MONTHLY MIXTAPE: AUGUST 2023
BY BRENESSA ROACH | AUGUST 31, 2023
August has come to an end and this month there were so many songs that I loved that were released in August. As well, two songs that were released at the end of July that I had to include in this article, so let’s get started!
Released on: July 28th
Tori Kelly was one of my favourite female singers all throughout high school and once I reached university, I kind of stopped listening to her new music, but this month I rediscovered her and I love her new music just as much as her old stuff. On July 28th, she released her album tori and my favourite song on the album is “alive if i die”. I love the production of it because of the old-funk style piano and bass mixed with her sweet vocals. The chorus part is so catchy and I love the layering of her vocals.
Listen to “alive if i die” by Tori Kelly on Spotify:
Check out Tori Kelly on Instagram: @torikelly
Released on: July 31st
“UNREQUITED” is the second track on Ethan’s debut album GEMINI. I love every single song on the album, but I was the most excited to listen to this one because it’s just very catchy and lyrically amazing. I also really love the performance video for this song.
Listen to “UNREQUITED” by Ethan Low on Spotify:
Check out Ethan Low on Instagram: @_ethanlow
Released on: August 4th
It’s no surprise that I am a big supporter of CLUB BOYBND! This is one of my top songs of theirs so far. I love the lyrics and the vocals of Roc Lee. As well, I love the production and the guitar elements. I had the opportunity to interview Roc about this song so make sure to read the interview!
Listen to “hmu” by CLUB BOYBND on Spotify:
Check out CLUB BOYBND and the members on Instagram: @clubboybnd (@_roclee and @antikpopstar)
Released on: August 4th
Now, I thought “SELFISH” was my top BNZA song (still is in my top songs), but “U” definitely tops that. I love this song so much from the production to the lyrics. I think the strings by Keris are beautiful and I also just really love Young Jin’s production on this song as it has an upbeat feel to it, but the song is overall very romantic and sweet. We actually did a press coverage for this song, so make sure to read it here to know more about the meaning and production behind “U”.
Listen to “U” by BNZA and Young Jin on Spotify:
Check out BNZA and Young Jin on Instagram: @bnza.ca and @joshyoungjinkim
Released on: August 4th
I am a big fan of Lauv, have been since around 2018. Something about every single song of his is so beautiful and nostalgic even if I cannot directly relate to the lyrics. This song is so beautiful yet upbeat and I feel like it was a very good end of summer release.
Listen to “Love U Like That” by Lauv on Spotify:
Check out Lauv on Instagram: @lauvsongs
Released on: August 4th
DPR IAN’s songs always hit because it mixes R&B and Rock a little bit. I love this song because it has such a nostalgic undertone to it because of the instruments/production. I also really love the lyricism and the title as well. This song reminds me of the vibes of “Ballroom Extravaganza” – which is one of my favourite songs by him.
Listen to “Peanut Butter & Tears” by DPR IAN on Spotify:
Check out DPR IAN on Instagram: @dprian
Released on: August 7th
This month, I discovered 87dance through the New Music K-Pop Spotify curated playlist. After listening to this song and the rest of 87dance’s discography, I really love their vibes. They are a Korean indie/rock band and that’s one of my favourite genres. This song has such a Summer feel to it. Definitely followed 87dance on Spotify after this release.
Listen to “BLUETOKYO” by 87dance on Spotify:
Check out 87dance on Instagram: @palchilldance
Released on: August 7th
“Busy Girl” was definitely my anthem this month with the amount of blog work and girl bossing I had going on. This song is definitely my favourite from Maya’s discography so far. I love the girl boss vibes and I love the aesthetic of the cover art.
Listen to “Busy Girl” by Maya Malkin on Spotify:
Check out off the menu on Instagram: @otmsound
Released on: August 8th
JAEHYUN is my ult NCT bias and I love his voice. This song is very sweet and the lyricism is beautiful. I only hope for a JAEHYUN album in the future because I know the vibes would be R&B infused with jazz and pop and just overall amazing vibes.
Listen to “Horizon” by JAEHYUN on Spotify:
Check out JAEHYUN on Instagram: @_jeongjaehyun
Released on: August 11th
“Love Me Again” is a pre-release track for V of BTS’s upcoming album Layover. V has a very beautiful and unique voice and this song is just so soft and rich at the same time. It has an R&B style and it’s very romantic. I look forward to hearing the rest of his album when it comes out on September 8th.
Listen to “Love Me Again” by V on Spotify:
Check out V on Instagram: @thv
Released on: August 25th
This is the 3rd pre-release track for The Rose’s upcoming album Dual which is out on September 22nd. I love this song and I think the lyrics really hit. I am a big fan of The Rose so please expect to see more of their music in my future monthly mixtape blogs.
Listen to “You’re Beautiful” by The Rose on Spotify:
Check out The Rose on Instagram: @official_therose, @iwoosung, @gud0011, @parclassic and @l_hajoon
12. Kangaroo - NCT
Released on: August 28th
“Kangaroo” is an NCT U unit song on the NCT 2023 album. I love this song and the unit rotation. The title is super fun and the song has the similar feel of a Kangaroo jumping around (if that makes any sense). Overall, loved this whole album, but this song was my favourite.
Listen to “Kangaroo” by NCT U on Spotify:
Check out NCT on Instagram: @nct
You can find all 12 of the songs mentioned in this article on our Spotify playlist below:
Got an artist or song submission? Visit our Contact page.