Best Songs of the Month (Mar 2017)

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

As parts of the country remain covered with a layer of snow, Calvin Harris has already staked his claim to two "song of the summer" candidates. Fresh from the release of his breezy collaboration with Frank Ocean and Migos on "Slide," he connects with Young Thug, Ariana Grande, and Pharrell Williams (who also knows a thing or two about summer anthems) for the follow-up.

While it may take a slight backseat to "Slide" in terms of timelessness and replay value (those Frank Ocean melodies are tough to match), "Heatstroke" more than holds its own. Harris masterfully bends Thug's unorthodox crooning around bouncy drums before Ariana Grande and Pharrell add silky beach-ready vocals of their own. This one lives up to its name. Ok, now when is the rest of this snow going to melt?—Eric Skelton

Be humble! Sit down! Who is Kendrick Lamar addressing here? Maybe one specific person, or maybe all of us who are lucky enough to live in the era of King Kendrick. "Humble" might not have the thick knots of wordplay and detailed storytelling that Kendrick is such a master of, but the overall creative vision of the song and video (directed by Dave Meyers, Kendrick Lamar, and Dave Free) is second to none.

Kendrick switches flows over the Mike Will Made-It production, and more than anything, he sounds like he's having fun with it. April 7 can't come soon enough.—Alex Gardner

Xavier Omär has always had an admirable ability to tap right into your emotions with just a few short notes. The quality of his voice manages to be both delicate yet filled with real pain. He works these qualities to his advantage on his latest single "Afraid" as he admits his fear of being hurt by love.

On "Afraid," Xavier Omär opens up about an insecurity many of us just don't have the courage to admit. After being hurt multiple times by past lovers, it can be difficult to prevent your heart from turning cold—and pretending to be unbothered can often be more damaging than admitting this pain. However, Xavier Omär leads us down a path towards healing with "Afraid." The warm, almost comforting production provided by Bizness Boi feels like the first step to letting the coldness around your heart melt away until it finally feels safe to let someone in again.—Adrienne Black

In the event that you weren't already looking forward to Joey Bada$$'s upcoming album All-Amerikkkan Bada$$, he went ahead and gave you yet another reason to get excited. Enlisting ScHoolboy Q for such a politically-conscious track was a smart move on Joey's part, as the two just sound natural trading verses.

The slow-burning production never quite explodes, but don't get it twisted: with Joey calling out Donald Trump and Q laying down lyrics like, "Getting millions, influencing white children/And oddly we still ain't even/Still a small percentage of blacks that's eating," they're not here to play. Alongside what we've heard from Joey Bada$$ so far, All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ is poised to be an album that will leave a mark this year.—Joyce

Frank Ocean’s got twoooooo versions. Last week, the reclusive singer shared a surprise release called “Chanel” and an A$AP Rocky-assisted remix on his Beats 1 show, “blonded RADIO.” He played both versions of the new track on loop for an hour following the unexpected debut.

In keeping with his other recent material, “Chanel” is centered around the concept of duality, led by the refrain “see both sides like Chanel.” Over the course of the song, Ocean covers a wide range of thematic terrain, diving into heavy topics such as bisexuality and gender norms as well as lighter subjects like fame, fashion, and wealth. A muted piano and simple, shuffling drums create an austere sonic backdrop, providing plenty of space for Ocean’s voice to soar. One of his most confessional and subversive releases to date, “Chanel” showcases Ocean’s innate ability to create entire worlds with his vivid songwriting.—Charlotte Freitag

Cadenza's star is rising fast. After a couple of huge collabs in 2016, the producer released his Hijack EP earlier this month, and now this—"Vibes" will appear on Allan Kingdom's upcoming LINES project. The smooth, understated track is the result of an extended session during a recent trip overseas. 

"When I made the song it was my first time meeting Cadenza and experiencing the energy and nightlife out in London on my own," Kingdom said. "I hope everyone feels the same vibes I do when we recorded it." The Minnesota rapper sounds supremely comfortable over faraway toms and celestial synths—here's hoping this is a collaboration that happens many times over.—Graham Corrigan

Meow, meow, meow, meow. Thundercat's Drunk is one of this young year's most creative and ambitious albums, and "A Fan's Mail" is a perfect encapsulation of the album's vibe. If you just read the lyrics, the song is goofy, lighthearted children's book fodder. Heard, however, and "A Fan's Mail" takes on a whole new dimension of earnestness. Thundercat really wishes he had nine lives, and now that he mentions it, it would be cool to be a cat. This song is peace personified, mirroring a life of feline domesticity full of sunrays and free time.—Graham Corrigan

