ā12 Songs That are Truly Coldā includes music from artists Breaking Benjamin, Demi Lovato, Kaskade, and Maroon 5 among many others.
Dang ā itās nippy up in here! *Starts shivering uncontrollably for dramatic effect* The chill ā rather the freezeā is real on ā12 Songs That are Truly āCold.āā Regardless of the season, the coldness of the selected songs is sure to evergreen, sigh.Ā In some cases, the keyword doesnāt refer to temperature ā it can also refer to attitude, emotions, or perhaps even being āiced out.ā Artists whose music appears on the ālatest and greatestā include Breaking Benjamin,Ā Demi Lovato, Kaskade, and Maroon 5Ā among many others.
1. Rich Brian, āColdā
AmenĀ ā¢ 88rising / EMPIRE ā¢ 2018
āPeople sayinā that my words are colder than the winter / Itās Brian, not Brita, so Iāll never have a filter.ā 18-year old Indonesian rapper Rich Brian shines on his 2018 debut album, Amen. Among the highlights from Amen is āCold,āwhich features a lush, slick backdrop.Ā Compared to the more deadpan title track that precedes it on Amen, The song is a ābigger statementā for Brian, who incorporates more vocal inflection.
Besides the aforementioned lyrical highlight, Brian also shines when he spits:
āRappinā on these instrumentals, feelinā like a hero Never usinā triplet flows because Iām not a Migo.ā
2. Breaking Benjamin, āRed Cold Riverā
EmberĀ ā¢Ā Hollywood ā¢ 2018
Soft and Breaking Benjamin donāt belong the same sentence.Ā Nonetheless, initially, āRed Cold Riverā,Ā a song from their 2018 album, Ember, seems like frontman Benjamin Burnley is going to keep things, well soft.Ā Ultimately, the softness is only temporary, occurring on the introduction and recurring for brief spells during the song.Ā For the most part, however, Breaking Benjamin are āturned all the way upā on the dynamic, minor-keyed record. The accompanying music video has a tragic storyline.
3. Kaskade, āCold as Stoneā
Ft. Charlotte Lawrence
Cold as StoneĀ ā Single ā¢ Columbia ā¢Ā 2018
āSo, let me, let me out / I canāt love you anymore / Let me, let me out / I don’t love you like before.ā Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Kaskade has been in the game for years – understatement.Ā Even so, itās sort of hard to believe heās in his late forties ā how time passes by.Ā Anyways, Kaskade does what he does best ā gives an awesome backdrop (lush, rhythmic, and smooth) to a gifted female vocalist (Charlotte Lawrence) to paint over.Ā Lawrence does just that on āCold as Stone,ā where she has to put an end to a bad relationship.
So, Iām cold as stone The only way I know To keep my soul And never let it show That I donāt really know what Iām doing All I know is Iām crashing down.ā
4. Jeezy, āCold Summerā
Ft. Tee Grizzley
PressureĀ ā¢ Def Jam ā¢ 2017
Gonā drop the top, you can feel the breeze / 30 in the Glock, all you gotta do is squeeze / It just touched down, all you gotta do is sell āem / And they gonā ask you questions but you better not tell āemā¦ā One of the best songs from Pressure, the 2017 studio album by the ever-hardnosed Jeezy, is single, āCold Summerā. It checks off all boxes for a Jeezy song. It features dynamic production, unapologetic rhymes, and full-fledged āG-status.ā The hook is grimy, chocked-full of punch, and weāre not talking about Fruit Punch! Tee GrizzleyĀ guests on the second verse.
āHey Iām ābout to fuck it up, Iām bought in like 10 A couple bad tings and they all light-skinned āHey, how you cominā down?ā In a rose gold Hummer Wife beater chinchilla, it gonā be a cold summer.ā
5. Maroon 5, āColdā
Ft. Future
Red Pill Blues ā¢ Interscope ā¢ 2017
āColdā (Red Pill Blues) finds Maroon 5Ā firmly planted in the electro-/urban-pop vein. Frontman Adam LevineĀ establishes this vibe early-on on the chorus: āCold enough to chill my bones / It feels like I donāt know you anymore /I donāt understand why youāre so cold to me.ā
Levine nails the vocals, particularly the falsetto. A spirited first verse follows, as he depicts a dying, continually empty relationship.Ā He asks:
āAre we taking time or a time out? I canāt take the in between Asking me for space here in my house You know how to fuckĀ with me.ā
On the second verse, he goes on to challenge his soon-to-be ex. Essentially, things have gone sour for guy and girl. Future puts his two cents in on the third and final verse, with mediocre results. Still, the rapper gets his point across.
āWe goinā two separate ways You aināt been actinā the same You gotta go, but where your heart used to be You gold dig every day.ā
6. Khalid, āCold Bloodedā
American TeenĀ ā¢Ā RCA ā¢Ā 2017
ā…Cold blooded / You want what Iām giving up / But my love is not enough.ā Sigh, with American Teen, Khalid delivered an album chocked-full of hits which seem ready-made for playlists.Ā Just saying!Ā Another gem from his 2017 Grammy-nominated album, āCold Bloodedā,Ā features swoon-worthy production. In addition to the awesome backdrop, the melody shines, particularly on the pre-chorus.
