Best Songs of the Week

This song is off the upcoming Lorde-curated Hunger Games soundtrack, and like "The Mother We Share," "Recover," and the best tracks off CHVRCHES’ debut album, this one is synth-heavy, immaculately produced, and unapologetically sweet. But it's the melody that makes "Dead Air" so gripping. CHVRCHES caught on because they've got some of the best choruses in pop music, and "Dead Air" proves that they haven't lost a step.—Confusion

Lido is really on a roll at the moment. Where many up-and-coming producers find one method and stick with it across all their songs and remixes, Lido seems to have and endless well of creativity to draw from. This is well and truly evident on his remix of Alt-J’s surprisingly bluesy "Left Hand Free," which manages to have about seven distinct sections without ever feeling piecemeal or patched together. There are gunshots, pitch-shifted vocals, and various colorful synth and keyboard parts, all working together to create this brilliantly vibrant collage of sounds.—Constant Gardner

You could put Daniel Wilson’s vocals from in a doo-wop song from the '40s, and they'd fit right in. As part of a hook in a rap song? No problem. You could pair him with some annoying Guetta beat and honestly, it'd probably sound good. Daniel Wilson just has one of those voices that transcends time, and can truly hold its own.

"The Boy Who Cried Thunder" is the title track of his upcoming EP. The production is slower, gently percolating; it's intriguing. But it's Wilson's voice that holds your attention, as alluring as ever. There is never a climax in the song, but I think that's intentional—so that you can listen to this song on repeat, seamlessly. And why wouldn't you?—Joyce

Damn, Jaden Smith. If you told me six months ago that I'd be paying attention to this kid's every move, I wouldn't have believed you, but he's sounding like one of the most passionate, inspired up-and-comers in hip-hop right now. His prior fame might be his biggest advantage and also his biggest disadvantage, but it shouldn't distract from what he's doing musically.—Confusion

TheStand4rd may very well be the internet's first supergroup. Comprising of rising stars Psymun, Spooky Black, Allan Kingdom, and Bobby Raps, the four-piece speak to a very specific generation with their genreless collaborative project. Their self-titled debut is a strong showing for all four members, with vivid production and inventive song structures, but it's when they work as a cohesive unit that the project reaches the height of their collective potential. Luckily, this happens on pretty much every track, resulting in one of the strongest debuts of the year. "Vital Signs" is the point on the album where the talents of the four-piece begin to blur, moving far from each artist's solo output and forming something essential in the process.—Joe Price

Related: 25 Rappers You Should Get to Know Before They Blow Up

Some songs are just meant to be played at high volumes to really be felt. “Memorials” by Laurel falls into that category. Sure, at any volume this song would still sound good, but once you turn the volume in your headphones or on your speakers all the way up you realize there are more layers to this than you may have originally noticed.

Laurel’s voice is alluring enough on its own to pull you in just moments after the song begins. The combination of her voice with the progression of the production, however, has a way of completely engulfing you in its sound. Laurel is sure to increase anticipation for her forthcoming Holy Water EP with this single, but for now, “Memorials” serves as a preview of what’s to come.—Adrienne Black

Dilated Peoples’ “Show Me The Way” is one of the most impressive cuts off the group’s critically acclaimed album Directors of Photography. "It’s your world," Rakaa Iriscience rhymes on the song. "You can write the line you live your life on / It’s heavy, but you’re strong / Just hold on until that light dawns.” Evidence also drops some motivating bars. "Smile for my momma 'cause she's proud," he raps. With uplifting lines, a potent instrumental, and a catchy inspirational hook from Aloe Blacc, it’s hard not to rock to the new Dilated single. And the video is a reminder that the signs are all around us every single day.—Andres Tardio

Tei Shi’s "See Me" starts slowly and almost ominously, with nothing more than clanking percussion and the bass line, but when her vocals come in, any tension subsides immediately. Her voice is like honey, perfectly complemented by the simple production, slowly but surely bewitching the listener as the song delicately unfurls. This track was co-produced by Tei Shi, Gianluca Buccellati, and Dave Bayley of Glass Animals, and we would certainly be happy to hear the three of them work together again in the future.—Constant Gardner