Best Songs of the Month

When I first heard the original version of “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” I was immediately excited because I couldn’t even imagine what a Jamie xx, Young Thug, and Popcaan collaboration would even sound like. As much as I loved it, as soon as the song ended, all I could think was, “Damn, I wish Popcaan had more than just the chorus.” Thankfully, my wishes found their way to Jamie and Dre Skull’s ears because the new remix of my dreams has finally arrived.

If “Good Times” had randomly surfaced on the internet one day with an additional verse from Popcaan, I would have been completely satisfied. That was really all I wanted. But thanks to Dre Skull, this extended remix features three more current dancehall favorites. The original song already helped to bridge the gap between multiple audiences, and the remix takes it a step further.

Drake, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar fans may already be familiar with Popcaan and Assassin thanks to major co-signs from these rappers, but this remix also serves as an introduction to Kranium and Konshens for some. As for others like myself, who already admire each of these artists, hearing all of them together on the same track is more than I could have ever hoped for.—Adrienne Black

Young Allan Kingdom has been dropping music at a steady pace in 2015. There have been various loosies and collaborations while we wait to see how he follows up 2014's brilliant Future Memoirs, and "Take It" is another reminder of his talent.

Allan sings, he raps, he switches up flows and bounces all over the beat with the confidence of an artist who is set to be a star. Oh, and he produced the beat too. This kid is special—Constant Gardner

Catch Allan Kingdom, London O'Connor, Kevin Abstract, and Well$ at No Ceilings on 8/26 in New York. Buy tickets here.

It's been a very long six years since HEALTH's fantastic GET COLOR came out, and yet, "Men Today" is the type of track that makes it seem like they were never gone. Those spectral vocals, pounding drums, crushing electronics, and gorgeous guitars come together like an impassioned announcement of their triumphant return.

This doesn't have the pop-sheen of "Stonefist" or the glossy stop-start grandiosity of "New Coke," and that's why it feels like the four-piece's true return. Their new-found love for pop and melody is incredible in its own right, but there's something about the all-out explosion of sound on "Men Today" that proves how unique a band HEALTH really are.

No one can combine animalistic brutality with sci-fi futurism as well as HEALTH, and "Men Today" is proof of that.—Joe Price

Where to begin. After just under a week of this beef between Meek and Toronto's overlord with politicians in his pocket (shout out Norm), the latter disposed of his newfound nemesis like a burger patty gone bad with a caption-less IG post (pictured above). Each rapper's handling of the power scuffle, rooted in nixed loyalty and integrity, proves a thing or two. Most important is Drake standing his ground. A story that threatened to cripple his legacy more than any past challenge instead reaffirmed his place atop the pyramid.

"Back To Back" lags in spots, I'll admit, but its overall structure is formed after sleek, efficient, merciless artillery. Intelligible raps that strike hard and cut deep follow a strong start. A concluding reminder that the year's biggest album, Views From The 6, looms overhead makes for another OVO win. Hell, even the "B2B" artwork stunts on that of Mill's disappointing response, "Wanna Know." He may be a singer and a pop star, but Drake's not about to let a major threat go unaddressed. —Alex Siber 

Speaking on their new album, CHVRCHES' synth player Martin Doherty explained: “After making one record that people really like, some bands reject the things that everyone liked about them and make some really deep, thoughtful, dark record, but I wanted to avoid making a ‘mature’ album. That said, it’s not like we’re making saccharine shite. There’s important lyrical content, and we’re still pushing the same emotional boundaries, but also trying to make it as accessible as possible.”

"Leave A Trace" accomplishes that goal perfectly. The pop songwriting is top notch, and I'm thankful that this Scottish trio isn't veering from what made them so good in the first place. When it comes to synth-heavy pop music, CHVRCHES is still the best doing it. Their second album, Every Open Eye, comes out on September 25.—Confusion

Fortune and fame change you, or so we've been told. Goodbye Tomorrow have heard the stories. It's a hip-hop trope that dates back decades. A Drake remix will have you curving people who once received your attention in no time. Label deals might lead to skipping out on your beloved bodega. Instead, quick pitstops at Whole Foods to drop a Jackson on granola become common occurrences. Horrible jokes aside, priorities can shift and moral compasses very easily begin to fall out of whack.

