As good as the original can be, sometimes a fresh set of ears can do wonders to an already rocking track. To take a beloved song and reimagine it in a new way can be intimidating for an artist and might trigger some disgruntled fans who are set in their ways. But, by the same token, to present a song in a new soundscape is a way of paying homage to the original artist and can be seen as the highest compliment. This week, genre-bending artist Frank Ocean tackled “Moon River,” originally performed by actress Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s while alt-pop band Coast Modern found themselves lost in a psychedelic cover of MGMT’s festival banger, “Electric Feel.” Below, discover the other newly released covers we’ve been vibing to this week.
1. “Electric Feel” by MGMT covered by Coast Modern
As one of the most celebrated feel-good songs, “Electric Feel” might not have needed to be covered, but if anyone could breathe new life into it, it’s the indie-duo Coast Modern. With a trippier vibe, their version will have you racing to the dancefloor to groove.
2. “Stay” by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko covered by Kyan Palmer
Newcomer Kyan Palmer has been integrating this cover into his live sets for a while now and finally decided to give listeners a fully heartwrenching recorded version. His stripped back vocals perfectly compliment the emotional storyline with a noticeable aching peppered throughout. With his debut EP slated for summer 2018, we’ll be listening for more from him.
3. “Moon River” by Audrey Hepburn covered by Frank Ocean
You think you know what to expect from Frank Ocean and then he takes an Oscar-winning Henry Mancini-penned song and adorns it with his personal style. As his first release of 2018, the dreamy remake gives no real indication of what fans can expect from the cryptic hit-maker, but his “Moon River” will sweep you away.
4. “Dig a Pony” by The Beatles covered by St. Vincent
A guitar goddess and stylish superstar, Annie Clark aka St. Vincent never seizes to amaze music lovers. This cover isn’t new but it deserves a moment. In 2009, before her headlining tours, magazine covers and die-hard fans, she was still a badass with a guitar and some killer vocals. And she covered The Beatles’ “Dig a Pony” with just that. Skip to 3:34.
5. “Eventually” by Tame Impala covered by Lucius
Vibrant duo Lucius have released an acoustic album called NUDES which includes a cover of Tame Impala’s “Eventually” off their 2015 album Currents. The delicate vocals from Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig lend themselves to the harmonies throughout the track, while the glittering background only makes the song sparkle even more.
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