Best Songs of the Month

Jamie xx's In Colour is a special album that has songs that will appeal to fans of pop, rap, and dance music to sweat to. There are some incredible highlights—"Loud Places" with it's heartrending hook and the pummeling "Gosh" spring to mind—but the most surprising song is "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)," featuring both Jamican dancehall star Popcaan and Young Thug.

Whether it's the production (so lush and inviting with those steel drums), or something he said, Jamie brought the best out of Thug, who delivers two quotable packed, melodic verses, matching the energy and feel of the song perfectly. Just wait until you hear the rest of the album.—Constant Gardner

It was a little after midnight and I had just brushed my teeth. Earlier in the night, I thought about going out, or at least getting some wine and partying by myself, but I decided not to. I stayed in, did laundry, cleaned my apartment, and was planning go to sleep before 1 a.m. for the first time in a long time.

And then Surf dropped.

Now it's 1 a.m., and I just got through listening to Surf. I feel more awake than I've felt all day. I'm sure this is going to get said a lot, but that's because it's true: this album feels like a musical. The music transitions like scenes, and there's a theatrical, live feel to it, fueled by Donnie Trumpet and the cast of characters that is The Social Experiment. It's one of the most entertaining, stimulating projects of the year so far. I can't wait to see this music performed live.

"Familiar" is an early standout. It starts with Chance The Rapper sounding right at home over a soulful blend of horns, keys, woodwinds, hand percussion, and guitar. But the best part of it all is when two very unexpected guests come in: King Louie and Quavo. These are guys who built careers on ominous trap beats and aggressive drill, yet here they are, joining in on one of the most sonically uplifting songs on the album. Count this as one of The Social Experiment's many successes on Surf.—Confusion

Any time M.I.A. drops something new, there's an excitement rare in a music climate saturated with releases. Girl did not leave us disappointed with "Platforms." It's a slower pace than what we heard on Matangi, but no less invigorating with its futuristic elements and politically-charged lyrics, tackling things like technology and oil. "Platforms" sounds deliberate, just like M.I.A's approach to her art, and if a demo can sound this good, then one can only imagine what she has in store for the final cut.—Joyce

Platforms | Listen for free at bop.fm

Whatever A$AP Rocky lacks in substance, he makes up for 100 times with style. The key to being stylish in music is being ahead of the curve, and on AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP, Rocky is just that. By working with Joe Fox and getting producers like Plu2o Nash involved, Rocky avoids sounding like every other major label rapper trying to capitalize on what's already hot. Instead, he's putting emerging talent on and helping define what's next. For "Canal St." he taps L.A. rapper Bones and reworks "Dirt" for one of the best tracks on the album.—Confusion

Related: 11 Things We Learned From A$AP Rocky's 'A.L.L.A' Album

For a while, "Scud Books" felt like a P&P inside joke. Over two years ago, I wrote about this song in a stupid post about songs that make us feel like heroes. It's kind of ironic, now that I think about it. I sat there, in front of a computer, chest puffed out, listening to a low quality, janky radio rip of this track, writing about how it made me feel like a hero. I was probably eating dry cereal, typing away while a small pile of crumbs gathered on the crotch of my sweatpants.

At least once every couple of months, someone would bring up "Scud Books," wondering if it would ever drop or if maybe it was destined to be one of those songs that ended up as a 30-second clip in a Nike commercial. I gave up on it. I ripped it from YouTube like an asshole, and I was satisfied with this low quality radio rip because I am a savage. Yesterday, the official "Scud Books" was finally released. It's below, and on our Spotify playlist. I may still be a savage with crumbs on my crotch, but when I listen to "Scud Books," I feel like a fucking hero again. Bless your heart, Hudson Mohawke.—Confusion

For a while, post Trilogy, The Weeknd's music lost some of its early magic. Where on House of Balloons he projected vulnerability and pain alongside his debauchery, on more recent tracks like "Often" he started to appear totally heartless, a dead-eyed sex machine.

