Best Songs of the Month

Mos Def is back. That is all. Shout out to Ski Beatz for making a beat that inspired Mos to go in.—Confusion

The Weeknd's nihilistic sex-drugs-party lyrics have entertained us since the beginning, and brought him legions of diehard fans. How to take things to the next level, then, and become a true pop star? Well, teaming up with super-producers like Max Martin and Kanye West can't hurt, and making songs with Lana Del Rey and Ariana Grande is probably a good move too.

But there's something a little less obvious that The Weeknd does on "Tell Your Friends" that makes it one of his most engaging songs to date. He opens up and shares details about both his life before fame and the struggles of dealing with fame in a way that he never has done before, especially in the excellent third verse (cut from the official video below). The evolution of The Weeknd has been interesting to observe, and the music he's delivering is only getting better.—Constant Gardner

Listen to The Weeknd's new album Beauty Behind The Madness here.

Read about his evolution, and how he predicted his own rise to pop stardom here.

Already armed with blessings from Four Tet and Lorde, Tirzah's "Make It Up" is poised for a massive takeoff in the coming weeks. The track is a low-key dance gem, combining a simple, funky beat with Tirzah's slurred vocals, unleashing lyrical wisdom that is simultaneously apologetic and accusatory ("I wanna hear you say you let me down").

It's the kind of vibe that locks in almost immediately, but it's never boring: "Make It Up" rewards listeners under its trance with little Easter eggs, like unexpected wind chimes and subtle, devastating modifications to that hypnotic bass line. Tirzah delivers it all with a lackadaisical cool—it almost sounds like she can't be bothered, or that we've interrupted her in the midst of reading a magazine or a preferred TV show. And that's not a bad thing—in fact, her sighing delivery makes the stream of casual, heartbreaking confessions even stronger: "How you gonna love me if you're never here?"—Graham Corrigan

If there’s one thing that we can usually expect from any Chance The Rapper song, it’s high energy. Throughout the majority of his music, and especially during his live shows, it’s his spirited presence that continues to draw new listeners in. As much as I personally love Chance’s animated personality, I’ve become so accustomed to it that when he decides to slow things down every once in a while, I feel completely captivated.

In 2013 when Chance dropped Acid Rap, the second half of “Pusha Man”—aka “Paranoia”—seemed to resonate with me on a much deeper level than the rest of the album. When he and NoName Gypsy surprised fans with a new track titled “Israel (Sparring),” I instantly felt a sense of déjà vu. Chance takes a break from his usually fast-paced flow for a more relaxed one to match Noname Gypsy’s own easygoing delivery—as well as the velvety smooth beat. The laid-back vibe allows each of their words to make the intended impact without getting lost within the beat.

It seems too early to claim this as one of my favorite Chance songs, but I’m going to do it anyway. The beat provided by Cam O’bi is so soothing that I could easily listen to it on repeat for an entire day, or longer. With each listen, I pick up on another line that resonates with me the same way “Paranoia” originally did. These kinds of songs may come sporadically from Chance, but those gaps in between make the songs feel that much more special.—Adrienne Black

Madison, Wisconsin rapper Trapo is only 17 years old, but on "Cards & Conversation" he channels a raw, painful ferocity that you can't fake without going through some shit. In this case, it comes from a near-death experience—a car crash that he walked away from without serious injury. “Seeing how serious that car accident was, people damn near could have died that night,” says Trapo. “With this song, I wanted people to feel how blunt and real that experience was for me.”—Confusion

Last year Louie Lastic provided the production for three tracks on GoldLink’s The God Complex. The duo have teamed up once again to provide fans with yet another track to groove to. Their latest collaboration “Movin’ On” comes at the perfect time. It feels like a great summer track, but a relaxed one that fits the current end-of-summer energy. With things beginning to slow down as fall peeks from around the corner, the functions have transformed from big bashes to smaller, laid-back get togethers.

“Movin’ On” fits in like the ideal soundtrack for these occasions. Louie Lastic uses a sample of Tupac’s “I Get Around” at the core of the production’s foundation, but builds around it to make it a key element rather than a distracting centerpiece. GoldLink rhymes almost effortlessly over the fun beat with his transformative flow that he’s proven can fit on any and every rhythm. Together, GoldLink and Louie Lastic create a feel-good track that’s hard not to love.—Adrienne Black

Channeling his inner James Murphy, Petite Noir turned in the dance jam of the week with "MDR." Tropically tinged and bursting with buoyant beats, "MDR" is a hip-shaker that will assuredly provide some social lubrication for dance floors across the world. The title's acroymn stands for “mort de rire,” which means “dying of laughter”—essentially a French lmao.

