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Pitchfork Music Festival 2017: Lineup Playlist

Welcome to the beginning of Pitchfork Music Festival Week 2017! It’s become tradition here on Faronheit in the last few years to spend a full seven days celebrating the three day blissful orgy of music that descends upon Chicago every July in the form of the Pitchfork Music Festival. In my opinion, you won’t find a better curated or more diverse festival lineup anywhere other than Pitchfork. They put their brand and reputation on the line to celebrate great and innovative artists across backgrounds and genres. If you’re unaware or ignorant of the festival, perhaps a glance at some past coverage will provide an accurate impression of how things go each year. We couldn’t be more excited to bring you a complete festival guide all week long on Faronheit, which includes day-by-day previews, day-by-day recaps, plus a whole bunch of photos and other media along the way. Whether you’re headed to Union Park this weekend and are unsure about what bands to see, or are interested in the lineup and are looking to vicariously experience the festival without actually going, the hope is you’ll make this site one of your stops for key information and on-the-ground reporting. It’s a pleasure to put this guide together every year, and I hope it’s reflected in the content posted.

Let’s get started by providing a proper introduction to all of the artists set to perform at Pitchfork Music Festival 2017. After the jump you’ll find a Spotify playlist featuring two songs from every single artist on the linup, along with individual links to websites, music videos and more. The Spotify playlist is ordered by day and set time, while everything else is sorted alphabetically. There are plenty of ways to get to know these artists, but obviously listening to their music is the most important of all. So click some links, stream some songs, and begin your education!

More Pitchfork Music Festival 2017 coverage:
Friday Preview Guide
Saturday Preview Guide
Sunday Preview Guide

Pick Your Poison: Monday 7-10-17

In case you didn’t know, I’m here to let you know – it’s Pitchfork Music Festival week here at Faronheit. Be on the lookout for full coverage of the 2017 Pitchfork Music Festival, beginning later today! Basically the official festival doesn’t start until Friday, but leading up to it you’ll be able to stream songs from all the artists and get daily previews detailing what to expect. It’s going to be a whole lot of fun, so if you’re interested I encourage you to follow along! Of course you can also join me in Union Park if you’re so inclined. Full lineup info and ticket links can be found on the official festival site. Now then, let’s dive into today’s Pick Your Poison. There are some great downloads in this set from Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra, Brad Byrd, JSMV and a double dose of Pearl Earl. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from A$AP Twelvyy, Cousin Stizz, Cults, Faith Healer, filous, Future Generations, Ikonika, Marc E. Bassy (ft. Kyle), matt pond PA, Nicole Atkins, Upsahl and more!

5j Barrow – Sarah Brown

Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra – J Schleia

Birds of Bellwoods – A Year Ago

Brad Byrd – Cylinder

Dan Raza – Where the Rivers Divide

Jamie Aaron Aux – Wolf Moon

JSMV – Dancing in the Moonlight

Pearl Earl – Captain Howdy
Pearl Earl – Meet Your Maker

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 7-6-17

Put on your dancing shoes, because Cut Copy are back! You definitely need to check out their new one “Airborne” below. It’s got all of the band’s signature hallmarks, including a driving beat, a dynamic hook and just a hint of psychedelia. Fans of abrasive noise rock will definitely want to check out the latest from Ice Balloons, which pretty much takes Death From Above electric guitar riffs and chops/screws them with a very Death Grips-esque twist. It’s loud, intense, and fun. Speaking of fun, Omni continue their streak of making memorable and fuzzy garage pop that sticks in your head for quite awhile after. They’ve got a new record out in September, and “Equestrian” is the delightful first single from it. Other artists in this set include ALKE, DAIJO, Falcons, Garrett David, Joey Bada$$ (x2!), Private Island, The Steoples, and Tricky.

Cut Copy – Airborne

Ice Balloons – The Wasp

Omni – Equestrian

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 7-5-17

It’s mid-week, so it’d be understandable if you’re looking for a bit of respite from the world. Maybe sit down in a quiet corner and try to forget everything that’s going on. Fear not, for Hayden Calnin’s latest “Collision” delivers the sort of meditative melody needed to put you into that necessary headspace. Then Olafur Arnalds steps in to take over with an absolutely gorgeous instrumental that makes perfect use of piano and strings. He’s from Iceland, so majestic and sweeping melodies seem to come naturally from there. Then Rare Monk completes this triptych of songs with a very measured take on love and death. It’s a beautifully constructed and measured rock song that reminds me of some of Death Cab for Cutie’s finer moments. Other artists in this set to help pull you out of the post-holiday blues include Anevo (ft. Heather Sommer), Chris LaRocca, Drinker, Moullinex (ft. Fritz Helder), Orlando (ft. Nemesis), Prince Fox (ft. Bella Thorne), S Olbricht, STANAJ, and more.

