Best Songs of the Week (July 8th, 2016)

Here are the best songs from this past week.

With so much good music steadily coming through, it's easy to miss out on some of the best. To help prevent this, we've picked some of our favorite tracks from the week. Here are the songs you can't afford to skip, in no particular order.

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2. ScHoolboy Q - "THat Part (Black Hippy Remix)"

Whenever ScHoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul rap together, it's an event. It doesn't happen often enough, but when Black Hippy comes through and drops a remix, the four artists always seem to bring the best out of each other. The original "THat Part" was already memorable, but with these four flexing their different styles, we'll be replaying the remix for days.

Who came hardest though? I think Jay Rock took this one.—Constant Gardner

3. PartyNextDoor & Jeremih ft. Lil Wayne - "Like Dat"

Aside from the fact that PartyNextDoor and Jeremih will be releasing a collab project this year, the most exciting thing about "Like Dat" is that we get a insane verse from Lil Wayne.

Weezy has been going through hell with all of the label troubles and it has shown in his music—the turmoil has been the topic of nearly everything he's rapped on. On "Like Dat," we get the clever wordplay and high energy Weezy is known for, and this verse is by far the standout of the record.

With a catchy chorus and back-and-forth action from PND and Jeremih, the Wayne verse is just icing on the cake of what turned out to be a great warmup for Late Night Party.—Eric

4. Shura - "Indecision"

Of all the bouncy pop jams on Shura's Nothing's Real, "Indecision" might be the most fun. Airy synths set a mood of bittersweet determination—Shura's been spurned on this track, but it's not making her rethink a thing. "It may be over," she sings, "But there’s something you should know / You’ve got my love."

The instrumentation is on point, too—the syncopated toms and arpeggiated bells give "Indecision" a Blood Orange vibe, but Shura's vocals provide a dreamy energy only she could muster.—Graham

5. Francis and the Lights ft. Bon Iver & Kanye West - "Friends"

You know a song concept is top notch when not one, but two stellar tracks arise from the same source material. Francis and the Lights' "Friends" first appeared in sampled, excerpted form on Chance The Rapper's "Summer Friends," a touching standout that anchored Coloring Book in a nostalgic recollection of early memories. Francis' layered voice takes point there, developing melancholic context in the song's opening moments.

The original version is just as strong. Credited as guest artists, Bon Iver and Kanye West dance and sing along in the track's accompanying video, providing cosigns by way of proximity. Justin Vernon's presence, in particular, comes as a welcome surprise. More than a few listeners heard Francis for the first time this past May and labeled him the Desiigner to Bon Iver's Future. Starlite has, in fact, been doing this for a very long time, and he shows his talent with a song as emotionally gripping as its Chicago cousin. Expect things to speed up for the seasoned vet in the coming months.—Alex Siber

6. Boogie - "Man Down"

L.A.'s Boogie is so versatile. He's proved he can make a club hit with "Oh My," while some of the production choices on his two mixtapes come out of left field. Boogie can turn up one moment and hit you with a deep reflection on society's ills the next, always with a wicked sense of humor running through his lyrics.

On "Man Down,"Boogie is trapped in his own dark thoughts, which are brought to life in the video by the room where he's rapping—and just wait until that beat switch kicks in.

Thirst 48 Pt. 2, a follow up to Boogie's brilliant 2014 mixtape, is coming this August. Wack, social media-obsessed rappers, watch out. Boogie's coming for your neck.—Constant Gardner

7. James Vincent McMorrow - "Rising Water"

James Vincent McMorrow is evolving before our very eyes. The Irish singer still has that beautiful voice, but "Rising Water" signals a shift: the new single boasts production from OVO Sound's Nineteen85, who put some propulsive sounds and choice filters behind and within McMorrow's angelic vocals.

"Rising Water" has levels, and it introduces them one by one: first that bendy bass, then the vocal loop, then the lead voice—and this is all before everything blooms at the chorus. If anything can get you through this shitty, shitty week, it's that chorus. We loved JVM's acoustic work (never forget "Red Dust"), but this direction is a step forward by any measure. And with a new album out in September, you can be sure there's a lot more heat coming.—Graham Corrigan

8. Jaden Smith - "LABOR V2"

It's crazy that some people still aren't taking Jaden Smith seriously as an artist. His output has been limited, but over the last few years he's shown steady evolution, and it feels like it's all building up to that "oh shit" moment that's going to shake up the hip-hop world. Jaden is wildly and unapologetically creative, and "LABOR V2" is smart and different without being inaccessible. This kid is special, and hopefully he'll finish that album soon.—Jacob Moore

9. Pell - "Basic Beach"

It feels like it's been too long since we last heard from Pell, but thankfully he made his return this week with two new singles, "Show Out" and "Basic Beach." The first single, "Show Out" is a subtle track with just enough funk to get people moving. "Basic Beach" is equally lighthearted, but this track takes a different approach.

In the summertime, as temperatures continue to rise and responsibilities begin to fade into the background, it's common to hear songs about wanting a short-lived summer fling. It's resultingly rare to find someone dedicated to making a relationship last beyond the summer months, when everyone around them is doing the opposite. With "Basic Beach," Pell offers up a soundtrack that manages to fit right in between both of these mentalities. For those currently playing the field but open to finding something deeper, "Basic Beach" might strike the right kind of nerve.—Adrienne Black

10. 24hrs - "BODY"

The anonymous enigma we know as 24hrs was already one of our favorite new artists off the strength of his Open EP and the other loosies he dropped, but "BODY" came out of nowhere and might be his best yet. Over laid back, dancehall-inspired IZZE production, 24hrs delivers an addictive hook and more sauced up charisma. At under three minutes, it's the kind of song that you could easily find yourself listening to on repeat—that's exactly what I've been doing since it's dropped.—Jacob Moore

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