I had a lot of thoughts about what I should write about this week for new music Friday. There’s a couple of things actually new this week. There’s a new album out today by San Fermin, a band I really like. Carly Pierce and Lee Brice released “I Hope You’re Happy Now” last Friday, and I’m really digging it. There’s also a new song by Dan+Shay and Justin Beiber so I could have talked about Justin Beiber’s foray into country music, but I wouldn’t do that to you. And while I’m on a country kick I really like the guitar work in Keith Urban’s newest single, “We Were”. I also thought about finally writing about Jay Som’s “Superbike”, which has a great 90s indie female singer vibe to it that makes me kind of nostalgic.

Ultimately though I wound up deciding to go with the song that is bringing me the most joy right now, which is “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston. This song isn’t particularly new in any sense of the word, but the current iteration is new enough that I’m counting it. Back in 1991 Whitney Houston sang a cover of Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” at a concert in Tokyo. It apparently was added as a bonus track on the Japanese release of her album I’m You’re Baby Tonight. Back in June someone found it I guess and it became a whole thing inspiring Kygo to create this dance remix of the song. So it’s an old cover of an even older song remixed into a dance track that’s been out for several months, but it’s the song that is giving me life right now so I’m bringing it your ears for new music Friday whether it’s really that new or not.