OOPS! 50 of 2022: #45 – 41 / Reinventing 60s Pop, Sonic Embers and Sexy R&B

The OOPS! series continues and reminds me how much music I missed this year. But, too much music is never enough! Some of the people in this block are known to Jukebox and some are brand new…and we get back into the weird side of music. So, let’s get into it.

45. Panda Bear and Sonic Boom: Edge of the Edge

Panda Bear and his band Animal Collective are not strangers to Jukebox and Sonic Boom is no stranger to Panda Bear. They have admired each other’s work and collaborated in the past. This record finds them singing and dropping electro beeps and buzzes over looped 60s pop tracks. Edge of the Edge finds Panda Bear/s Beach Boys – esque crooning over the top of Randy & the Rainbows’ 1963 hit Denise. This makes for a interesting combination of 60s pop and modern synth.

44. Muna: What I Want

This track is all about LGBTIQ+ pride, doing rave drugs, getting hammered off of shots and hitting the dance floor. The song is about trying to be someone you weren’t for years and dropping that facade to embrace who you are. But don’t forget, it is also about getting lit and hooking up on the dance floor of a gay bar. This track is equal parts fun and self actualisation. A must listen on 11 before you go out and is guaranteed to get your night going.

43. Burial: Strange Neighbourhood

If Muna is what you play at the club, Burial is what you play in the woods, at night, as a member of a witch’s coven. This song needs to be played in winter as part of some pagan ritual. Having said that, there is a warmth I get from the crackling, organ and sharp sonic embers that is hard to describe. This track from Burial is less of a song than an eleven minute sonic experience. It will both challenge how you view music and soothe you. One of the most thought provoking tracks of 2022.

42. Sharon Van Etten: Anything

Sharon Van Etten has evolved from an indie singer songwriter to a full fledged rock star. Anything is part straight rock track and an epic that transcends the bounds of music. The track builds to this crescendo that is difficult to contain as the track bursts through the confines of music. Her amazing vocal acts as a guiding light through this epic musical experience.

41. Kelela: On the Run

Kelela has been on Jukebox end of year lists before with her track A Message. Her sexy R&B style is a mix between Sade and Beyoncé. In that, she has that smooth sexy quality, but much like Beyoncé she has a little bit of an edge that sharpens her music more than most R&B. On the Run is no different and finds Kelela more on the pop end of things with far more electro percussion than previous tracks. However, this is some sexy R&B.