Pigeons & Planes' Best Songs of the Week

With so much good music, it's easy to miss out on some great tracks. So we've rounded up the best songs from the past week. Here are the songs you can't afford to skip, in no particular order.

Throughout their careers, both GoldLink and Kaytranada have made their love for funky, danceable records very clear. It comes as no surprise that GoldLink would reach out to Kaytranada once again for yet another upbeat collaboration. For his latest single "Meditation," GoldLink recruits Jazmine Sullivan to tie the entire track together with a catchy chorus that sweetly confesses the desire to "be more than homies" while he reflects on good memories with his girl throughout the song.

There's no denying that GoldLink is on a hot streak and he continues to outdo himself every time.—Adrienne Black

Little Dragon is back! Our favorite Swedish soulful electro-pop dancefloor slow-burner creating four-piece released their last album, Nabuma Rubberband, in 2014, and 2017 sees their return. Speaking on the making of their new album, they explain:

"We have grown through the years but the making of this album has been a struggle. As much as our band is based on a deep friendship we are four strong wills who find it really frustrating to compromise. We have gotten better at that though, but it's still a real battle."

Little Dragon's Season High album drops April 14. Listen to the second single, "Sweet," below.—Alex Gardner

St. Louis native Smino hasn't missed a shot with the singles from his upcoming album blkswn. Hell, maybe he's never missed a shot: Just press play on his entire catalog, sit back, and enjoy those rapid-fire flows, melodic moments, and multi-layered beats. The latest single from blkswn is "Father Son Holy Smoke," produced by THEMpeople.

blkswn is out March 14, and we're in for a treat.—Alex Gardner

To be honest, I was worried about Lorde's comeback. In the time between her debut album and now, she's been elevated to global superstar status, and she could probably pretty easily make a big, straightforward, overproduced pop album and be very successful. Between first single "Green Light" and this new one "Liability," it's becoming clear that Lorde's upcoming album Melodrama is going to be a lot more interesting than that. "Liability" is a stripped down ballad—not a pop anthem—and it's gorgeous.—Jacob Moore

Dreamville's latest signee J.I.D has already shown that he's a great rapper, but that doesn't always translate into great songs. He can rip a freestyle, but on his new album The Never Story, J.I.D shows that he can combine his technical abilities with good songwriting, strong beat selection, and the necessary structure. An early standout is "Somebody." It shows off his storytelling ability, his flow, and his unique voice, all over a cool, jazzy beat.—Jacob Moore

On his recent album The Healing Component, Mick Jenkins explored the various avenues of love—outside of the usual romantic aspect. On his latest single "Pressed For Time," Jenkins delivers a short note of admiration that feels flattering and sweet. By emphasizing that he's more interested in having thought-provoking conversations than sex, Jenkins once again shows the many other ways to show your affection to someone special.

While there are multiple ways to express love for one another, neither method is necessarily better than the other. Offering a needed balance to the Monte Booker and THEMpeople-produced track, GoldLink describes a more physical connection while slyly weaving in confessions for the girl that's got him hooked. The result is a great song to forward to your crush, as it says everything for you.—Adrienne Black

CHINAH writes huge hooks. We heard it first on "Minds," and they've struck again on "Can't Remember How It Feels." Savvy songwriting, propulsive vocals, and a feathery, determined sound have this Danish trio high on our watch list. Fans of Shura and CHVRCHES, welcome another mainstay to your musical stable.—Graham Corrigan

Brooklyn's SAINt JHN is on a serious hot streak. His last two songs, "Roses" and "Reflex" are still in heavy rotation, and his latest, "3 Below," follows suit with the same dark, bass-heavy vibe. There's nothing flashy about SAINt JHN's sound, but good songwriting and undeniable charisma are becoming qualities that he's able to deliver on the regular. When it's time for an album, SAINt JHN is going to be a problem. Catch him performing at our No Ceilings at SXSW next Saturday.—Jacob Moore

This is a beat tailormade for the 2 Chainz's talents. Sharp, cutting drums leave plenty of room for punchlines to bounce off the song's walls, and they roll in one after another on "Smartphone." This was billed as a bonus track to the leaked collab cut "It's a Vibe," but by the end of this week, the B-side felt like a stronger cut.—Graham Corrigan

Forward thinking British producer Forest Swords has a dedicated fanbase who have been waiting since 2013 debut album Engravings for new solo material, and it's finally here. "The Highest Flood" is one of Forest Swords least abstract tracks yet, with a pounding beat that demands good speakers to properly appreciate and haunting choral samples that seem to be always reaching for something that is never quite attained.

"'The Highest Flood' distils some of the frustration and hope that I've been working through over the past 18 months whilst making new material,” Forest Swords explains. Listen below.—Alex Gardner

Detroit's Amir Obe is now signed with Def Jam and planning to release NØTÇW, his first album on the label, on March 30th. The first single "Wish You Well" is a spacious track produced by his go-to NYLZ, and Amir's effortless delivery fits in perfectly with just the right touch of melody and variation.—Jacob Moore

As the architect behind some of the best music in Yung Lean's growing discography, Yung Sherman is one of the most exciting producers working today. With his debut solo EP, however, he's proving just how fantastic his music is on its own, too. While the EP does spend some time retreading that signature emotional sound of his, the moments when he strikes from the left-field leave the biggest impression.

The swaying "Frozen" is an evolution of his early SoundCloud output, filled with gorgeous flourishes and one hell of a hypnotic center. There's definitely prettier moments on the EP, but none of them hit quite as hard as "Frozen" does.—Joe Price

Aminé found a new color. After a breakout 2016 that included two sparkling yellow-hued singles "Caroline" and "Baba," the Portland rapper turned up the bass and revealed a new side of himself on his first release of 2017, "REDMERCEDES." Channeling early 2000s Clipse vibes, he trades bright synths for rumbling bass as he rides over a beat that your car stereo will love.—Eric Skelton

Faze Miyake is one of the most itneresting producers in grime, with a style that is all his own, but is always varied. His latest track is "None Of That," with two of the U.K.'s hardest MCs—Merky ACE and AJ Tracey.

Keep an eye on Faze Miyake, and catch AJ Tracey at our No Ceilings SXSW show next Saturday, March 18.—Alex Gardner