Best Songs of the Month

When I saw James Blake’s The Colour of Everything had dropped, I decided to quickly run through it before bed. I ended up listening to the entire album—it's that good. But after it all, "Radio Silence" is the track I keep going back to.

Like "Retrograde," my personal favorite James Blake song, "Radio Silence" swells into a dramatic, out-of-this-world symphony of synths, howls, and percussion. The repetitive vocals are still looping in my head, and I can't wait to spend more time with the rest of this album. The downside of a great opener is that it makes it really hard to get past track one.–Jacob Moore

I've only had one night with "Mixtape," but it's already one of my favorite songs of 2016 so far. One of Chance The Rapper's best qualities is the ability to find common ground with other artists, to bridge the gaps and unite. He always manages to do that in such a natural way, even on the unlikeliest of collaborations. The differences between Chance The Rapper and Young Thug and Lil Yachty are obvious, but they team up for something they can all agree on: the importance of a good ass mixtape.—Jacob Moore

Ta-ku and Wafia have shown in the past that they can stand strong on their own, but together, they create a special kind of magic. That was clear from the jump: late last year the Australian producer made his vocal debut alongside fellow Aussie Wafia on their beautifully tranquil cover of Estelle’s “American Girl.”

Months later, the two return with the first single from their upcoming collaborative EP (m)edian. The new track, “Meet In The Middle,” highlights the best of this new duo. Ta-ku’s slow-building production is truly hypnotic, and while his vocals still sound a bit timid compared to Wafia’s dynamic voice, there’s a certain charm to this balance that continues to work so well for them. “Meet In The Middle” is proof that there’s more good to come from these two.—Adrienne Black

Skepta's new album Konnichiwa is finally here, Pharrell feature and all. From just a couple of listens, it's already clear that this is an album with depth and substance, from the lyrical subject matter to the skits to the varied production choices. Favorite songs will likely change over time, but "Lyrics," featuring Novelist, makes an immediate impact.

From the opening seconds, sampled from a 2001 clash between garage crews Heartless and Pay As You Go (listen here), "Lyrics" is intense, and the two MCs don't let up for one second. They take aim at challengers, detractors, and, of course, Devilman, who Skepta has been going back and forth with on and off ever since their Lord Of The Mics clash in 2006. Tough tune.—Constant Gardner

British singer Jorja Smith announced herself with one of the best debuts we've heard all year, "Blue Lights," and she hasn't had any trouble following it up. The sedate "A Prince" put Jorja's vocals front and center, and now she's back with another gorgeous track.

For "Where Did I Go?," Cadenza is on production, and the steady beat and gentle keys provide the perfect backdrop. Jorja's songwriting is already mature, and at 18 years old she has a very bright future ahead of her.—Constant Gardner

We might not know what ScHoolboy Q's album is called yet, but we know it's finished. And judging by the strength of its first two singles, the follow-up to Oxymoron is going to be something special.

"THat Part" follows on the heels of "Groovy Tony," and it's a completely different vibe than the previous release. Q and Kanye are in full drawl mode, roaring boasts into the microphone over some dank and glistening TDE production.—Graham

Some songs grow on you with time, while a few rare gems have the ability to completely captivate you in an instant. When it comes to Anna Straker’s debut single “Late Night Swimming,” the latter seems to be the case.

“Late Night Swimming” is simultaneously tranquilizing and catchy. Straker—who wrote, produced, and performed the single on her own—created a tempo with the perfect balance. Whether it finds itself on a playlist to set a relaxing mood or to start a party, somehow this track is transformative enough to fit into any scenario and still sound just as good.—Adrienne Black

Boston's Cousin Stizz continues to gain steam in the wake of last year's breakout Suffolk County release.

