the playlist | dog days

Hello, everyone! As the summer begins to wind down in the Northern Hemisphere, allow me to offer you a collection of songs for jamming or chilling in the heat. We kick things off with Arcade Fire's opener to their Reflektor tour back in 2014 before moving onward to a new discovery of mine: Kindness's cover of "Swingin' Party." I've heard Lorde's version before, of course, but there's something about this version that I like.

The next two tracks are collabs between some of my favorite artists. In the case of "When You Were Mine," everyone's favorite Canadian twins Tegan and Sara join forces with a group that's relatively new to me, Night Terrors of 1927 (how's that for a band name?). "Meltdown" is Stromae's "Merci" with lyrics from Lorde, Pusha T, Q-Tip, and HAIM. I first heard Stromae this past April, and I'm obsessed with Racine Carrée. The video for "Papaoutai" will break your heart.

Spotify's new Discover Weekly feature is responsible for the next two tracks. I'd heard of the Apache Relay before, but I hadn't listened to them until a couple of weeks ago. Boy, have I been missing out. "Katie Queen of Tennessee" should play in Nashville every summer. "Celeste" from Ezra Vine is a delight.

George Ezra—that's right, two Ezras on one playlist—transitions the playlist into mellower territory. His voice is deep and soft, a true gem. "Coffee" from Sylvan Esso has been in two out of my last three playlists, thanks to my dear friend (and barista) Hannah: it's one of the loveliest songs I know. "Black Water" is (thus far) a deep cut from Of Monsters and Men's newest release, Beneath the Skin, which I already know will make it into my 2015 playlist. "Shake" is one of my favorite tracks from the Head and the Heart's sophomore album. Finally, the incomparable Marina and the Diamonds closes with "Can't Pin Me Down." (Fair warning: this song does contain strong language. I can't find an edited version, and I do apologize for that. I hope that doesn't impact your enjoyment of the song.) There are few voices in pop as clear and strong as Marina's, and FROOT is no exception. While The Family Jewels introduced Marina and Electra Heart her alter ego, Marina's latest album bares all—her needs, her struggles, and her desire to rise above it all. Definitely give it a listen.

What's on your playlist this summer?

the playlist | back to school 2014

If you live in the United States, chances are that you either have just started or are about to start back at school. What better way to celebrate than with some tunes?

Perennial favorites the Black Keys kick things off with a little "Fever" with the now-finished Civil Wars following with some insane harmonies. Lorde has to be featured in any sort of back-to-school playlist as the teenage queen of cool, and the Killers are already classic. Àsgeir appears here, too, with a riveting melody and heart-pounding beat. John Mark McMillan creates a new kind of worship song while the Neighbourhood anticipates the upcoming chill. Finally, Mary Lambert shines in her new joyous anthem, and Paramore, one of my favorites for the past seven or eight years, closes us out.

I've tried to find clean versions of all these songs, but there is still some language. If that bothers you, I apologize.