FAVORITE CHILL SONGS - WEEK 29

Greetings, readers, and welcome to the latest edition of Best Chill Songs. Can you believe that we're already over midway into summer?! Before we know it, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fall scented candles and infinity scarves will once again be every au courant millennial's aesthetic of choice. Still, there are plenty of hot, halcyonic days to go yet, and until the chill connoisseurs decide to retreat back into winter warmer territory, We Are: The Guard very much intends on bringing you as many summer vibes as possible. So, without further ado, lather on the sunscreen, as it's time to bask in the glow of the following tracks from Zedd, Marc E. Bassy, AlunaGeorge and lots more.

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NICOLAS LY – BREATHIN

Nicolas Ly invites us into his cinematic world on “Breathin.” The latest single to be unveiled from the Parisian artist's forthcoming debut album Illhumanity is a beguiling ballad that lays his sumptuous croon over a bed of melodramatic piano chords. “Breathin” also comes paired with a video directed by Elisa Baudoin and Loumir Orsoni, with the Lynchian-indebted visuals of ballet dancer Marine Bourserie making for an alluring accompaniment to the former Applause frontman's theatrical entreaties.

LO & NOVAA – LIGHTS

It's no secret that we're big fans of NOVAA here at We Are: The Guard, so it's safe to say that we were most excited to see the 19-year-old singer appear in our inbox the other day with her new collaborative project. Teaming up with emerging producer LO, the Majestic Casual signee delivers some of her finest work in the form of “Lights.” An ambient odyssey that pairs NOVAA's weightless vocals with LO's groovy bass womps, it's a spiritually elevating listen that's only enhanced by the accompanying narrative-heavy video as directed by the award-winning Das Department.

LORDE – PERFECT PLACES (HIBELL REMIX)

We Are: The Guard has consumed its fair share of Lorde remixes over recent weeks, but Hibell knocks each and every one of them out of the park with his take on “Perfect Places.” The emerging producer – who previously worked his magic on Julia Michaels' “Issues” – cranks up the tempo considerably on the Melodrama cut, injecting it with some slick guitars and groovy basslines. With 80s-tipped synths and a zestful drop adding further color and energy to the track, Hibell succeeds in delivering a disco-indebted club remix that's sure to devour dancefloors this summer.

ZEDD – GET LOW

Harry Styles may've dominated the airwaves in spring with the overwrought, calculated “Sign of the Times,” but it's his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne who looks set to claim the warmer months with his collaboration with superstar producer Zedd. “Get Low” – which follows up “Stay,” Zedd's duet with Alessia Cara – is most definitely a contender for song of the summer. Bringing together Zedd's tropical house finesse with Payne's genuinely impressive vocal prowess – so impressive, in fact, that Zedd opts for a sung chorus instead of a drop – “Get Low” is nothing short of an essential addition to any beach playlist.

MARC. E BASSY (FEAT. KYLE) – PLOT TWIST

Marc Griffin, the San Francisco crooner who used to front 2AM Club before going solo as Marc E. Bassy, brings a carefree, distinctively West Coast vibe to his latest single, the Kyle-featuring “Plot Twist.” Following in the footsteps of his massively popular G-Eazy collaboration “You & Me” released in 2016, “Plot Twist” is a remarkably danceable slice of R&B, with Marc's smooth vocals combined with XXL Freshman Kyle's memorable guest verse all but guaranteeing the song crossover hit single status.

BAYNK (FEAT. SHALLOU) – COME HOME

BAYNK – the Auckland producer who's already stockpiled 13 million plays and counting on Spotify with singles like “Someone,” “Poolside” and “What You Need” – adds to his ever-growing oeuvre with the Shallou collaboration “Come Home.” Featuring Shallou's sensuous, subtly melancholic dulcet tones gliding over intricate, dynamic and multilayered electronic textures, it's an exquisite, intoxicating daydream of a track that's only set to propel BAYNK further up the beatmaker ranks.

KOLAJ – FIRST TIME WITH YOU

Los Angeles duo KOLAJ are swept up by the sound of summer romance on their majestic latest single “First Time With You.” The track is a positively heart-stopping piece of electronic pop grandeur that reminds us of the glitched-out productions of Felix Snow as much as it does the ambitious R&B of the early 90s, with KOLAJ singer Tessa Houston's luscious, Kiiara-meets-Mariah Carey vocal chops effortlessly riding high on a combination of skittering beats and sentimental piano chords.

ALUNAGEORGE – TURN UP THE LOVE

AlunaGeorge – the London duo comprising of singer Aluna Francis and producer Geoge Reid – plot their long-awaited return with “Turn Up the Love.” Described as being about “throwing some positivity out there when so much crazy is happening on the daily,” the song undoubtedly draws its influence from DJ Snake and his massively popular remix of “You Know You Like It” released four years ago, with Francis' candy cane vocals coming paired with a truly ecstatic tropical instrumental.

CYN – TOGETHER

Michigan artist and long-time We Are: The Guard favorite CYN makes her debut on Unsub Records – the record label founded by none other than pop superstar Katy Perry – with “Together.” A fluttery, delightfully sincere love letter that features CYN's unique, breathy vocals draped over playful synth flourishes and a dancehall-indebted beat, “Together” couldn't be a more perfect song to finally introduce this endlessly talented, unassuming Midwestern girl to the masses. Agreed, Katy?!

ASHE – USED TO IT (STRIPPED)

Having beamed her way onto the blogopshere last month with her truly scintillating debut single “Used to It,” San Diego ray of sunshine Ashe returns with a surprise stripped version. While the original primarily made you want to dance away your troubles, the jazzy acoustic reworking instead acts as a showcase for Ashe's singing and songwriting prowess, with the mixture of powerhouse vocals, reverberating piano chords and sweeping strings adding a sense of gravitas to the narrative about a relationship gone stale.

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Thanks for listening, readers. Until next time. x

“Photo” by Yoann Boyer is licensed under CC0 1.0 (cropped and resized).

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.