Music Recommendations Based on the Artists You Already Like

Grimes' new album Art Angels has some of her boldest, most direct pop songs to date, her voice less obscured in effects than it was on Oblivion, and before that Geidi Primes and Halfaxa.

From what we've heard so far—especially the hook on "You Never Knew"—Brooklyn's Negative Gemini could be writing straightforward pop anthems, but she is instead taking a more interesting approach, layering on the reverb and building songs that are part nostalgic, part futuristic.

Negative Gemini's album Body Work is due out some time next year.

John Keek's "Come Give it Up" is a strange song. It flows somewhat unpredictably, hitting notes and progressions you don't often hear in modern music. Part if it is that Keek is a saxophonist well-versed in jazz. He's not an exact match for Blake, but his voice delivers with the same subtle intensity and the nontraditional song structure should resonate with fans looking for something different but still grounded in talent and musicianship.

Read our interview with Keek here.

Los Angeles crew Villain Park doesn't make club bangers or trap music for hypebeasts. Their style is more laid back, reminiscent of '90s hip-hop with dusty beats, traded verses, and mostly melody-free raps. If you liked Lootpack—the California group consisting of Madlib, Wildchild, and DJ Romes—Villain Park's new Same Ol Shit EP should hit the spot.

Lostboycrow builds songs around electronic dance production, but dive into his SoundCloud and you'll find an accomplished singer and composer—he just happens to be blessed with an ear for danceable beats. "Talk Back to Me" reveals the Los Angelino's penchance for soaring melodies, clean beats, and grandiose choruses, not unlike British trio Years and Years.

Jayaire Woods caught our attention with his latest release, trees42morrow. The 13-track collection is yet another product of the Midwest's vibrant music scene (the rapper hails from Woodside, Illinois), and Jayaire proves his talent and versatility by unleashing a bevy of breezy, melodic rhymes over spaced-out beats.

He's playing around with some of the same ideas that have brought Post Malone such success—there's a familiar drawl to his delivery, and both musicians are operating in that murky world between singing and rapping. Whatever you want to call it, there's no denying the catchiness.

Let's get this out of the way: Bibi Bourelly has a songwriting credit on "Bitch Better Have My Money." But while Bibi could certainly be (blessedly) accused of sounding like Rihanna, it would have to be in reference to the pop star's most recent work, the stripped-down, "FourFiveSeconds" Rihanna. Bibi's debut single "Ego" has some of the same gritty, grimy "BBHMM" vibes, but the singer has a softer side that you can hear on songs like "Riot."

Bibi is writing these tough folk songs alongside the likes of Alessia Cara. They're both shunning bubble-gum and programmed synths in favor of that eternal equation: a guitar and a voice. In the right hands, the results are sensational.

The full, sweeping chords and hushed vocals of Emma Louise's "Underflow" fits over the ears like a fuzzy warm blanket. It's the rare melancholy that doesn't leave you morose—there's a hopeful tinge to the reverbed piano, an intimacy that comes from a long history of solo songwriting: Emma Louise moved three times in high school, and "after I discovered songwriting I hardly did any school work."

Besides having vocals reminiscent of Sharon Van Etten, Emma Louise occupies a similar space in winter music: these songs are best heard around a crackling fire, warm beverage in hand.

British rapper and producer Rocks FOE weaves in and out of the worlds of hip-hop and grime on his debut EP Legion. The beats roar and rumble, and Rocks delivers hard bar after bar with a gruff intensity that sits perfectly over the horror movie strings on tracks like "Law."

Although the heavy beats and high energy delivery can send crowds crazy, Rocks FOE is delivering realness, storytelling, and social commentary in his music. Just as with Danny Brown, those elements can be easy to miss at first, but close listening will bear rewards.

The Legion EP is out November 27.

Lianne La Havas has one of those voices you recognize right off the bat. And while you could say the same about Mizan, it's not just about the vocals. Lianne and Mizan are songwriters, ones who take the time and effort to whittle something fresh out of conventional pop structures.

Mizan also has distinguished herself in more obvious ways: she overloads the low-end of songs like "Thru" and "Looking For" with booming bass, leaving plenty of ceiling space for her subtle, endearing vocals. Her Dark Blue EP came out just last month, and it's a stunner.

Lead single "7 Billion" is an easy standout, but every song brings something new to the table. This is full-hearted, clear-eyed songwriting at its best.

Agrin Rahmani is Swedish music's next big thing. She's the daughter of a professional cellist and a composer, and from the tidbits we've heard thus far, more than a little talent rubbed off.

Singing as LÉON, Agrin has put together her Treasure EP. It has emerged as one of Spotify's best exclusive content—there's not a dud in the bunch, just a sharp collection of up-tempo, effortlessly cool synth-pop. LÉON has a knack for big, danceable hooks, not unlike her countrywoman Robyn.

Ever since Channel Orange, delivering romantic yearnings over slow soul beats has become a rite of passage for Frank's flock. Unfortunately, there aren't many young artists who can pull it off and not sound cookie-cutter.

Berhana is the exception—his debut "Janet" has that "Super Rich Kids" production vibe, but the Brooklyn artist takes a decidedly more grandiose vocal route, embracing the full, funky range of his voice in a way that recalls recent rising star Anderson .Paak.

With a cosign from Ta-ku and a voice that cuts through anything in its way, Wafia is poised to take her place among 2016's forward-thinking female vocalists.

She burst on to the scene with a pitch-perfect "Let Me Love You" cover, and has continued to impress with "Heartburn" and her feature on Ta-ku's "American Girl." Wafia's songs creep up on you, with piano-driven progressions contrasted by the seductive melancholy inherent to her vocals. It's a formula that has previously worked wonders for the likes of Jessie Ware and London Grammar. Get familiar.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. Just ask Bishop: "I’ve always loved anything creative. The trigger was underage trips to Japanese karaoke bars, Scottish parents, and venting my teenage angst," the young songwriter told us.

"Wild Horses," the first song from her upcoming EP, is a similarly unexpected blend of influences, a bold pop song which mixes delicate acoustic guitar with the type of booming production that wouldn't sound out of place on a HudMo track.

Regardless, it's working. Just like BANKS' more recent, fearless material, Bishop isn't afraid to take chances.