Best Free Downloads of the Week

It hasn't been long since the release of his latest album LIMBO, but Pell returned this week with a brand new song, "Pretty Things."

The song came with a simple message from Pell, who tweeted that "I was listening to 808s the other night and thought about you." The results of that mysterious nostalgia turned into a vulnerable, therapeutic track about a past love.

Download it here.

Little Simz's A Curious Tale Of Trials + Persons was a great album, but the rapper hasn't wasted any time in holding our attention: she returned this week with even more new music.

Simz shared a new seven-track EP titled AGE 101: DROP X this week. The new tape features appearances from a handful of impressive artists. One of the standout tracks, "Sea Level" is a smooth track that features vocals from ALXA and a guest verse from Mick Jenkins.

Download AGE 101: DROP X here.

North Carolina rapper WELL$ returns this week with a gritty new track simply titled "130." Booming production combines with an infectious piano loop to make for a smooth rhythm that sets the stage for WELL$ and a hard-hitting verse. With a runtime of less than two minutes, this track feels like a tease of the great things to come.

Pigeons & Planes is all about setting a platform for talented artists we really believe in. This year we asked some of our favorite artists to contribute original music to our first compilation. I Like It, What Is It? is the result.

One of the standouts is an ambitious collaboration between Nok from the Future, Cousin Stizz, and Night Lovell. The dark, eerie production and surprisingly ominous acoustic guitar opens the door for the menacing flows from both Stizz and Lovell.

Download our entire I Like It, What Is It? compilation right here.

jj has a collection of beautiful voices at their disposal, and they really let them rip for "Paranoid." Aside from some wandering drones and unobtrusive percussion, "Paranoid" is a vocal medley, complete with overlapping parts, accidental harmonies, and some gurgly half-raps. If that sounds a little confusing, one listen should clear away the cobwebs.

Shemzy impressed us a few months back with "Man Right Now," and the English MC is back in top form this week on "Maybe You Would." It's another self-produced track, and Shemzy obviously knows how to surround his voice. Sparse percussion and snarling synths create the perfect backdrop for the track, and "Maybe You Would" lands in the win column as a result.

East Atlanta Santa 2 is the latest chapter of Gucci Mane's illustrious behind-bars discography. The new project features Young Thug, Post Malone, Lil B, Vic Mensa, Waka Flocka, and plenty more. But it's his cut with Thug that got our attention, the aptly-titled "Perfect." Thugger can find the sweet spot on just about any beat, and this is no exception.

With all due respect to Sam Smith, I don't know how this Radiohead submission didn't get the nod for the latest James Bond theme song. Maybe it's too pretty—"Spectre" finds Yorke, Greenwood, and Co. at their melodic best. It initially sounds like part of Kid A, but the song quickly spins into a darker, more orchestral second part.

In the words of Thom Yorke, the Bond deal "didn't work out." When this gets the nod instead, it makes you wonder who's making the call, and if/when they should be replaced.

Busta Rhymes received a sudden injection of relevancy when he appeared on Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment's "Slip Slide" back in March. So it's only right that Busta returned the favor with a verse from Chance on his latest mixtape, Return Of The Dragon.

And it's more than a feature—Chance's verse goes on for a blessedly long time, giving new flavor to Luniz's iconic "I Got 5 On It" beat. Keep your ears open for the Adele and Fugees references.