Hayden Calnin – Collision

Ólafur Arnalds – 1440

Rare Monk – Happy Haunting

Pick Your Poison: Monday 7-3-17

Pick Your Poison is taking tomorrow off for Independence Day, but things will be back to normal on Wednesday. In the meantime, maybe you can find a few good songs in this set to play at your BBQ or whatever else you might have going for the 4th of July. Don’t miss downloads in this set from Azealia Banks, The March Divide, Sparrows and This Way to the Egress. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Anna of the North, ayokay (ft. Baker Grace), Benjamin Shock & Marina Martensson, Benny Cassette, Blair, DJ Tennis (ft. Fink), Ezkiel, kyd the band, MYZICA, Rudimental (ft. James Arthur), and more!

Azealia Banks – Escapades

Lone Kodiak – Calm Down

The March Divide – Tired Voice

Mark Bryan – If You Saw Her

Sailor Winters – Gallan

Sparrows – Take My Heart Out

This Way to the Egress – See No Evil

T.R.3 – Statistics

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 6-29-17

There’s a real ramshackle charm to Baby!’s new single “Weather Girl,” the first from their forthcoming album that’ll be out this August. The guitars and synths jangle and sparkle, respectively, and the chorus feels like a warm hug. They’re a band to keep an eye on, so start right now! Elsewhere, inc. no world continue their dominance of R&B sounds with another slow burn track that adds some clarity and down-to-earth vibes to their instrumentation and radiates confidence amid the stillness. There’s something beautiful and just a bit sentimental about “Cocoon,” a mid-tempo slice of synth-pop from The Mynabirds. More than anything else, I can’t quite get that chorus out of my head, and that’s a good thing. You should also check out songs from other artists in this set, including Amine, Billie Eilish, Cymbals, The Dears, Montell2099 x 21 Savage, VON GREY, and more!

Baby! – Weather Girl

inc. no world – Living

The Mynabirds – Cocoon

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 6-28-17

If you’re in the mood for a little bit of post-punk with a splash of psychedelia thrown in for good measure, Flesh World’s latest “Destination Moon” will send you soaring into the darkness to play among the stars. There’s something fascinating and just a touch different from the norm in the new Grieves track “RX”. It’s an effortless blend of hip hop and R&B, with fascinating production and sampling. Chicago’s own Whethan has a big record out this summer and a big hometown show at Lollapalooza, so it’s only natural he’d follow up a strong collaboration with Charli XCX with another strong guest vocalist in the form of Mascolo. It does nice work blending traditional pop melodies with modern electronica. Other artists in this set include Al Salvatore (ft. Tessa Marie), Grant, Lil Pump, Partner, RALEIGH (covering Frank Ocean), Shay Lia, Siv Jakobsen, Sudan Archives, and Sure Sure.

Flesh World – Destination Moon

Grieves – RX

Whethan – Good Nights (ft. Mascolo)

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 6-27-17

In terms of electro-pop tracks, I’m really digging this new one from Allure. Quality beat, a strong hook and skews just far enough away from formula to keep things interesting. On the polar opposite side of the spectrum, Boris continue to deliver scathingly loud and impressively artful black metal that’s worth your time and hearing to check out. Then once again for something completely different, the soft and somber folk of Caroline Says captures lots of truth and beauty with “Winter Is Cold”. Somehow that season doesn’t seem so bad when accompanied by the crackling warmth of that song. Other artists in this set include Cedric Gervais (ft. Liza Owen), Disco Fries (ft. Jared Lee), The fin., Mal Devisa, Patricia, Rain Man & MAX, Shine 2009, Wifisfuneral, and more!

