Best Songs of the Month

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.

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2. OKAY KAYA - "Damn, Gravity"

With a little help from producer Rodaidh McDonald (King Krule, The xx, Sampha), New York-based Norwegian artist OKAY KAYA made one of the most gorgeously minimal songs of the year. It's got the spaciousness of something The xx would do, but the vocals are light and intimate like a Little Dragon song and the backing production swells and swirls something like Frank Ocean's "Strawberry Swing" cover. We can't wait to hear more from this 23-year-old newcomer.—Confusion

Read our interview with OKAY KAYA here.

3. Shura - "2Shy"

Lyrically, "2Shy" is Shura at her most vulnerable, detailing the complicated situation of being in love but not bold enough to be open about it. Ironically, she lets it all out through this song, holding back nothing in this breathy, spacious anthem. The message here is loud and clear, and musically, it's everything we love about Shura—a slightly retro vibe, a melody that sticks around long after the song stops playing, and moody but still danceable production.—Confusion

4. Skepta - "SHUTDOWN"

It's happening. Recent co-signs from Kanye West (the BRITs, that epic surprise KOKO performance) and Drake come on the back of the genuine foundation that Skepta has built in New York rap crews like Ratking and A$AP Mob. People on both sides of the Atlantic seem conflicted. Will it be positive or negative if America embraces grime? Does the sound even have a chance of catching on over here anyway?

When Skepta's making bangers like this, let's have less talk and more skanking, please. Co-produced by Ragz Orignale, the beat has a cheeky, catchy melody to go along with the kind of hook that is just made to be screamed at live shows. Skepta's new album #KONNICHIWA is getting more anticipated by the day.—Constant Gardner


6. Action Bronson ft. Chance The Rapper - "Baby Blue"

How will this new Action Bronson album differ from the free mixtapes he's been delivering for years now? His music is always consistent, but he's not the type of rapper to go pop or start singing hooks—wait a minute, is that Action Bronson singing a hook? Well, shit.

"Baby Blue" is still Action being Action, but it shows that he's willing to expand on what he's been doing. The song has Mark Ronson production a little more full than we're used to, and the chorus, co-written by Zane Lowe, is proof that the New York rapper has more than just bars. Mr. Wonderful comes out March 24.—Confusion

Related: Best Music Videos of the Month (March 2015)

7. Sufjan Stevens - "Should Have Known Better"

I was recently talking to someone about the idea of a "perfect album." You guys know what I mean right? The kind of album where you don't skip any songs and each song could arguably be your favorite on the album. The kind of work that, regardless of how many years you leave it, when you go back to it, it still hits you in a profound and humbling way. Sufjan Stevens' Illinois is one of those albums for me.

"Should Have Known Better" sounds like it could've been on this album, nestled somewhere between "Casimir Pulaski Day" and "John Wayne Gacy Jr." It's a return to a sound Stevens first wowed us with, one that showcases genius arrangements and brilliantly poignant lyricism.

Sure Stevens had some weird years between then and now, but if that's what it took to get us something like "Should Have Known Better," then Carrie & Lowell will be well worth the wait.—Katie K.

8. Leks Rivers - "Nubian"

I can't keep writing about how good Leks Rivers is. If you're still sleeping, you're fucking up. This 20-year-old singer/producer doesn't sound like anyone else making music right now. He brings a smooth but still raw blend of brand new sounds and retro influence, but it's his songwriting that makes these songs stick. Keep an ear out.—Confusion

9. Kendrick Lamar ft. George Clinton & Thundercat - “Wesley’s Theory”

Kendrick Lamar’s new album To Pimp A Butterfly has officially been out for almost a week now, and I still haven't given it the attention it deserves because I keep running “Wesley’s Theory” back over and over again. Kendrick’s previous singles gave us a preview of what to expect on his sophomore album but it wasn’t until I heard this track specifically that I fully realized his direction. “Wesley’s Theory” isn’t just some funky, sample heavy track. It’s a P-Funk record with Kendrick rapping over it.

The first track on an album is always crucial to setting the tone for the rest of the album, and “Wesley’s Theory” is the perfect introduction to the sound featured on the rest of To Pimp A Butterfly. Just reading the credits and seeing the names Kendrick Lamar, George Clinton, Thundercat and Flying Lotus together is enough to spark anyone’s interest, but the results of this collaboration surpasses expectations. The production is fusion of many sounds but it comes across as effortless. I will be two-stepping to this song for rest of the month, and probably a long time after that.—Adrienne Black

10. Earl Sweatshirt & Action Bronson - "Warlord Leather (Prod. The Alchemist)"

When both Action Bronson's and Earl Sweatshirt's respective albums dropped, I could feel the entire internet's conflicted internal dialogue. "Whose album do I listen to first?" we all asked ourselves. So when the two decided to team up—and with The Alchemist, no less—and drop "Warlord Leather," it's like they understood our struggle.

The raucous, percussion-heavy beat is the perfect backdrop for Bam Bam and Earl's sharp but molasses-like rhymes. It doesn't necessarily sound polished—the production is a little rough around the edges—but that's the song's charm. If we're lucky, "Warlord Leather" might be the start of something really beautiful.—Joyce

11. Post Malone - "Tear$"

There's something perfectly 2015 about Post Malone. In the mid-2000s, so many hits were based purely on celebration and talk of being the best. Those sentiments haven't disappeared, but there's more depth to them—in 2015, winning is more complicated. Thanks to artists like Drake and The Weeknd, it has become more necessary to lace themes of success with a touch of sadness.

