With our weekly Blisspop series, Chill Out Mondays, we cover the latest and greatest chill out releases.  Consider it a “chill pill†for those Monday morning blues! This week we feature soulful, downtempo tracks  from Tamu Massif, Lyves, Zimmer, goosestaf, Mishegas, and more!
Of the highlights this week is the latest soulful remix from Tamu Massif, “Senses – Henry Green Remix.” The airy vocals complement chill arpeggiated beats. I wonder what was sampled for the unique percussion interspersed through out the track. The curiously sampled elements highlights the producer’s unique style.
Similarly, Lyves’ latest track “Tell Me that You Feel it Too,” features a strong vocal presence complemented by lo-fi soulful downtempo productions. According to Lyves’ biography, “she is deeply inspired by music that speaks to the quiet of one’s heart.” With her potent blend of R&B and chilltronica, Lyves delivers an achingly beautiful performance that is unforgettable.
One of my favorite recent collaborations is between Panama and Zimmer with their latest track “Wildflowers.” Â I think it has a similar vibe to Lyves and Tamu Massif, especially with the soulful vocals. This track is recommended for fans of James Blake and Sampha, two prominent electronic artists of the decade.
If instead your craving acoustic music, check out Goosetaf and Kupla’s latest track, “Foggy Nights.” This is a balanced blend of lo-fi hip hop meets jazz. I appreciate the intricate details in the production: sampled wind instruments, swinging hip hop beats, the sounds of what I can only recognize as the sound of ripping velcro. In only two minutes and forty five seconds, this track packs a concise, yet potent punch.
Chrome Sparks experiments by detuning his vocal samples in his latest track, “In2 Your Love.”  Initially, I was disoriented with the pitch. Fortunately, my ears adjusted quickly and the track grew on me fondly.
“Cat’s Eye” by Pascäal is a brief interlude for the playlist. The sequencing sounds like a pleasant accident. It’s bizarre sense of rhythm is perfect for breaking up any sort of monotony for the listener.
“Satisfied (Ambient Reprise)” by Catching Flies is a stunning composition. This is like a hazy dream, which leaves me in a trancelike state. I love the orchestral elements, lo-fi samples, and sense of backwards movement with reversed audio samples.
IHF’s latest track is also a dream-like downtempo chill track complete with all the right ingredients for a polished production. This track is for fans of Catching Flies, Lapa, and Emancipator (all of them are frequently buzzed about on Blisspop).
Mishegas is a standout solo producer who is frequently on tour performing in Shallou. Last I recalled, I saw him perform a few years ago on a tour with Shallou and Manatee Commune at Songbyrd in Washington D.C. I would consider his solo work similar to Shallou, yet differentiated in its’ own ecclectic style.
Last but not least, we finish off this week’s series of Chill Out Monday’s with an epic ambient composition from Alaskan Tapes titled, “Untitled #1.” This piece ebbs and flows. It’s haunting, yet serene. If I had my way, I’d add this to a future episode of Black Mirror.
Overall, this week was abundant with incredible chill out music. You can listen to all the tracks covered this week on our weekly Spotify playlist.