Artist-Curated Playlists

With its pinging electro beat, earworm melodies, and dubby, disorienting vocals, Dev’s new single “#1” is a sugar-rush of addictive pop. The Los Angeles vocalist is best known for her contribution to the Far East Movement’s breakout hit, “Like a G6,” but this playlist of her favorite tracks reveals the breadth of her influences. From the gauzy purr of R&B singer Banks on “Brain” to the infernal howl of Kurt Cobain on Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box,” this is an intense and eclectic set of songs, with the only throughline being an emphasis on pop songcraft and precision, an abiding focus that is evident in Dev’s own new material. -- Sam Chennault

Seattle band the Dip give vintage rhythm & blues sounds a modern spin, with spirited live shows that are quickly earning them a reputation as smart, stylish dance party starters. Led by frontman Tom Eddy (also of beloved Seattle electro-pop act Beat Connection), the Dip take a decidedly old-school and analog approach, boasting a full horn section and the backbone of a loose but locked-in rhythm section.On "Slow Sipper," all the seven-piece bands signature traits are on vibrant display, as they simmer and sway through a 60s-styled soul lament with a sure foot and a subtly muscular squeeze. The song kicks off this playlist of songs that display an equally patient and steady-rocking pace.The band says: "Assembled by all members of the band, The Dip Digs is a collective playlist that features important musical themes that we find integral to enhancing our own musical compositions. In this current iteration of the playlist, we focused on the importance of patience and space within the groove and how we could meditate better on those moments. Many of these songs do so much with very simplistic parts and we tried to take that thoughtful restraint when writing our most recent release: “Slow Sipper.” As Miles Davis said: “It’s not the notes you play, it’s the notes you don’t play.""

Pop singer-songwriter Sonia Kreitzers sultry, soulful vocals take center stage with solo project Doe Paoro, giving voice to songs of both sharp introspection and hard-won emotional triumph. On sophomore album Soft Power, Doe Paoro largely eschews the synth-laden sound of 2015s Justin Vernon-produced After in favor of upfront acoustic piano and live instrumentation, recorded live to tape in London with producer Jimmy Hogarth (Sia, Amy Winehouse) and backing band.On this playlist, Kreitzer covers equally emotional ground from an impressive variety of artists, from the wild modernist stylings of Yves Tumor, Blood Orange, and serpentwithfeet to the classic soul stirrings of Nina Simone and Curtis Mayfield, and all manner of songs in between.Kreitzer says the playlist is a "mixed bag of songs that speak to my heart, [songs to] be in a mood to. I write from space that is psychically similar to the songs in this playlist."

If you’re the sort of person who thinks that the worst part of a Drake album is Drake, you’ll love More Life. There are long stretches where Drake simply disappears. U.K. grime artist Skepta gets his own track, as does beautifully wounded R&B crooner Sampha. The shuffling U.K. funk of “Get It Together” features Drake only briefly, and primarily as a baritone counterpoint to the jazzy inflections of Jorja Smith. For long stretches of the collection, Drake is content to wander the catacombs of his billion-square-foot mansion, while his friends stay above-ground, sipping acacia mimosas around the pool and pointing their iPhones at one another. It makes for a fun party.Yes, there are still Drake’s tortured-godhead delusions, the awkward therapy-raps, and his famed faceplant similes (exhibit 1: “I’m grateful like Jerry, Bob, and Mickey”), but we also get to hear 2 Chainz blurrily quip, “I love my fans, but I don’t want to take pictures in the restroom,” a line that constitutes the most pointed commentary on outsized fan expectations since Lou Reed released Metal Machine Music.This is among the best of Drake’s clumping-tracks-together things, and that’s very much because More Life is consciously a “playlist.” This isn’t a “low stakes” gambit or a cheap marketing gimmick (at least not entirely), but an honest engagement with a new form. It was informed by Drake’s involvement on the OVO Sound radio show for Apple Music. In fact, Drake told DJ Semtex that he imagined More Life as an episode of that show. But what makes More Life a good playlist? How do we even judge such things? When critics review albums, focus is given on consistency, with the work being the sum of its parts. This is true whether the album is intended to be coherent piece of work (see: Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly or Beyoncé’s Lemonade), or a collection of songs (see: Justin Bieber or Pitbull). There’s the expectation that everything is there for a reason. More Life is looser and more meandering, and sometimes the individual components seem slight and tertiary. But it captures a moment, a feeling, and a place. Outros stretch and breathe (as on god-status track “Passionfruit”), while sampled dialogue bits are strung together—not so much to form a ramshackle narrative or even a running meta-commentary (a la De La Soul’s classic albums), but to reflect a vibe. More Life is a long weekend at the beach spent counting clouds and taking inventory of idle distractions. In this sense, it doesn’t so much resemble a mixtape, or a crew compilation album (like JAY Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia), as it does a mood playlist. It’s audio wallpaper, in the best sense.While Drake delivers on the mic—his lead-off verse over the icy flute trap of “Portland” is an obvious standout—there’s no mind-bending “King Kunta”-level/David-Blaine-on-the-mic classic moments™, and that doesn’t matter here. More Life is enjoyable and, as anyone who listens to a lot of classic albums knows, enjoying music trumps appreciating it—and this release is infinitely better than any other non-sweater-meme Drake release in years. For that, we can thank the generations of mixtape compilers, playlist curators, radio DJs, and compilation creators for helping define this new form. But, most of all, we should thank Drake for getting that the lines between artist, audience, critic, and curator are porous, and for making an initial foray into what this intersection looks like. And, of course, for understanding that you should always invite 2 Chainz to a pool party. — Sam Chennault