Post Malone's "Tear$" is certainly a celebration—it starts with, "What you know about me? Y'all don't really know shit and I'm fucking your bitch right now." But throughout the song, there's a sense of desperation, like it's coming from a damaged soul who, despite wiping tears away with money, isn't totally fulfilled. The extra layer of depth is something this generation can connect with, and so far (we've only got a few songs to go off) Post Malone is appearing to be a master of it.—Confusion

12. Tame Impala - "Let It Happen"

13. Stormzy - "Where Do You Know Me From"

British MC Stormzy's single "Where Do You Know From" was officially released this week (buy it here). The brilliantly low-budget video, which features the rappers mum (not mom), has been out for a minute, but whether or not you've seen it already, it's worth multiple views. We already told you to watch out for Stormzy, off the back of his anthem "Not That Deep," and "Where Do You Know From" suggests that he's going to keep the pressure on throughout 2015.

With the kind of personality that makes you really want to support him, a fast-growing fanbase, and tracks that pack funny punchlines and instantly memorable hooks, it's looking more and more as if it's going to be Stormzy's year.—Constant Gardner

14. Tei Shi - "Go Slow"

Tei Shi has range. Case in point: "Go Slow," where the songstress swings from a breathy, barely-there verse to a massive, shout-it-from-the-rooftops chorus. Her various voices warm but not fuzzy, smooth, not flat. The production is on point too, with synths tiptoeing around those vocals like oxpecker birds pecking bugs off a rhino. It's a lovely little piece of '80s synthpop that makes her upcoming Verde EP one of the near future's most exciting releases.—Graham

15. Earl Sweatshirt ft. Vince Staples - "Wool"

Like NCB said, Earl and Vince need to just make a damn album together. Earl Sweatshirt's I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside is an appropriately titled album, dim and filled with a moody isolation. "Wool" is no exception to the vibe, but when these two join forces, there's a unique energy that closes out the album on a high note.—Confusion

16. Grimes and Bleachers - "Entropy"

I'm usually a fan of Grimes at her weirdest. I loved the most bizarre cuts of Halfaxa. I think "Eight" is one of the most interesting songs she's ever made, while "Go" felt boring. This was the Grimes I thought I loved, constantly wary of anything that delved too far into the "pop" world. But then she goes and drops "Entropy."

This track isn't even like the electro-pop so many heralded on Visions. This is that sugary pop that's perfect for movie and TV soundtracks (which is exactly where it landed). This is a Grimes I could play for my mom and she'd "get it." Instead of distorting her vocals and hiding them in layers of synths and electronic flourishes, they take center stage, floating over catchy guitar riffs. It's not a side of Grimes we hear often at, but it sure is enjoyable.—Katie K.

Related: 15 Awesome Things We Discovered on Grimes’ Blog

17. Toro y Moi - “Run Baby Run”

For whatever reason, Mother Nature doesn’t seem to be ready to unleash the warm weather on us just yet. But that doesn’t matter to me anymore because it feels like the temperature begins to rise just a little bit every time Toro y Moi releases another new song. Even though all three singles from his upcoming album What For? have all sounded completely different, they’ve all shared the same summertime vibe.

His latest release “Run Baby Run” may be the most relaxed single but it still feels so good. It’s hard to feel down while this song plays because it projects a carefree feeling onto you almost instantly. It perfectly captures the essence of spring and summer that makes us want to slow down and just appreciate our surroundings. Things tend to move at such a fast pace these days, and these lyrics are a reminder that sometimes we need to just take it easy and enjoy the moment before it’s gone.—Adrienne Black

18. Jamie xx ft. Romy - "Loud Places"

It's been a while since "Sleep Sound," Jamie xx's seven-minute ear massage that has, until this week, been the strongest evidence of his claim to top-tier producer status. But I'll admit it—I was getting nervous this solo album wasn't going to materialize, banished to the Detox wing of projects undone by their maker's perfectionist impulses.

But goddamn, I am sorry to have every doubted you, Jamie. "Loud Places" is a combination of everything that made The xx great (gorgeous melancholy vibes and Romy's voice) and everything that makes Jamie such a rock-solid producer—in this case, the Idris Muhammad sample and the little guitar riffs that loop and bloom until you're reduced to a puddle of feelings. Faith and gnawing anticipation restored.—Graham

19. Reece - "Ghost"

Right now, Reece is an 18-year-old with a few blurry-faced pictures, a handful of songs on SoundCloud, and a voice. But that voice. "Ghost" is haunting and beautiful, and has us looking forward to hearing a lot more from Reece in the future. About the song, he told us, "I wrote 'Ghost' at a time where I was immensely uncertain about my future. I was getting ready to graduate and take a year off from school to pursue music while trying to cope with the fact that everyone I grew up with and became close to were going to leave. I took the fear that was in me and wrote 'Ghost' in a way that would hopefully make it relatable."—Confusion

Read our interview with Reece here.

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