A track from the collective's Head in the Clouds era, with NIKI and AUGUST 08 painting a daydream of private luxury.
Hump day feels like the weekend
The song 'Poolside Manor' arrived in 2019 on 88rising's 'Head in the Clouds II' album. It's a collaboration between the collective and featured artists AUGUST 08 and NIKI, building on the sun-soaked, R&B-infused sound they were exploring at the time. The lyric sketches a specific, indulgent scene far from any public eye.
The phrase 'Write your name on it like Casanova' sets a tone of confident, almost theatrical possession. It's less about ownership and more about the vanity of marking a perfect moment as yours, a gesture that feels both playful and a little desperate to make the fantasy stick. That pressure to claim something beautiful before it slips away hums under the whole poolside picture.
It captures the entire song's promise in one plain phrase: the luxury here isn't just location, it's stolen time. Wednesday loses its weight.
The lyric leans into the physical details, 'wet suits covered in booze,' 'Lunch box filled with everything', to ground its escapism in something tactile. It's a daydream that knows it's a daydream, which is why it needs all those concrete anchors to feel real.
NIKI's delivery on 'Let my waist be your guide' carries a relaxed, inviting sway that pulls you into the rhythm.
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