Have you ever wished you had a playlist full of songs perfectly curated for an oddly specific feeling or a super niche scenario that feels almost unreal? Or maybe you’re looking for new and upcoming artists to check out. You might even want songs similar to a popular one you’ve heard before. Well, you’ve come to the right place!
This week’s playlist is called “Stay Groovy,” a collection of songs that feel like a dance floor under a disco ball and strawberry milkshakes at a diner. These tracks would be playing in the roller-skating rink you’d go to with friends on a Friday night in the ‘80s. The techno beats and indie-pop vibes are perfect for any time you miss being out on the town.
- “What’s The Time Where You Are” by Troye Sivan
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Troye Sivan has perfected the art of mixing pop with EDM, and this song is the best example. Somehow, Sivan makes the heartbreak of unrequited love and endless pining sound peppy and energetic with lots of techno beats and adlibs.
“Easy” from his 2020 EP, In A Dream, is an honorable mention that also sounds like making eye contact with an ex-lover on a crowded dance floor.
- “Peach” by BROODS
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BROODS are the underground duo you’ve been searching for your whole life. Georgia and Caleb are siblings who have collaborated with icons like Tove Lo and Troye Sivan (go figure) and have mastered the pop sound.
If you know what it’s like to deep clean your room and get distracted by all the trinkets you find, this is the song you play while jumping on your bed during the dance party you have halfway through.
- “Life Was Easier When I Only Cared About Me” by Bad Suns
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Bad Suns have had a chokehold on me for ages, and their 2022 album, Apocalypse Whenever, has been on repeat for weeks. Their songs feel like being inside a house of mirrors at an amusement park. Imagine the thrill of roller coaster rides and flashing bright lights, and that’s Bad Suns for you. This song is light-hearted but has great vocals and a catchy beat.
- “Swoon” by Fickle Friends
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This track is Fickle Friends’ latest release and a new favorite for me. This song feels like the honeymoon phase, where every date feels like a daze and every kiss makes you a little dizzy. Fickle Friends is another underground group you’ll love, they make the kind of music you want to Shazam in a retail store. “Pretty Great” is an honorable mention from their discography.
- “Perfect Places” by Lorde
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I’ve seen this song described as “luminous pop escapism” and that couldn’t be more accurate. From the lyrics to the drumbeat, it all whispers, “teenage angst.”
This song feels like sticking your head out of the window while your friend is driving down the highway, your hair blowing in the wind, and the streetlights shining purple and blue. Although her music will 100 percent send you into an existential crisis, you can’t make a groovy indie pop playlist without Lorde.
- “Synchronize” by Milky Chance
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If this entire playlist were just one song, it would be this one. The funky synth sounds, the smooth chorus, and the lyrics all make you feel like the reflections from a disco ball.
Although the lyrics talk about a connection that feels perfectly in sync, the beat reminds you of the “right person, wrong time” trope. The song feels like a love you rekindle in passing but that leaves too soon, you’re always crossing paths, but it’s so brief you’d miss it if you blinked.
- “Psychedelic Switch” by Carly Rae Jepsen
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Everyone say “Thank you, Ms. Jepsen,” for reviving our 2000s nostalgia with her sister albums The Loneliest Time and The Loveliest Time. “Psychedelic Switch” is the best representation of the lovestruck and cheesy feel in The Loveliest Time, it feels exactly like being in a European club.
The techno beat mixed with Jepsen’s signature sassy voice makes for the perfect track to play during a spring beach vacation. Alternatively, “Talking to Yourself” from The Loneliest Time is the winter break alternative.
- “Valentine” by COIN
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For starters, rest in peace, COIN. Although it was for a good reason, I’ll never get over them breaking up, so the best thing we can do is listen to this song in their honor. The buildup in this track is top-tier — the rise and fall of the beat and synths always keep you hooked.
This song feels like an Aperol Spritz on a hot summer day, making flirty eye contact with a cutie walking past you on the beach. Think orange polka dots and yellow swirls.
- “Megaton Miles” by Local Natives
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We’re switching gears with this track from Local Natives. Imagine walking down a main street in a Canadian city, snow on a mountainside in the distance, and old houses and vintage shops on either side of you. This is granola groovy, so think travels to new places and two-step dances with strangers.
- “Like She Does” by Dayglow
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No one loves Dayglow like I love Dayglow, so I saved the best for last. Now if this playlist were an artist, it would be Sloan Struble (stage name Dayglow). People in Motion is, dare I say, his best album because from start to finish it feels like skipping down the street with no worries in the world.
Since adding his entire discography is too ambitious, here are some honorable mentions: “Then It All Goes Away,” “Second Nature,” and “Silver Lining.”
If you ever want to listen to songs that feel like roller skates and hot pink scrunchies, I’ve got you covered. With spring coming in hot, it helps to have songs that make you want to bloom like the flowers. Check out the full playlist for more songs!
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