āAnd I feel your fear Surrounded by your skin You feel my heartbeat vibrate so violent Inside of your head I see it in your eyes (see it in your eyes) That youāre no good for me And love is blind.ā
7. alt-J, āIn Cold Bloodā
Relaxer ā¢ Atlantic ā¢ 2017
Alt-J outdo themselves on āIn Cold Bloodā,Ā a standout from their 2017 album, Relaxer. It features a sharp, gritty sound palette. Furthermore, the record features the use of binary code, and more notably, clever word play.Ā An incredibly fun record, itās also a deadly, murderous one.
Essentially, a fun, summer pool party turns into a killerĀ one:
āLifeless back slaps the surface of the pool Pool killer, killer pool, pool killerā¦ Pool, summer, summer, pool, pool, summer vibes killed In cold blood.āĀ
The identity of the murderer is never reviewed, but the quirky, sometimes ridiculous lyrics do suggest thereās a pool killer. Alt-J themselves admit the lyrics arenāt āmassively deepā.
8. Michael Kiwanuka, āCold Little Heartā
Love & HateĀ ā¢ Polydor ā¢ 2016
Michael Kiwanuka is talented British musician who oozes with soul yet is equally gifted as a singer/songwriter.Ā Like so many underrated musicians, Kiwanuka continues to be something like a ābest kept secret.ā He shouldnāt be. He was absolutely radiant on his 2016 sophomore album, Love & Hate, which features our song at hand, āCold Little Heart.ā āIt’s an ambitious opener, clocking in at a lengthy 10 minutes in duration. Despite the length, it’s incredibly emotional and thoughtful, serving as a brilliant tone-setter for Love & Hate. Vocally, Kiwanuka wows.
āAnd I know In my heart, in this cold heart I can live or I can die I believe if I just try You believe in you and I.ā
9. Major Lazer, āCold Waterā
Ft. Justin Bieber & MĆ
Cold WaterĀ ā Single ā¢ Mad Decent ā¢Ā 2016
On āCold Waterā, Major LazerĀ mixes an urban-pop sound with a reggae-tinged, dance beat. The verse sounds less dance-oriented, embracing more of an urban contemporary sound and vibe.Ā The guitars coupled with lighter synths suit featured guest Justin Bieber, who sings the verses and chorus.Ā His tone is rich, showcasing deeper, mature pipes.Ā The chorus clearly differentiates itself from the verse, thanks to a more aggressive synths.Ā Swedish pop starĀ MĆĀ provides backing support to Bieber on the chorus.Ā Her biggest moment comes on the powerful bridge. Ā Ultimately, this āH2Oā joint is a bop.
10. Tory Lanez, āCold Hard Loveā
I Told YouĀ ā¢ Interscope / Mad Love ā¢ 2016
āCold Hard Loveā Ā ( I Told You ) features an excellent beat. Mysterious, the lush production is #winning and sensual in quality. Sex is written all over it, with Canadian rapper/singer Tory LanezĀ delivering filthy, sexy falsetto that is on-point. He truly flaunts his āhead voiceā as he sings, āPut your records on, hot sex all up in the air / Waking up my fingers all up in your hair.ā Add a superb bass line to the mix that hearkens back to classic soul, and the vibe is magnificent.
Unsurprisingly, the chorus is potent ā sexy as the rest:
āIt donāt take a lot to keep it unpredictable As long as you let me love your heart and touch your soul And when you give it up to me, you give your all Cause all that I give in return is Cold, hard, hard love.ā
On the third and final verse, he raps instead of singing, showing both versatility and edge with his rhymes.
11. Demi Lovato, āStone Coldā
ConfidentĀ ā¢ Hollywood / Island ā¢ 2015
ā…Stone cold / You see me standing, but Iām dying on the floor.ā On āStone Cold,ā Demi Lovato delivers nuanced vocals sure to leave everyone stone cold.Ā While the ballad slackens the pace in the context of Confidence, it doesnāt lose even the tiniest smidgen of allure, energy, or intensity.Ā Incredibly engaging, Lovato wows with her pipes, particularly the bite she exhibits, not to mention her powerful upper register.
āStone cold, baby God knows I try to feel happy for you Know that I am, even if I canāt understand Iāll take the pain Give me the truth Me and my heart, weāll make it through If happy is her, Iām happy for you.ā
12. Tinashe, āCold Sweatā
Aquariusā¢ RCA ā¢ 2014
āThis pressure aināt for everybody / Weighing so heavy on my body, body.ā āCold Sweatā is a lengthy, moody, grinding cut on Aquarius, the debut album from urban contemporary singer Tinashe. Even at its subtlest, the record has bite and grit.Ā The sound is a bit nebulous, but this quality ā this vibe actually bodes well for Tinashe.Ā By the end, she projects her lovely, somewhat underrated instrument.
āSpine, shivers, eyes, met Head, in it, heart, set Cold, on my mind, yeah Ice, drippinā, cold sweat.ā
Photo Credits: 88rising, Atlantic, Columbia, Def Jam, EMPIRE, Hollywood, Interscope, Island, Mad Decent, Mad Love, Polydor, RCA
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