Yannick Illunga has been crafting these frosty island beats for years, but he sounds more at ease on "MDR" than ever before, rattling off sweet nothings with a self-assured nonchalance. The singer's album La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful is due out September 11.—Graham Corrigan

The title might lead you to believe that this is a goofy track, but Tampa-raised, L.A.-based rapper Broderick Batts and Swedish singer Erik Hassle are on some grown-up shit for this one. It's “a sexy ode to love purgatory," and it somehow manages to be intelligent, fun, and smooth as fuck all at once. In a hip-hop soundscape split between rappers stuck with the "conscious" label and those just trying to turn up, Broderick Batts is an exciting new voice.—Confusion

YES! I remember sitting in a room full of pigeons when TDE remixed "UOENO" and being laughed at when talking about fucking with Jay Rock's verse. Not that I feel vindicated, but this "Easy Bake" has me looking forward to whatever Jay Rock has on the way.

Both Rock and Lamar rap outside of their norm; Jay Rock has some different inflection that, paired with his more laidback flow, sit perfectly in the pocket over this lurching instrumental. Kendrick plays even further in the cut, almost like the ghost within the machine, before going for broke (and back-to-back) with Rock. It's type weird and type ill, which makes it just my type.—khal

Honne's Over Lover EP is coming out September 2, and they build some momentum with "Loves The Jobs You Hate," a song that Annie Mac crowned "Hottest Record" for BBC. We already knew that the British duo can make solid, electronically driven music that keeps things interesting while still remaining accessible. For "Loves The Jobs You Hate," they turn up the accessibility factor with a huge chorus and funk-tinged, upbeat production.—Confusion

Transitioning from full-on noise rock to avant-pop has taken a while for HEALTH, especially when considering Death Magic is their first full-length in six years. In spite of all the time it's spent getting to their current destination, six years on HEALTH still sound like HEALTH, and that's only a good thing. Their signature zoothorns, colossal percussion, and spectral vocals are all at play on Death Magic, but so is a new weapon in their arsenal.

Taking the more electronic side of themselves they flirted with on tracks like "USA Boys" and "TEARS," Death Magic shines a light on the darkened pop sensibilities that have always lingered in the back of their music whilst retaining their savage noise-rock side. "Life" is one of the few moments in which the album ditches their noise-rock roots completely, and it's also probably the most memorable moment on the album for it.

It's not all that surprising that HEALTH are capable of crafting a brilliant pop song, but what is surprising is how blunt the lyrics are. Coming from a band with a history of cryptic lyrics, hearing a pre-chorus loaded with "Life is strange/We die and we don't know why," feels almost revelatory. Clearer than ever, HEALTH sound at their best on "Life." Plus, that fucking chorus knows how to stick around, goddamn.—Joe Price

We've been waiting for the return of Låpsley for a while. She had a killer collaboration with Oceaán earlier this year, but the crystalline fragility of her solo work has been sorely missed. Enter "Burn"—the British singer's anticipated return comes in the form of a strikingly tender admission, a bare-bones tribute to the long-term.

There's a demo-esque quality to the release that adds value—her vocals rise from the solemn, cold pianos like offhand recordings that find accidental rhythms in their weavings. The end of some lines are cut short, the severance saying more than Låpsley's heartfelt ruminations ever could. But when that drop finally comes, the "accidents" are revealed to be anything but.—Alex Siber 

St. Louis native Dylan Brady hasn't exactly been shy about his eccentricities, but he really, really lets them loose on Cake Pop. Released under a different name due to numerous reasons apparent upon starting the EP, Cake Pop mostly ditches the skewed hip-hop of his debut album, All I Ever Wanted, in favor of a stronger emphasis on weird-as-hell pop. Clouded with strange genre cameos and a reckless disregard for structure, Cake Pop's over reliance on fun is its defining characteristic.

