Best Songs of the Month (Aug 2016)

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 rounded up the best songs from the past month. Here are the songs you can't afford to skip, in no particular order.

Frank Ocean - "Seigfried"

"Bad Religion" was, for me, the emotional crux of Channel Orange—the precise moment a young man learns that prisons come in many forms and that the warmth of love can quickly give way to the cage of chase and longing. 

Blonde standout "Seigfried" serves as a sort of parallel, a late album reflection from slightly older (but still young) man about his current condition. If "Bad Religion" feels like confession hot on the heels of realization, "Seigfried" simmers with long-burning existential dread rooted in the understanding that perceived freedom doesn't necessarily entail actual freedom. "I'd rather live outside/I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here," Ocean sings on the song's first chorus, expanding the relationship woes of "Bad Religion" to the boundaries of an entire life—to the weight of every decision made in the service of other people's concerns instead of your own.

Knowing now that Endless fulfilled Ocean's contractual obligation with Def Jam and that Blonde marked the start of a new, ostensibly unencumbered phase of the 28-year-old singer's career, "Seigfried" can readily be heard as a shedding of skin in favor of real freedom. The invocation of another damaged soul, Elliot Smith, speaks to the end of one chapter and the beginning of another: "this is not my life, it's just a fond farewell to a friend." 

Like much of Blonde, "Seigfried" is obtuse, fragmented, and not easily legible; it is also gorgeous, tortured, impassioned, and deserving of multiple listens to parse its layered meaning. It is long-desired freedom embodied in a single song.—Jon Tanners

Frank Ocean - "Self Control"

Where does one even begin when it comes to discussing her favorite track off an album that she's been waiting for for four whole years? Honestly, it hasn't even fully hit me that it's real—that Frank Ocean has finally released Blonde, a project that was so worth all that time wondering what Frank's been up to and if he even wants to make music anymore.

I was out at a food truck festival when Blonde dropped, and upon hearing the news, I apologized to my friend and sped home. Everything up to "Self Control" was, needless to say, thoroughly enjoyable, and I could probably tell you what I love about each song, but "Self Control" is what made me literally gasp out loud.

Frank is most talented when it comes to putting the harrowing feelings of rejection and unrequited love into the most beautiful arrangements. The subdued acoustic guitar paired with the perfectly sing-a-longable outro mask Frank's own longing for this love interest, that relatable sense of loss and a lack of confidence that could only stem from unrequited love. "Self Control" is so heartbreaking yet so beautiful that it's hard not to be moved by it. It may not be an album highlight for some, but his raw vulnerability in this song makes it an obvious one for me.—Joyce

Frank Ocean - "White Ferrari"

Here are some of the things I like about "White Ferrari."

- The droning synth that slowly unfolds over the first 90 seconds

- "Mind over matter is magic / I do magic"

- Frank's Prince-like coos before the 3-minute mark. Hearing that little bit of him in Frank's voice made me miss the Purple One more than any obituary.

- Bon Iver's outro and its lilting, feather-soft melody that appears nowhere else in the song.

- The lack of percussion. Blonde has caught flak for how rare it makes drums, but on "White Ferrari," Frank fills the space with waterfalls of effected vocals that do more than a beat ever could, swirling white noise to soundtrack Frank's meditation on memory erasure.—Graham Corrigan

Vince Staples' new EP Prima Donna confirms his status as one of the most exciting and vital rappers out right now. He had already worked with more experimentally minded producers like Clams Casino, but on this EP he collaborates with James Blake on the crazy "War Ready," as well as DJ Dahi and No I.D.

On "War Ready," with its Outkast sample and rattling drums, Vince and James push forward what rap can sound like, and we hope this isn't their last work together.—Constant Gardner

Young Thug's Jeffery dropped last night, and we're still trying to wrap our heads around what's happening on this album. Thug swings from style to style with ease, redefining his outer limits in the process. The first half is filled with savage cuts like "Future Swag" and "Floyd Mayweather," but he closes things out with some melodic, uplifting anthems like "Pop Man." Wyclef is at his baby-voiced best with some irresistible harmonies in the chorus, but Thug is the star. Lyrically, the chorus is one of his dirtiest to date, but his bouncing, giggly ad-libs make it sound like he's singing about stuffed animals.—Graham

As Frank Ocean built his staircase, another self-isolating artist readied his return. Justin Vernon's Bon Iver has not produced an album since 2011. Chances of another body of work often looked bleak, but odds skyrocketed when a global guerrilla marketing campaign paved the way for Justin's Eaux Claires festival. As his live set (including an entire new album) from this past weekend concluded, two songs from the Wisconsin native hit music platforms. "22" has a sample-heavy ethereality, while the pounding industrial drums of "10" hint at a fresh direction for the falsetto-loving Vernon. 22, a Million will release next month; until then, let these cuts quench that Bon Iver thirst you forgot you had.—Alex Siber

Jeremih's "Pass Dat" (with its incredible hook from P&P favorite Starrah) was a big song already, but this remix takes things to the next level. I wouldn't have been mad if this remix had been extended to seven or eight minutes, giving each artist the chance to flex for longer, but we should be grateful for what we've been given. Chance and Thug bring infectious energy, Jeremih and The Weeknd bring the smooth hooks, and all is well in the world.—Alex Gardner

Mick Jenkins has been teasing fans about his forthcoming debut album The Healing Component for quite some time now, but yesterday he finally delivered the first preview of what's to come. The first single, "Spread Love" features production by Sango that opens up sounding reminiscent of a classic '90s R&B record.