This month Stizz returned with "Gain Green," a methodical, brooding cut that has everything we love about Stizz—bass-heavy production, that signature Boston drawl, and a hook that sticks between your ears. This one is a certified banger, and is a must-have on any summer playlist.—Graham

Every song on Coloring Book serves a purpose, and "Summer Friends" is Chance's bonus track. Don't worry about the fact that it's the track list's third song—focus on the silky, repetitious beat and Chance's stream-of-consciousness melodies. Every part of the song is immensely soothing, from Francis & The Light's harmonic coos and the soft, misty percussion to Jeremih's all-too-brief appearance at the close.

This song could also be the spiritual prequel to Chance's "Paranoia," one of the best songs off Acid Rap. Summer takes central stage again on Summer Friends, but the nostalgia is for a much younger Chance—"socks on concrete," "lightning bugs," and "ice cream trucks" recall the moments before Chance had to realize that "everybody dies in the summer."

But even that bittersweet reminiscence can't take away from that one central, beautiful beat, and "Summer Friends" feels like the bow on top of this Coloring Book gift. I can't help but be reminded of Kanye West's own "bonus" track, "30 Hours." "My favorite albums just have like bonus joints like this," Kanye said then, and it holds true now.—Graham

& is the solo alias of The Neighbourhood lead singer Jesse Rutherford, and it's a chance for him to explore a style outside of the full-bodied alternative sound of his band. The Neighbourhood has always had a hip-hop edge, but with &, Jesse embraces that fully with a more minimal vibe. On "Vacation," Jeremy Rocwell provides a laid-back beat anchored by a piano riff, and Jesse's half-sung vocals and heartfelt lyrics melt into it.

“This song is dedicated to my friend Cole & his family,” Jesse says. “His mother, Franny, just lost her life to cancer.” You can donate to help out Cole's family here.–Jacob Moore

When Nao spoke to Annie Mac about her latest single "Girlfriend," she told the radio host "we've gone for it this time." And if you listen to that hook once, it'll be hard to disagree.

The track pairs sultry production with Nao's unique, soulful voice in a way that's much more massive than what we've heard from her before. The verses are tighter, the chorus is more effective, and her songwriting is much more confident. It's the type of song that doesn't just excite you for the rest of her upcoming album, but instead ensures that once it's released, Nao will be a leader in the pop pack.—Katie K.

Post Malone is an avid fan of Dallas sports. So if you knew Post was making a song dedicated to a Dallas athlete, who would you guess? Emmitt Smith? Michael Irvin? Dirk? Shawn Bradley? Nope. Monta Ellis.

"Monta" makes Post Malone two for two on NBA player tribute songs. "White Iverson" is the smooth, well-rounded Hall of Famer song, but "Monta" is a reckless fan-favorite. An addictive hook, multiple NBA references, and a verse from Lil Boat turn "Monta" into an absolute banger that should be on every summer playlist.—John Walaszek

Sampha, Sampha, Sampha. We've been waiting. And after hearing "Timmy's Prayer," I have to say that all the waiting was worth it. If you're going to keep making music that's this good, Sampha, you can take as long as you damn well please working on it. That said, I don't want to wait another three years for a solo track, but if the British singer and producer's recent note and radio interviews are anything to go by, new music, and maybe even an album, is on the way.

On "Timmy's Prayer," Sampha's instantly recognizable vocals take center stage from the beginning, fragile, certainly, but never hushed. Just as on 2013's Dual EP, the lyrics are poignant and direct, this time describing heartbreak in vividly brutal terms:

My vital organs are beating through / My ribcage opened, my heart ballooned
I... I've lost another one
I'm on the floor trying to dress my wounds / Address the fact it was mine to lose
I... I didn't try enough

While we've certainly heard Sampha backed by electronic production before, especially on SBTRKT's albums, his own solo work has tended towards spare arrangements, often centered around piano and vocals (e.g. "Indecision," "Too Much"). Even from the beginning, "Timmy's Prayer" introduces new sounds (Are those bagpipes in the background?), but by the mid-point of the second verse, things take a surprising turn. A galloping beat comes in, heightening the sense of emotion and desperation as Sampha addresses the song's subject: "If you find me, I wanna tell you I love you so."

