Best Songs of the Week

There's something cool about an artist, who is so clearly comfortable with either headlining or deciding to take a backseat on projects. That's what Chance The Rapper has done lately. Between his work with the Social Experiment project and providing features for others like Action Bronson and Towkio, the rapper has taken himself from the driver's seat to (an equally enjoyable) passenger seat position.

His latest foray into this role is alongside singer Jordan Bratton on his new song, "Prisoner." The track nicely balances Bratton's knack for catchy pop and Chance's more groovy, soulful flow. It's a fun, uptempo collaboration, showcasing Bratton's potential for hits and Chance's versatility in his guest appearances.—Katie K.

"Mudra" is the last song from Siddha, Brooklyn rapper/singer CE's first solo album. The vocals you hear around the 3:45 mark were self-recorded by CE's father when CE was just a child. The making of this album was a cathartic process that helped CE get over the sudden death of his father, and it's fitting that the end of the last song on the album features a powerful father-son duet.—Confusion

More about the "Mudra" video here.

You have to love that Darq E Freaker's next mixtape is entitled #DontFreakOut, and he presents this new chapter with a track like "Gully," which makes me want to freak out. Freaker's cooked up some gems, both for himself and for emcees like Danny Brown, and there's been something about that eerie, downright evil vibe that he laces throughout his beats. With Maxsta firing on all cylinders atop this one, we get a vintage, hypnotic Darq E riddim that's perfect for shaking crypts open, allowing all forms of zombie life to get turnt.—khal

It's been a long six years since HEALTH's incredible sophomore record Get Color, so excuse me for a moment while I just say how fucking great it is to have them back (things have felt awfully quiet without them around, it must be said). Taken from their upcoming album Death Magic, "New Coke" is a shinier, more polished, but just as intense HEALTH. The stretched screeches of sound, spectral vocals, and hard breakdowns are still there, they're just a lot glossier than before.

Cleaning up a sound would usually equate to selling out for a lot of bands, but for HEALTH it's just the next logical step in their immensely interesting progression. They've always had aspirations to make their distinct brand of noise-pop even bigger than before, with some of the hookier and dancier moments on Get Color frequently hinting at that, so it's not unreasonable to consider "New Coke" what they've been working towards since their self-titled debut in 2007.—Joe Price

French duo Her's SoundCloud debut might be the sexiest song of 2015 so far. Elegant and to the point, "Quite Like" is as simple as it is effective.—Confusion

Read more about Her here.

Raekwon is on his way back with a new album, and it's a blessing to see the legend team up with the next generation of NYC rappers. A$AP Rocky has a totally different flow and vibe than Raekwon, but the two styles complement each other nicely on "I Got Money." Between the piano, some off-kilter drums, and what sounds like a xylophone, "I Got Money" isn't the braggadocio you'd expect from the title. It's a lesson in effortless cool, and an impressive last single before Raekwon's Fly International Luxurious Art drops next week.—Graham Corrigan

Brooding, menacing, moody: if you want to impress me, find out a way to blend those three feels into a noisy head-nodding track. Eprom's been known to flex his prowess in ways that blend the world of intergalactic bass and full-fledged weirdo jams into one pot, but I think he nailed the formula perfectly on this Record Store Day exclusive rework for Amon Tobin.

With a jarring collection of sound from the first second, Eprom sets the stage. The intro feels like the soundtrack to a man waking out from a spaceship that;s crashed on a dystopian planet, not sure how he got there. Then a seething pain hits his spine, bringing the cold, hard facts of his predicament to the forefront. The melody on this one is super simple, but with properly produced sound, it resonates strongly. It's a miracle that something so intense can feel so short (this track doesn't even hit the four-minute mark), yet—for me, anyways—has all kinds of replay value.

Or maybe I'm just some brooding, menacing, moody idiot.—khal

If you judge "Love Again" by its opening piano chords, you might make the mistake of writing it off as another blasé Sam Smith one-off. But from the second JMSN dives in and those far-off hand claps start to build, it's clear we're dealing with something wholly unique. Gorgeous harmonies follow close behind, and every detail of the song starts to appear in sharp detail: the voices, the occasional sharp, reverbed snare hit, and then a string section floats in to round things out.

It's between the violins that you realize Sango is involved, and that we might be looking at the deadliest production duo this side of the millennium. Ta-ku and Sango haven't even dropped a beat yet, and yet they've managed to create one of the catchiest, smoothest tracks in either of their catalogues. But don't worry—the drop does come, it's just not where or what you might expect.—Graham Corrigan

Could he follow up "White Iverson"?

Short answer, a resounding yes. Post Malone's previous song, "Tear$," was solid, and showed that he had a clear sound and aesthetic, but it didn't hit with the same clarity or resonate with millennial angst in the way "Too Young" does.

The hook is massive, the bass booms, and the whole package is distinctly Post Malone. 2015 is going to be big for him.—Constant Gardner