Best Songs of the Week (Jan 5th, 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.

Kung Fu Kenny is taking his name literally. Marvel announced earlier this week that Lamar and TDE would be producing the soundtrack for the hotly anticipated Black Panther, and "All The Stars" was our first taste of what's to come. SZA provides the hook and a silky verse, Kendrick gets thoughtful about endorsements and expectations, and Black Panther has yet another reason to fill seats on February 9.—Graham Corrigan

MGMT are gearing up to release their first album since 2013, and the project's third single "Hand It Over" has us excited about the prospect of a return to form for the duo. Since breaking through with Oracular Spectacular back in 2007, they haven't been afraid of taking detours and experimenting with their sound. Follow-up records Congratulations and MGMT challenged listeners more than their pop-friendly debut, but the pleasant psych-pop sounds of "Hand It Over" hint at a return in that direction—albeit at a slower, more methodical pace.—Eric Skelton

Cozz is back. It's been exactly two years since the Dreamville rapper dropped his last project, Nothin’ Personal, and he's beginning 2018 on a strong note with "Questions." Over piano-heavy production from Soulprofessa and Meez, Cozz snarls inspired lines like, "These ni**as ain't really sure of me, I ain't certain G / They doubt me currently even with Cole referring me." The short two-minute single is our first taste of his forthcoming album, Effected, and the South Central rapper sounds hungrier than ever. Great to have you back, Cozz.—Eric Skelton

It's fitting that BØRNS' latest single came out a few hours before the official Coachella lineup was unveiled. I can already see all of the wasted youth spinning around in circles and shouting every word to this anthem. Lana Del Rey's contribution to the indie-pop slow-burner enhances the dreamy factor as she lustfully emphasizes words like "damnnnn" and "heyyyy" to build up to the sing-whispery chorus, where she and BØRNS make a plea to the big homie up in the sky.

After listening to the song on loop one too many times, I actually started to feel a little lightheaded and slightly nostalgic for my carefree, teenage self—literally "spinnin' and I can't sit still." "God Save Our Young Blood" marks the fourth single off BØRNS' forthcoming album Blue Madonna which is slated for release on January 12 via Interscope. He'll also be performing at Coachella.—Sydney Gore

FLACO is back, kicking off 2018 with the Dee B produced "So What!"

On the track, FLACO makes it clear that he absolutely does not care what you say about him, what you call him, or if you're with his movement or not. The song builds as FLACO declares his discontent for trolls and lames, and then rips off some ferocious bars towards the end. Just as quickly as the song starts, it's over and has me going back to play it again. "No sir, your gesture is belated / Being a bigger man is overrated" is the motto all year. 2018 is all about being petty and saying "fuck you" to the fakes coming out of the woodwork. Really excited to see what FLACO brings next.—John Walaszek

U.K. singer LUME is a fresh face making gritty electropop, and her new single, "Tip of Your Thumb," is the perfect soundtrack for your post-Black Mirror digital existential crisis. A brilliant blend of the organic and artificial, the synths are menacing and murky, while the thick bass line and powerhouse vocals are rootsy in their conviction and sharply intoned melody.

"Tip of Your Thumb" is about our spiraling addiction to technology, and LUME digs into this concept with smart wordplay that creates eerie imagery. "We spread the word, but the word had changed/Our phrase started to pixelate/And she told the boy but the boy won't say/Holding onto his words in a tactile way," she sings, addressing how social media has turned our convictions into shifting sand even as we rush to document our every action, thought, and feeling. It's quite the sophomore single from a new act with a huge amount of songwriting talent at her fingertips.—Grant Rindner

Sisters Chloe x Halle continue to impress with each new release. Both of them play their own instruments, produce, and write their own music. The duo kicked off the new year in a big way—they star in Freeform's new TV series grown-ish, recording the show's theme song, and sharing another single "The Kids Are Alright" that also featured in the show's premiere.

Chloe and Halle are at the height of their harmonizing powers on the slow-building track, and the result is a straightforward, feel-good single that offers some encouragement while also previewing what's to come for this rising duo.—Adrienne Black

It's the middle of winter—the perfect time for contemplative piano-based music. Australian singer/producer Jack Grace is back with just that. Following his stunning debut EP River in late 2016, Grace strips everything back on another inward-gazing, melancholic single that manages to balance sadness with touches of beauty and hope. Adding subtle vocal effects and electronic flourishes to an otherwise bare-bones song, "Row Me Home" is one of Grace's most striking efforts yet.—Eric Skelton