This one is special. Sampha is back.—Constant Gardner

Beat master extraordinaire Clams Casino is back. This year, he's already produced three songs on A$AP Ferg's Always Strive and Prosper, following that up with the announcement of a new album, 32 Levels. Although we're excited to find out if any of his past collaborators will feature on the record, "Blast" is a reminder that Clams doesn't need a vocalist to create atmosphere and take his listeners on a journey.—Constant Gardner

When I was first introduced to Kaytranada almost four years ago, he was gaining popularity and catching my own attention for his impressive ability to flip well-known, previously down-tempo records into party starting remixes. Years later he’s grown into an artist of his own who is not only able to create rhythms that speak for themselves, but he now has this incredible talent to construct production that brings out the best in other artists. His debut album 99.9% is the combining result of all of this.

Though 99.9% is brilliant from start to finish, one of the immediate standouts is “Got It Good,” a collaboration with Craig David. There are many times when the names on a collaboration look better on paper, or even too good to be true. However, “Got It Good” is far from that. The smooth production quickly transitions into a steady bounce layered under a catchy hook—resulting in an undeniable record. David’s name has been buzzing once again after a hiatus that felt much too long, and hearing him on this track makes me anxious to hear more from him soon. This was a collaboration I didn’t know I needed but I’m so grateful that it now exists.—Adrienne Black

2016 has seen hip-hop take a lot of cool experimental turns, so much so that it might be easy to begin to forget what anything other than left-field production sounds like. Luckily, DP is here to wake us the fuck up and remind us exactly what hip-hop sounds like when it's chillingly hard. On his latest, "You'll Be Touched," the Virginia rapper delivers fierce verse after verse over ominous, menacing beats. It's dirty, it's gritty, and it's exactly the jarring outlier today's rap scene needs.

So fuck the auto-tune. Long live the hard-hitting-straight-to-your-bones beats.—Katie K.

Reworks or new takes on super popular songs are always risky. Mostly because when a song is already good, why mess with it? For the most part, it's a good rule to follow. But then you get something like SZA's "twoAM," a rework of PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake's "Come And See Me," which makes you remember how captivating remixes can be when they're done right.

Here, SZA keeps the core feel of the original, but changes the lyrics so she's singing from a responsive perspective instead of the same point of view they had. In doing so, she makes it unique to her without creating an entirely new song. Plus, her vocals are absolutely killer on this. If this is the direction A is heading, we're in for a treat.—Katie K

Joey Purp is the most effortlessly cool rapper out right now. We learned this much at SXSW when he came to freestyle in our backyard. Dude makes rapping sound like a casual stroll, and more importantly, he makes it sound fun.

"Girls @" features a playful, percussion-centric beat by Knox Fortune and Peter Cottontale, and it's the perfect backdrop for Purp and Chance to showcase their charisma. Joey Purp's album iiiDrops drops May 27.—Jacob Moore

No one combines R&B vocals with futuristic production better than the label Fade To Mind, and they're back at it with D∆WN and label founder Kingdom's collaborative Infrared EP. Whether you hear "How I Get It" in the club or on a late night drive, the standout hits hard and sounds like the future.—Constant Gardner

Finding Novyon has a had a steady 2016. He dropped the Super Saiyan EP, performed with Allan Kingdom at our No Ceilings SXSW showcase, gave us an interview in LA, and then even found time to reflect on his time at Prince's Paisely Park.

Now the Minneapolis rapper is back with another single, this time teaming up with Sonny Digital for "LET'S GET LIT." Novyon finds himself right at home on the cold, booming, Sonny Digital production. His flow melts onto the beat and creates a smoking-and-driving anthem perfect for a summer cruise with the squad. Throw in some clever word play and an old school Nickelodeon reference ("Kenan and Kel bitch I'm all that"), and "LET'S GET LIT" is, in fact, lit.—John W