Illustrated by Alex Citrin.
Cults — Static
"High Road"
Back in 2010, Cults urged everyone to "Go Outside" in an explosion of indie-pop bliss. Now, the release of the band's sophomore LP, Static is nigh and "High Road" sees the band shoring up its sound while retaining its knack for infectious melody.
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FKA twigs — EP2
"Water Me"
Experimental R&B artist FKA twigs has been bubbling under the surface for a while now. "Water Me" sees her teaming up with Kanye West-favorite Arca for one of the most beguiling singles of the year.
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HAIM — Day's Are Gone
"The Wire"
No, HAIM's new single isn't an ode to Omar Little (though how awesome would that have been?). Instead it's more '80s-leaning pop from the L.A. band and a single that shows off the season's newest superstar.
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"Million Miles"
TV on the Radio may or may not be working on a complete new record, but in the meantime, it's been dropping some fantastic singles out of the blue. "Million Miles" is a gorgeous ballad that has TVOTR's classic production style written all over it.
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BANKS — London
"Waiting Game"
L.A. up-and-comer BANKS will soon be opening for The Weeknd — a pairing that makes a lot of sense, considering their shared love of atmospheric R&B. "Waiting Game" is the latest slow-burner from the artist and may be her best song to date.
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"Shape"
Cameron Mesirow's Glasser project has been quiet for a while now, but she's about to release a new album in the form of experimental-pop opus Interiors. "Shape" is the twisting, hypnotic first taste of the album that puts Mesirow at the helm of an army of chilly synths and hypnotic beats.
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Drake feat. Majid Jordan — Nothing Was The Same
"Hold On We're Going Home"
On "Hold On We're Going Home," Drake has set his dial to nostalgia-mode and created a near-perfect love song. Sure, we like it when Drake gets emotional, but "Home" sprinkles in the right amount of sexy vibes as well.
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King Krule — 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
"Easy Easy"
Wise-beyond-his-years crooner Archie Marshall has just released his debut LP. "Easy Easy" is a jazzy, grime-inflected tune that shows off the singer's lyrical prowess.
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Natasha Khan & Jon Hopkins — "Garden's Heart" Single
“Garden’s Heart”
Jon Hopkins is one of the great dance musicians working today, but he's also remarkably capable of steering his production skills toward poppier vistas. "Garden's Heart" is a team-up with Bat For Lashes that sees both artists at the top of their games.
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Julia Holter — Loud City Song
"Maxim's 1"
Intricate, emotional, remarkably strange, Julia Holter is one of the most original songwriters working today. "Maxim's 1" is the centerpiece to her masterful new album, Loud City Song.
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"Hood Pope"
The first A$AP Mob member to step outside of Rocky's shadow, Ferg has a way of blending hard-as-nails hip-hop with G-funk melody. "Hood Pope" is a standout on his debut album and it portends good things to come for the Harlem rapper.
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"Golden Arrow"
"Golden Arrow" is the first eleven minute of Nicolas Jaar and Dave Herrington's new Darkside LP, Psychic. With its percolating atmospheric effects and slow build, it's a patient but beautiful mix of electronic and analog washes of sound.
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"Belong to the World"
The excellent new single from The Weeknd has been mired in controversy, with a beat that sounds remarkably similar to Portishead's "Machine Gun." Even so, it also happens to be an amazing song in its own right. Hopefully, the two acts come to an agreement, and we can all just enjoy the music.
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"California"
Atmospheric L.A. duo Mazzy Star are returning this fall with a highly anticipated new album, but "California" — with its somber vocals and delicately strummed guitar — shows it hasn't changed in the years that it's been away.
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"Okay"
Brooklyn's Holy Ghost! has been making infectious pop tracks for years. "Okay" is yet another piece of slick pop from the duo that should please anyone looking to get their groove on.
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"Against A Wall"
Ryan Hemsworth has the ability to improve nearly every song he deigns to remix. Featuring Lofty305 of Metro Zu, "Against A Wall," shows Hemsworth to be equally capable of constructing his own tracks from scratch.
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"Sunday"
Teaming up once again, Earl Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean rap emotionally about their troubles and the mental clarity (or lack thereof) that comes with giving up drugs. "Sunday" is a somber standout on Earl's fantastic new record.
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"Night Still Comes"
Few songwriters today have the staying power or lyrical prowess of Neko Case. "Night Still Comes" is a highlight from her new record that sees Case imbuing her words with country-tinged melancholy.
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"Primetime"
Janelle Monáe's new record, The Electric Lady is an absolute jaw-dropper of an LP. Though it features multiple collabs, "Primetime" sees Monáe and Miguel achieving perfect sonic chemistry.
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"Holy Grail"
Though Jay Z's album dropped this summer, the video for "Holy Grail" has propelled him back into the limelight. And while we await Justin's The 20/20 Experience Part 2 later this year, "Holy Grail" should keep us satiated for the time being.
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