The final track on the EP is definitely its winning moment though, employing the cutesy trance-pop of some of PC Music's finest moments with an almost out-of-place version of Night Lovell's foreboding cadence. Dylan and frequent collaborator Robel Ketema lead the way with their infectious vocals, but by the time Lovell jumps in, the track takes on a completely different identity that's equally as essential. It's hard enough to create one memorable track, let alone two in one, and yet Dylan and his friends manage it without it coming across as disjointed.

Even if Cake Pop is but a minor stop in what is looking to be a fruitful career for all involved, it's still every bit as interesting as anything they've worked on so far. There's no shortage of quality on display, and "Do You Think I'm Mean" distills what's so great about Dylan, Ketema, and Lovell into a manic three minutes that challenges both the listener and the creative. If anyone has earned the right to show-off, it's these guys.—Joe Price

Born and raised in Tanzania and now based in London, Tiggs Da Author blends old school flavor with fresh energy on "Georgia." The sample of Bobby Bland's "Shoes" gives this song its soul, but Tiggs' unique voice and delivery give it an exciting edge. Tiggs is currently working on his debut album.—Confusion

Kwamie Liv and Angel Haze speak to the importance of a compassionate minds on "Pleasure This Pain," a nod to the perfection that exists with imperfection, the cracked core of another. The collaboration is something of a moment, what with it coming amidst Haze's summer comeback and serving as one of Liv's best efforts since her stunning Lost in the Girl EP.

The talented artists find strength in vulnerability while running raps and melodies over Baby Duka's close-quarters soundscape. As its title suggests, the song is at once sorrowful and tinged with hope, and there's a vague layer of mystique that goes beyond the duality of a name. Although quite possibly an extended metaphor, "Pain"—even at face value—reveals a pair of gifted creators who share pieces of themselves without so much as a wince.—Alex Siber

FKA twigs teamed up with BOOTS for a few days of creative release in New York, and the result was the brilliant M3LL155X EP. The release came accompanied by a stunning 16 minute, four-part video, but even without the stunning visuals, "In Time" stands out as one of the twigs' boldest statements to date.

You've got a goddam nerve, indeed, if you're doubting twigs at this point.—Constant Gardner

"In Time" starts at around seven minutes in the video below.

California group The Neighbourhood is back with "R.I.P. 2 My Youth," the first taste of their upcoming album Wiped Out!, coming out October 30 on Columbia Records. The song sets the mood with a gloomy vibe that you can still nod your head to—a stomping, swelling backdrop laced with lyrics about funerals, youth lost, and white lighters. It's that sweet spot between edgy and accessible, a spot where The Neighbourhood thrives.—Confusion

Oh, you know about grime, yeah? You're up on Wiley's numerous Steps, right? His latest? Oh, you recognize it as "Step 20" being remixed by Zomby, right? Of course ya do.

OK, I'm an asshole, I admit it. Just kills me when man who are chatting bare shit about being SO LARGE UP ON GRIME fall silent when "Shutdown" isn't on. Sorry. In any case, Zomby, who hasn't had a thought that he's wanted to suppress, brings forth a piece of grime excellence here, blending the throwback hypnosis of proper UK grime sounds with the melodic, and moody sounds that run through so much of his production work. Official.—khal

Mafalda only has 36 followers on Twitter. I say this not to potentially embarrass. I say this as a reminder that while sometimes social media is a huge help in getting attention, sometimes it doesn't mean a fucking thing. Talent is talent, regardless if you have 200,000 followers or two.

Mafalda's online presence (as of now) is minimal, but her music is massive. "Don't Let Go" is her new single, a cinematic and utterly gripping slice of pop perfection. Get familiar now—I'm sure you'll be hearing her name again in the future.—Katie K.

There's a moment in a recording I have of Fiona Apple's "Love Ridden" that captures her sighing this huge sigh at the end of the song. It's the kind of sigh that comes only when someone has truly gone through some stuff. It sounded like she was emotionally exhausted. It sounded like she was defeated. It sounded real.

I played this version easily hundreds of times. It became such a part of the song to me, that any other version of "Love Ridden" was irrelevant. That sigh was my connection. That sigh was what made every word she sang feel authentic instead of some exaggeration of reality.