The newly released Isolator EP contains the best song from Blank Body yet. "Club Alien," reaching nine minutes in length, is the most ambitious, and fully-fleshed track to come from the producer. Stretching things out across that ghostly, ambient opening before properly kicking things off in track's exhilarating second half, "Club Alien" is one of the most exciting dance tracks of the year. The pulsing beat, layered with skittering percussion and synths weaving throughout, is the type of stuff that deserves to be on Warp or Ninja Tune's roster ASAP.—Joe Price

Smino, Monte Booker, and Jay2 come prepared on "Blkoscars"—these three have worked together plenty, but this a new level. Monte kicks things off jazzy clicks and thumping synths, then Jay2 opens up with a syncopated list of his romantic accomplishments, and finally, Smino glides in.

The St. Louis artist packs a crazy amount of music and thought into his parts, and "Blkoscars" is no exception—references to DBZ, youth football, mountain bikes, and Metal Gear Solid are sung/rapped with an unmatchable dexterity. No one is more agile on the mic these days than Smino, especially when he's over another silky Monte Booker beat.—Graham Corrigan

L.A.-based experimental pop singer and songwriter vōx has a new EP on the way, called I Was Born. She announced it with a track of the same name, but if you've been paying attention, you know her visuals are always on point. Second single "I Still Care" is ambitious in production and songwriting, and also comes with a visually stunning video which features a cameo from Rome Fortune.

vōx is performing special shows in LA and New York to celebrate the release of her EP. More info here.—Alex Gardner

It's been nearly three years since Wizkid released his last album. But he's spent that time going global—his presence and influence have traveled far and wide within the last two years especially, bringing Nigeria's sound to the world.

After announcing that he recently signed a multi-album worldwide deal with RCA Records/Sony Music International, Wizkid shared a preview of what fans can expect with his forthcoming mixtape and album. His latest single, "Sweet Love," is a subtle blend of popular African genres Afrobeat and Highlife. Wizkid is creating a culturally blended sound with a global reach, and it doesn't hurt that he keeps dishing out addictive music.—Adrienne Black

Dallas rapper/producer FXXXXY is rising fast. Last year's Cartel Shawty EP introduced us to a talented artist with a unique ear for production and flows, but his new EP Flawed Up Shawty shows us a real star in the making.

"Beep Beep" is the catchy standout, but listen to the whole project to understand FXXXXY's range—from hard bars to smooth melodic moments. "'Flawed up' is slang for having this strong confidence even though you're not beautiful to the world or maybe looked at as not valuable," FXXXXY explains. "It's a reaction to whatever situation you find yourself in. It's making ugly beautiful because you have no choice."

Listen to the whole EP here.—Alex Gardner

Manila-based songwriter and producer Eyedress refuses to sit still, always shuffling between genres and projects at a breakneck pace. Keeping up with his output across projects can be a little exhausting at times, but it's always rewarding. Now that he's gearing up to release his second studio album proper, Eyedress has made it a little easier to stay up to date by releasing some of the best music of his career so far.

The Jess Connelly and Ankhten Brown-featuring "High Street Drive By" is another minimal affair, with the three vocalists singing atop the sparse production with hypnotic refrains. Connelly in particular offers a memorable appearance, matching the in-between rap and off-kilter rap atmosphere the track so perfectly conjures. If this is the type of stuff we can expect from the next Eyedress project proper, then more and more people will following his every move.—Joe Price

Phil Elverum has always been quite flowery with his lyrics, piling on metaphors and looking to create a sense of a scene rather than tell an explicit story. It's not that he doesn't tell stories with his lyrics, it's just that he tends to keep things a little vague on purpose. With A Crow Looked At Me, any pretense of metaphor is thrown away, as Elverum discusses the passing of his wife in painstaking detail. It's a rough listen, but a necessary one. "Seaweed," the second track of the album, sets the tone by singling in on little details, achingly coming to the conclusion this jar of dust contains his hanging love.—Joe Price

Kendrick's new track is incredible, but it's been seven years since a Gorillaz album. For a Plastic Beach zealot like myself, it's been a long wait. "Hallelujah Money" dropped last month, but we didn't know details until Thursday, when the band's long-simmering social accounts started to boil with "Saturnz Barz" content, and an album title: Humanz. The short film released yesterday also previews a jaw-dropping collaboration with Vince Staples ("Ascension"). 