"NoOne or NoThing" sees Tomorrow, whose members remain identity-less, offering a hand to Lil Herb. The fellow Chicago rapper takes it, aiding the cryptic act in its denouncement of phoniness while stressing a need to stay alert for the f*ckbois that always lurk as the good ones keep it moving. The soundscape, constantly changing gears, is attractive though aggressive at moments, and the raps ring with defiance. All parties involved here have remained the same in pursuit of a dream. Clap for 'em.—Alex Siber

As if to remind new fans how long he's been doing this ting, Skepta jumped on a Plastician remix of Mike Jones' "Still Tippin'" from 2005, and dropped more hard bars. While Houston rap and grime might not seem the most obvious companions, in Plastician's hands the string loop from "Still Tippin'" gives off that same icy menace as many of the best grime instrumentals.

Lyrically, Skepta delivers a manifesto of grinding hard, with the "treating shows with 25 people the same as 25, 000" bar perfectly encapsulating where he's come from, and where he's going. Skepta's unstoppable right now, and Konnichiwa is looking more and more like it's going to be a game-changing album in terms of grime's global recognition.—Constant Gardner

For three years, Vector_Xing's Stevan was Quincy Jones' assistant. Something must have rubbed off in the process, because the Los Angeles-based duo's "Wild-Child" has a maturity and breadth to it that doesn't often appear on debut singles.

There's a fiery urgency in both the vocals and the production, and it comes from all angles: on this introduction to their music, Vector_Xing proves themselves adept at combining acoustic and electronic elements—"Wild-Child" starts with a swelling, melancholic guitar before giving way to skittering synths and some of Stevan's full-throated bellows—learned, no doubt, at Quincy's elbow. Exciting new talent coming from the West Coast.—Graham Corrigan

"Holyfield" is one of Post Malone's weirdest songs yet. It's also one of his best.

From the excellent artwork (shout out HK Covers, @100BRBR, and @trvsbrthrs ) to the line referencing Evander Holyfield (refresher: Mike Tyson bit a chunk out of his ear during a fight), Post Malone mixes lighthearted and boastful moments with some really earnest singing, letting loose with the passion of a rock'n'roll frontman.

As per usual FKi (joined this time by Rex Kudo, Charlie Handsome, and Lifted) absolutely kills the beat. Post Malone is carving his own lane, and he doesn't give any fucks about how you feel.—Constant Gardner

Kwabs and SOHN are a super duo. They’ve proved this fact multiple times in the past with collaborations like “Last Stand,” “Wrong or Right,” and “Something Right.” When they work together, their differences dissolve to create a beautiful blend that highlights each of their individual styles. The duo created magic once again with their latest collaboration, “Look Over Your Shoulder.”

Kwabs has a soulful voice that is filled with an undeniable power—a voice that would normally be found performing down-tempo ballads or belting to crowds on Broadway. But the complexity of SOHN’s beat allows Kwabs to take a further step outside of the prepackaged R&B box. Both Kwabs and SOHN have the ability to grab a listener’s attention with their talent but when they come together, one never overshadows the other. Their individual talent always helps to heighten the other’s, and that’s the beauty of it.—Adrienne Black

Trevor Powers (better known as Youth Lagoon) has a voice unlike any other. His quavering high notes hover just below shrillness, transmitting a vulnerability that echoes through to his lyrics. His voice maneuvers space as a small animal would crevices, poking through the dark in search of shelter. His best songs—like “The Knower,” our first glimpse of his third album—act as something accidentally stumbled upon. They’re treasures that, at times, feel as if they weren’t meant for our ears. Most aim for accessibility and pursue trends to achieve it. Youth Lagoon acquires fans by creating what was previously unheard.

On "The Knower," he tackles the common hypocrisies of mankind with PSA lyrics: “Everybody wants to think they’re not what they ate, that their body’s great.” Whether you love or hate this lead single, you can't ignore it. Powers’ chilling delivery and concluding trumpet flourishes make for one hell of a return to form.—Alex Siber

Last weekend Diddy (P.Diddy? Puffy? What are we calling him these days?) excited viewers of the BET Awards with a huge 20th Anniversary performance featuring many Bad Boy classics. Diddy finished his set by performing a new single with Pharrell. After singing along to a few minutes worth of familiar hit singles, I had a moment where I didn’t know if Puff and Pharrell were performing a song I had somehow never heard before or premiering a new song. But that simultaneously exciting and stressful moment of confusion made it even more intriguing.