"The Hills" is a stunning return to the form that had the whole internet head over heels for The Weeknd, thanks partly to a renewed emotional rawness, but also thanks to some absolutely brilliant, cinematic production from Illangelo and Mano. Get some proper speakers and put this on. Madness.—Constant Gardner

Yuma X is an Australian boy/girl duo, and "Swimming Pool" is their debut song. It's actually a song originally written and performed by Ghoul, but it's one of those rare cases in which a cover communicates all we could hope for from a new act. Dreamy and tranquil, it's a beautiful addition to that late summer night playlist.—Confusion

Some songs impact your brain immediately and never leave—and you're all the happier to let them stay. When I met Cousin Stizz almost seven months ago, he played me several demos from his Suffolk County mixtape, including "No Bells." It was sonic vinegar and baking soda: a catchy, instantaneous explosion. I made him play it again when it finished. And again. I badgered him to email it to me. I had to have it.

Now seeing its official release, "No Bells" feels every bit the should-be-hit it felt like half a year ago, its hypnotic beat making the perfect basis for Stizz's casually mesmerizing rapping. "No Bells" is continued deliverance on the promise of "Shoutout," another showcase of Stizz's excellent hook writing ability and easy charisma.—Jon Tanners

Since his last string of releases, I had written Flume off as a harbinger of electro-dubstep-psychosis. No dig on him, it's just the way I'm wired—my nervous system can't sustain prolonged periods of electronic dance music or else I end up drooling and twitching on the floor again. But he's flipped the script for this collab with Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt, trading the massive stop-and-go electronica for driving production that manages a level of subdued intensity: under the skin without getting in your face.

Wyatt's vocals take center stage instead, and as Flume himself said, it becomes a song instead of a track. The electronic insanity that the young Aussie does so well is still there, but their full power is only let loose at the end, as a sort of synth solo that provides a beautiful exclamation point to the journey.—Graham

Vince Staples, at the tender age of 21 and with only one official EP (and a bunch of mixtapes) to his name, is emerging as one of the West Coast's most recognizable voices. With the release of his debut album Summertime '06 (dropping June 30), a lot more people should be paying attention, especially if he comes with tracks as hard as "Señorita".

Vince can really spit and go in on a lyrical tip, but the beat on "Señorita" paired with a vocal sample from Future turns this one into a track that can turn the club up in seconds. Add in a surprising end section from Snoh Aalegra and you've got a unique track, a fine first single from Summertime '06.—Constant Gardner

London-based singer and producer Rationale has yet to show his face, but his talent is clear. Both his two songs so far, "Fast Lane" and "Re.Up," have been restrained but emotionally resonant, the former a reflection on the crushing grind that can be everyday life in the 21st Century, and the latter a direct, poignant love song. We can't wait to hear more.—Constant Gardner

Read an interview with Rationale here.

If I had to put a new friend onto OverDoz’s music, their newest single “Last Kiss” would be the perfect choice to begin with. Although their multiple projects have lots of other lovable tracks, this new single feels like real step up. Similar to their previous tracks, “Last Kiss” features witty verses from Joon and P, while Kent handles both the catchy hook and a verse of his own. What makes this particular track different is the production provided by Pharrell.

Thanks to Pharrell and this groovy, two-step worthy beat, OverDoz could easily be introduced to an entire new audience who have, so far, been missing out. The LA-based group has always had a diverse sound but lately they’ve been making smart and strategic moves to broaden their appeal. “Last Kiss” is versatile and lovable—it’s the perfect jam for a party, the radio, or the family cookout this summer.—Adrienne Black

It feels like it's been forever since we got a proper single from Disclosure. Sure, they've dabbled in club-ready beats, but their entire explosion is about their ability to craft material that'll flourish on the charts and still have one shaking their ass on the floor. With a new album on the horizon, "Holding On" let's the world know that the brothers Lawrence—when assisted with the right vocalist—can spin the finest of silk. "Holding On" is a gem of a soulful house tune, something you can tap feet, wind waist, and singalong to. Trifecta.—khal

