Best Songs of the Week

You have to love when new Pusha T comes out of nowhere. On an instrumental that combines the rawest hip-hop arrangement with some intergalactic elements, Pusha T goes buckwild on the lyrics. "This is crime by design/If the crown ain't mine, tell me who am I behind?" is a line that'll stick with me for a bit. Pusha doesn't hold back; this is coke rap at its finest, and ends up jumping ahead of a lot of the rap out there right now. Itching for a new Pusha T project? Yup, so are we.—khal

It's hard to imagine that the same girl who released "Whip My Hair" a few years ago would be teaming up with artists like SZA and making an EP as strong as III. But if there's anything we've learned from both Willow Smith and her brother Jaden in the past few months, it's that the two are maturing, and it's time we embrace it. Willow's airy vocals on "9" flow over the song's gauzy production as she explores coming of age. It's a huge step from where she's been, and one that shows just how far she can go.—Katie K.

Much of the charm of the music that Tobias Jesso Jr. released before "Hollywood" (namely "Just A Dream" and "True Love") was its intimate, lo-fi sound, just piano and vocals with the faint hiss from an old 8-track recorder in the background. "Hollywood," the first official single from Tobias' album, is a little more polished and even has a stirring horn section towards the end, but the honest, personal lyricism and timeless songwriting still shines through.—Constant Gardner

Alma Elste is a singer based in Paris, and "Heart Melter" is her debut song. It's got an easy bounce to it, but breathy vocals and dynamic production give "Heart Melter" depth. Can't wait to hear more from Alma Elste.—Confusion

For whatever reason I've been deep in my feelings lately; my November rotation has included Future’s Monster tape, some of Makonnen’s more emotional deep cuts like "Rumor" and "On & Off," a sprinkling of Drake—you get the idea. Little Pain's "Marceline" is very much in the same vein with a sort of absurdist twist. Inspired by the character of the same name from Adventure Time, the track is an ode to the woman who keeps him going through thick and thin, and Pain's somewhat awkward crooning actually makes for an incredibly enjoyable listening experience. His forthcoming project L.I.T.T.L.E. has me excited for the first week of December to arrive.—Tim Larew

This is an interesting one; "Chimes" in and of itself is perfect. Those horns, coupled with that monstrous bassline, is enough to send heads into a frenzy. Cultivating a lineup that should satisfy fans of today's rap scene? It was truly icing on the cake, even if a couple of elements seem to be out of place. Pusha T is the winner on this one, and we can only hope he and HudMo get busy on more material.—khal

I didn’t realize how much I liked this song until the melody was stuck in my head during the week and I couldn’t even completely remember what it was from. Sometimes songs creep their way into your life like that and you grow to love them. Those songs are usually the ones you end up enjoying forever rather than the instant hits that just seem to come and go.

“Song of the Night” has all the elements to create a great song: a catchy hook, memorable melody and a beat you can nod along to. But there’s still something else, something I can't quite pinpoint, that makes it special. Tunji Ige has the ability to easily transition from rapping to singing, and even when he’s rapping the melody remains in his voice. It’s easy to make a song that will get stuck in people’s heads, but it’s not always as easy to make one that people want stuck in their heads. Tunji Ige just gets it.

Tunji Ige is performing at our next No Ceilings show in New York, alongside Rome Fortune and others. The show goes down on December 10. Buy tickets here.—Adrienne Black

Two artists with distinct sounds and styles collaborated, and it sounds just as we expected. For some artists, that would be a bad thing, like, if Iggy Azalea and Tiestso made a song together, we all know what it would sound like—shit and generic. But Flying Lotus and DOOM, two underground legends, don't need to hit us with a curveball when they work together, we just want to hear the left-field beats and those endlessly creative rhymes, and that's exactly what we get, in a sub-two minute package.

This song appears on the FlyLo FM radio station on the reissued Grand Theft Auto V, and I don't know, maybe these two could do a whole project together... Please?—Constant Gardner

Daniel Wilson has been sounding good. Like spine-tingling, goosebump-raising good. This final entry from his forthcoming EP, Boy Who Cried Thunder, is a raw and visceral song titled "If You Went Away" that punches you right in the gut. The staccato piano notes create an anxious energy, the same anxiety that stems from the uncertainty in a relationship that is painted in the lyrics. Wilson has a gift for pairing thoughtful lyrics with moving production, plus his voice sounds just as good live as it does in recordings, a rare quality for any young artist.—Joyce

One of the best parts about constantly keeping up with music is seeing new acts blossom. Pomo is a producer I got put onto last summer, and I was amazed to hear that his The Other Day EP (which dropped via HW&W this week) was his debut EP. If you're looking for the kind of dance music that's cool enough for lounging or for getting hot and sweaty on the dancefloor, this is it. Pomo links up with fellow HW&W affiliate Kaytranada for something that blends funky bass, crisp drums, and mesmerizing melodies into one hypnotic groove.—khal

The Los Angeles duo previously known as MVSCLES is now going by WATERBED and after a slow start and a disappointingly quiet year, they're ready to start releasing new music and performing live. They changed their name because they're moving in a fresh direction, but with "around," what I've always loved about these guys is still very much in tact. Their sound is playful, almost a little whimsical like Grimes' Visions, and they keep the streak going with another melodic, euphoric pop song.—Confusion