Welcome to the first volume of Freddie’s Finds! Each week I will spotlight 3-4 of my favorite new tracks of the week, ranging from a variety of genres and artists. This week includes Bakar, Anonymous Club, Raveena, and Isaac Zale.

‍

“NW3” by Bakar

With every new release, I am blown away by Bakar. He has gravitated away from his original indie-pop sound in his early releases to masterfully generate his own sound. His newest single off his forthcoming album, Nobody’s Home, might very well be my favorite so far. “NW3” is a devastatingly perfect love story, portraying Bakar’s feelings during a blossoming relationship. This is exemplified by the imagery in the first verse, rivaling that of Tyler, The Creator’s first verse on “PUPPET,” one of my favorite verses of all time. The track is also an ode to the postal code NW3, which can be found in Bakar’s hometown, Camden Town. Throughout the song, he references this in various forms, singing, “I think I found us the answer in NW / I might end up with you” on the chorus and “Either way I hope that you choose / North West 3, I hope that you move with me” on the second verse. It’s truly one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve heard this year and my anticipation for the album is through the roof.

‍

“Hollywood Meltdown” and “Freak” by Anonymous Club

I found out about Anonymous Club last Sunday after reading their cover feature in HighSnobiety and was incredibly intrigued by their SCREENSAVERS VOL 1 project, immediately becoming one of my favorite listens this year. Much to my delight, it was merely another day until I would be able to hear new music with the releases of “Hollywood Meltdown” and “Freak” – both perfect examples of the collective’s dynamic experimental sound. 

“Hollywood Meltdown” feels like the buildup to a big fight scene in a film. If it doesn’t get your energy up, then I don’t know what will. It has an incredible sense of cohesion despite all the noises swirling throughout. Between the dramatic synth and shouting vocals, there’s not a moment my attention isn’t fully captured. On the other hand, “Freak” is a perfect representation of Anonymous Club’s electronic sound. It doesn’t have vocals, but it doesn’t need them - the bashfulness portrays the message. If you’re looking for something new in the underground experimental electronic sound, you’ll definitely want to check out Anonymous Club.

‍

“Danny Phantom” by Isaac Zale featuring Chris Patrick

“Danny Phantom” featuring Chris Patrick was the stand out song off of Isaac Zale’s newest album, Father of the Zodiac. It’s a perfect representation of his laid back style combined with a melodic hook over a myriad of smooth beats. There’s a Joey Bada$$-esque waviness on the beat, while it also contains some of Isaac Zale’s best flow on the entire project. It holds a deep meaning, speaking to feeling alone on his first verse, progressing further on the hook as he sings about being led on in a relationship. Chris Patrick follows this up on the second verse, rapping about struggling with struggles with mental health, leading to hurting relationships and substance abuse. He ends exploring the growing anxiety of failure as his career progresses. This track is an anecdote of the journey Isaac Zale takes you on throughout the album as he learns how to become the best version of himself. 

‍

“Secret” by Raveena featuring Vince Staples

Excitement has been building over quite some time for Raveena’s sophomore album, which was finally announced to be releasing alongside her latest single, “Secret” featuring Vince Staples. It’s a perfect follow up to the groovy, magical “Rush” as Raveena continues to expand her beautiful sound. “Secret” is the perfect song for Vince Staples to feature on, as the bounciness of the instrumental shines in typical Vince fashion. Raveena described the song as uncovering love that is so far away, it is literally interdimensional. It will be intriguing to see how Raveena continues this trend on the album, coming out on February 11th. 

‍

You can find all my past finds in the playlist below:

‍