Summertime in Jackson Hole is truly like nothing else in the world. The beautiful mountains, gorgeous sunsets and perfectly warm weather put the entire community in a blissed-out state.
Because we strongly focus on music discovery here at KHOL, I wanted to gather a bunch of new tracks from both up-and-coming and established artists to help soundtrack those long, groovy days soaking up as much sunshine as possible.
Below you’ll find the entire playlist along with my thoughts on a select few that stand out to me. Enjoy! – KnewJack, Music Director
Follow us on Spotify to keep up with our recent favorites, including Top 5 Tracks of the Week, Sounds of Now and Local Favorites.
With one of their members having spent a chunk of his childhood in Jackson, Dark Dazey starts the playlist off with a fun and funky bang. “Chameleon” is a tongue-in-cheek slice of bright and shiny indie pop that I just can’t get enough of. With its slinky bassline, sweet harmonies and punchy vocals, the track is bound to get you up and ready to tackle the day.
Benny Sings – “Young Hearts” feat. Remi Wolf
Benny Sings has been a new favorite of mine for a minute now, and his latest album, “Young Hearts,” is entirely produced by one of the best beat makers living today, Kenny Beats. The two combine forces for a thoroughly enjoyable collection of funky, modern yacht rock that will have you reaching for a fruity cocktail in no time. The album is inspired by Sing’s deep affinity for Bossa Nova and features a fictional cast of lovable losers. On the title track, “Young Hearts,” Benny and Kenny deliver a simple melody on complicated chords with Remi Wolf elevating the chorus to new heights.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “That Life”
Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s latest album, “V,” must have been made with the summer in mind. With its gentle melodies and breezy instrumentation, it soothes your soul with each listen. Conceived in both Palm Springs, California and Hilo, Hawaii, “V” is the brainchild of Hawaiian-New Zealand musician Ruban Nielson and combines West Coast AOR, classic hits, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music. The single “That Life” has been out for a couple years now, but it’s so infectious from start to finish with its sticky hooks and soulful delivery that you don’t mind listening to it over and over.
Bosq & Felicia Douglass – “We Always Dance” (Dub)
Producer and DJ Bosq consistently delivers juicy and percussive tracks that mix together disco, boogie and latin funk. The new disco-leaning “We Always Talk” features Dirty Projectors vocalist Felicia Douglass and is full of bubbling synths, space disco calls, dream pop vocals and an intoxicating rhythm. The “We Always Dance” dub version is the star of the show for me as it takes a portion of the original and stretches it out to get deep in the groove and gives dancers a chance to cut loose.
Kaytraminé – “4EVA” feat. Pharrell Williams
Kaytraminé is the combination of producer Kaytranada and rapper Aminé. Their debut album as a duo is a collection of funky party tracks best experienced under the summer sun. The two wrote the bulk of the album together at a posh beach house they rented in Malibu, California. That pool party energy permeates throughout the record but shines brightest on the lead single “4EVA” with help from Pharrell Williams on production as well as lending vocals to the hook. Williams’ magic mixed with Kaytranada’s trademark neo-soul bounce and Amine’s nimble flow makes “4EVA” a strong candidate for song of the summer.
