Best Songs of the Week

I recently caught wind of Four Three Six, an imprint that wants to bring back the good old days of copping music on vinyl. Hell, when I go digging every now and again, I forget how much fun it used to be to judge if a release was dope based solely on the cover art. Anyways, Four Three Six has taken the visual idea to a whole new level; the artist designs their shirt based on the release, then the tags on the shirt carry a download code for the release. Pretty ill concept.

Their next release is from Scottish producer Hostage, who has been buzzing for a few years with his dark and lovely take on house and techno music. Practically everything he does is fresh, and his Fluxx EP is no different. The artwork is a bit of a throwback, with all kinds of zaniness going down. That's the approach on the EP as a whole; dusty fingered '90s rave music, and "Level" walks perfectly in that lane. Instead of crafting some sprawling opus, Hostage sorts out an anthemic number that hooks you early, hypnotizes you somewhere in the middle, and refuses to let you go. When it's time to let go of the drama in life, let Hostage work his intoxicating sounds into your veins for five minutes or so.—khal

While all eyes were on Kanye West's The Life of Pablo extravaganza last night, James Blake popped up on his BBC Radio 1 residency to debut a new song. He has a habit of premiering music on the show—from friends and 1-800-Dinosaur affiliates—but when it comes to his own sounds, it has often been covers or instrumental tracks.

"Modern Soul," however, is a fully formed James Blake song, fluttering vocals, clanking production and all. No word if this is a single from his upcoming album Radio Silence, but I wouldn't be surprised. Blake season approaching?—Constant Gardner

18-year-old Max Wonders raps with a maturity and purpose on "Grow Up," even as he's facing up to something we can all relate to, namely growing up. Over a mesmerizing beat from Daniel Hex, Wonders spits powerful lines like, "I want to hang on the swings instead of hanging on the trees."

"'Grow Up' was made out of paranoia." Wonders explains. "All of the feelings I go through when I’m thinking about having to part ways with my youth. Nothing can help me escape the future. So while I’m on the rollercoaster, I thought I’d let out the screams I hear in my head."—Constant Gardner

When we asked Boston rapper Vintage Lee about her influences, she cited three rappers that she started listening to when she was just a child: Pimp C, Eazy-E, and Snoop. These influences don't tell you a lot about Lee's music, but they do hint at the one thing Vintage Lee has that makes her immediately stand out from the pack: charisma. Throughout her laid back, slightly melodic flow on "Hennythings Possible," she sprinkles in plenty of personality and style, making her one of the most engaging new rappers we've heard in a minute.—Jacob Moore

Read our interview with Vintage Lee here.

With his debut album Phase out now, we still find ourselves going back to Jack Garratt's "Fire." It's an ambitious, epic track that begins with Garratt in hushed, reverential mode before a build begins. By the time "Fire" truly arrives in a cloud of arpeggiating synths, the adrenal rush is in full effect.

Garratt's interview with Zane Lowe is worth a listen too—the young artist speaks on how he's handling the pressures and triumphs of this burgeoning fame, and he has an air-tight defense for the haters: "I was fat and ginger as a kid," he told Zane, "I've heard the worse that I can hear... so I'm able to laugh it off." The music is pretty damn good, too.—Graham Corrigan

“Fairytale” has a sweet, nostalgic feel to it—reminiscent of memories of your favorite childhood bedtime story. It’s no secret that Lianne La Havas has a velvety smooth voice, but there’s something exceptional about this particular track.

In fact, it seems more fitting to refer to it as a lullaby than just another song. “Fairytale” is performed with such a light touch that it’s nearly impossible not to feel far more relaxed at song's end. It's an instant add to the daily rotation, reassurance to help wind down from a stressful day.—Adrienne Black