Sango gives the beat a modern flip with an additional ounce of bass and a subtle bounce that sets up the perfect platform for Mick's vocals. As the title would allude, "Spread Love" delivers a message of focusing on what's important rather than letting life's daily evils distract us from our ultimate goal. While Mick continues with lines like, "All that gold is overrated / what do you do with your coin? / we gon' try to spread some love with it," over this soothing rhythm, it's hard to not immediately feel lighter and ready to spread some positivity.—Adrienne Black

When BANKS first collaborated with SOHN on the sultry “Waiting Game” in 2013, she hung back in the pocket of the English producer’s throbbing percussion and reluctantly detailed the downfall of a fragile relationship.

What a difference three years makes. On “Gemini Feed,” she uses SOHN’s bubbly backdrop as a springboard to leap to the front of the mix and scold a passive-aggressive ex-lover with a fiery vocal delivery. Where she once held back and used her voice as another layer in SOHN’s atmospheric painting, BANKS now defiantly takes charge.

In the same way that it sometimes takes spending time with an old friend to realize how much you’ve grown as a person, BANKS’ collaborations with SOHN serve as telling signposts along the career of a newly emboldened vocalist who told Annie Mac this week: “I feel more empowered than ever. I feel like I want to take up space.”—Eric Skelton

"Aint nobody gonna be out here sounding like me, ain't nobody gonna be out here doing what I do," Danny Brown told Rolling Stone in an interview a few days ago. It's a claim so many artists make, but it's one that has defined Brown's career. For better or worse, Danny Brown is his own artist, thriving on creating a style of hip-hop that is entirely unique. With experimental sounds, unexpected collaborations, manic beats, and a wild delivery, Brown's shown he's not interested in the status quo, and he's succeeded because of this.

Though we've only gotten two tracks from the album, it appears this is, luckily, yet again the ideology that Atrocity Exhibition is built upon. "Pneumonia" is his latest, a gritty offering with dark, grimy production courtesy of Evian Christ. Over these aggressive beats, Brown raps about his money, his women, and his career with a twist of delusion that make his lyrics captivating instead of uninspired.

It took Brown three years to make Atrocity Exhibition, and from just "When It Rain" and "Pneumonia," it already sounds like it's worth the wait.—Katie K.

Anna of the North knows pop. Since 2014's infectious "Sway," the Norwegian singer has slowly positioned herself as a just hits, no misses artist. "Us," her latest, is a finger-snapping couples' anthem that celebrates love and partnership. The song sweeps through a bubbly mix of breathy vocal samples and glittering synths, a dance floor jam that arrives just in time for summer's final weeks.—Alex Siber

D.R.A.M. already has a huge summer hit on his hands—"Broccoli," his single with Lil Yachty, continues to gain more popularity with each passing day. But his latest single "CUTE" has just as much potential to blow up.

The production provided by Charlie Heat is incredible, a tightrope balancing act between delicate, gleeful chords and a booming bassline. D.R.A.M. knows exactly how to walk the line—he tiptoes over the beat and caps it with the simplest, and most sincere pick-up line possible: "I think you're cute." "CUTE" needs to be added to everyone's morning playlist—it's an immediate confidence booster.—Adrienne Black

Just last month Miguel offered up one of the smoothest tracks that I've heard this whole summer with "Come Through And Chill." He returned with even more audio silk this week—a track taken from the soundtrack for the upcoming Netflix series The Get Down.

In keeping with the drama's 1970s setting, Miguel's "Cadillac" is infused with a healthy dose of funk. Five minutes long, the track is able to take listeners on a full transformative journey of the era's sound. Miguel quickly transitions from steady-building R&B to a dance floor thump in the first half of the song, before closing it out with spiraling come down that ends this short musical journey on a dizzying high note.—Adrienne Black

This kid is something special. Twelve'len is from Carol City and came up with guys like Denzel Curry, Nell (welcome home!), and Yung Simmie, but found a way to paint a different picture of the same environment. "Star Dust" feels good, sounds great, and the video for it is incredible. A couple seconds into the song I was hooked and knew that this would be a song that would close out the summer for me. The production is groovy and the chorus is simple, all he's asking for is a dance.—Eric

Noname juggles a bevy of heavy topics while contemplating "Yesterday," from police brutality to the everyday stream of internal temptations.