This band is fantastic. I already attempted to describe "Apex" once and I feel like trying again would be futile, so just trust me on this one. Move Orchestra is a trio of brothers from Arkansas and their debut single "Apex" is one of the best songs of the year. It's over seven minutes long and this is intimidating, but just invest in this song, and if you don't fuck with it, never listen to me again.—Confusion

Swedish singer Elliphant has always had what it takes to be a mainstream pop star—the style, the energy, the big hooks and modern production—but "Love Me Badder" is her most accessible song yet. She pulls it off in true Elliphant spirit, holding on to the colorful personality that made us fall in love with her in the first place.—Confusion

I hate being on this kick, but it still kills me how man want to talk about grime... until it's time to talk about grime. Jme dropped a fierce new album this week and I was surprised that Skepta's brother didn't get premium coverage, especially with this video for one of the LP's standouts, "Man Don't Care." The tune does what it says on the title, allowing Jme and Giggs to keep it simple and pure over a hypnotic track.

Jme is only digging two-foot graves, sticking with his ABCs, and wondering how man who aren't in the street want to talk about the streets. Giggs is on his ultra laidback smooth murderation. This track is the turn up you didn't know you needed this weekend.

But man don't care about all that.—khal

Songs about heartbreak obviously can be moving, but fuck, how powerful is an incredible song about love and hope? That's what Kwamie Liv created with her new single, "Higher." The track's slow-building, atmospheric production gracefully marches on as Liv sings about loving someone in spite of whatever hurt they previously encountered. Every time I hear it I'm speechless, and for someone that talks about music every day, that's a feat.—Katie K.

Related: Watch Kwamie Liv Perform Tom Waits' "Fish & Bird" in a New York City Tunnel

Tove Styrke is the latest emerging pop star from Sweden, but her path hasn't been as simple as some. She was on Swedish Idol when she was 16 and after finishing in third place, she released her debut album in 2010. For some, that may be a great launch to a career, but Tove told us it was a "strange experience."

She doesn't overtly blame the show for stifling her as an artist, but she does hint at some of the difficulties of entering the spotlight as such a young age: "I moved back to my hometown to just, you know, get some distance between me and the music industry because I had been in it since I was 16 and I felt like I needed to get to know myself as a grown-up. I needed to explore music on my own without any pressures to sell it. And that time away gave me so much. I wrote a lot of lyrics and tried different stuff musically."

Now 22 years old, Tove Styrke sounds like she has finally figured out what kind of music she wants to make. She still has that powerful pop appeal adorned with big production and even bigger choruses, but there's more of an indie pop aesthetic to it all, and Tove's attitude, personality, and quirkiness gives her songs an edge that so much mainstream pop lacks. "Number One" might be the strongest example of that so far.

Tove's second album, Kiddo, comes out on June 9. But really, this feels like a debut.—Confusion

It's not an easy feat to make folk sound modern. Folk has a vintage connotation, one that conjures up images of a bearded man playing the guitar softly around a fire (or something, maybe that's just me). But Lola Marsh have not only risen to the challenge, they've surpassed any expectations. On "You're Mine," the duo have taken core aspects of the genre and put their own refreshing twist on it. At the forefront is Yael Shoshana Cohen's raspy vocals that lure you in and keep you captivated throughout the song. It's 2015's answer to alt-folk, and it's a fantastic one at that.—Katie K.

From the very beginning, when we talked about Shamir, we couldn't help but talk about his voice, such an impressive and unique instrument. It's been good to see Shamir experimenting with different sounds, rapping on "On The Regular," for example, but he's still at his best when that voice is front and center. It is just that on "Darker," a powerful ballad with an appropriately sweeping video.—Constant Gardner

London singer Nao's track "So Good," written with A.K. Paul (Jai Paul's brother), was a stunning introduction, but she quickly proved it wasn't a happy accident with the So Good EP. Now, as she moves on to her second EP, she's still combining her sugary sweet voice with unique production. "Apple Cherry" is a slower track, with jagged synths and lots of space left between the verses, a bold statement from a fast-rising artist.—Constant Gardner

Buy the February 15 EP here.