Now imagine hearing an entire song composed of moments like these. That's what kaya has done on "Analytical Doll Face." Sure, the song is beautiful, but more than anything it's painfully real. This isn't a place that's easy for most artists to go to, but kaya does it, and "Analytical Doll Face" is an impressive feat because of that.—Katie K.

Talk about a lesson in contrast. Though Kwabs and Fetty Wap might be two of music's biggest male singers these days, their individual styles couldn't be more different: Kwabs has a classic sound, a hearty tenor that could sound at home in an opera or on Broadway.

Fetty, to his credit, hits all the right notes with a voice that sounds like went through a bit less training—his signature yelp has earned him multiple spots in the charts, but those notes would never be confused with dulcet tones. And yet here they are working beautifully together: Fetty's contributions to Kwabs' "Walk" are perfectly in key, both melodically and aesthetically. Even Fetty's Zoo Gang adlibs sound just right alongside the orchestral production surrounding Kwabs' voice. Time and time again, Fetty Wap has surprised us with his chameleonic qualities, and he's done it once again on this remix.—Graham Corrigan

Technically speaking, HAIM nails this rendition. It's lush and cavernous, and even more seductive than the original. But, and probably not intentionally, this is one of those songs that's got a little more bite to it based on something other than how it sounds (like sex, by the way—it sounds like sex). Their take on the Tame Impala gem transforms it from that of a desperate and exhaustive explanation of a man's own actions, to one about the trials and tribulations of dealing with men.

Then suddenly, the moment Danielle Haim's voice is pitched, Kevin Parker's song surfaces again. Weaving between these "male" and "female" voices, HAIM created something that, perhaps unknowingly, acts as a sort of commentary on the fluidity of gender. Then again, this is probably just my arts degree talking.

On a serious note, it's really a shame that "Haim" doesn't rhyme with "Tame," because otherwise, there could've been potential for a superband.—Joyce

Little Simz announced her album A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons with a live performance of a new track called "Wings" and quickly followed it up with the audio/video spectacular "Dead Body." It's her darkest, most brooding and menacing song to date (both lyrically and production-wise), and the visuals are a perfect match: dead bodies, eerie masks, and menacing effects galore.

Little Simz can make tracks for the turn up, songs you want to bump on a summer day, and music for the moments you want to sit in a haze of smoke and reflect on life. We can't wait to hear that variety and more on the album.—Constant Gardner

Knowing when to lead, a proverbial concept if there ever was one, applies as much to songcraft as anything else. The Lawrence brothers have parted with a strong assortment of singles on the road to Caracal, but no release finds them surrendering control more so than "Willing and Able."

Compare the confident synth swells of "Omen" or the percussive flairs of "Holding On" to the reserved grooves of the duo's latest: the desired effect—to move you to your feet—is still achieved, but with far more focus placed on the vocalist. Kwabs is up to the challenge.

In substituting flash for refinement and emotion, Disclosure have proven themselves a mature pair well aware of when to step back and let their guests carry the torch.—Alex Siber

Is this project even real? Yeah, it is, and it's everything you could want from a six-song mixtape of based freestyles from two of hip-hop's most positive forces. Stylistically, Lil B and Chance have little in common, but they both humanize hip-hop in a way that very few artists can. Whether it's a feel-good, fun-loving summer jam or something much more serious, they always keep it honest, and it makes them a couple of the most likeable rappers alive. On Free, they keep things loose, but there's just enough structure to hold everything together. "We Rare" isn't perfect, but it makes me smile, and I wouldn't change a thing about it, or the rest of this unicorn of a mixtape.—Confusion

On last single "Honeymoon," Lana Del Rey slowed things down and brought out the strings for a cinematic effect. With "High By The Beach," she picks up the pace and delivers one of her catchiest choruses yet.

It's a radio-friendly affair, but it's still Lana doing what Lana does best—brooding, moody music that you can sway to.—Confusion

One of the best things about an effective remix is that it makes you look at a song and say, "Wow I didn't even think of throwing that in there, but good Lord does it work." Donnie Trumpet's remix of D.R.A.M.'s excellent "$" is a perfect example of this. While the track was already a standout on it's own, Trumpet throws in some celebratory horns for the hook. On paper, you might think this throws off the piano-driven feel of the original, but that's not the case. Instead, it complements D.R.A.M.'s message, making the new version even more triumphant than it was before.—Katie K.