UTM’s tumultuous summer soundtrack
From trap beats to folk duets, students share the fresh songs that defined their summer.
Feel free to put a playlist together with these new releases that UTM students have been loving!
“It’s a really addictive song sonically and perfect if you’re in ur idgaf era,” states Bita Khaleghisohi regarding Tinashe’s song “Crash Out”, released on July 16. It’s a chaotic R&B song with a heavy trap beat. After being in the 2007 girl group called Stunners with Hayley Kiyoko, Tinashe is known for her hit single “Nasty” that was released in 2024. “Crash Out” teases her upcoming eighth studio album, Popstar, which will be released on September 25.
For a vibe switch, try the single “Betty’s in the Band”. A song with a smooth harmonica opening, duet of acoustic guitars and vocals by Abigail Rose and Weston Hunter. Released on July 30, Nathan Carter recommends it saying, “I guess it’s somewhere in folk/country/pop but a very timeless song. Something that’s nice to sing along to in car rides! Makes me think of roadtripping up and down the east coast.”
“I’ve been listening to ADÉLA, especially her ‘Ain’t in LA’. I think this might be the song of the summer similar to how charlixcx’s bratsummer was trending in ‘23”, said Enkune Zorigoo. The song was released on July 23, teasing her album PRIMA, which comes out September 4. It’s about how the coolest people aren’t the performative hipsters and trendsetters in LA, so enjoy just being where you are right now. Enkune mentioned wanting to visit a big pink ADÉLA promo poster in downtown that says, “THE BADDEST BITCHES ARE IN TORONTO”, you can also get t-shirts with the same print on her website.
“Vince Staples dropped an album recently, it was okay. Denzel Curry dropped one, like, yesterday [and] that was great. The Rolling Stones dropped one which was random and funny… lowkey to me it seems like it’s been a big summer of old acts trying to make comebacks,” was Kaden Mason’s take. His favorite release of the summer was a four-song debut EP by Paulie Swan called Swans Today, out as of June 24. Swan is only 20-years-old and based in Edinburgh, similar stylistically to Cameron Winter with a deep and weathered voice, read an interview feature with Swan on the UK’s The Skinny.
Adam Fattouh’s “album of the summer” has been Detour by Kim Petras. A hyperpop album released on May 29, Fattouh, “discovered the album on a super long bus ride home which was horrible timing because it made me want to dance so badly”.
Zack Radford has been listening to Noah Kahan’s new album The Great Divide, released April 24. It’s a cozy “endless autumn”, a pretty similar blueprint to his album Stick Season in 2022, complete with Kahan’s indie-folk falsetto and steady acoustic stomp. Perfect for the upcoming fall semester!
Other releases to note are Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers, Oh yeah? by Steve Lacy, Petal by Ariana Grande, Before The Morning Light by Johnny Drille, New Avatar by Kelela, and Offering by Ibeyi.