Post-whatever-you-wanna-call-it band Nothing have been carving their modern shoegaze sound out of their heavy music roots for years with an aim to uncover some deep-seated hardships in a shimmering, melodic light. And on their new album Dance on the Blacktop, (out August 24) the full realization of how to marry their struggles with blustering music that pulls you up by your bootstraps has been fully achieved. Tracks like album opener "Zero Day" and lead single "Blue Line Baby" reminisce the 90s with buzzing guitars, chugging rhythms and solemn vocals -- but with a jaded, yet hopeful view thats all 2018.While out on the road in anticipation of the albums release, we caught up with frontman Domenic Palermo who made us a playlist for the summers dry season. Or, as Palermo lovingly/ alternatively calls it, "Something To Listen To When Youre Falling Asleep At The Wheel In Carnudas, Texas."Listen above or go right here.

Any indie/alt-rock fan whos studied liner notes over the past three decades is familiar with the name Dave Sardy. The Brooklyn-bred producer has worked with everyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine to LCD Soundsystem and Death From Above 1979. But as DSARDY, hes putting his name right on the cover—his upcoming solo effort, Unequal, finds him crafting moody, dystopian rock soundscapes for a rotating cast of guest vocalists that includes Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Ben Birdwell of Band of Horses, Macy Grey, Son Little, and more. On this playlist, the studio wizard reveals the eclectic artists that shaped the albums sound. "I always try to do research before making an album or track. When I work with an artist, Ill take some time and listen to music as a way of going to the library, getting excited, and finding common ground and a language to communicate with the person or band Im working with. Making my own record is no different—in a way easier and, at the same time, deeper, as I also have a lifelong relationship with songs and love of record production. This is an abridged collection of some records that inspired me in this current Unequal project. Listen loudly please."—Dave Sardy

Im always surprised that Duke Dumont has been able to cross over to America to the extent that he has. The UK producer was mentored by Switch, and came up with post-house UK producers like Oliver Dollar and Route 94.His music is great. Its lite, melodic and floating electronic pop, with maybe a little bit of camp thrown in. Its late-afternoon festival music. This is a great mix of his Blasé Boys crew, though it strangely spends the first four tracks on Aki. Duke has one of the most active Spotify accounts though, and its worth a look to check out all his playlists.

Since they released their debut album on the Anjunadeep label in 2011, the UK duo Dusky have been associated with house music at its most moodily atmospheric. Even when theyre at their most energetic, their music swirls with watery chords, deep shadows, and a pervasive air of melancholy. So its no surprise to discover that the two producers are stalwart fans of ambient electronica, as they prove in an extensive collection of favorites on YouTube. Heavy on the sounds that were floating through the UKs chillout rooms in the 90s, their list contains plenty of stone classics that no ambient survey could be complete without. Canonical cuts from The Orb, Aphex Twin, and Future Sound of London are all represented, but its in some of their deeper, more obscure picks—the leftfield of the leftfield, if you will—that their playlist really serves as a stellar resource. Even serious heads are likely to discover something new here, or at least be reminded of an old favorite theyd forgotten. Bookmark this one for late nights and early mornings.

Earth Moon Earth are an experimental rock/synth band from the LA-areas High Desert, and when thats your base, a preoccupation with the cosmos naturally comes with the territory. This self-described "celestial project" blends Shamanistic drum rhythms, lush bass, a psychedelic rock element and melodic synth sounds for vocalist Gabriella Evaro to howl overtop. The band released their self-titled debut album this summer on Gatos Trail Records. The band also debuted videos for tracks "Ruby" and, most recently, "It Begins".Says Drummer/ Composer/ Producer Dan Joeright of their Desert-inspired playlist: "A few years ago I built a recording studio in Californias High Desert and when the dust finally settled, just before I started Earth Moon Earth, I would spend endless hours looking up at the night sky listening to music. There is so much inspiration and mystery in the natural beauty -- I used to (and still do) fire up my turntable and select the best possible music to accompany the countless stars and absolute stillness of my surroundings. This playlist is a small snapshot of what I listened to while discovering my own desert nights for the first time."Listen above or go subscribe here.

Birmingham, UK art-rock brooders Editors return with their sixth album, Violence, this March. To get you pumped up for it, the band has shared the music they use to get pumped up. "Music is a big deal in our dressing room. From late afternoon, on show days, we normally have the speakers set up playing a wide variety of records from varying genres and styles, both new and old. But it’s an hour before stage time where things really step up a gear, so the playlist I’ve selected here is a greatest hits of what we listen to before we walk out on to stage. Crank it LOUD."——Elliott Williams, Editors