Best Songs of the Week

The first single from DJ Spinn's debut EP has everything:

Original vocals from the maniacal Danny Brown. The trap-y excellence of a footwork cut that doesn't go the generic route. A beautiful jazz lick. It's the next level of jungle progression for the footwork scene (which was a solid part of Rashad's acclaimed Double Cup). Spinn proves that the work he put in making Rashad and TEKLIFE "something" outside of Chicago's scene was no fluke; this is the future for freaks who need EVERYTHING crammed into one track with ease and beauty.—khal

In this YouTube and SoundCloud generation, it can sometimes feel as if we’re constantly being swamped by new covers. But every once in a while, a cover will come along that is so unexpected that it demands attention. Acoustic covers are almost always good, but can tend to blend right in with all the others. More upbeat, energetic covers, on the other hand, are a bit more rare. This week, Kyan gifted us with just that.

Rather than just singing Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft” straight, Kyan broke it down and completely reconstructed it. It’s always more enjoyable to hear how artists can reinterpret an idea. Sinatra’s version is a classic that many would be afraid to even attempt toying with. The way the instrumentation effortlessly transitions from powerful to gentle in order to dance around Sinatra’s voice is something that can’t easily be recreated.

Kyan’s cover trades the live instrumentation for a very modern update. It contains the same powerful peaks as the original, but in a completely reimagined formation. Even those familiar with the original may not even realize that this is just a cover—and that’s how you properly remake a song.—Adrienne Black

Versatility is important for artists, especially rappers, and Bonkaz shows he has it in spades on his new EP Forgive Me When I'm Famous.

We first got familiar with the London rapper from the amped up "We Run The Block," but on the new EP—a gift for the fans before his official debut—he spits and sometimes sings over spare beats about love, his come up, and on this song, The Streets' Mike Skinner.

Using parts of The Streets' "Blinded By The Lights," and referencing his own "We Run The Block" video as well as the Meek Mill/Drake feud, Bonkaz proves that he's got bars for days, not to mention a great ear for interesting production. Keep an eye on this guy.—Constant Gardner

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

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

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

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