The opener of her debut mixtape—Telefone, released last Sunday—sets the tone for the songs that follow. Nostalgic, pillowy production and sweet vocals make for blissful listening—tune into the lyrics, however, and a decidedly bleaker world begins to take shape.

It's a masterful balance. Gut-punch couplets hide in plain sight, and "Yesterday" is an appropriately stunning intro as a result—lost innocence wrapped in innocent aesthetics. That being said, each of Telefone's ten tracks deserve your attention.—Alex Siber

As the August 26 release date for De La Soul's upcoming album And the Anonymous Nobody… draws closer, the trio have shared yet another single with fans. The latest is a collaboration with Little Dragon titled "Drawn," and the results are as magical as one might imagine. This is the sort of "What if...?" collaboration that I could have dreamed of, but never expected to actually happen. And yet, here we are.

"Drawn" opens up with the delicate voice of Little Dragon's Yukimi Nagano effortlessly blending in with the instrumentation. Because of their past legal issues with sampling, De La Soul took a step away from the old records and welcomed what sounds like a full orchestra for this single. In just under six minutes, "Drawn" creates a short symphony that transitions from a classical tune to a funkier ending. However, as the track comes to a close, it still only feels like a beautiful interlude—leaving listeners immediately eager for more.—Adrienne Black

A collaboration between Brooklyn-based duo Brasstracks and Masego seems like something that was bound to happen sooner or later. Each of them have a knack for blending R&B, hip-hop, soul, and jazz with live instrumentation, and together they've created something magical with "Melanin Man." 

For their collaboration, Masego takes a step back from his saxophone for a moment and lets his vocals lead. The results are a feel-good song about self-love—specifically an ode to people of color. As Masego sings, "I can see you're a fan / My culture is your new trend," he takes pride in the fact that others admire his heritage but wants to make sure these same outsiders know who and what they're taking from. With a naturally jazzy tone, Masego sings the phrase "Melanin Man" as if it's the theme song for a new, much-need superhero.—Adrienne Black

We still don't know who 24hrs is, but at this point it doesn't even matter. he's killing it, plain and simple, from the explicit love songs on his debut Open EP to the dancehall influenced "Body." On "Right 4 Yu," 24hrs slows things down, delivering yet another smoked-out late night anthem.—Alex Gardner

YES. After many months and many replays of Cilvia Demo Isaiah Rashad is back and has a release date right around the corner (September 2). "Free Lunch" represents a huge sigh of relief for his fans—after a year or two without music, there were those among us (guilty) worrying that Rashad might do something drastic and come out with a country album.

Nope. TDE's brightest young star delivers with another thoughtful and totally addictive cut, his first in seven months. The smooth, sultry Cam O'bi production is right in line with Rashad's expressive delivery, as twinkling keys and guitar licks fill the space between Rashad's ruminations. September can't come soon enough.—Graham Corrigan

Rae Sremmurd doesn't get enough credit. They're often judged simply as rappers, but the best things about Rae Sremmurd are not their technical rap skills or lyrical ability. It's their hooks, their songwriting, and the production they choose. Who else could pull off a chorus like the one in "Black Beatles"? When Rae Sremmurd raps, it's fun, catchy, and full of charisma, but there's so much more to the duo, and it's on full display on this standout from SremmLife 2.—Jacob Moore

London road rap legend Giggs' new album Landlord is hard as hell. His gruff, low-key rapping style may not be in your face, but he has a lot to say, and he doesn't hold back on the album, from drugs to guns to bent cops and street realities.

But it's not all darkness—party songs like "Lock Doh" and lyrical flexes like "The Blow Back," with Stormzy and Dubz, break things up nicely. One of the high points is "501" featuring masked rapper CasIsDead. He's one of the very best and most under-appreciated MCs in England. There's talk of these two, whose flows and deliveries compliment each other so well, making a joint mixtape. Imagine that.—Constant Gardner

Whenever we hit play on a Kaiydo song, we don't know what to expect. Over the past few months, the 19-year-old Florida rapper has shown some serious versatility, but the one consistent thing is that everything he's made has been high quality. His charisma is effortless, his beat selection is on point, and "Fruit Punch" is a feel-good anthem that adds to the growing list of accomplishments from this exciting young artist.—Jacob Moore

Chance The Rapper just keeps winning and winning and winning and winning. As we recently said, in 2016 artist brand partnerships don't have to suck, and Chance is one the best examples of that. He has partnered with Bud Light to throw a festival with a crazy lineup in Chicago in September and now he's collaborated with Nike to celebrate Team USA's Olympic efforts.

Flexing his singing and rapping skills (as he did during the Muhammed Ali tribute at the ESPYs) in a visual directed by the masterful Hiro Murai, Chance The Rapper wows us once again.—Alex Gardner