Best Songs of the Week (Oct 13th, 2017)

With so much good music steadily coming through, it's easy to miss some of the best. To help prevent this, we've rounded up the best new songs of the week. Here are the songs you can't afford to skip, in no particular order.

Another week, another hit from Rex Orange County. The English songster seems untouchable at this point—after landing multiple features on Tyler, the Creator's Flower Boy, he's released the silky "Edition" and "Loving Is Easy," a grin-inducing collaboration with Benny Sings. Both songs finish up well before the three-minute mark, but they're complete songs that leave never waste a second.

"However much I may have spoken negatively about love and relationships [in the past], at this point in my life it's positive and loving is easy to me," Rex told Annie Mac this week. From the sound of it, things will only continue to go up from here.—Graham Corrigan

Lou The Human can rap his ass off. But in the mold of an early-era Eminem, he’d rather use his razor-sharp lyricism to paint bizarre, fucked up worlds around himself than prove how smart he is. Lou's debut project, Humaniac, is a wild conceptual ride through a drug and psychosis-riddled mind, taking full advantage of Lou’s witty imagination and vivid wordplay. “Born” is an early favorite, dizzying the listener with bar after bar after bar of some of the most creative, deranged lyrics I’ve heard all year.—Eric Skelton

Although many of us were only introduced to Brent Faiyaz within the last year or two, his debut album Sonder Son is a body of work that's been years in the making, and it's finally here. Over the last couple of years, Faiyaz has built up experiences worth telling while releasing a project of his own as well as an EP with newly-formed trio Sonder—both have helped shaped what is now his official debut.

A first listen to Sonder Son is enough to tell Faiyaz has a special approach to R&B as well as songwriting. Immediately, the album's eighth track "Talk 2 U" feels like the most apparent standout. Before it's over, the catchy chorus and melody will already infiltrate your mind and have you singing along. The subject matter is intimate, sounding like a love letter through your ears, and yet there's still enough bounce underneath it all that has the power to make you move.—Adrienne Black

Learn more about Brent Faiyaz and the making of his album here.

Sometimes I listen to Little Simz and wonder who got on her wrong side this time around. I'm not sure which poor soul crossed Simz to inspire "Good For What," but I'm thankful to be honest. At this point in her career, Little Simz is established enough to not need to answer to anyone or try to prove them wrong because she's doing what she wants, when she wants. But every once in a while there comes a time where you have to remind people who's really boss. "Good For What" is the theme song for this exact mood.

Maybe you're not at the boss level yet, but a few spins of this track will surely inject you with the fighter's energy needed to kick down any barriers people may try to put in your way. The title isn't formed as a question but delivers an attitude that says, "Good for what? I'll show you exactly what I'm good for!" And that's the kind of motivational morning music I didn't know I needed, but I did.—Adrienne Black

Gucci Mane's new album Mr. Davis is 17 tracks long and packed with features from heavy hitters like The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Ty Dolla $ign, Nicki Minaj and Migos. The album's already spawned a genuine hit in Billboard Top 10 charting "I Get The Bag" and other highlights include ScHoolboy Q-featuring "Lil Story" and the reflective outro "Made It."

Maybe most fun of the new songs, on first listen at least, is "Back On." We already know Zaytoven and Wop are a dream team, and the producer provides a sparkling, buoyant beat that Gucci dances all over. I don't even know how many songs Gucci's released since he came home, but the work rate is definitely inspiring.—Alex Gardner

We've been enchanted by Mabel since day one, and her latest mixtape is a testament to her growth as an artist. (It's all happening so fast!) Her latest single is another dancehall cut that sees Mabel taking control as she asserts her demands to an unworthy lover. On Twitter, she explained that the EP is about "making mistakes, growing, blossoming and having fun along the way." Take your time, girl—we'll wait forever for that full-length album if we have to.

Mabel's Ivy & Rose mixtape is out now.—Sydney Gore

When I first saw the tracklist for St. Vincent's new album Masseduction, my eyes were immediately drawn to "Happy Birthday, Johnny." Her previous "John" songs—the title track from Marry Me and "Prince Johnny" from her self-titled record—were always highlights from their respective albums for me. "Happy Birthday, Johnny" is no different, and it's clear based on the lyrics that it's another very personal song to the singer. If you were hoping for dirty guitar licks, you'll get them on Masseduction, but with this down-tempo piano ballad, Annie Clark is still a master of writing beautiful and evocative pieces of music.—Joyce

Giggs dropped his new mixtape, Wamp 2 Dem last Friday when I was out on vacation, and I'm personally offended that none of the team decided to include any of the tracks in last week's edition of this feature. This project is incredible, and perfectly placed to win the British rapper new fans without losing anyone his been with him since "Talkin The Hardest."

