20 Best Summer Songs of 2016, Ranked

9 – Black Water Lilies – Aurora

I love listening to Aurora Aksnes’s voice. She has the ability to sing both with perfect control and utter abandon at different times, and “Black Water Lilies” is a wonderful example of that. Her vocals and the accompaniment bring to mind babbling brooks on gentle summer days and the kind of pleasant loneliness one might feel on such a day. It’s a good song for summer mornings or evenings when you need something gentle to center your thoughts on. Sure, it’s not a bouncing dance tune, but Aurora’s work is for those of us who have no time or interest in wild summer beach parties, aka most of the working world.

This particular song is from her newest album, All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend, which is just stuffed full of more amazing vocals from the Norwegian singer. “Black Water Lilies” is my favorite, though. That high note at the end could melt anyone. And she nails it live!

Next: 8 - Me Too - Meghan Trainor