TOP CHILL SONGS - WEEK 14

There's a whole lot to love about April: the smell of freshly cut grass, the sound of birds chirping in the morning, the long-awaited transition from hot to iced coffee (!)... Add to that all of the new music inspired by the change in season, and it's easy to see why this is our favorite time of year here at We Are: The Guard. As the beauty of April continues to unfurl around us, then, give your playlists a much-needed spring clean this Friday with the latest edition of Top Chill Songs, featuring gnash, Billie Eilish, Tom Misch, and even more.

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GNASH – THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB

Everyone's favorite sad boy is back. gnash – the Los Angeles artist who first broke through in 2016 with the Kylie Jenner-approved emo anthem “i hate u, i love u” – is in his feelings again on “the broken hearts club,” a whimsical acoustic lullaby to the lost and lonely that we intend on crying ourselves to sleep to for the next six months (at least).

BILLIE EILISH – IDONTWANNABEYOUANYMORE (LIVE)

It's no secret that Billie Eilish is the coolest kid in town, and the Los Angeles artist proves that she has the vocal chops to go along with it in this live performance of “idontwannabeyouanymore” for COLORS. No, really – her singing is so on point that we genuinely struggled to distinguish between this and the studio version from her recent debut EP dont smile at me. And to think that she's only 16-years-old... *Sigh*

SEVDALIZA – SOOTHSAYER

SEVDALIZA is a straight up goddess, and we won't be told otherwise. The Dutch-Iranian artist is nothing short of blessing us on “Soothsayer,” from her recent EP The Calling, with SEVDALIZA's use of slowly percolating symphonics taking us to a whole new level of trip hop transcendence. *Insert praying hands emoji here*

MICHL – BETTER WITH YOU

Q: What's, ahem, better than a new Michl song?! A: A new Michl song produced by mura masa, of course! This meeting of songwriter and beatmaker is everything that we hoped it'd be and more, with Michl and mura masa combining their talents in order to create an intoxicating electro-acoustic slow jam that rides high on the thrill of summer romance.

GALLANT – GENTLEMAN

Is it us or is it getting hot in here?! Mind of a Genius signee Gallant is sending temperatures through the roof with his latest single “Gentleman.” Following on from 2016's Ology, it's an oh-so-sexual R&B ballad that channels some serious D'Angelo vibes, right down to the video starring a naked Gallant (looking like a total snack, we might add...).

SYML – BODY

In January, SYML shared the emotionally wrought “Body,” and this month, the Seattle musician returns with the video. Set in what feels like a not-so-distant dystopian future, the Gavin Michael Booth-directed clip focuses on a doomed love affair between a couple of housekeeping replicants, with the heart-wrenching narrative playing out like a long-lost episode of Netflix's Black Mirror.

TOM MISCH (FEAT. GOLDLINK) – LOST IN PARIS

If there's one album that you drift away to this weekend, make it Tom Misch's Geography. The 13-song collection is packed full of smooth nu jazz noodles, with the highlight coming in the form of the GoldLink-featuring “Lost in Paris.” Written not about a girl, or a guy, but a hard drive that the classically trained musician left behind in the French capital, this too-cool-for-school groove makes for perfect listening on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

HANDSOME GHOST – RECKLESS LOVER (ACOUSTIC)

Handsome Ghost return to their roots on this acoustic version of “Reckless Lover.” While the Welcome Back original acted as a showcase for the Boston duo's organic electronic arrangements, this version hears Handsome Ghost stripping down their sound to its emotional core, with the minimal production allowing the focus to fall on the lyrics about coming to terms with the end of a relationship.

FENNE LILY – CAR PARK

There's something timeless about Fenne Lily's music. Featured on her recent debut album On Hold, “Car Park” sounds like a song that people would've dug 50 years ago (and probably will dig in 50 years from now...), with the British chanteuse making like a young Joni Mitchell as she sings of breaking free from the bonds of a past relationship over a cresting folk swirl.

ANIMAL FEELINGS (FEAT. MAMMALS) – MILLIONS

Last year, Australian artist Mammals enlisted New York City producer Animal Feelings for his lush single “Depths,” and this 2018, Mammals is returning the favor by appearing on Animal Feelings' “Millions.” Much like “Depths” before it, “Millions” is a warm embrace of electronic pop vibes, with Mammals' vocals lapping against Animal Feelings' cascading synth arpeggios like sparkling ocean waves.

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Happy Friday! x

Photo by Henri Pham 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.