The performance of their new single “Finna Get Loose” was enough to spark my excitement and make me raise the volume on my TV by at least ten. But the official version sounds even better. Immediately, I can tell that I’m not really experiencing the full potential of this song by sitting at my desk and listening to it on my laptop. This is a party hit, it needs to be blasted at high volumes on late summer nights. Every summer I have a go-to favorite that I want to hear the DJ play—this just became my jam for the summer.—Adrienne Black

How do you select a top pick from one of the most consistently strong projects of 2015? Scribbling each track title of Vince Staples' Summertime ‘06 and tossing the scrap paper into a hat, maybe. Another option was to pull up the album in iTunes, close your eyes, and randomly point to a specific song. Hell, even album intro “Ramona Park Legend Pt. 1” deserves a shout out and the only vocals there come from flapping seagulls.

If the message isn’t yet clear, here it is: listen to all 20 songs. To highlight one piece, though, “Summertime” intrigues because much of its elements differ so much from the rest of the album. There’s still that sense of downtrodden spirits and suppression, but Staples’ voice attacks his words with less aggression. The rapper sounds broken rather than at odds with his environment. Less gritty, more somber production makes it a standout just as much for what it’s missing as for what it offers—an emotional pillar rarely expressed in Vince’s Long Beach world.—Alex Siber

20-year-old Virginia/Maryland rapper Innanet James dropped his debut song "Black" at the perfect moment. Hip-hop is branching out in all kinds of new directions, but outside of a few young artists like Chance The Rapper and GoldLink, we've seen a trend toward methodical rappers who rely heavily on repetition within their flows. Innanet offers up something fresh—an unpredictable, agile delivery that bounces around like a small rubber ball in a cement room. Having diversity in any genre is always a healthy thing, and Innanet James is an exciting addition to hip-hop's class of newcomers. Read more about him here.—Confusion

Rationale just keeps getting better and better. After two impressive songs as a faceless entity with a stunning voice, the London-based singer and producer revealed his face alongside new track "Fuel To The Fire," which was premiered on BBC Radio 1.

It's his rawest and most direct song yet, written while "watching particularly grim news on the television around a year and a half ago," with the anthemic chorus not disguising the pain in his voice. Rationale is one of 2015's most exciting new artists, matching pop songwriting chops with an honesty that is rare to find.

Watch the stark black and white video here.—Constant Gardner

The other week my friend was looking at my Spotify playlists and said, "You honestly only listen to powerful women and Young Thug." And I know he was joking, but he's kind of right. It's not because I'm a girl and I ride hard for my females, but it's because I really believe in what women are putting out right now. They're innovative, strong, fierce, and most importantly, immensely talented.

Nineteen-year-old Cloves is the latest lady to look out for and if you're wondering why, "Don't You Wait" is my answer. It's beautifully sparse, relying only on Cloves' emotive vocals and minimal instrumentation. She's young, but her songs have a deep sophistication, something that's as compelling as it is impressive.—Katie K.

Most of the Riko Dan tracks I've heard over the last two years have been way more sparse, allowing his poisonous pen to explode in a room with few things to distract. "Ghost Chilli" is a different wave entirely, finding one of my favorite MCs over the lit "Pepper Riddim" from Prince Rapid's The Rapid EP.

For those who are turned off by the more quirky grime sounds, this might be more up your alley. It's not trap, nor is it straight-up rap; it's fuzzy, anthemic synths coasting over muted snares and rapid fire kicks. Dan's toasting like a g-d madman, with a flow that will draw you in even if you can't pick up the bars—but when you pick up those bars? MURDAAAAAAAAAAAAH!—khal

I'm not a big Future fan at all. I like dirty synths and 808 drums, though, and Dirty Sprite 2's "I Serve The Base" had me stuck, to the point where I couldn't listen to the rest of the project. It's one of those cuts that's hypnotic from the jump, something that I will never hear on the radio but will mob through crowded subways and at my desk to. I don't even know what lean tastes like, nor do I have aspirations to sell dope in Reeboks, but Future makes you feel some wild shit sometimes.—khal

Yesterday was not a good day for Young Thug. He was named in an indictment which detailed the attempted murder of Lil Wayne and he was also charged for drugs and weapons violations after police searched his house. Happily, today the focus is back on his music, as Thug drops the first single from his album Hy!£UN35, due out later this year.

