2023: The Year in Songs
December 2023
Illustration by Malaaya Adams
Kevin's Songs: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal Stanley's Songs: Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal To commemorate our favorite songs from the year, Kevin and I each made playlists of our 40 favorite songs. Why 40? Well, there’s no reason in particular. We’ve made lists of 100, 50, etc. before, but 40 just felt like an appropriate number allowing us to show our range of interests while also giving ourselves some restrictions. There’s a lot of overlap in our tastes, but there are points of departure as well, so we hope you check out each of our playlists, find songs you like, and share it with a friend!
Below are some of extra-special favorite songs from the year; song that moved us, left an impression, and made us feel something. We hope you enjoy it, and we’ll see you next month!
Kevin: Jonathan L. Seagull — Sampha
Before getting into any deeper meanings or what this song means to me - the music is at the forefront of any analysis. You cannot talk about this song without first acknowledging that the beat drop and bass line are out of this world. It’s glorious, for real. Sampha, and his collaborators, made sure that this album was mixed to perfection. The background vocals on Jonathan L. Seagull has a little Kirk Franklin - I Smile to it, but I can forgive Sampha for that. It works here.
This is a beautiful track that draws inspiration from Richard Bach’s book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, where the novel tells a story of a seagull seeking to find individuality, seeking to find its purpose. And this is done through personal growth, pushing beyond its own limits, and self-reflection. Sampha reminds us in the hook - you are not me and that’s okay. It’s okay to perceive and experience different things. It’s okay to be an individual. For me, this is a song that sounds incredible but also reminds us to lean into those things that make us different and unique. It’s okay to take time to learn what those things are. I appreciate Sampha for this song and message.
Stanley: namesake — Noname
The same gun that shot Lil Terry
Out west the same gun that shot some Samir in the West Bank — Noname, namesake
On October 22nd, I got the chance to see Noname in concert for her Sundial Tour. The performance came just a day after one of the [then] largest demonstrations in support of Palestine in Philadelphia. During the show, people would intermittently shout “Free Palestine” in between songs, to which Noname would respond with the same call. All of which felt appropriate and needed.
Set to the sound of a double bass and a tight breakbeat, on namesake Noname makes global connections of oppressive struggles: airstrikes against Iranians, guns used to kill children in Chicago and the West Bank, while also interrogating celebrity culture and the ways it upholds (and sanitizes) the United States’ military industrial complex. Yet, Noname doesn’t absolve herself, interestingly asking, what is my role in this? namesake asks us to be critical of institutions, our role in upholding them, while also asking us to think globally about our connected struggles, and to imagine something different. It’s undeniably one of the most important songs of the year for me, and getting the chance to hear Noname perform it deepened my appreciation for the song.
Kevin: ATTERRISSAGE - Shay Lia featuring Karriem Riggins
I love Shay Lia’s sound and approach to music and singing. This track features the legendary producer and drummer Karriem Riggins - and the drums are smoking on this jawn! Shay Lia's breathy, whispery vocal delivery is what first drew me to this track. I love a good whispery song, what can I say. Then I began to dig into the lyrics some and I appreciate the simple, yet complex portrayal of a relationship coming to an end.
Atterrissage means “landing” or “the act of coming back to earth” in French. To me, Shay Lia is explaining her desire to stay with her partner but doesn’t feel like it’s possible anymore. She is landing this relationship herself and doesn’t want to wait anymore. She says “it’s not me, it’s you, it’s not you, it’s me” in the song a few times. And, I think we all can relate to something that really isn’t anyone’s fault things aren’t working but it is someone’s fault, maybe both parties are at fault - she encapsulated that perfectly in my opinion. The somewhat dour, yet driving beat/production, along with the vocal style, add to the song’s urgency and mood. In the end, there is still a hint that they will figure it out and I think we can relate to that as well. Sign me up for content that sits in an emotional gray area! This is that.
Stanley: How Does It Make You Feel — Victoria Monét
JAGUAR II — Victoria Monét’s follow up to 2020’s JAGUAR — sees the artist take yet another creative step, taking more risks and exploring new worlds. In many ways, JAGUAR II feels like a continuation, and a more refined version, of its predecessor; it’s as if she’s more clearly defined her sound and how to present it. Given the changes in her personal and professional life — like becoming a mother — one might expect to see such a shift in her music.
Listening to JAGUAR II, I was immediately struck by How Does It Make You Feel, the 6th track from the album. The subtle guitar, Rhodes Piano, and the violins throughout the song feel both warm and inviting. Interestingly, as the song progressed, it started feeling a bit off kilter, like it was skipping or something (I was listening on Spotify, so it’s not like it was a CD lol). After listening more closely, I realized that the song was in two different time signatures, with its verses written in 3/4 and its choruses written in 4/4 — a type of compositional move (and risk) you rarely see in popular music. I could only smile and tip my imaginary hat to Monét. How Does It Make You Feel is evidence of her curiosity and boldness as an artist, her skill and adeptness as a songwriter. For me, this is a standout track in a star-studded album.
