MMM with Chanpan & Kiiingsley 🎶
Two PERFECT songs, it's actually crazy to me... hope you enjoy
Welcome to Max’s Music Mondays. My ~music discovery newsletter~ where I get too excited about songs I love. I hope you love them too. Your subscriptions go such a long way. Free subscribers help these artists get the audience they deserve, paid subscriptions help keep this thing running and also PAY THE ARTISTS!!! 2/3 of every subscription goes right back to the artists I write about. Please consider supporting independent music and music journalism(?) here today <3
Good evening, happy Monday!
One week down, one album reviewed - I stuck to the plan and wrote a bunch about Maggie Rogers’ new album (but more on that at the bottom of the newsletter). Just had to brag a little bit.
In other Max-bragging news, we hit another subscriber goal here at MMM HQ. I’m really so grateful to all of y’all for reading and supporting my little baby that’s not so little anymore. I love listening to music, thinking about music, sharing music, and this is such a sweet place to get to do exactly that.
To celebrate, I want to do more of it!! Please reply to this newsletter with two songs you’ve been loving lately and I’ll get you new song or two to add to the rotation. Just my way of saying thanks.
I’ve got A LOT of exciting plans coming up for the newsletter, and it’s moments like these, the little steps towards big dreams that really fill my sails and keep me going. So again, thank you. For making all of it possible.
Chanpan - ooweeooweeoo
Folks, THIS is a title. We gotta be working harder on creative names, Chanpan gets it. And if you have a title this good, you better bring it music-wise. Again, Chanpan passing with flying colors.
A filtered guitar loop (which sounds just like this 2010’s hip hop sample that I can’t name but feel deep in my bones, if you hear it please tell me) starts things off, a sparkling chime descending down, some hums, a breakbeat that immediately sinks it’s hooks into you. The kick drums busts the door down, and the bands full force comes flooding out. Topped off with some gentle keys, the moment is explosive and magic.
We pound the snare to break free, moving into the verse, the drums unrelenting urgency hidden again behind a filter. It leaves space for Chanpan’s lead singer Grace Dumdaw to shine too. Contrasting that crazy drum pace with a elegant and jazzy verse, these lyrics so slowly stretching out, it’s a beautiful thing. The melody is ridiculous too, really showing off Dumdaw’s range.
At 0:43 the drums get knocking again and the moment starts to change shape. Encouraging the vocals to pick things up, a new rhythm that drives the song forward. With such momentum, you can Lose Yourself In The Music(tm), but the writing is fun too - matching the human meets digital sound with lines like “when i time is up / i’ll respawn again”.
Without the drums, we just float. A peaceful section with these spoken word nuggets - again blurring the line between human and cyborg. Just something a little surreal about the way they’re layered. The whispers underneath adds more humanity and a tiny bit of mischievousness too. I need acceleration beckons the drums back and folks… it’s time to accelerate.
Back into a scene like the intro, it’s big and fast and thrilling. The titular ooweeooweeoo really landing here too. It’s a little silly and just so sick. Before things get too wild, we settle back in.
But by the second line we just can’t keep it in any more, that breath another breathe and start a fire can’t even get through fire before the whole thing is set ablaze.
Again, Dumdaw shines when the band is at full force, gorgeous tone and such a great delivery of these lyrics. The section is also so stunning musically. Gorgeous jazzy piano chords with an almost bossa nova feel, a bass that is running a damn marathon, tastefully hitting every possible note in the blink of an eye. Could live in this for a long time. Backing out to the guitar is just as nice though, with stacks of harmonies bringing us home.
Really excited about these three and the delightful, captivating music they are cooking up. I came across this song last week and giving a huge shoutout to Kelsie, another one of my fav music curators for reminding me today with this perfect tiktok. Go follow her too!!!
Follow Chanpan on Instagram // on Spotify
Kiiingsley - Romeo
Oh man oh man let’s have some fun.
I guess it’s Good Drums week here on MMM because this one rips from the very first second with these big punchy drums coming alive beneath this guitar riff. One shout from Kiingsley and I know we’re in for a great one. Sets the tone and I love it. I could just loop this for hours I reckon.
But we do keep moving, this really bright guitar shaking out some fuller chords to match the riff. Kiiingsley comes flying in with Hey it’s nice to meet ya. And in this moment it really is - his voice big and booming but, just like the cover, it feels like it’s coming with a big ol’ smile attached.
We fall right into this new bit, the drums really making things special here, with little fills that are warming my heart every time. His delivery is also NUTS, there’s so much to say I keep having to pause this song to breathe, replay, and make sure I’m hearing it right. Like at 0:27, the way Kiiingsley finds that “No IIIIII” to start this next lyric - he almost sounds like a guitar the way the melody bends upwards. It’s weird and bold and so damn good, I am IN.
Closing the verse with another introduction, we make our way to something entirely new. His flow shifts into high gear, pushing hard on these two or three word phrases, punctuating the groove. It’s really well done.
Another switch-up follows, the guitar dropping low, Kiiingsley getting more personal. Where the previous sections felt flirty in a ‘wow do i have a crush on you’ way, here we see that this isn’t just a crush, but someone he’s really trying to pursue. Trying to make it work. It feels earnest and adds some real heaviness to such a breezy song.
But not to wallow for long, he fires back into a familiar refrain. Once again that No IIIII goes absolutely crazy. Obsessed. It all wraps there at 1:41 so well.. OR DOES IT?!? That’s right we’ve got ourselves a bonus, a song in a song. Settling back into this HOT r&b groove. The bass is alive, the keys so warm as they dance around. Our little Romeo finding his way back to this person’s house, and it feels sexy. Those lazy drums really settling down into the groove, the melody finding sweet new paths.
It’s really a lovely tune and one I’m glad to have on repeat a BUNCH lately. Hope you dig it too.
Follow Kiiingsely on Instagram // on Spotify
Last Week on All The Other Days:
I publish all these to the site, but not over email, so check it out if it catches your eye. I wrote:
Plus I’ve been crying to Medium Build, dancing to Charli, and running back that Katy Kirby record A BUNCH. Hope you’re well, what else are you listening to?
I like to move it move it,
Max