Summer & Winter

Written By: Rebecca (26-A3), Yen-Hsiang (26-E1), De Kuan (26-E1), Shalin (26-O1), Celine (26-U1), Rachel (26-U1)

Designed By: Angelica (26-U1)

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SUMMER 

When someone mentions “summertime”, what do you think of? Pool parties, sandy beaches, or scorching heat? Refreshing mocktails, sweat-soaked shirts, or heart-shaped sunglasses? Summer involves all of that, and so much more. Here in Singapore, the weather is so humid all the time that some of us tend to forget the beauty summertime encompasses. We’re here to restore the magic of summer through music, with so many songs perfectly capturing the fun and excitement of summer!

Lush Life — Zara Larsson

A song released almost ten years ago, this summer classic has become an absolute hit once again. This is largely due to social media and the resurgence of the “2016 aesthetic”, where people reminisce on the days when they were younger, and everything was simple. With its electropop, bouncy beat, and catchy tune, Lush Life was at the forefront of this new social media wave, reaching number one in multiple countries despite it being almost a decade since its release. Its lyrics, too, resonate well with the carefreeness associated with summer. "I live my day as if it was the last / live my day as if there was no past / Doin' it all night, all summer / Doin' it the way I wanna" reinforces ideas of living in the moment and simply having fun, as is the essence of summertime.

Heat Waves — Glass Animals

Another song that took off on TikTok and social media, Heat Waves is a song that captures feelings of longing, particularly during “late nights in the middle of June”, as the lyrics go. That, coupled with the central imagery of “heat waves,” evokes the feeling of a shimmering, distorted hot road on a sweltering summer day. The song reminds us about the quieter side of summer, its melancholic tone resonating with many listeners. The nostalgic sound of the song further evokes many memories in those who listen to it, framing a muted, sweltering day in the middle of summer.

Beaches — Beabadoobee

Moving from the heavier feel of Heat Waves, “Beaches” encapsulates the light and dreamy vibe of summer. The lyric “Cause days blend to one when I'm on the right beaches” invokes images of relaxing on sandy shores, inviting the listener into its peaceful atmosphere. Not only does “Beaches” encapsulate the brightness and calm of summer, but it also conveys a powerful message. The line, “Don't wait for the tide just to dip both your feet in,” sends a clear message to listeners not to hesitate and seize opportunities when they arrive. “Beaches” is a song about newfound (self-)discovery and confidence, letting listeners absorb the message of the song and enjoy summertime to the fullest.

Album: Addison - Addison Rae 

Addison Rae. What do you associate her name with? Upon hearing the name "Addison Rae", do you immediately pivot to the cringey, mind-numbing memes and the viral TikTok dances and skits, or the up-and-coming pop star who has reinvented herself into something more personal, more retro, more fitting? Yes, although the former will continue to plague her name, her eponymous debut album is sure to mellow it. We've truly come so far from "Hi Drated!".

Don’t think. Just listen. That's what Addison demands from you with the opener "New York": a song littered with Addison's airy vocals perfectly matching the quick and intense pace that producers ELVIRA and Luka Kloser bring you, as it eventually explodes into the ever-expanding electronic outro, a magnificent introduction to the upcoming blissful 30 minutes that you will be having on "Addison".

It's clear that the album is influenced by and aestheticised by the early 2000s, with pop culture icons like Madonna, Britney Spears, and Lady Gaga, and maybe some early R&B hits sprinkled throughout. "Addison" pulls it off extremely well. Even starting from the album cover, where she stares at you with such lust and longing as you stare back through the hues of a summer vacation, perhaps reminiscent of a certain 2000s pop star, with the iconic album title crest, and the back cover, reminiscent of Madonna's sensual classic. Throughout the album, you get a whiff of Lana Del Rey (Diet Pepsi), a taste of Disclosure (Aquamarine), and, pressed on the glass, face-to-face with Madonna at her artistic peak (Times Like These, Headphones On). However, surprisingly, for an album with influences drawn from so many places, it's something incredibly concise and full of personality. 

Addison makes it known that she has a clear creative vision for what she pictured the album to be. A taste of nostalgia, coupled with hints of what is to come. She wants you to love it so bad that you would beg for more, but just enough to keep you satisfied. She knows she only has one chance to make a name for herself, to break away from her embarrassing digital footprint, and to twist the narrative into what she wants it to be. She has been slowly carving away at the maintenance of this image, becoming Charli xcx's disciple, turning into BRAT's enfant terrible, inching her way into a certain niche in the pop world. But she knows you can just as easily tear down what can be built. The evidence? The drive, the anger, the passion, the fury that are clearly poured and dedicated throughout the album.

Even on the weaker ballad-like tracks, "Summer Forever" and "In The Rain", there is something to look for in them. Maybe it's the way the synths swell in the chorus of "Summer Forever", or the intro to "In The Rain"; it's the littlest touches that give life to an album that desperately needs it. That's why the highlights really shine when they do appear. "Aquamarine" sounds like a darker version of whatever was on Björk's "Debut", with Addison's vocal rolls feeling somewhat transcendent and carefree, with the glittery synth floating around your brain as you struggle to comprehend how Addison Rae can make music better than Harry Styles in 2026. The synth-bass heavy "High Fashion" can bring Addison's pop listening audience closer to a much more experimental side of her, with drum breaks pulled right off of FKA Twigs' “EUSEXUA”, and chorus synth-bass throbs similar to those off Twigs' "LP1". Addison, in the forefront, draws you in with her campy but charismatic lyrics: "I don't need your drugs, I only want, only want high fashion", something that’s a little on the nose but the right amount of playful that many other pop stars still struggle to balance 

There's so much more to "Addison" though, so much more than partying, drugs, and nostalgia. There is an introspection that I never thought I would hear coming out of Addison, "Boyfriend, I'm Nervous!" Rae's lips ever. "Fame Is A Gun" is electro-pop perfection, a song that addresses a tired-out topic we have heard numerous times from various artists. But there's something about how effortlessly Addison describes her struggle to juggle her virality, and maybe her place on the internet also has a lot to say about the curiosity behind the track; there's also something melodically incredibly catchy, with chorus production feeling like something ripped right out of Taylor Swift's 1989, that pulls everything together so well.

