Best Songs of the Week

Allan Kingdom's new Northern Lights album is the best kind of album—the kind that makes it really difficult to pick a favorite song. Executive produced by Plain Pat, Jonathan Kaslow, and Kingdom himself, it's solid from start to finish. On first listen, standouts include "The Ride," "Monkey See," "Fables," and the title track, but I keep coming back to "Believe." Kingdom carries himself like nobody else in hip-hop, and his confident, left-of-center style is on full display here.—Jacob Moore

New year, same Trim; still going in, still one of the best MCs in the UK. The London spitter has been ridiculously consistent over the past 10 plus years, and by the sound of "Take It!!!," he's not going to be slowing down in 2016. Every Trim track has multiple memorable bars, and with Z Dot and Krunchie providing an outer space beat, the package is complete.

Get more Trim in your life, starting with this Airhead-produced track from last year.—Constant Gardner

Kendrick Lamar continued to play by his own rules last night by debuting another unreleased song on live television. He's rewriting the rules on how to release and exhibit music, but that's not the point of this slide.

This slide is about the song itself, and the raw, seething energy that filled Jimmy Fallon's studio earlier this month. "Untitled 2" (which, judging by the lyrics, is that "Blue Faces" song we were wondering about) could have fit snugly amongst the rest of To Pimp A Butterfly, and would have been one of the album's most ambitious songs. "Untitled 2" is a three-act play that delves deep into the familiar theme of money problems, using the blue tint of hundred-dollar bills as an entry point.

By the time Kendrick starts shouting out South Africa ("Caaaaape Town"), he's already tackled credit card debt and the fallacy of fast money, and he hasn't even kicked into high gear yet. That happens in the song's last act, when the best rapper alive removes the microphone from its stand and shows once again why no one is challenging him for the title.—Graham Corrigan

With their debut album coming out January 29 and their first headline tour getting underway on January 24, 2016 is about to be a very special year for Wet. It feels as if we've been waiting years for the trio's debut album, but the anticipation might just make the payoff that much sweeter. The music that we've heard so far from Don't You has been consistently stellar, and on "All The Ways" Wet don't alter their winning formula.

Kelly Zutrau's silken vocals (which come across brilliantly live—make sure you see Wet on tour if you can!) are the song's centerpiece, but the spare arrangements and subtle vocal layering and effects make it extra special. Thanks to Wet, 2016 is off to a good musical start.—Constant Gardner

Fellow Angelinos Cozz and Boogie have both built up undeniable momentum over the past couple of years, the former with debut album Cozz & Effect and the latter with two exceptional mixtapes. Teaming up on a track was a logical next step, and "City of God" is a great way for the two rappers to usher in 2016, stating in no unclear terms that you should wake up and pay attention.

The track, with its gently eerie beat from Meez, appears on Cozz's Nothin' Personal, a free to download album that was released earlier this week.—Constant Gardner

In the few months since Mick Jenkins dropped his Wave[s] EP, he’s made few but notable guest appearances on various tracks. Thankfully he decided to kick off the new year with some new music. This week he returned with not one, but two new songs for fans who have been thirsting for more music.

One of the new tracks, “$3,000 Advice” features production by THEMpeople that feels both smooth and alluring. The subtly bouncy rhythm sets the perfect tone for Mick to reveal his softer side as he makes an effort to impress a lucky young lady. Guest vocals from theMIND help to complete the more tender side of this double release—a fitting match to balance out the grittiness of its counterpart, “Grenade Theory.” Unfortunately according to Mick, there’s no full project coming just yet—this is just a little sip of what he’s been working on. But if this is a preview of what’s to come, it seems safe to say that the rest of the music will be worth the wait.—Adrienne Black