Aural Fixation: 6/3 (A Weekly Music Playlist)

We’re going live just a bit later than usual this Monday morning, but not without just cause—I wanted to include the new Miley Cyrus single, which just premiered on Ryan Seacrest, so here we are andyesit’sgood.

We’ve got six songs to keep your summer playlists packed with a well-rounded array of sounds. June’s here, and it’s getting hotter with some long days ahead—trust me, I’m in Texas. But hopefully Literally, Darling’s weekly music playlists will help you keep your cool at work, by the pool, or wherever this summer.

Don’t forget to check back every Monday for a new set of songs to sample for your collection. Check out this week’s picks and share your favorites with us on Twitter @LitDarling:

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“Next Year” (RAC Mix)
Two Door Cinema Club

Even though it’s not exactly “new,” this little gem has worked its way into my rotation this week. It’s the dark, dreamy stuff of soundtracks; on one hand, it’s made to be used for an amazing montage, but on the other, it’s definitely got the candy-coated hook to satiate my pop sweet tooth. It’s a weird, lovable little digital disco-rock number that really works.

“Fantasy”
MS MR

Falling into a genre I generally visualize as something akin to a flower-crowned hipster darling frolicking through a sunny wood, MS MR’s “Fantasy” reminds me of sister-band Haim’s sound from a few weeks back. The urgency of the percussion is exhilarating, and there’s something especially old-is-new-again evoked by the Stevie Nicks-esque “oohs” adding ambiance to it all.

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“Spotlight”
Leagues

The funky, bass-bellied “Spotlight” is a spot of remarkably likable retro-rock. The song’s already dangerously catchy, but Leagues’ personality infused in each element of the instrumentation makes for a track that’s just a good time. It’s accessible and friendly on first listen—good stuff for summer playlists.

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“Safe And Sound”
Capital Cities

Get this: these guys were jingle writers that formed their electropop duo through a Craigslist ad. Now, they’re making awesome, synth-centric music with late-night dancefloor appeal that doesn’t alienate a less mainstream audience—material that would do well on the Billboard Dance charts. It’s like a cold glass of lemonade: just sweet enough, but still packing that punch you need when it’s hot outside.

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“Northern Lights”
Kate Boy

Kate Boy’s “Northern Lights”—a stumbled-upon selection from Songza—is a little bit dark and a lot intriguing. The distanced layers and steely choir of synths give this indiepop just the twist it needs; it’s definitely good music for when the sun goes down, and there’s something I find enigmatic about “Northern Lights” that keeps me coming back.

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“We Can’t Stop”
Miley Cyrus

As of this posting, Miley’s new cut premiered about an hour ago on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show—apologies for the audio tags, but it’s that fresh! She’s going for the Hot 100’s jugular, taking the dependable summer-party-anthem route for her lead single and delivering  “Party In The USA’s” big sister that smokes weed and actually cranks the stereo when that Jay-Z song is on. The R&B vibe is a new flavor for Miley (she sounds stellar on the verses), but I’ll take it—get ya twenty-something freak on, gworl.

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Aural Fixation is a weekly music playlist put together for Literally, Darling.

Tweet @LitDarling, or me (@Litzwich)/Melissa (@MellyPeacox), with the hashtag #AuralFixation to give feedback or let us know what you can’t stop listening to.