"Times Like These" and "Headphones On" are both songs that carry much emotional weight, along with their hypnotic trip-hop beats. Headphones On, perhaps one of the best songs of the album, feels like the equivalent of cigarette smoke; there's so much lingering around you after you listen to it, whether you like it or not. We seek so much more than surface-level in pop music nowadays, and with the dilution of meaning in the lyrics of many mainstream pop songs today, Addison can deliver what we all crave: Some connection. And when it's from such a controversial figure like herself, it's more interesting than ever. Ever thought you would enjoy the musings of Addison Rae? Me neither. "Guess I gotta accept the pain / Need a cigarette to make me feel better / Every good thing comes my way / So I, still get dolled up." There's something so moving about the simplicity of "Addison", where Addison's bluntness pays off when the songs need it. "Wish my mom and dad could've been in love / Guess some things weren't meant to last forever", she admits. "My life moves faster than me, can't feel the ground beneath my feet. / No matter what I try to do, in times like these, / it's how it has to be". On "Times Like These", Addison's voice feels just like a siren song. There's something so calming and comforting about it, despite how fleeting the lyrics may seem. Addison toys with the idea that nothing lasts forever, and she clearly understands it, with every decision made on this album laid down to perfection, from the visuals to the singles to the producers to the music to its title.

Sure, you may rebut that she will never amount to anything more than a viral TikToker, that she will never be recognised for the music that she makes, that the songs on "Addison" are nothing other than mere ripoffs of better songs from the past, that "Addison" is not as in-depth as I make it out to be, that her inability to sing well will catch up to her eventually. However, with a Grammy nomination under her belt and a spot on Coachella 2026’s main stage, it seems she won't be stopping anytime soon. Her hunger for pop stardom is evident on “Addison”; you can tell from the way every intricate detail has been meticulously crafted. Still not convinced? Then there's nothing much I can really do to get you to hop on the train before it’s too late. Just help me remember this lyric from "Money is Everything". "Can't a girl have fun?"

We’re halfway through summer! Put on your sunglasses, sip an ice-cold soda, and lie back on a lounge chair, but don’t forget to play any of the songs recommended in this article to enhance your experience. From the breezy indie-rock of beabadoobee to the eclectic dance-pop of “Addison”, it’s definitely something that will make your 3 months feel like “Summer Forever”.

WINTER 

Klaus: Christmas whimsy and wonder palpable all year ‘round

With winter comes a myriad of Christmas movies that families all around the world watch while crowding around the fireplace with a hot drink in hand. From the classics like Home Alone, and the Nightmare Before Christmas, to more modern favourites like the Grinch, there are more, Christmas feel-good movies than you can shake a stick at. As much as I love a wholesome, comforting movie, I’ve never been an active participant of Christmas or the season, and thus didn’t watch many Christmas movies growing up. As such, Klaus - the critically acclaimed, British Film Academy Award winning movie about a postman capitalising on an old toy-maker for children' s letters ended up being my first. And what an experience this movie was! To say it left me feeling warm and cozy inside was an understatement. 

Let's get the obvious out the way- the artstyle. It's gorgeous, straight out of a story book: vibrant yet detailed, giving the film a warm, cozy vibe both appealing to children and appreciated by adults alike. In a time where 3D animation is ubiquitous, the deliberate choice for the feature film to comprise fully of 2D animation reinforces the idea of a bedside story being told, while simultaneously helping the film be a refreshing and nostalgic change for audiences. These choices made the film’s visuals surprisingly diverse - ranging from the dull and dark introductory shots of the island at the beginning of the movie, emphasising its daunting and foreboding nature, while also aptly conveying the town’s hostility to not only their own people, but also to outsiders like the main character, Jesper. At the same time, this style is also able to portray warmth and intimacy brilliantly, shining through in segments like in the toy workshop and the town gathering scene. The lighting effects are the definite highlight of the film’s artstyle, with almost every tableau the movie creates being a wallpaper worthy image in its own right.

Pairing seamlessly with the visuals of the film is the sound design, which doesn't leave much to be desired either. If I could describe it in one word, it would be ethereal. Composed by Alfonso González Aguilar, the soundtrack evokes a wide range of emotions - from tense and haunting sounds, to whimsy and wonder, to cozy and emotional, the music is not only stunning in its own right, but is also a match made in heaven with the art, immersing the audience into the movie without the audience even processing its effects.

Personally, the single, small issue I have is how quickly one of the main conflicts are resolved at the end of the movie, but I digress, since that was merely the final nail in the coffin, with the main bulk of the issue having already been solved gradually throughout the whole movie. Overall, this movie is a masterpiece and an instant classic like no other, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for wholesome, cozy winter vibes to watch.