PaperCity Sounds

Ciara’s Dance Fever, London Techno & an Oakland Newcomer —

By Matthew Ramirez // Sep 2, 2015

PaperCity Magazine's bold looks will be taking a new form.

PaperCity Magazine hits the stands with an evocative theme each month. From July’s “Solar Powered” to August’s “From the Ashes of Summer Rises Fall” cover, every issue sets a tone that speaks of a certain feeling (or feelings). With PaperCity Sounds, we present a music playlist inspired by the month’s happenings, from fall fashion to the dog days of summer.

Fall is here. Yes, it’s but the beginning of September, and temperatures still hit daily highs in the 90s, but fall is definitely in the neighborhood. Even in Houston, where donning a coat won’t be crucial until maybe November, there is an idealized portrait of autumn, one composed of fur coats, full-length gowns, and boots, along with trees lining North Boulevard spilling their leaves onto lukewarm (and pot-holed) cement.

Ciara has us dancing, while Oakland-bred newcomer Kehlani mixes up gospel-tinged R&B with a hip-hop influenced style, innovative and nostalgic at once. Jersey club, Chicago footwork (DJ Spinn/RP Boo), London techno (Tessela) and a new one from thoughtful songwriter Julia Holter create the landscape of fall, one of glorious decay but also of crisp, refreshing textures, sounds, and feelings.

Don’t forget to pick up a physical copy of the September issue of PaperCity to browse while listening.