The two members of Auckland, New Zealand, bedroom-pop duo KidsOf88 have been music collaborators since their early teens. Things took off for Sam McCarthy and Jordan Arts when their “My House” became a breakthrough hit, scoring them MTV appearances while supporting their Sugrapills debut. Sophomore album Modern Love is out now via the Dryden Street label. Below is a mix tape Arts made for MAGNET.
Cocteau Twins “Heaven Or Las Vegas”
She plays like a river of the sweetest dreams. Elizabeth Fraser has a knack for encompassing your entirety from the heartstrings outward. This song also encases some of the best use of chorus and reverb ever. Video
Bobak, Jons, Malone “On A Meadow Lea”
The anthem for the everyday escapist. It’s as if the chord progression is carving out a slew of rolling hills and fields with each cycle. I feel it also touches on all the right elements of psych without abusing a theme. Video
The Bittersweets “Hurtin’ Kind”
This was the ’60s girl garage band’s only release, which is a shame really because it’s one of the best songs of the genre. It almost makes us want to don a sex-change, shack up with a quarterback and steal his letterman. Video
Orbital “Halcyon”
If you’ve ever hoped for a song to encapsulate the sensation of flying over sparse terrains at 30,000 feet in the air, this is the track. Video
The Passions “I’m In Love With A German Film Star”
Although this song, for me, is propelled by an image of the drummer’s unbeatable fashion sense, it’s a new-wave masterpiece. “Playing the part of a real trouble maker, but I didn’t care” is also such a suave lyric. Video
Kindness “House”
Kindness is an artist you should get familiar with, and this particular track is kind of like a haunting mixture between the vibe of Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be” and the sound of new life being brought into the world. The video for this completely entranced me, too; he’s got a way with words and a directive quality with his videos that peacock his versatility. Video
Iman Omari “Energy”
Iman is like a best kept secret … or something. I’m excited to see where he goes with future releases. I could’ve chosen any track from his eight-track bundle, but “Energy” personifies his thick-vapored sex-voice and whimsical melodies. It sounds like two lovers under the sheets for the last time before the universe explodes. Video
Orange Juice “Rip it Up”
Sam showed me this a while back, and I was like, “Whoa, is this the new Cut Copy?” It turned out to be an ’80s new-wave band called Orange Juice, and this tune is perfect. It’s a shoulder-rubbing party joint with jangled boner guitar and what is sometimes a shrill and gaunt vocal, but in a perfectly golden sense. You couldn’t possibly be mad at the world listening to this. Video
Steely Dan “Reelin’ In the Years”
I can’t mess with Steely Dan; this song just makes me want to grow a thick moustache and hit up the pub for a few pints of bliss. I came across a YouTube clip of them playing this song live, and it reminded me of how awesome they were. When I was young, this was a failsafe for my parents when they had shindigs. Plus, those harmonies in the chorus just keep on soaring baby. Video
Darius “Maliblue”
Reminiscent of Thomas Bangalter’s Club Soda (which is one of my favorite looped edits of all time), this is a poolside nodder reeking of Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion. Thick, juicy and as tasty as the watermelon dribbling down your chin on a summer’s day, this track encapsulates the vibe I have personally been drawn to over the last two years. I wanted to leave J Dilla out of this, but being such a fanboy for so long, I really don’t have a problem at all with this thug chillwave coming out as an extension of that when it’s as vibey as this. Video