Allure – Loving You

Boris – Memento Mori

Caroline Says – Winter Is Cold

Pick Your Poison: Monday 6-26-17

We’re quickly racing towards the heart of summer, which is exciting and terrifying at the same time. I mean, good times and all, but wasn’t it just spring like a week ago? Here are some new tunes to help the time fly by even faster. Don’t miss downloads in this set from Blake Banks, DreamVacation, Karen & the Sorrows, and Kazyak. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Blood Cultures, Comedienne, Foxygen (covering Jessica Pratt), Guided By Voices, Heems, Kintaro, Super Duper (ft. Daniella Mason), The Van T’s, Wu-Tang Clan, Xan Griffin (ft. Emilia Ali), and more!

Andy K Leland – Home Grown Muck

Blake Banks – Last Week

DANI Le Rose – I’ve Told Lies

Dog Island – El Dorado

DreamVacation – Thin World

Karen & the Sorrows – Do It For Myself

A Moldy Leak – Hot Sopa

Urmac – Real

Kazyak – When I Lived in Carolina

Show Recap: BONZIE at Schubas [6-23-17]


On Friday night, Chicago’s own BONZIE (aka Nina Ferraro) held a record release show at Schubas to celebrate her excellent second album Zone On Nine. It was a wonderful and emotional set filled with powerful songs that pushed beyond the boundaries of traditional singer-songwriter expectations. In an industry full of easy to categorize artists, BONZIE stands out with her unique perspective, captivating voice and experimental arrangements. That she’s chosen to remain independent in spite of offers from record labels speaks volumes about the value she places on independence and doing things her own way. It’s worked well so far, and connected her with local legends such as producer Steve Albini and Tortoise’s John McEntire, as well as international notables including Portishead’s Adrian Utley.

The writing and recording of Zone On Nine took BONZIE on a lengthy journey across oceans and to a myriad of destinations. The music reflects this and is all the better because of it. Her live show is stronger than ever too, as the full band and backup singers created a rich tapestry that perfectly highlighted the complex emotions infused into every song. If the rapturous reactions from all the fans, friends and family in attendance were any indication, there are even greater things in store for BONZIE in the months and years to come. Pick up a copy of the new record, and go see her perform live if you get the chance!

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 6-22-17

If you’re on the hunt for something pathologically weird, hopefully the new song from Ice Balloons will do the trick. It sounds like what would happen if you took Death From Above guitars and then threw in a whole bunch of other random noises with very little sense of cohesion. TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone contributes his vocals to “Calypso Heartworm,” but they’re so processed and buried in effects that it sounds like they’re slowly drowning. Shockingly, it all works somehow. Your guess why is as good as mine. What’s interesting to me about an artist like Lissie is how she doesn’t seem content to simply stay confined to a singular stylistic box. Best known for being a folk singer-songwriter whose songs stand out because they’re very well written and sung, “Boyfriend” maintains a similar aesthetic, but removes the guitar in favor of very subtle synths. You may be unsurprised to learn that it works out quite well in a beautiful, almost R&B type of fashion. David Bazan and some of his old Pedro the Lion bandmates have found rock and roll again in their new project Lo Tom. “Covered Wagon” is yet another slice of their debut album, which does a strong job of conveying exactly what sort of sound they’re going for. It’s not exactly new territory, but there’s definitely still room in this world for a lively, well-written rock song like this one. Similar things could be said about matt pond PA’s latest song. If you’re familiar with his generally upbeat take on full band folk, “Skin and Bones” will feel immediately recognizable. It’s gotten less effective over the last decade, but there’s still enough wistful emotion attached that it’s difficult to say anything bad about it. So I won’t. Other artists with tracks in this set include Blondes, courtship., Elias, Grapell, Minimal Violence, Nicole Atkins, Sad13 (aka Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz), and Twinsmith.

Ice Balloons – Calypso Heartworm (ft. Kyp Malone)

