01.22 | GFTD
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Soundplate categorizes Last Mondays as an “Alternative R&B” compilation. Knowing my R&B upbringing, I can definitely see that (LOL). It is foundationally R&B, “Alternative” or otherwise, but what makes it to the final list is way more diverse.
The initial loose set of rules that govern how I mine for monthly selects has no bias around genre, by design. The first pass is very light touch, more art than science, relying heavily on the intrinsic qualities of a track. If I hear a song and I like something about it, anything at all, it is likely to get thrown into the queue for playlist consideration. The early work is about quantity over quality. For everything else that doesn’t make the monthly, I find a place on a more specific separate experimental, vibe, or genre list.
Each release has been a practice in trusting myself and my taste. I tow a delicate balance between diving into niche “slept-on” tracks and maintaining energy and movement in the sequence. 1 I’m admittedly a sucker for syrupy-sounding, slow songs with swagger and a great melody, but I proactively intersperse them with anything from Afro House, to UK Soul and Dancehall. I’m bullish on songs that I won’t get tired of hearing — over and over, and OVER again.
When I finally gave up on listening to commercial radio, there were increasingly fewer and fewer songs that I could tolerate hearing as often as they were played. My playlist is an ongoing effort at replacing that with something of the evergreen variety, available for everyday play, and on hand at all times.
The releases are also me practicing putting a stake in the ground, however random doing so may be. Professionally, I find my way out of ambiguity by instituting light constraints on how I collect and organize information. I see plenty of ways that I employ similar tactics when building out these lists. It’s a craft and a labor of love.
About the Tracks — Speaking of “On Repeat” 🔂
This month’s list is heavily littered with solid tracks from throughout 2021. I’ve been especially enamored with Mick Jenkins’ latest offering “Elephant in the Room” (Oct ‘21). He commissioned the contemporary abstract painter Ferrari Shepphard for the album art. He is definitely an underrated MC and the album is worth a spin.
“Gucci Tried to Tell Me” is what I would call a “syrupy-sounding, slow [song] with swagger and a great melody.” That said, I wouldn’t characterize it as Alternative R&B. Would you?
#PryncePlays #SpotifyPlaylist Vol 01.22 • 🗣 #IndieSoul, #RnB + Sazón 😋
#AlternativeRnB #AfroPop #ChillHop #Soul #House #AfroBeat #AfroTronica #IndieMusic #IndependentMusic #FirstFriday #BandcampFriday #PrynceHuey #GentleThem Gifted. #GFTD #GIFTED #ThomasCarlyle #PlaylistCurator
Track list:
- Seein Ya (Insecure: HBO, S5)
- Koko
- Bout It
- Gucci Tried to Tell Me
- Nzinga
- Se Eu Cantar
- Try
- Recipe!
- Sucka Nigga
- Connection - Remix
- Love and Light
- 20 Percent
- Need You
- Red Room
- Emiliana
- Time Off (Insecure: HBO, S5)
- Lavo
- Sticky
- Sailor Moon
- Sorry To Say
- Vibe Out
- Super Bounce
- Mr. Midas
- Float
- Anchor
- MIND
- Wait
- Feel Free - Blue Canariñho Remix
- Tropics
- Appreciate Everything
- Wanna Go Outside Again - 2021 Version
- I Needed
- Magnetic
- Tayari
- High Up
- Please Don't Walk Away
- Mortal Wombat
- A Thousand Times - Visages Remix
- Krag
- B. D’OR (feat. Wizkid)
- Enjaillement - Babi Remix
- Wild Side (feat. KAYTRANADA) - KAYTRANADA Remix
- D.U.I.
- Sheriff