Freddie's Finds, Volume 38: Best New Music of The Week
Welcome to the 38th volume of Freddie’s Finds! Each week I spotlight 3-4 of my favorite new tracks of the week, ranging from a variety of genres and artists. This week includes 8rae, Tommy Richman, Hadji Gaviota, and Danny Schiller.
WHO TF IS 8RAE? by 8rae
I warned you three weeks ago to look out for 8rae, and if for some reason you did not listen, then take this week’s release of his EP as the perfect launching point. Duly named WHO TF IS 8RAE, the project is fittingly an introduction to not 8rae’s unique and very diverse style, but also to him as a person, with outsourced monologues guiding his story on the opening tracks. Kicked off in March with “F Valentine’s Day,” with “WHO TF?” and “Lost Cause” following since, he added on another four tracks upon its release, including “Giving Too Much” with a feature from Ky Mesina and jayastro of illusion hills, and my personal favorite, “Moving Forward.”
An outro to end all outros (or projects), “Moving Forward” is a beautiful amalgamation of everything that makes 8rae 8rae. Production from Jordan Vega, Gabe Olin, and 8rae himself brings a slowly intensifying, string influenced instrumental, perfectly pairing with 8rae’s increasingly confident demeanor. From singing “On this lonely road, I’m speeding,” to “Moving forward, no more stops / Watch me take this shit up to the top,” he adds the final touches to this 21 minute journey, taking us through the trials and tribulations of his life so far. An ending voicemail from his Dad leaves a sweet touch of comfort and faith in his vision, knowing that everything will work out in the end — and if he keeps putting out music like this, then the sky's the limit. Check out “Moving Forward” off of WHO TF IS 8RAE? below:
ALLIGATOR by Tommy Richman
If there is one thing about me, it is that I love Tommy Richman. Finally, after months of teasing, we get to listen to six new tracks off his debut EP, ALLIGATOR, a project well encapsulating of everything we have become accustomed to from Tommy so far — never being afraid to stray away from the norm. The Virginia native has a certain flair on everything he touches, from the nostalgia laced “ELECTRIFY TONIGHT,” to the groovy “703,” to the booming bass backed electric production of “NET WURTH. However, none stand out as much as “LATENIGHT2REMEMBER”
Containing fast paced, exciting keys by Jonah Roy, “LATENIGHT2REMEMBER” featuring BIGBABYGUCCI is the epitome of why Tommy is so captivating. He takes the first verse, before BIGBABYGUCCI seamlessly flows in, the duo’s styles feeling blending together perfectly. A repeating outro by Tommy sees the song out, ending it on a simpler yet pleasing note, before Tommy harmonizes with himself. ALLIGATOR was well worth the wait — you cannot miss it.
“i’m bored” by Hadji Gaviota with Gao the Arsonist
One of my favorite rituals in music is seeing Hadji Gaviota tease his upcoming song on TikTok for months, and finally getting to hear it when he sends it to me a week early. The latest installment of this arrived upon the release of “i’m bored” with Gao the Arsonist, building on the punk influenced themes of “GOOFY!.” Kicked off with an energizing hook as Hadji shouts, “I’m bored / Can we turn up / Life’s short, whole world boutta burn up,” over electrifying, distorted production from Mike Mroz, it does not take long for Hadji to enter his signature storytelling mode. Intertwining humor and sports reference between an edible-fueled night at a party, Hadji takes the first verse, before Gao comes in with a loud bang for a confidence riddled second verse, ending by saying, “I been waiting for my coronation but I’m still in line / Guess I’ll kill these motherfuckers just to kill the time.” With another project seemingly around the corner, keep an eye out for Hadji, per usual.
Hasta La Dorada by Danny Schiller
In case there were not quite enough projects released this week, Danny Schiller’s Hasta La Dorada is certainly a can’t miss, a beautiful eight track EP blending together worlds of spanish and english. Speaking on the meaning, Danny shared, “The title Hasta La Dorada is a reference to a quote from the book Love in the Time of Cholera by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In the book, the main character tells a boat captain that they will continue sailing ‘hasta la dorada.’ While their final destination is unknown, this boat journey they will take represents an eternal love between the two main characters. I use this quote to express that my project is just the start of my long journey in music. While the destination is unknown, I am in love with the process of growing and exploring through music and will continue to do so ‘hasta la dorada.’”
Among the three new tracks emerges an undeniable standout in “for good” with RENEE, an ode to iconic boleros such as “Dos Gardenias,” “El Reloj,” and “Bésame Mucho.” Over sweet production from Roy Boyland, the duo trade off verses, their awe-encapsulating voices creating an environment unlike any other. Check out “for good” along with the full project below:
You can find all my previous finds in the playlist below:
