THE TOP CHILL SONGS YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE THIS FALL

Photo by Lucija Ros on Unsplash

It was the first day of fall on Tuesday, which means it’s officially time to get our comfy autumnal feels on! Before you go rummaging down your wardrobe for your favorite chunky knitted sweater and scented candles, however, your initial priority should be getting your music in order. And where better to start than with this week’s edition of We Are: The Guard’s Top Chill Songs? Featuring rei brown, ford., Luz, and seven other favorites, this mixtape has something for cozy enthusiasts everywhere!

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REI BROWN – HONEST

It’s not every day a song snatches the breath from my lungs, but rei brown’s “Honest” has managed to do exactly that. It’s a soft, tender, and emotionally raw ballad about the ground-shattering realization you no longer have feelings for another person, with pianos falling like raindrops as rei sings: “I never loved you if we’re honest, honest.”

FORD. (FEAT. VERZACHE) – IN MY EYES

This hits different. Ahead of the release of The Color of Nothing next month, ford. returns with the Verzache-featuring “In My Eyes.” It’s a gentle dive into the mind of someone who’s spent their life struggling with their mental health, with Verzache delivering an emotionally gutting vocal line over ford.’s bubbly soft production. My feels.

LUZ – THE AUTHOR

Luz is the definition of a storyteller. Hailing from Ireland, the 19-year-old is showcasing her poetic pen on “the author.” “It’s a song about patience and love, regardless of circumstance and hope that fate will one day bring them together,” writes Luz of the sweetly soul-ricocheting hymn, whose lyrics play out like a romantically doomed novella.

DANIELA ANDRADE – K.L.F.G.

If quarantine has left you craving, ahem, human contact, you’re not alone. Daniela Andrade is consumed by desire on “K.L.F.G.” (“Kissing Loving Fucking Good”). Written about those fleshly, carnal thoughts and temptations that so often come late at night when you’re home alone, “K.L.F.G.” is an essential addition to your bedroom playlists.

SAHBABII (FEAT. JOJI) – GATES TO THE SUN

88rising’s Joji takes time out from promoting Nectar to collaborate with SahBabii on "Gates to the Sun."  Lifted from the POLLEN x Spotify singles series, “Gates to the Sun” is a smeary head-dream of a song about love, loss, and misunderstanding, with Joji’s reverberated croon and SahBabbii's effortless flow complimenting each other perfectly.

GOLDEN VESSEL (FEAT. THE NICHOLAS & REI SO LA) – THAT’S US

Summer is officially over, but it feels like those golden days could last forever listening to Golden Vessel. The Australian act bottles up that sunset-over-the-city sound like no other, with Maxwell Byrne delivering once again on “that’s us” – a blissful, beat-charged bop about reconnecting with loved ones that features The Nicholas and Rei So La.

STARRAH – KEEP CALM

She’s written songs for Camila Cabello, Megan Thee Stallion, and more, but Starrah is finally taking her own rightful place in the spotlight with “Keep Calm.” Produced by James Blake and Mount Kimbie, it’s a haunting meditation on self-destructive and toxic relationships, with Starrah cruising atop the gothic pianos and ticking beats with ease.

MUSTAFA – AIR FORCES

Having won over much of the blogosphere in March with “Stay Alive,” Canada’s Mustafa is back to enthrall with his latest single “Air Forces.” “Don’t crease your Air Forces/Just stay inside tonight,” begins the inner-city folk lullaby, which hears Mustafa’s lush vocals intertwining with a gorgeous Sudanese chant that nods to the Muslim poet’s heritage.

JACK GRACE – DAYDREAMING

Meet Jack Grace, the Australian act making his mesmerizing debut on We Are: The Guard with “Daydreaming.” As the song title suggests, it’s a sunlit reverie that finds the indie artist in a state of deep introspection, with syncopated beats and acoustic strums forming a trellis around which Jack weaves his vulnerable, Thom Yorke-esque vocals.

CAUTIOUS CLAY – AGREEABLE

Cautious Clay never disappoints. Following on from the release of the COVID-19 charity single “Cheesin’,” the Cleveland native returns with “Agreeable.” Written about the divided times we live in and the oversaturation of opinions, it’s a profound, thoughtful study that still manages to sound cool and collected, with a hint of humor and sarcasm.

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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.