"Pacificer" is suitably weird, packed with melodic runs, rhymes that you'll need Genius to properly decipher, and one of Thug's most fun and most silly hooks ever. Mike WiLL Made-It did a great job with the beat too, staying away from the straightforward trap production that has been his calling card and giving the drums a sort of live feel that works perfectly.

This is a good first step for what will be Thug's official debut album—hopefully he keeps balancing the more experimental and accessible sides of his music with this much success.—Constant Gardner

Though Jack Garratt's catalog is relatively small, it's impressively diverse. His first offerings experimented with a few different styles, ranging from soulful R&B to more electronic-based productions. Though they all worked thanks to Garratt's talent, it was unclear what he was aiming for. And then you hear "Weathered" and you realize, this is it. This is the kind of song that a voice and ability like Garratt was meant to make.

The track starts off rather minimally, relying on just guitar and slight percussion to soundtrack Garratt's voice. Then as the song goes on, it builds into this masterful and gripping ending that shows you just what the singer is truly capable of. It may be his best offering yet.—Katie K.

I was commenting on how hard it can be to get tracks for these "Best of the Week" jawns that the squadron does, primarily because my inbox is too future for these features. That's not a humblebrag (or a brag at all); I just get pre-release music that I can't speak on, and usually forget to when it drops because I'm an idiot. This week, though, Silkie's impressive album Fractals smacked me in the face... primarily because I had no idea it was dropping.

For anyone who knows my love for jungle music, this cut should be like "yeah, khal would rock with this" from the intro. It's not a jungle workout at heart, but it definitely builds on a 160BPM-y bed, letting soothing, hypnotic melodies swirl around before it turns into more of a steppy bass-driven number. Its somber, rainy day bop is what I've needed for the better part of this week, and is a beautiful way for this futuristic album to end. It's everything I love about Swindle, Joker, and jungle dons like Bizzy B, all rolled into one.—khal

When "It G Ma" caught the attention of western listeners, the focus seemed to stem from its alarming similarity to OG Maco's "U Guessed it," but really the focus should have been on Keith Ape himself. Not only did he turn a viral hit into some more than a simple meme for Vines, but he proved that rap is a universal language, too. It didn't matter what he was saying on the original track, because he managed to create something hard as shit regardless of words and language barriers.

The remix featuring Ferg, Father, Dumbfoundead, and Waka Flocka Flame doesn't seem as ridiculous as it otherwise might for that very reason. Everyone on the remix is from considerably different stylistic backgrounds, but magically no one feels out of place. Everyone brings their a-game, making it clear that the world needs more international bangers, and that avoiding any notion of boundaries in favour of uniting the world's love for hip-hop only benefits us all in the long run.—Joe Price

Rome Fortune knows how to pick his collaborators. After making a name for himself with some glossy Four Tet collaborations, he teamed up with iLoveMakonnen for a handful of catchy weird rap singalongs. But he's outdone himself here by bringing his talents to Toro y Moi (who was releasing folk albums last time we checked) on "Pitch Black." Toro's production is unlike anything we've heard from Chaz—he verges into something resembling house music with the intro before flipping into a smooth, melancholic verse that sounds like it could have come from Timbaland's brain.

The two work exceedingly well together: Rome knows when to back off the beat, and where it needs a little extra oomph. As for Toro y Moi—there seems to be nothing he can't do at this point. We only ask that he continue this trip into the unknown.—Graham Corrigan

I have yet to hear any evidence that Mac Demarco is capable of unhappiness. Sure, he probably sheds a lone tear just like the rest of us when (SPOILER ALERT) Mufasa dies, but if his music is any indication, his soul remains spotless.

As the rollout for Mac's "mini-album" Another One continues, the Pepperoni Playboy has treated us to a variety of goofy, grinning songs and videos that all but cement his place as music's good-vibe mascot. The drowsy chorus on "I've Been Waiting For Her" is a classic Mac hook—intensely catchy, backed by some sly guitar harmonies, and altogether chill. Let the good times roll, ad infinitum.—Graham Corrigan