Special Issue: Spring Playlist
Celebrating the new season with new songs from across the globe. It’s got soul! It’s got rhythm! Everything you need to welcome sunshiny days.
Welcome back to Band Practice where I’m sharing another one of my meticulously curated, obsessively crafted seasonal playlists—each with its own sound and vibe. It’s spring! Arguably my favorite time of year.1 Here in Portland, Oregon the flowers are popping off, birds are building their nests, and the sun is shining (occasionally). These signs of growth and new life make me feel hope despite all of the horrible things in the world right now. Do you need some hope? Some auditory sunshine? Une petite party, perhaps? Wherever you are, this playlist will bring that to you.
In a time where diversity has somehow2 become a bad word, here it is celebrated. I’ve got hot new songs for you from across the globe—most are from 2025 and 2024. There’s lots of soul, Latin, Afrobeats, Arabic pop, hip-hop in different flavors, and more. (You’ll hear how many of them cross-pollinate in sound and style.) It’s nothing but uplifting and slightly more energetic than my usual spring playlists (needed, I think). Most importantly, it’s got rhythm—that’s the through line.
The playlist is good for walks, runs, those first outdoor hangs, and listening in the car with windows down (and heat still blasting). It has spring playlist regulars like Raveena, Adekunle Gold, and Obongjayar, as well as new faces like Yola, zeyne, and Orion Sun. Runtime is 2 hours and 12 minutes.
If this sounds different than what you usually listen to, I encourage you to be adventurous. And/or you can catch my other upcoming seasonal playlists for a new vibe.
Before I drop the links, I sequenced this mix for optimal flow, so I encourage you to listen to it in order the first time to appreciate all the love that went into it. But feel free to shuffle it on subsequent listens for a new experience. I think the songs will sound great however they are ordered. As always, they’re guaranteed by the Band Practice playlist promise: bangers only.
Also, I’m going to put a disclaimer up front: if you’re not familiar with the first song of the playlist (Bad Bunny’s “BAILE INoLVIDABLE”),3 it might sound a little dark and somber at first. Give it one minute and I promise it will kick off this party of a playlist.
If you want to keep reading, I’ve included my usual annotations for some of my favorite songs after the jump.
I hope this seasonal mixtape brings you as much joy as it brought me making it. Ok, then. Birds, bees, trumpets: hit it!
Apple Music link
Want more good music?
In my regular issues, I review an eclectic mix of new albums that I think are must-listens. How much must? Extremely must. The mustest. You can get my round-ups, playlists, and bonus issues delivered to your inbox for free by subscribing below.
The annotated playlist
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso - “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE”
This comes to you from one of the most fun NPR Tiny Desk concerts of last year. The Argentinian music duo give the live version of this song (included here) an explosive upgrade from the original. It is no wonder that, after it went viral on TikTok, fans begged for this version to be released.
Songhoy Blues - “Toukambela” / Fousheé - “birds, bees”
Besides ordering songs according to key signature or BPM, I like to pair songs together that have similar elements—sound, instruments, rhythms—throughout the playlist. Here, in one of my favorite transitions, “birds, bees” continues a little flute thread forward from “Toukambela.” The flute comes from a sped-up sample of Diana Ross’s “It’s My House” and is given a reggae beat. Keep your ears tuned for another transitional flute moment between “THE ARTSHOW” and “VENENO.”
Mavis Staples - “Worthy”
Yes, it’s the Mavis Staples.
Lawrence - “Whatcha Want”
I think this is going to be a love-it-or-hate-it track. The energy is huge. It’s over the top. (The vocals…excuse me?? Whew!) But it’s also a lot of fun. You will be immersed in this boisterous live jam session. It dials up the heat in the playlist, so be ready for it.
P.S. Did you know you can find great music on TikTok? “Whatcha Want” was a TikTok find. Some other featured artists I discovered from my fyp are CA7RIEL, Cure for Paranoia, La Dame Blanche, Kaiit, Yerai Cortés, and Reb & The Good News. Who knows how much longer the app will last, but I’m still gleaning while I can.
Saint Levant & Marwan Moussa - “KALAMANTINA / كلمنتينا”
I was turned onto Palestinian singer/rapper Saint Levant by reader Emily and loved his release, DEIRA, of last year. I’m excited to share his hot new single from his latest EP Love Letters / رسائل حب. Multi-talented and multi-lingual, here he sings in both Arabic in English. I can’t get enough of his swoony voice, which made it easy for this song to take up frequent residency in my head.
Other earworm warnings: Ganeni, Léa, ONLY ONE
J NOA & LOWLIGHT - “Traficando Rap”
This is my plea that you get into Dominican rapper J NOA now before she blows up globally. Her flow on this track knowcks me out. The breath control, the engergy…this girl is on fiiiire.
Elisapie - “Taimangalimaaq (Time After Time)”
You thought I would make it to the end of the playlist without a cover song? Think again. Reader Kate recommended Elisapie’s 2023 album, Inuktitut, which this song is from. On the album, the Inuk-Canadian singer-songwriter covers songs that she grew up with in the Inuktitut language. It is beautiful, dreamy, and that stirs up all sorts of nostalgia. Another favorite is her treatment of Led Zeppelin’s “Going To California,” which is on my life list of all-time favorite songs.
Ayra Starr - “All The Love”
Originally, “Whatcha Want” was going to be the last track (it’s a tough act to follow) but, by the time I got to the end of the playlist’s assembly, I felt a cooldown was needed rather than one last build to a burst of energy. (The last thing I want to do is tire a listener out.) While the soothing “Taimangalimaaq” eases things down, Ayra Starr brings it home with a message of love and a little whistletone kiss on the forehead. Perfection.
I love hearing what you have to say! If you loved this playlist, have a song you think would have made the perfect addition to it, or have any other thoughts, send them my way by leaving a comment or replying to this email.
Did I say that about fall, too?
The somehow is racism.
It’s also the first song on my running “Albums of 2025” playlist. Sorry/not sorry for any repeats. They’re good songs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Big fan of Bad Bunny’s new album!
Can confirm that spring in PDX is a wonderful time. I miss it.