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2. Hudson Mohawke - "Escape"
The end of the holiday season can usually leave people with feelings of withdrawal, but thankfully the good folks over at LuckyMe have been working hard to prevent that for the past few years. As the year comes to an end, it's once again time for their Advent Calendar series. This season's first single was "Escape," a shimmery, piano-driven cover track from Hudson Mohawke.
LuckyMe will be releasing new tracks until January 6 on their Advent page.
3. Timbaland ft. Young Thug - "Didn't Do It"
After teasing for a few weeks, Timbaland finally gifted fans with a Christmas gift in the form of his King Stays King mixtape.
The 17-track tape features appearances from artists like Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Tink, and 2 Chainz. But "Didn't Do It" with Young Thug stands out. The track features some heavy-hitting production from Timbo that feels simultaneously dark and inviting, while Thugger works his usual charm by delivering a melodic verse that's easy to love.
4. Arca - "Urchin"
Venezuelan producer Arca has a sound that lives on the cutting edge, and it made for a huge 2015. Arca closed out the year with a new track, "Urchin." It features sounds that dance on the fine line between spacey and mechanical, and this unexpected mix of sounds makes for a vibrant result that can put any listener into a trance.
5. A$AP Rocky - "Excuse Me (Chopped Not Slopped)"
Earlier this week, DJ Candlestick and Slim K gave A$AP Rocky's At.Long.Last.A$AP album the chopped not slopped treatment. The result is the hypnotic free mixtape, At.Long.La$t.Purple.
Rocky experimented with a few new sounds on his latest album, so it's interesting to see how the chopped versions reflect those left-field choices. Of all the tracks, "Excuse Me" sounds the most fitting—it sounds as it it was meant to be chopped, but never slopped.
Download the full mixtape below.
6. DJ Shadow - "Swerve"
"Santa's not done with you yet," DJ Shadow told his SoundCloud followers before the end of 2015. "He dropped off this nifty little battle weapon for me to share with you."
"Swerve" is militant indeed, a snare-driven march that pairs beautifully with a deep, crunchy bass. Another banger from the legend.
7. Murs & 9th Wonder - "God Black/Black God"
Murs and 9th Wonder linked up this week for a collaborative album, Brighter Daze. It's the followup to 2012's The Final Adventure, and features guest verses from Mac Miller, Rapsody, and Problem. Beautiful beats and Murs' velvety voice abound, and the album's second track, "God Black/Black God," is evidence of their greatness.
8. S-Type - "NYE"
S-Type came roaring back this week with the aptly titled "NYE." A barrage of fluttering synths hit from the outset, and the crashing percussion that follows makes this a fitting start to the new year. "NYE" is part of LuckyMe's Advent Calendar series—a free download from the LuckyMe family every day from December 27 to January 6.
9. Bipolar Sunshine ft. Kaytranada & Jazz Purple - "#GREY"
Bipolar Sunshine started off 2016 with two huge collaborations. It's been a while since we've heard his name, but songs with Kaytranada and Lana Del Rey are sure to change that. The tracks appear untitled on SoundCloud, so the "#GREY" tag is our best guess—they're linked to the artist's "#GreyMomentsOfKindness" initiative, an effort to feed the hungry.
The Kaytra collab is especially infectious, featuring some classic pulsing piano from the Canadian beatsmith, and some heavy vocals from Bipolar Sunshine. Good to have him back.
