BEST CHILL MUSIC - WEEK 33

It's Friday, which can only mean one thing... IT'S TIME FOR A STIFF DRINK! Only kidding, what I REALLY meant to say is that it's time for the latest edition of We Are: The Guard's Best Chill Music! After a long, stressful working week, we all deserve a moment to relax and unwind, and what better way to do that than by cranking up the volume on some chilltastic vibes?! Best of all, you won't wake up tomorrow with a headache and fuzzy tongue like you would have had you gone with the alcohol option, although I won't judge you if you do slip in a sneaky tipple or two while checking out the following songs from HONNE, Troye Sivan, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Ella Mai, Andrew Rayel & Garibay, and more ;).

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HONNE (FEAT. NANA ROGUES) – I GOT YOU

Can HONNE do any wrong? NO, NO THEY CAN'T! The London duo team up with Nana Rogues (who co-wrote and produced Drake's “Passionfruit”) on “I Got You,” a reflective slice of electronic soul that comes accompanied by a Danilo Parra-directed video that explores the ups and downs of relationships through the eyes of a couple of young star-crossed lovers. Oh, and did I mention that HONNE's album Love Me / Love Me Not is out in a mere seven days? EXCITED DOESN'T COVER IT!

TROYE SIVAN – ANIMAL

Troye Sivan is sending lighters (okay, well, iPhone flashlights) into the air with his atmospheric new single “Animal.” The Perth pop star reveals that he looked up to 80s power ballads for inspiration when writing this impassioned, stadium-sized love song, which is rumored to be about Troye's boyfriend Jacob Bixenman, and is set to feature on the 23-year-old's incoming album Bloom.

JPL – OXYGEN

Oxygen is fundamental to human existence, which makes me wonder, how have I lived so long without this JPL song of the same name?! The former Tora frontman flows out of the speakers like a genuine breath of fresh air on his latest single, a hypnotic electro-organic blend that sets JPL's soulful vocals against a backdrop of captivating beats and jazzy guitar licks.

RYAN HEMSWORTH (FEAT. JOJI) – THINK ABOUT U

Ryan Hemsworth and Joji?! IS THIS REAL LIFE?! “Dream collaboration” doesn't even cover it! Ryan's downtempo production couldn't make for a more perfect accompaniment to Joji's sleepy, pillowy-soft vocalizations on this two-and-a-half-minute ambient reverie, which comes ahead of Ryan's new album Elsewhere.

JESSIE REYEZ – SOLA

Ahead of her performance at this year's VMAs (!), Toronto's Jessie Reyez has shared the gorgeous “Sola.” The acoustic ballad is Jessie's first-ever song in Spanish, and even if you don't speak the language, there's no doubt that you'll feel all of the raw emotions emanating from this beautiful piece of music, which finds Jessie ruminating on the roles that women are so often expected to play in society.

RÜFÜS DU SOL – UNDERWATER

RÜFÜS DU SOL are beckoning us into the deep on their new single “Underwater.” With frontman Tyrone Lindqvist's soaring indie vocals coming buoyed by lush house beats, the latest single to be unveiled from the Los Angeles-via-Sydney trio's imminent album Solace is a truly vast, immersive listen, the kind that pulls you under and leaves you never wanting to come up for air.

REBECCA PERL – KEEPIN' IT COOL (PROD. TEP NO)

Summer may be coming to an end, but Los Angeles artist Rebecca Perl is helping us to see it out in style with her new single. As the song title suggests, there's something incredibly effortless about “Keepin' It Cool,” with Rebecca's vocals swirling like a late-August breeze over a chilltrap production courtesy of none other than We Are: The Guard favorite Tep No.

ELLA MAI – TRIP

Having dropped Song of Summer contender “Boo'd Up,” Ella Mai is back this August with another hit single in the making. “Trip” once again finds the London artist going deep into her feelings, with Ella singing about getting high on love over a spread of old-school R&B piano chords and trap-like percussion.

ANDREW RAYEL & GARIBAY (FEAT. JAKE TORREY) – LAST SUMMER

Make the most of these final summer days with Andrew Rayel and Garibay's aptly titled new single “Last Summer.” Both producers aren't afraid to put their pop sensibilities on display on this latest release to come to us by way of Armada Music, with feature artist Jake Torrey lending his Justin Bieber-like vocals to Andrew and Garibay's easy-going guitar plucks and laid-back house beats.

KYSON – EVERY HIGH

It doesn't get much more hypnotic than this, let me tell you. Weaving together both folk and hip hop textures, “Every High” by Berlin producer and singer-songwriter Kyson makes for a truly intriguing electronic tapestry, the kind that you'll want to get lost in for days. The Andreas Lamoth-directed video is a must-watch, too, with Kyson seen exploring Malta and its captivating surrounding islands.

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Until next Friday, why not follow We Are: The Guard's Best Chill Daily! on Spotify for more?! x

Photo by Luke Bender on Unsplash

Jess Grant is a frustrated writer hailing from London, England. When she isn't tasked with disentangling her thoughts from her brain and putting them on paper, Jess can generally be found listening to The Beatles, or cooking vegetarian food.