Best Songs of the Week (Jan 19th, 2018)

The new music that you need in your life this week.

P&P Original

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Best Songs of the Week Jan 19 2018

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.

Rejjie Snow ft. Kaytranada & Aminé - "Egyptian Luvr"

Rejjie Snow Press

Rejjie Snow has always had an easy, natural presence on the mic, and he showcases it brilliantly with “Egyptian Luvr,” a neon lit groove produced by Kaytranada and featuring guest turns from Aminé and Dana Williams. The bouncy single sets the tone for his long-awaited debut, Dear Annie. It’s dance floor ready thanks to Kaytranada’s sharp drum programming and Snow’s rhythmic delivery, but it’s also bittersweet and wistful, a reflection on the unshakeable weight of our past and how it lingers with us, most glaringly as we pursue new partners and look to the future. Aminé and Snow are a perfect tandem, Williams adds melodic heft on the hook, and “Egyptian Luvr” makes the lengthy wait for Dear Annie seem well worth it.—Grant Rindner

Kevin George - "High Like This"

kevin george

Kevin George is a 20-year-old singer and producer and "High Like This" is his first single. There are dark undertones to the music and video, but the song succeeds on its sharp pop instincts—the hook especially is gold.

"I've failed so many times during the first four years at creating a sound that caters to me and how I move, think, and feel. And I think going into LOVELAND I just wanted to make huge sounding records that caters to just about everyone," Kevin told us. Learn more about this talented young artist here and look out for the rest of his LOVELAND EP, coming soon.—Alex Gardner

Kris Wu, Rich Brian, Trippie Redd, Joji & Baauer - "18"

rich brian getty 2018

"18" is a collaboration between five artists in the middle of career-defining moments. But more than that, it's a snapshot of just how far each of them have come in a fast-paced internet era. A year ago, Rich Brian was a meme named Rich Chigga getting laughed at by American rappers. Now he's making songs with today's biggest rappers. Kris Wu takes another big step in his transition from Chinese superstar to American respectability after becoming the first Chinese artist to go No. 1 on iTunes, and Trippie Redd continues his incredible momentum from 2017 into the new year.

Then there's Joji and Baauer. Five years ago, Joji was a YouTuber named Filthy Frank who started the "Harlem Shake" trend that turned Baauer's single into an ultra-viral hit. Now, Joji has a promising future as a serious musician, Baauer has successfully carved out a career for himself away from the shadow of "Harlem Shake," and the two have a great song together. Beautiful.—Eric Skelton

Watch what happened when we spent 24 hours in Miami with Trippie Redd here and see our video profile of Joji here.

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Suzi Wu - "Taken Care Of"

Suzi Wu

Suzi Wu's "Taken Care Of" isn't the kind of pop that's popular right now. It's raw and a little unkempt, and there's a punk energy to Wu's charisma that gives the 19-year-old London artist an edge. But despite that, the song is catchy as hell and addictive. Wu may not fit in neatly with popular music in 2018, but that's what makes her stand out. We can't wait to hear more.—Jacob Moore

Read our interview with Suzi Wu here.

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Everything Is Recorded ft. Infinite & Green Gartside - "Bloodshot Red Eyes"

Richard Russell

Very few people will be familiar with the artist Infinite, who features on three songs on Richard Russell's upcoming Everything is Recorded album, alongside legends like Peter Gabriel and Damon Albarn, and contemporary stars like Sampha and Syd.

"Infinite's voice, to me, echoes Chicago house music very directly," Richard Russell told us. "Chicago house music, which I was listening to in acid house parties in London when I was a teenager in the late '80s. That gospel, lonely quality, he embodies that."

"Bloodshot Red Eyes" is the latest single to be shared from Russell's upcoming album, which will be released February 16, and it features Infinite alongside Green Gartside, frontman of Scritti Politti. .—Alex Gardner

Learn all about 'Everything Is Recorded' with our extensive interview with Russell here and find out which album changed his life here.

Chris Dave and The Drumhedz ft. Anderson .Paak - "Black Hole"

anderson paak

Let me start off by saying that I'm biased. In my opinion, if Anderson .Paak is on a song, it's guaranteed to be good. And that statement remains true after hearing him on Chris Dave and The Drumhedz' new single "Black Hole."

