Best Songs of the Week

Prefaced by a completely wild, mind-blowing freestyle on Sway in the Morning, Danny Brown dropped a new single out of nowhere. He's always been known for his left-field, cringeworthy-but-hilarious one-liners, but "ODB" has some gems. More importantly, though, is that "ODB" showcases what makes Danny such a captivating rapper; that is, he always sounds like he's on the edge of losing it—his beat, his rhyme, his flow, sometimes, even his mind. His off-kilter raps are almost nerve-wracking as he teeters on that line between full control and instablity, but that's what makes him, and Old, so exciting. - Joyce

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When Diplo first tweeted a picture of him and MØ in studio, our imaginations went wild over what this would sound like. This week, we finally got our answer in the form of the fantastic and catchy "XXX 88." The track features MØ's signature sweeping chorus, to which Diplo expertly adds a flurry of percussion, horns, and synths. Most impressive on this song though, are MØ's vocals, which seem to not only have gotten stronger since her debut, but more expansive in her voice's range. In showcasing this, MØ has given us yet another reason to get excited about what material she has in store. - Katie K

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Abandoning the unglued stomping and picking that is the norm for a Willis Earl Beal song, "Coming Through" is a bright, soulful, tight little number that has Willis sounding like a classic soul man. A little help from Cat Power, now a friend of Willis', adds another endearing element to this song that's a little surprising, considering that it's coming from a man who so often visits the topic of loneliness in his songs. Nobody knows. comes on September 10, and it's shaping up to be an excellent release. It's an enormous step from Acousmatic Sorcery, but it's a step in the direction that a lot of Willis Earl Beal fans probably secretly wanted and will gladly welcome. - Confusion

Crafting a song that floats in and out of its own rhythms is a difficult thing to master, but one that Zero 7 have always excelled at. Most indie-focused listeners are familiar with their Sophie Barker-featuring "In the Waiting Line" that was popularized by Zach Braff's 2004 pièce de résistance film Garden State, whose soundtrack had an unexpected moment of cultural dominance. But there's far more to the British production duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker, who manage to make electronic music that rises in crashing waves and rescinds in low tides without ever becoming polarizing. "On My Own" exemplifies this both lyrically and sonically in its sweeping, nine minute scope, with vocalist Danny Pratt first declaring "I'm in love" then tacking on an addendum, the echoing admission of "on my own." The contrast between the track's slow-burning two minute instrumental opener and Pratt's tense crescendos on the piano-meets-synth choruses are finished neatly with a lengthy, spacey synth outro. Just when you think you've got the feel of the track down, it morphs—but without transformation—never fully shedding its skin. Cohesion in the midst of coalescence, that's what makes this track masterful. - harmonicait

Among the various subjects covered in hip-hop, one of the most common is the story of rags to riches, a recounting of how a successful rapper went from then to now. Big Sean's take on this tale comes in the form of the excellent "First Chain," a song that finds him reflecting on how receiving his first chain was a symbol of him finally making it. The track is well-produced with solid, thoughtful verses from both Nas and Kid Cudi, and even features Cudi flexing his vocal abilities throughout the track. If you were wary of the gimmicky nature of Sean's singles released thus far ("Beware" and "Fire"), "First Chain" should be exactly the type of track you were waiting for. - Katie K

I was already a fan of Sunny & Gabe based on the four or five other recent songs they released, but "Godzilla" wasn't one of those songs. The first time I pressed play on the Virginia duo's new Free Candy album was the first time I heard this song, and it's a hell of a way to start off an album. It opens up like a mix of classical orchestration and the soundtrack to an epic Western film, then adds a touch of hip-hop and pop for a wild bouquet of styles that come together like a mismatched outfit that somehow manages to look awesome. It's Sunny & Gabe's most interesting song yet, and once I stop replaying it every time it ends, I'll let you know how the rest of the free album is. - Confusion

Check out "Godzilla" below, and download the whole album here.

Back in May, Skream let the world know that he was digging deeper into the sounds of house and disco, and while many were shocked at the dubstep prodigal son's announcement, if they'd actually been paying attention to his sets over the last year, they'd know that this was a formality more than anything. Still, if you're late to the party, this is your roller rink wake up. Obviously influenced by Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, Skream and frequent vocal collaborator Sam Frank link up for their latest, shaking tail-feathers into the morning light and leaving the 140 BPM bangers to those of you stuck in the sub woofer. - Khal

FTSE's new EP, which is out September 30, is big. There's lots of bass, but always used with restraint, there are softly catchy melodies galore, and gently poignant, observant lyrics. FTSE was described in The Guardian as "Drake if he came from the Midlands not Ontario," and while that might be going a bit far, there is a certain sensitivity that the two artists share. On the new EP, "Lost In Translation" is the most delicate, restrained song—the perfect tonic to soothe to a grim hangover. Never again, until next weekend. - Constant Gardner

Brodinski is on a murder spree right now. Not too many producers get a batch of Yeezus credits, then dip right back in and knock out a new single featuring Theophilus London. They want the night back, and crafted an anthemic cut that will soundtrack their assault on your night owl adventures. Theo walks right up to Diana, lets her know what he wants, and its onto this midnight black rhythm; one of those tracks that'll come on around the 1AM hour and will have you lost for a few hours afterwards. Your life won't be changed, but you'll fucking remember this night. You heathen. Give them the night back! - Khal

There's plenty of emotionally crippled, slow-moving laments emerging from the bowels of Brooklyn's makeshift studios and uneasy apartments, but Kyle Wall's addition to the ranks possesses an unassuming strength. His solo debut under the moniker Wharfer is appropriately titled The Rattling and came out this week, but it's on the strength of the song "Architect" that Wall makes a case for himself. His voice assumes a metaphysical air on the track, it seems to bounce around the room, first purposefully out of sync with the plucking acoustic accompaniment, then in lockstep with a piano cadence that's comforting in its music box simplicity. This song is cobwebs embodied—the ghostly, gossamer remnants of a roomful of memories—dusty corners that somehow glisten amidst unkempt melodies. - harmonicait

In a totally unexpected turn of events, Jake One decided to flip Portugal. the Man's "Evil Friends," and invite Danny Brown along for the ride. Something about Danny's rapid-fire spitting that works so well when juxtaposed with John Gourley's laid-back soprano, making for an incredibly well-balanced result. Oh, and that artwork? All Gourley. Ain't that some shit? - Joyce