Mic'd Up

In the immortal words of Rob Thomas & Santana, “it’s a hot one” this week in new music. Here’s a couple attention-worthy tracks that just hit the inbox.

This week, one of the artists requested sharing of the music video on YouTube, and – because it’s Ghost Funk Orchestra and Seth Applebaum – I am highly recommending you click through and watch.

1. Ghost Funk Orchestra – “Ocotillo”

I had the great fortune to interview Seth the first time Ghost Funk Orchestra came through Telluride (Telluride Jazz Festival 2022) and I hopped on the GFO mothership on the ground floor. Seth and GFO are all about big enveloping sound, and their music is meant to be heard, seen and experienced at once. Hit play on this video and get on the Ghost Funk Orchestra bandwagon.

2. Jill Scott ft. Tierra Whack – “Norf Side”

This week, two queens from Philly dropped a bonus track that should be on both of their recent albums. Jill Scott’s To Whom This May Concern dropped this spring with the standout single “Pressha,” and Tierra Whack just released my favorite album of the summer so far, Whack’s Museum. “Norf Side” comes through hard as both an old-school hip hop banger and a sing-along ode to the City of Brotherly Love. I’m linking the video here as well – explicit content warning – because it’s colorful and fun like summertime should be.

3. Bayonne – “Oxygen”

Something about the summer season draws me to dream pop; I just want to hear bright, shimmery hyper pop with a head-bopping beat. This week KOTO added two tracks from Austin-based electronic artist Bayonne – “Oxygen” and “Gamut” – that diverge in tempo and feel, yet are bound together by Bayonne’s sweet, reverb-dipped vocals. Breathe in, breathe out, and enjoy the video for “Oxygen.”