But "Saturnz Barz" is the main event. Popcaan handles lead vocals and delivers a star-affirming performance over one of the biggest, fuzziest bass lines in the band's history. Damon Albarn's vocals appear halfway through, just as 2D is orbiting Saturn in the haunted house's alternate universe. A demon pizza (Popcaan) has the band trapped in this spirit house, each member succumbing to their respective temptations of food, sleep, music, and bathtubs. The visuals are perfect, the music is next-level—it's incredible to think we've been saying it for more than 15 years, but Gorillaz are still finding ways to innovate.—Graham Corrigan

British rap crew Section Boyz came through with a full mixtape last week, called Soundcheck, and it's been on repeat. As much as I listen—and there's a lot to enjoy in this 19-track mixtape—I keep going back to opening track "Step In." The different style of each of the six-man collective gets its shine, and although Section Boyz have already seen success and cosigns from Drake and Skepta, they're just getting started.

Grab a free download of Soundcheck here.—Alex Gardner

Although Jamie Isaac has a very distinct, tranquil sound that works to match his rather soothing vocals, devoted followers of the London-based singer know his style is actually quite versatile. Proof came earlier this week, when Isaac shared a remix to his standout single "Beauty" featuring production from Sporting Life and vocals from Allan Kingdom.

Together the trio create an unexpected collaboration that works wonderfully. Sporting Life's production gives the track a dark undertone that wasn't on the original, while Allan's flexible voice fit right into the bounce of the rhythm and help transition seamlessly into Jamie's original vocals.—Adrienne Black

Drake - "Passionfruit"

Sometimes Drake's best moments come when he fully embraces that soppy side, ignoring the boastful rap persona and looking to his feelings. This isn't exactly a hot take or a shocking revelation, especially when some of his most successful tracks see him doubling down on this aspect of his music, but it does help to explain why "Passionfruit" might be the best pop moment on More Life. With its gorgeous, soft instrumental, "Passionfruit" is one of the prettiest songs Drake has ever released, and that's saying a lot.—Joe Price

Forward thinking British producer Forest Swords has a dedicated fanbase who have been waiting since 2013 debut album Engravings for new solo material, and it's finally here. "The Highest Flood" is one of Forest Swords least abstract tracks yet, with a pounding beat that demands good speakers to properly appreciate and haunting choral samples that seem to be always reaching for something that is never quite attained.

"'The Highest Flood' distils some of the frustration and hope that I've been working through over the past 18 months whilst making new material,” Forest Swords explains. Listen below.—Alex Gardner

When it comes to the topic of a one night stand in pop culture, the storyline usually involves two strangers and a decent amount of morning-after regret, or the alternate scenario that finds two friends coming to a "friends with benefits" agreement. Mura Masa and Charli XCX's latest collaboration "1 Night" falls somewhere in the middle.

In both one night scenarios, the result can be rather awkward. However, Charli takes a rare and mature route on this addictive single by not allowing one experimental evening to ruin the strong friendship that stood before it. If you can relate but don't have the courage to bring up the conversation, just send your friend this song so Mura Masa and Charli XCX can get the point across for you.—Adrienne Black

With his rich, distinctive voice and fearlessly honest lyricism, 19-year-old El Paso singer Khalid is one of the most refreshing new voices in music. Last night he shared his highly anticipated debut album American Teen, building off the momentum set forth by his string of excellent singles.

One of the album's highlights is "Young Dumb & Broke," an introspective track that explores the intricacies of young love. Over soaring, anthemic synth pads, Khalid vacillates back and forth between yearning for serious, mature love and the urge to enjoy being young, dumb, and broke without the stress of a committed relationship. He delivers the majority of the song in a soulful, gravelly rasp, but breaks into a lilting, youthful falsetto on the hook. The juxtaposition between juvenile recklessness and wisdom manifests itself not only in the song's lyrics, but also in Khalid's vocal technique. "Young Dumb & Broke" showcases him in his most magnetizing form, tackling earnest, youthful subject matter with maturity beyond his 19 years.—Charlotte Freitag

Mike WiLL Made-It's new album is star-studded, of course, and man-of-the-moment Future delivers one of the standout moments. Melodies and memorable bars, boasts and deeply personal moments make this another peak Future song, and proof that he's not slowing down since his back-to-back No. 1 albums.

"My little sister dealing with sickle cell... I can only imagine what she going through," Future admits at one point. " 18 karat gold on my fangs," he says a little later. Powerful stuff.—Alex Gardner

GoldLink's got styles on styles. He can make bouncy party tunes, no problem, but there's depth to his writing too, and songs like "Pray Everyday" should serve as a reminder of that. It is the final track on GoldLink's new album, At What Cost, and ends the project on a reflective note, taking on both self-medication and how far the artist has come in his life already.