Lissie – Boyfriend

Lo Tom – Covered Wagon

matt pond PA – Skin and Bones

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 6-21-17

There are quite a few great songs in today’s Pick Your Poison, and it’s difficult to choose only a couple to really highlight. Definitely listen through the entire set if you can, because there’s some real gems buried in here. Briana Marela specializes in ethereal pop arrangements, and on “Give Me Your Love,” the latest preview for her forthcoming album (out 8/4), she manages to push that aesthetic a step further. The echoes, overdubbed and harmonized vocal hook morphs along with the tempo to dip a toe into pseudo dance music. It works remarkably well, especially when paired with the new Kedr Livanskiy track “Ariadna”. Livanskiy is known as a creator and producer of dynamic electronic tracks, and her use of space, synths and reverb here makes for a hauntingly beautiful dance track. Speaking of hauntingly beautiful, you can get another preview of Mutual Benefit’s forthcoming full album cover of Vashti Bunyan’s 1969 classic Just Another Diamond Day below. It’s tough to think of another artist more equipped to take on such a landmark album, and the combination of acoustic guitar, violin and meek vocals really takes the original song in a different (yet equally great) direction. Those in search of a psychededlic pick-me-up need look no further than the fresh instrumental synth jam from Black Moth Super Rainbow member TOBACCO. If you’ve heard his stuff before, you pretty much know what to expect on “Got Wet in the Bomb Shelter” – strong, energetic beats tied to synths that sound like they were shot out of some sort of futuristic laser gun. It’s fun stuff, and a bit trippy when associated with the right visual. Other tracks in this set come from Clairo, Electric Guest, Katie Von Schleicher, Lafa Taylor & Aabo, Laoise, MIKE, Pandreas and RAC (ft. St. Lucia).

Briana Marela – Give Me Your Love

Kedr Livanskiy – Ariadna

Mutual Benefit – Diamond Day (Vashti Bunyan cover)

TOBACCO – Got Wet in the Bomb Shelter

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 6-20-17

If you love a dark piano pop ballad, you really shouldn’t miss Anya Marina’s new song “Serious Love,” which is graceful and beautiful complete with soaring strings and a sultry vocal that really sets the mood. The great talents of electronica producer Hudson Mohawke and hip hop artist Remy Banks meet on the rhythmically dope track “Passports,” composed specifically for the latest season of HBO’s Silicon Valley. And speaking of talented electronica producers teaming up with great vocalists, we’re lucky enough to get a new track from the duo of Joel Ford and Leanne Macomber, aka Young Ejecta. “Build A Fire” contains the essence of an 80s dance track, replete with pulsating synths and supremely smooth vocals. It feels like a long-lost classic from New Order, but if they were fronted by Siouxie Sioux or something. Pretty fantastic. Other songs in this set come from Cam’ron, Don’t DJ, INDIIA, LINES, The National Parks, Sudan Archives, Super Furry Animals (covering The Smiths), TOKiMONSTA (ft. Yuna) and more!

Anya Marina – Serious Love

Hudson Mohawke – Passports (ft. Remy Banks)

Young Ejecta – Build A Fire

Pick Your Poison: Monday 6-19-17

Back in action for another week with a fresh edition of Pick Your Poison to entertain your ears and soothe your soul. Don’t miss downloads in this set from Mt. Doubt, Pearl Earl, Suntrodden and Yeah But No. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Bassnectar (ft. Mimi Page), Cathedrals, The Duke Spirit, Eamon, The Fresh & Onlys, Galimatias, L.A. Witch, Leven Kali, Majid Jordan (ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR), See Through Dresses, Washed Out and more!

The Ahern Brothers – Comb That River

Casey Hake – What Is Mad

Endre Nordvik – I’m In Love With You (BJARNE Remix)

Mt. Doubt – A Natural Swimmer

Pearl Earl – Star in the Sky

Selon Recliner – Come On Rain

Suntrodden – Moonflower

Three For Silver – Down in the Cut

Yeah But No – Leave the Dark

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 6-15-17

The retro futurism of Skylar Spence combines with the electronica of The Knocks to form Amelia Airhorn, which is about as fun and danceable as you might suspect. “NY Is Red Hot” has all the feeling and heart of a classic disco song, with some modern sampling and effects to prime that pump and do something fresh. It’s a little difficult to describe the new Keep Shelly in Athens track “Leave In Silence,” and that’s a good thing. It takes synth-pop and adds a few experimental tweaks for some dramatic weight. Then there’s the new one from band to watch Sleeping Bag, who dive straight into the post-punk pool and go for a quick sonic swim. “Doin’ It Alone” may not last longer than two minutes, but it accomplishes everything it sets out to do. Other songs in this set come from A$AP Ferg (x2!), Cardiknox, Drop the Gun, Exit Someone, Oly, People Like You and more!

Amelia Airhorn – NY Is Red Hot

Keep Shelly in Athens – Leave In Silence

Sleeping Bag – Doin’ It Alone

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