Monthly Mix: November 2020 Picks

November 2020 was a rollercoaster of emotions. The Philippines was hit by a truckload of typhoons that devastated the northern part of the country. Civil unrest. The student body of my University reflected that same unrest the rest of the country was feeling and launched into a series of very controversial events that spanned the rest of the month. In short — it was a ride.

This month’s monthly mix is a little over the place, which is more or less appropriate to the sheer over-the-place-ness of life in 2020. Out of 25 songs, here are some choice tracks that meant the most to me this month.

Pristine by Snail Mail

21-year-old Lindsey Jordan’s solo project, Snail Mail, is by far one of the best artists I’ve discovered and given a listen to this month. Lush is Jordan’s debut album with 10 choice tracks of pure, unadulterated indie-rock that we see the likes of in her contemporaries such as Soccer Mommy and beabadoobee. Pristine is by far my most favorite track on the album, with an addictive hook that shows off Jordan’s vocal chops. It’s youthful, fun, and fresh.

Good Company by She’s Only Sixteen

Good Company is local indie rock band She’s Only Sixteen‘s second album of their (now released) EP, The Other Side. The single reflects a more mature and fresh sound compared to their 2017 album, Whatever That Was, which quickly became a cult favorite with many around the Metro. Good Company is smooth and chill, with an elevated level of production that makes the track interesting but not busy.

the way back by Kennedy

the way back is Kennedy’s track on the RausHaus collective EP. The local alternative hip-hop band’s track is arguably the strongest track on the record, with a simple collection of backing instrumentals that highlight the strong mixing of vocal tracks from the band’s different members. As someone who’s been following Kennedy since their SoundCloud days, this is a welcome treat that shows the band’s progression.

Savior Complex by Phoebe Bridgers

I would be lying if I said that the most prominent artist of this month wasn’t Phoebe Bridgers. I have been listening to the Punisher album — and particularly this song — exclusively for weeks. This song lives rent-free in my mind.

Listen to the November edition of Monthly Mix here:

Monthly Mix is Kara Angan’s attempt of writing at least one piece on this blog per month. It features her favorite songs from the month with mini-reviews on stand-out tracks. All monthly mixes can be found on her (very messy) Spotify account.