With the chaos that has been 2022, we’re sure we’re not the only ones who are glad to be heading into summer, and everything that comes with it.
The Christmas lights, the beach vibes, and the road trips… it’s for sure needed. But while the year has been a little hectic, it’s brought some iconic fresh tunes for the upcoming season.
So without further ado, here are some of our current favourite summer vibe songs, just in time for the new year.
BENEE – ‘Beach Boy’
Logically, this poppy track about a relationship bound to fail long-term but spicy and exciting in the moment doesn’t address the themes of summer, except in the obvious title. And you know who will be spending a lot of time on the beach this summer? Us. Time to bop to some BENEE, and maybe find your own special someone for the summer. Also, “we’re by the ocean / think we need a break?” BIG mood.
Lorde – ‘Oceanic Feeling’
Fresh off recent hit album ‘Solar Power’ Lorde snowballs the essence of Kiwi summer into this six-minute shimmery masterpiece. A delectable musing of spending time with loved ones, experimenting and enjoying herself, ‘Oceanic Feeling’ has a perfectly light-hearted, breezy energy that we want to encompass in the coming months.
Taylor Swift – ‘Snow on the Beach’
Again the title here isn’t quite what we’re channeling – but being Kiwis, the beach is indeed where many of us are about to be heading.
Lorde – ‘Mood Ring’
Solar Power is one of 2021’s defining albums, and ‘Mood Ring’ is one of its finest moments. The mischievious, luscious instrumentals and cheekily reflective lyrics speak of young women hunting for themselves in crystals and horoscopes, from Mercury retrograde to ‘Pluto in Scorpio.’ It’s upbeat, floaty and a little deprecating of society’s current obsessions but a track that will – and has – left us dancing into the evenings.
Colbie Calliat – ‘Bubbly’
An oldie but an ultimate classic. Colbie’s 2007 debut hit was an absolute knockout to hit the ground running with and remains a stellar summer tune. There’s no denying the good vibes that come with that iconic opening strum and “can you count me in …“
Jeremy Zucker (ft. BENEE) – ‘I’m so Happy’
This American-Kiwi pairing is songwriting heaven. With Jeremy’s signature vocals and BENEE’s clear contribution in the witty lyrics, it’s a bop that celebrates the fact that being alone can sometimes be the most freeing feeling of all.
Glass Animals – ‘Heat Waves’
From their 2020 album Dreamland, Glass Animals are constantly bringing the energy. With ‘Heat Waves’ we only hope that we too can be feeling the road shimmers and scorching heat waves this summer.
WILLOW ft SZA – ‘9’
Personally, we could not think of a dreamier collaboration. While this is an older track, the seamless blending here makes ‘9’ a chilled, downtempo moment that shines. With WILLOW’s mature, flowing takeover of the production and SZA’s trademark synth goodness, this track’s age doesn’t make it any less deserving of being on our playlists, every year.
Taylor Swift – ‘Lavender Haze’
We’ve talked about Taylor so many times before but we feel like ‘Lavender Haze’s dreamy, romantic opener moment on Midnights definitely deserves some acknowledgement for summer. It’s steamy, with a beautifully harmonized chorus and electric background beats while Taylor alludes to her relationship, fame and celebrity pressure.
Diana Ross, Tame Impala & PNAU – ‘Turn Up The Sunshine’
Not us bringing the Minions movie into this. We’re including this bop solely based on the title – bringing the sunshine is truly where it needs to be right now. If we feel a SPOT of rain this summer, it’s over.
Marlon Williams – ‘Thinking of Nina’ and ‘Morning Crystals’
A juxtaposing tune of contrasts and musings, Marlon Williams has found his feet more than ever in 2022, and his recent album My Boy exposes this. Despite the often dark themes and emotional commentaries, the poppy, folk-country mix is perfect to vibe out to this season, particularly if you’re a fan of tunes with strong social meanings.
SEE ALSO: Our Top Albums of 2022
Check out our Summer + Chill playlist below!
