Here at Swell Tone, we love a good pop song. Whether it is a sing-a-long chorus that hits just right or the perfectly articulated bounce of synth, sometimes a well-written pop song is all we crave. We wanted to find a home for all of our favorite pure pop hits. Thus, Pop Up was born. Every month, we bring you the songs that won’t stop spinning around our minds and making our hips shimmy. Enjoy round 2!
Shura – “The Stage”
This whole release has a sensual, proudly queer, blue-tinted atmosphere and this song is the big show. A confident and colorful return 3 years after her last release, Shura is bigger and brighter than ever on this smoky synth dream of a track.
Listen to more Shura here. Her new album forevher is out August 16th via Secretly Canadian.
The Jungle Giants – “Heavy Hearted”
There hasn’t been a song from The Jungle Giants that we don’t like. Part of their magic is that they continually return evolved. This song is perfectly distant and still within reach of 2017’s Quiet Ferocity with all the golden charm we’ve come to expect the four-piece. Articulated with precision and arranged with purpose, this is a track that means pop business.
Listen to more of The Jungle Giants here.
IVEY – “Bodies”
With a sense of wonderment in the production and an instantly memorable refrain, this track rockets to the stars. The fluidity of the tune flows through every texture and the continual ebb and flow of momentum. It’s the kind of song you can hear and see at the same time.
Listen to more IVEY here.
Shannen James – “Something In The Water”
Not every good pop song needs to push its BPM and this one is the perfect example of a gentle, steady beat that knocks home a cascading refrain. The mind races wading from those end-of-phrase dips in the verses overtop shiny, cloud-like production layered in support. It can and should get stuck in your head quite quickly.
Listen to more Shannen James here.
frogi – “time”
There’s no better word to describe this track than epic. It is unexpected in a clever and engaging way as it slowly builds over time (literally and figuratively). In the vocal delivery and the triumphant resolve, you can feel frogi’s pain release.
Listen to more frogi here.
Check out past Pop Ups here!