The production evolves through the song's runtime too, with a chorus of voices joining the crisp programmed drums for the second half, helping lift GoldLink's vocals over the finish line. The DMV artist has come a long way from rapping over Soulection beats, and his new album At What Cost is out now.—Alex Gardner

Most of the time, when you see an artist with a brand that looks extremely cool you can almost guarantee that the music will not be as impressive. That isn't the case with Nok From The Future.

"Relaxation" is just another example of Nok's ability to make polarizing music as this tracks slaps from the very beginning. The song is short but there's no doubt that both the audio and video will keep you tuned in.—Eric Isom

It always feels a little premature and futile to attempt commenting on a Kendrick Lamar song within hours of its release, but here's some context: "The Heart Part 4" is the latest in a four-part series, picking up after "Part 3" dropped back in 2012. And it's either the first taste of his fourth studio album or the whole thing was written specifically to announce the project—highlighted by a closing line which hints at a possible release date: "Y'all got till April the 7th to get ya'll shit together."

If the song is on his next album, it doesn't make it much easier to predict what direction he's heading in. After a velvety opening 80 seconds featuring smooth vocals from Khalid, Kendrick changes course with a nasty beat switch-up before rattling off hard-edged verses that make it difficult to argue with his assertion that he is, in fact, "the greatest rapper alive."

So, some questions remain. Will this land on his next project? Who is he targeting in some of these lines? Is it Big Sean? Sounds like we'll know a lot more on April 7, but in the meantime—like most Kendrick releases—there's plenty to chew on here.—Eric Skelton

Aminé found a new color. After a breakout 2016 that included two sparkling yellow-hued singles "Caroline" and "Baba," the Portland rapper turned up the bass and revealed a new side of himself on his first release of 2017, "REDMERCEDES." Channeling early 2000s Clipse vibes, he trades bright synths for rumbling bass as he rides over a beat that your car stereo will love.—Eric Skelton

Little Dragon is back! Our favorite Swedish soulful electro-pop dancefloor slow-burner creating four-piece released their last album, Nabuma Rubberband, in 2014, and 2017 sees their return. Speaking on the making of their new album, they explain:

"We have grown through the years but the making of this album has been a struggle. As much as our band is based on a deep friendship we are four strong wills who find it really frustrating to compromise. We have gotten better at that though, but it's still a real battle."

Little Dragon's Season High album drops April 14. Listen to the second single, "Sweet," below.—Alex Gardner

Dreamville's latest signee J.I.D has already shown that he's a great rapper, but that doesn't always translate into great songs. He can rip a freestyle, but on his new album The Never Story, J.I.D shows that he can combine his technical abilities with good songwriting, strong beat selection, and the necessary structure. An early standout is "Somebody." It shows off his storytelling ability, his flow, and his unique voice, all over a cool, jazzy beat.—Jacob Moore

To be honest, I was worried about Lorde's comeback. In the time between her debut album and now, she's been elevated to global superstar status, and she could probably pretty easily make a big, straightforward, overproduced pop album and be very successful. Between first single "Green Light" and this new one "Liability," it's becoming clear that Lorde's upcoming album Melodrama is going to be a lot more interesting than that. "Liability" is a stripped down ballad—not a pop anthem—and it's gorgeous.—Jacob Moore

Brooklyn's SAINt JHN is on a serious hot streak. His last two songs, "Roses" and "Reflex" are still in heavy rotation, and his latest, "3 Below," follows suit with the same dark, bass-heavy vibe. There's nothing flashy about SAINt JHN's sound, but good songwriting and undeniable charisma are becoming qualities that he's able to deliver on the regular. When it's time for an album, SAINt JHN is going to be a problem. Catch him performing at our No Ceilings at SXSW next Saturday.—Jacob Moore

It takes considerable audacity to sample Blink-182, but Swedish rappers Busu and Yemi are more than eager to take risks with their increasingly exciting music. As the last single before he drops his debut album next month, "Curse on You" promises that Busu is capable of more surprises yet. It might not be as immediate as the infectious "116 RIP," but after a few spins it'll be stuck in your head all the same.—Joe Price

Mabel is the future of pop music. She can pull off slow ballads or uptempo pop songs, and on "Finders Keepers" she introduces a bit of a dancehall influence. The production isn't overblown though, and Mabel and Kojo Funds float over the beat. Look out for both of these London-based artists in 2017.—Alex Gardner

2 Chainz - "Smartphone"

This is a beat tailormade for the 2 Chainz's talents. Sharp, cutting drums leave plenty of room for punchlines to bounce off the song's walls, and they roll in one after another on "Smartphone." This was billed as a bonus track to the leaked collab cut "It's a Vibe," but by the end of this week, the B-side felt like a stronger cut.—Graham Corrigan