Best Songs of the Week

British duo HONNE returned in style this week with "Woman," a smooth, silky jam written as "a thank you for all the love you've given us." These two have started to corner the market on downtempo love songs—there's something about the interplay between James and Andy's voices that make their songs hit the core of our very being, and "Woman" is no exception. HONNE's usual instrumental selection is there—an unobtrusive rhythm guitar and sparse percussion—but the performance, as usual, is something special.—Graham

Back in September, London-based artist Miles from Kinshasa made an impressive debut with his single “IVRY,” a smooth R&B record with a deep groove. This month he followed it up with yet another stunning effort, titled “KAYA.”

For his second single, Miles blends nostalgic bass lines with futuristics synths, effortlessly bridging the gap between generations of R&B. The production for “KAYA” feels strongly inspired by those that have come before him, but Miles embeds a hefty ounce of his own unique style to make his music feel like a necessary breath of fresh air.

Aside from having a rhythm that can pull in new listeners in an instant, Miles completes the package with heartfelt lyrics. On “KAYA,” he manages to make a very personal song feel inviting rather than intrusive. With two exceptional singles, Miles from Kinshasa is rising fast.—Adrienne Black

Darq E Freaker's one of a few grime producers who are cop-on-sight, for me anyways. He has a way of bridging the gap between grime and hip-hop, weird and righteous, that many producers only pray to find.

Take "2C-I," the first glimpse of his upcoming ADHD EP. There's a swing that will have all trap elbows in attendance at the dance, but instead of some typical shouts or loops, he cascades a waterfall of squishy squelches that ride the bass perfectly. To add another layer to your turn up, he's made this cut both chill and lit at the same time.

Take a deeper listen; sure, a grime MC will rip this beat to shreds with double time flows, but the actual track? It's perfect for riding dirty on the block slow, windows down, driver's seat ALL the way back. Real 2087 pimp material.—khal

Arriving just a little bit too late for Valentine's day, FKA twigs' latest is full of clear-eyed romance. With some of her most straightforward production (this time alongside Rick Nowels, who has serious songwriting/production credentials) and a lack of vocal effects or other experimental flourishes, this is twigs at her most pop. And she does it so well.

"Good To Love" was released with another engaging video, and she followed it up with a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Keep killing it, twigs.—Constant Gardner

While my love for the music of J Dilla doesn't solely live during that week in February that houses both his birthday and the day he left this Earth, it is the week that I listen to Dilla's material almost exclusively. This is how we mourn.

Not too long ago, I found the Pay Jay bootleg on an old hard drive; this was the solo album he'd reportedly recorded for MCA, but they ended up shelving, causing him to go on an aural trek that turned into classic Dilla material including Ruff Draft, Jaylib's Champion Sound, and the mighty Donuts.

Word dropped this week that the album, fully mastered and now titled The Diary, is set to be released in April. The first track, "The Introduction," hit me like a ton of bricks. And while I could care less how many Dilla beat tapes you've consumed, if you don't pay homage to DILLA on the mic, you're lost. The homage to Q-Tip in the beginning of the first verse? The "J Dilla like Inspector Gadget, cause I pull out the tools to eliminate the extra baggage" lines? The forever repping the D?

Dilla wasn't spitting the lovey dovey shit that many of the MCs who picked his beats wanted; he was more aggressive by nature, letting the inner demons and swagger flow into the mic. "The Introduction" might be the perfect jumping off point for heads who want to explore how underrated Dilla truly was with the pen. Just saying.—khal

Elevator UP. DOWN. UP. DOWN. One listen and you'll have the hook lodged in your brain, a few more listens and you'll start to pick up some of ZelooperZ's wild bars. This is Detroit shit, this is punk shit, this is rap shit, this is dance shit. Black Noi$e killed the beat, ZelooperZ came with the raw energy, and the result is unhinged brilliance.

Look out for the Bothic album this month. Oh, and if you're at a Zelooperz show and hear the intro to this song, get ready for carnage.—Constant Gardner

Allan Kingdom and Kevin Abstract are each formidable enough on their own, but together? They're unstoppable. We first saw proof of their powers on "Already" back in 2014, and "Refresh" last year.

Kingdom and Abstract have struck again on "Potion." with an undeniable hook that's guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Most impressive, though, is that neither rapper overpowers the other. They strike a distinct balance, and you can still hear each of their distinct styles and flows throughout the entire song. It's a true testament to both their individual talent, and the way in which these two push each other ever higher.—Katie K.