The last gasp of summer never sounded better

New music from new places

By Terry Paquet

Terry Paquet is an award-winning copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience. He is a regular contributor to SideOne.

September isn’t what it used to be. It’s less the sweater weather of your youth and more often about tees and tank tops. Of course, the leaves still turn and the days do get shorter, but the month can be subtropical at times. If you’re like me and love summer, then enjoy this last blast of warm temps.

If you hate the heat waves and long for cooler days, then sit tight. They’re on the way. In either case, this month’s selection of artists is curated to ease you into the new season before us – whether you have a preference for sandals and salads or boots and stews.

TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ, CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S SEPTEMBER’S SIDEONE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/58P1Q9Fl2mCmN8qCTT3sQp?si=744881945a664489

STEVE LACY

Steve Lacy was born in Compton, California – the same place that was immortalized in song by N.W.A, a city that at one time in the 1970s had the highest crime rate in the state. To be fair, it’s gotten better over the years, but the fact that the city’s Wikipedia page has a whole section devoted to crime says much. The ways in which it has influenced Lacy’s music is a jigsaw puzzle for the ages. Rather than the angry rebelliousness you’d expect, Lacy’s music is, to a remarkable degree, quite positive. What’s more, it’s appealingly experimental, crossing genres and styles in ways that wouldn’t make sense on paper. And therein lies his charm as an artist. This is like Beck meets Outkast meets Sly and the Family Stone.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Dark Red Single (2017)

• N Side Apollo XXI (2019)

• Ryd Steve Lacy’s Demo (2017)

• Candy Grapes (feat. Steve Lacy) Time Machine (2021)

• Out of Me Head The Lo-Fis (2020)

Lacy’s catalogue is not large (two albums) but it is impressive and is adorned with a plethora of collabs that are each strong in their own right.

There’s a throwback, offbeat, quirky appeal to his music, making the old seem new and vice versa. Songs often run under two minutes, which harkens back to the radio hits from the ‘60s, but makes total sense given the average attention span of today’s millennial target market. With touches of rap, [‘70s] soul, pop, gospel and funk, this music definitely deserves to be on your radar.

FREE NATIONALS

Pool season is coming to a close, but you may just want to hold off on emptying it out so you can properly immerse yourself in the sunny, sensual vibes of the Free Nationals. Their main gig is backing band for neo-soul/hip hop artist Anderson .Paak, but based on the strength of their first album, that job may soon be relegated to historical footnote.

On their self-titled debut, an army of formidable artists like Benny Sings, Chronixx, and Kali Uchis take turns at the mic. The result is a collection of chill, easy-going tunes buttressed with chunky basslines and catchy melodies that won’t quit.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Eternal Light (feat. Chronixx) Self-titled album (2019)

• Beauty & Essex Self-titled album (2019)

• On Sight (with JID, Kadjha Bonet) Single (2019)

• Time (with Mac Miller, Kali Uchis) Single (2019)

• Gidget (with Anderson .Paak, T.Nava) Self-titled album (2019)

Influenced by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg and Erykha Badu, these masters of smooth, breezy, feel-good music from California are churning out the retro funk we all need right now. And it’s not by accident. To infuse the album with the harmonic warmth and depth of analog that was so prevalent in the seventies, guitarist Jose Rios, keyboardist Ron “T.Nava” Avant, bassist Kelsey Gonzales, and drummer Callum Connor ran the final mixes through a cassette recorder. It is the musical equivalent of CBD gummies with a measured dose of caffeine.

When so many of today’s bands make music with laptops and effect apps, void of any real musical talent, this deliberate step back into the old ways is what makes me hopeful for the way music is heading.

TEDDY SWIMS

If you never spend any time surfing YouTube, Teddy Swims (a.k.a. Jaten Dimsdale) just might be the biggest star you’ve never heard of. If you do, you may have stumbled upon one of his videos – most of which are soulful interpretations of a very diverse range of pop hits. Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One, The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, Al Green’s Love And Happiness… whatever he sings, this heavily-tattooed Georgia native sings it well. No wonder he’s earned more than 200 million views, close to 2 million subscribers and a tidy profit of more than $600,000 (allegedly) from his videos so far. There’s no denying that the man has a legion of fans that love him.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Broke (feat. Thomas Rhett) Unlearning (2021)

• My Bad Single (2021)

• Blowin’ Smoke Unlearning (2021)

• Bed On Fire Unlearning (2021)

• What’s Going On Single (2020)

A big part of his appeal is his voice – rich, smooth, and raspy at times. On some songs he’s reminiscent of a less phlegmy, more coherent Joe Cocker. That vocal dexterity earned him an opening gig on Zac Brown band’s tour this summer and brought him to a point where more popular stars are interested in leveraging some of that Swims magic. Country music superstar Thomas Rhett was happy to duet on a song Swims originally recorded alone called Broke. The newer version is still a rousing rags-toritches ditty, but takes the Motown-y vibes of the original and adds a playful touch of country twang.

Last year, Swims signed with Warner records and is working on new material with some of the top writers and producers in the industry. Which means he’s being primed for the big leagues. If his past success as an indie artist is any indication, he’ll definitely come out swinging.

CELESTE

I first heard Celeste watching Apple TV’s hit show Ted Lasso and instantly knew I had to know more. Her song Strange elevated that one scene of heartbreak into a different stratosphere. It was raw, haunting, melancholy and cut to the core of what makes love so complicated.

“Isn’t it strange, how people can change. From strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again?”

Her rendition of that song on the 2020 Brit Awards was one of those rare performances that people still talk about – like the first time Michael Jackson moonwalked on camera, or the time Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake rocked the CMA awards. It was void of any gimmickry but filled with that proverbial lightning in a bottle every artist hopes to catch.

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

• Strange Not Your Muse (2021)

• Tell Me Something I Don’t Know Not Your Muse (2021)

• Not Your Muse Not Your Muse (2021)

• Love Is Back Single (2020)

• Both Sides Of The Moon Compilation 1.1 (2019)

Born in Los Angeles but raised in Brighton, Celeste has already been awarded BBC’s Sound of 2020, a Brits Rising Star, and NME 100 alumni and she’s still had only two albums and a handful of singles in her career.

Her music is a laid-back fusion of jazz, pop and neo soul. Her voice is hypnotic, expertly controlled, emotionally driven and hits every note in the sweetest way. It’s no coincidence her biggest influence growing up was Aretha Franklin.