The song is funky from the beginning, thanks to the percussion. The combination of the drums and horn section feel reminiscent of Nigerian legend Fela Kuti's music but still manages to feel fresh and modern. Anderson .Paak's vocals float effortlessly over the funk—he never seems out of place in any setting and this is just another great example.—Adrienne Black

Cozz ft. Curren$y - "Badu"

cozz getty dreamville

Earlier this month, Dreamville rapper Cozz dropped "Questions" to start the year, and today he keeps things moving with the Curren$y-featuring "Badu." It's a relaxed track that showcases Cozz's no-frills style and ability to craft a strong hook, and Curren$y delivers, as usual. Cozz's debut album Effected is coming up soon, and it's shaping up nicely.—Jacob Moore

Watch Cozz freestyle at SXSW 2016 here, and see Curren$y get interviewed by puppies on Hounded here.

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Mount Eerie - "Distortion"

Mount Eerie

It's been a year since Phil Elverum released the intimate A Crow Looked At Me, and its heartbreak still lingers. The ways in which the album saw him document his wife Geneviève’s battle with pancreatic cancer, from the moments leading up to her death and beyond, found him using his music differently than before. Instead of painting existential sadness with broad strokes of experimental instrumentation, he explored grief in excruciating but plainly spoken detail.

With his upcoming new album, Now Only, he's reintroducing the elements he stripped away. "Distortion," the first song to be taken from the album, views Geneviève’s death in the grander scope of his life as a whole. With multi-tracked vocals and distorted drones, it's a far cry from the sparse instrumentation of A Crow. It does, however, share the same gripping approach to lyrics. Shooting from his childhood, to his early twenties and now, it's a sprawling tale that puts a wider lens on the disruption only loss is capable of.—Joe Price

SiR - "D'Evils"

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Earlier this week, TDE's latest signee SiR surprised fans with the announcement that he would be releasing a new album within a few days. That album, titled November, is finally here and it doesn't disappoint. SiR has a specific tone that makes his music feel both a bit hazy and mesmerizing. An early standout is "D'Evils," veering a bit in a new direction but staying true to who SiR is.

The production on "D'Evils" is bass heavy and builds the perfect middle ground groove for anything from a sweet two-step to a subtle head nod. The old reggae sample featured on the hook adds a touch that ties the entire track together and completes this addictive record.—Adrienne Black

Cashmere Cat, Tory Lanez, Major Lazer - "Miss You"

Cashmere Cat

When I first listened to "Miss You" and was approaching the one minute mark, I was surprised to hear the brilliantly soft-spoken hook from Mixpak-affiliated British producer and singer Palmistry's 2016 song "Lifted." Had it accidentally started playing at the same time as this new Cashmere Cat, Tory Lanez, and Major Lazer collaboration? No, but as Cashmere Cat explained on Instagram, Palmistry did contribute to "Miss You," which, to me, will always feel like a remix of "Lifted." And it's a great remix, turning the pop appeal up a few notches with a bubbly beat, fun drop, and Tory Lanez' surprisingly gentle singing.—Alex Gardner

Birthday Boy & Trish - "Chance to Go Far"

Birthday Boy and Trish

Toronto has been a breeding ground for verdant, lush R&B for a minute now, and Birthday Boy and Trish seem poised to continue that trend with their project Joseph. Birthday Boy previously teamed with rapper Drew Howard for the stellar EP Music to Soothe the Savage Youth, and he’s once again crafting lush, multi-layered soundscapes, which this time are filled out by Trish’s gorgeous, confident vocals. “Chance to Go Far” is part neo-soul, part ultra-modern alt-R&B, and with its spacious drums and empowering message it’s a track that adds depth to their city’s rich R&B scene.—Grant Rindner

Young Fathers - "In My View"

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Ever since their suprise win at the 2014 Mercury Prize Awards, Young Fathers have resisted advances from the mainstream. They like their rough edges just fine, something the Liberian/Nigerian/Scottish electro hip-hop boy band confirmed with the distorted glory of White Men Are Black Men Too in 2015.

Nearly three years since that album, Young Fathers are releasing another. Cocoa Sugar is out in March, and "In My View" is the second single. The group has recalled the sounds of TV on the Radio before, but Tunde and Dave Sitek would never write a song like this. Young Fathers' hard-line positions on equality and compassion remain uncompromising, this time taking the form of an anthemic hook and striking video directed by Jack Whitely. They've doubled down on their humanistic messaging and adopted a new look (the hair plays, Alloysious), and the music is better than ever.—Graham Corrigan

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