Summer is in the air, and the tracklist for the summer is looking hot just in time for the warm season. From Bad Bunny’s surprise “Un Verano Sin Ti” to Jack Harlow’s long-awaited second album debut “Come Home The Kids Miss You,” here are a few selections to bring in the warm weather, whether you are looking for a victory lap after finishing undergrad or in the need of new selections to kick off your much-deserved vacation.
ALBUMS
“blue water road” by Kehlani
In time for the summer season, Kehlani released her “blue water road” on Apr. 22, 2022. The album hosts thirteen songs with features from artists such as Blxst, Justin Bieber, Syd, Jessie Reyez, and more. The album is a musical and thematic deep dive into the artist’s hopeless romantic side in tracks such as “up at night (feat. justin bieber)” to the harsh realities of relationships in “get me started (feat. syd)”. “blue water road” will be your go-to mellow option, perfect for a long car ride with the windows rolled down.
“Come Home The Kids Miss You” by Jack Harlow
In time for the 2022 graduates and those who have successfully completed another year of school, “Come Home The Kids Miss You” by Jack Harlow is one of the obvious picks for a victory lap to start your summer. Released May 6, 2022, “Come Home The Kids Miss You” is Harlow’s long-awaited sophomore album release following his 2020 debut “That’s What They All Say”. . Mixing rap and pop and shifting from slow to upbeat tracks, “Come Home The Kids Miss You” continues to build on the streak Jack Harlow started from his first studio album debut.
“Un Verano Sin Ti” by Bad Bunny
Friday, May 6, 2022, Bad Bunny surprised the world with his summer debut of “Un Verano Sin Ti.” The album” leaves a lighter touch just in time for the summer season, especially with this surprise album functioning as one of the rapper’s pop releases with hints of external influences that does not cement it to its genre. The album is rooted in Caribbean sounds with hints of reggaeton and mambo and a host of rhythms Bad Bunny is notorious for. “Un Verano Sin Ti” has a host of electrical beat switches and raunchy raps perfect for enjoying a day out in the sun or a wam night out on the town.
UPCOMING RELEASES
“Forest in the City” by UMI
With recent releases of “sorry” and “whatever u like,” Umi is preparing to release her debut album “Forest In The City” on May 27. Prior to this release, Umi has released a total of two EPs with her 2019 release “Love Language” and 2020 release “Introspection”. Her second single debut of “whatever u like” has a more upbeat take on Umi’s presence in the Neo-soul genre, and the mellow guitar beats in the song give a sense of sweet summer vibes.
“Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” by Kendrick Lamar
Since his 2017 “DAMN” release, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” will be Kendrick Lamar’s fifth studio album debut. There has not been much mentioned about the new tracklist, but the first and highly anticipated single was released on May 8, called “The Heart Part 5.” According to COMPLEX, Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5” represents many layers ranging from Lamar’s career to its cultural context. “The Heart Part 5” has the Kendrick flow we are familiar with behind a backdrop of bongo and piano beats.
“Superache” by Conan Gray
For his second studio album release, Conan Gray’s “Superache” is set to release on June 24. In 2020, Gray rose to stardom in the midst of the pandemic, which brought Tik Tok popularity to his hits such as “Manic” and “Heather.” His sophomore album will continue to lean into similar sounds from his “Kid Krow” debut while extending his catalog to other sounds, securing his main character status. As of right now, the singles set to appear on his sophomore album are “Jigsaw,” “Telepath,” “People Watching,” and “Astronomy.” These tracks will provide your summer with a mixture of upbeat and moody tracks to match whichever energy you want to lean into.