Amoeba, taken from her 2021 album ‘Sling’. I did enjoy this album when it was released, but it has grown on me even more over time, and this track’s instrumental is one of its catchiest moments. It is a languorous, easy-going listen – perfect for lazy sunny days.
Solar Power – Lorde
Another song that is actually from last summer rather than 2022, but still fits this list perfectly, is Lorde’s Solar Power, taken from the album of the same name. This album was very divisive, criticised by fans and critics alike, and while it was definitely a step down from 2017’s ‘Melodrama’, it still had some great moments, with the title track being one of them.
As It Was – Harry Styles
I couldn’t make a list of summer music recommendations without including Harry Styles’ new single As It Was. I have been critical of the track since its release, due to the fact that its sound is unoriginal and has been done many times before over the years by various artists. But there is no doubt that it is a catchy, feel-good tune that is bound to be remembered as one of summer 2022’s best songs.
Keep It Up – Rex Orange County
Next is a track from Rex Orange County’s new album, ‘WHO CARES?’. Lead single and opening track Keep It Up sounds like a theme tune taken straight out of a nostalgic 90s sitcom, and listening to it fills me with so much serotonin. If you can listen to this song without dancing around the room, I cannot relate.
Colour Me Blue – Alfie Templeman
Templeman has become a master of fun, jazzy, indie pop anthems
One of the most exciting up-and-coming artists at the moment, and one that is surrounded by a lot of hype, is Alfie Templeman. Currently rolling out his debut album ‘Mellow Moon’, my favourite of the batch of singles so far is Colour Me Blue. Templeman has become a master of fun, jazzy, indie pop anthems, and ‘Mellow Moon’ is shaping up to be a very impressive debut album indeed.
Gemma Cockrell
Featured image courtesy of Kelli Rothwell via Flickr. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article videos courtesy of KAWALA, THE GOA EXPRESS, Honeyglaze, After Beats, Beabadoobee, Claire Cottrill, Lorde, Harry Styles, Rex Orange County, Alfie Templeman, via @youtube.com. No changes were made to these videos.
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