The mixtape features 2 Chainz, Popcaan, Young Thug, and Zaytoven, as well as British legends Footsie and D Double E, plus rising star Dave. And Dave goes off, not missing a bar in one of his best verses to date. Google the lyrics and get ready to put this one on repeat.—Alex Gardner

This acoustic track is an outtake from Carrie & Lowell so it's dark and depressing as Sufjan reflects on his mother's inevitable death. But at least Sufjan was kind enough to share this previously unreleased song with us at all on his Greatest Gift mixtape that's slated to drop on November 24 via Asthmatic Kitty. For every string that's plucked and strung, your heart flutters a little softer.—Sydney Gore

Keenon Rush's Citizen Keen EP represents a new level for the Atlanta artist. After years working a thankless job, he fully committed to music this year, coming away with self-produced songs like "PSA" and "Rosebud." The latter is a stark appraisal of the transition, and the hard work it took to make music he was proud of. The good news? It's working.—Graham Corrigan

Since introducing herself with "Figures" last year, Jessie Reyez has impressed us with her ability to mix raw, unfiltered emotion with addictive melodies. When she's at her best, she's able to funnel wild human energy into the accessible framework of pop music—and that's exactly what she does on her new song "Phone Calls."

Telling Annie Mac that the track was written as a response to people who have "switched up" and acted differently around her since she's seen success, she explained that it's also about "respecting people that were down with me from the beginning. People that didn't really have anything to gain or people that just had faith to have faith. People that were riders just to be riders."—Eric Skelton

It's been a few moons since we fell for John Keek's "Come Give It Up," but the songwriter/saxophonist returned with a vengeance this week on "If +When." The off-kilter time signatures, layered croons, and jazzy solos make for a roller coaster of a listen—Keek has never been afraid to take chances with his music, and he's making something truly unique in the process. An EP is coming at the end of the month, and with a King Krule tour in his rearview, we can't wait to hear how Keek's been spending the time away.—Graham Corrigan

Even though I've been exposed to Porches many times, I'm finally getting into the band now because this single officially won me over. Aaron Maine always makes these deep metaphors about water within his music, and I happened to stream this song on a rainy day in New York which really set the mood for such a melancholic tune. (He previously dedicated a whole EP to the element.) On the track, Maine's steady, monotone voice is supported by the soaring vocals of Dev Hynes and Bryndon Cook. Other than that, the production is minimal with a repeating piano chord. There's so much beauty in vulnerability.—Sydney Gore

MobSquad Nard shined on his own throughout Nardo DaVinci but when he linked with his fellow MobSquad members things got even more impressive. On "Peephole," fellow member Snap Sosa joined Nard and the two spit rapid, aggressive verses over the Fatality Beatz production. MobSquad Lil Tee also made an appearance on the project as he delivered solid verses on "Bowl" and "Fukk It Up." Nard has a strong team around him and if he can stay consistent with more records like Nardo DaVinci, MobSquad will be in good hands for a long time.—Eric Isom

With his second studio album as Baths, Obsidian, Will Wiesenfeld perfected his dance-pop. Incorporating vocals more heavily into his frenetic productions, his songwriting skills flourished. From what we've heard from the first Baths record in four years, he's found a way to further improve upon his talents. "Out" is just as promising as first single "Yeoman," combining his tactile lyricism with his distinctive production style to astonishing effect.—Joe Price

Guyanese singer/songwriter Juke Ross is still making first impressions, but he went all-in with "Shadows in the Dark." The song is "about a lingering sadness fueled by loss," Ross tells us, and it's expansive, dramatic, and powerful. It's still early for Juke Ross, but we can't wait to see where he goes from here.—Jacob Moore

It's not easy to cover something iconic. Usually when an artist covers something deeply embedded in the minds of so many, however, they aren't tackling one of the most legendary movie themes of all time. Covering John Carpenter's timeless Halloween theme is like attempting to cover John Williams' Jaws theme, in that there's no way anyone can ever really top the original. These two themes are synonymous with dread, and thankfully Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are more than familiar with dread.

Throughout their career as a movie scoring duo, and even in Reznor's own Nine Inch Nails work, they've both mastered the art of unsettling viewers and listeners. With their inventive, atmospheric, and drawn-out cover of the Halloween theme and its motifs, they show a full understanding of what made the original Halloween so goddamn haunting. What a perfectly timed treat this is, considering the month and all that.—Joe Price

Every few years, Beck drops by and reminds everyone why he's such a storied figure. His ability to effortlessly switch between musical styles is well documented, and while not every style is as great as the next, he remains fascinating regardless. His new album is a brilliant example of this, considerably messier but a lot more fun than 2014's Morning Phase.

Poppier, and generally more indicative of Beck as a whole, Colors is prime Beck even when things go a little off-track. The title track of the album kicks things off with a highly concentrated burst of energy, sounding a little something like a cross between Odelay and Midnite Vultures. In other words, this is the Beck we know and love.—Joe Price

GothBoiClique is in full force on this track as DØVES and WICCA PHASE SPRINGS ETERNAL take the lead on the verses while Lil Peep doesn’t chime in about his woes until the chorus. The acoustic guitar strumming is an unexpected touch that lightens the mood of this new sadboy theme song. At this point, somebody should probably tell Lil Peep to stop going to the club if it makes him feel so miserable…—Sydney Gore