Pigeons & Planes' Best Songs of the Week

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

In the wake of Alice Glass' departure from Crystal Castles, one of the most exciting prospects was Glass pursuing more personal music removed from Ethan Kath's often overbearing production. "Stillbirth" gave us a taste of what to expect, but "Without Love" feels like the true departure we've been waiting for. Elements of Crystal Castles still linger, but things a little clearer, and easier to digest this time around. The vocals aren't buried deep within the mix, instead standing as the real highlight of the track. Alice Glass is an underrated lyricist, and now she's showcasing her songwriting skills more clearly than ever.—Joe Price

Saturation 2 is shaping up to be as impressive as its predecessor. "Swamp" is the second track we've heard from the upcoming release—"Gummy" arrived last week. I'm probably the tenth P&P writer to say so this month, but we will look back at summer 2017 as the moment that Brockhampton could do no wrong.

"Swamp" features a hook from Kevin Abstract and Matt Champion, stunning verses from Ameer Vann, Merlyn Wood, Dom McLennon, and even a rare Joba appearance. He snaps as always, coming in near the end with a tongue-twisting melody and an iconic sequined shirt. It's been two months since Brockhampton has released a bad song, and I'm starting to doubt if they ever will.—Graham Corrigan

Yellow Days is an 18-year-old kid from the U.K., but you wouldn’t know it by listening to him sing. His scratchy vocal delivery carries the emotional weight of someone who has been through decades of pain. Basically, it sounds like he's seen some shit and gained a perspective that eludes most teenagers. But somehow, Yellow Days' music feels genuine—in spite of his youth. "Hurt In Love" is one of the finest examples of this yet, as the young singer/producer pours himself out over warm psychedelic guitars and crisp percussion in a heartbreaking way you can feel in your gut. —Eric Skelton

Earlier this week, Twelve'Len shared his latest track "Almost There" with a short message detailing that this was a gift for his fans who have been supporting him from the beginning. There's a light, almost sunny quality to his music and his newest release continues down that same path. Twelve'Len recruits Allan Kingdom to complete "Almost There" and the production sets a tone that feels uplifting and inspirational. As the duo sit and reflect on everyday scenarios, the song feels relatable for those who might not be achieving all their goals yet. Keep going though, you're almost there.—Adrienne Black

Buddy's versatility continues to impress as the young artist follows the smooth and soulful Ocean & Montana EP—produced entirely by Kaytranada—with something a little harder. "That Much" is a straight rap track from the Compton artist, and it comes from his new EP Magnolia. Mike & Keys produced this song and the entire upcoming EP, having also produced Buddy's excellent 2016 release "Shine."

Compton born and raised Buddy is set to have a big 2017. Don't sleep.—Alex Gardner

There are a small handful of artists I trust to never let me down. When I see they've dropped a new track I'm almost certain I'm going to enjoy it before I've even pressed play. Sango is one of those artists for me. In the midst of a chaotic week, Sango delivered a much needed ease in the form of a mini dance break.

The title of Sango's latest track "Meio Da Noite" translates to "middle of the night" in Portuguese. Opening with the sound of vehicles speeding off into the distance and crickets chirping in the background, the mood is set well before the beat drops. Sango lets the track build at a subtle pace until it reaches a steady bounce that has just enough power to relieve a decent amount of stress. Once again, Sango proves the language barrier of his samples are insignificant because the language of rhythm and dance is universal.—Adrienne Black

Back in January, New York-based artist Snny made one of the most impressive debuts of the year with a short and sweet song called "Young Boy." On the follow-up, Snny delivers again with the breezy "Arizona." 

“I think people are always looking to find the meaning behind a song," Snny says of the new track. "I wrote 'Arizona' about the experience of creating and finding a deeper meaning within my own work. Lyrically, it is very literal but it also symbolizes the overall state of mind that lingered while creating the songs that would eventually becomes the Learning To Swim EP,” describes snny. 

Snny’s Learning to Swim EP is scheduled for a September 8 release on Glassnote Records.

Nessly has proved his credentials with releases like 2016 project Solo Boy Band. One thing that makes the rising Atlanta act a little more special is his ear for collaboration. Nessly is not afraid to take a left turn and work with a fresh producer or an out of the box artist. His most recent collaboration is with Toronto's Killy on "No Mistakes."

What made "Killamonjaro" special to me was Killy's charisma on wax and on this record is the closest he's come to matching that level of confidence. Both he and Nessly cruised through this Alecto & MikeHector produced record and I'm sold on any song that mentions "slime" in its chorus, so this was a no-brainer for me.—Eric Isom

Moses Sumney is a special artist. When we first heard from him in 2013, it was his voice that was immediately captivating. As he has evolved and approaches the release of his debut album Aromanticism, Sumney's arrangements and creative approach to songwriting and structure are now just as impressive as his voice.

"Quarrel" is another gorgeous song, with production from Cam Obi and Joshua Willing Halpern, and performances by Paris Strother (KING) on synths and piano, Thundercat on bass, and Jamire Williams on drums. Moses Sumney's Aromanticism is out September 22 via Jagjaguwar.—Alex Gardner

Drain Gang often don't get the respect they deserve. Associated with Yung Lean's distinct brand of off-kilter rap music, the group has put out an album that's just as good as we've come to expect from their appearances on Yung Lean's solo output. As proven before, Thaiboy Digital in particular works incredibly well with Leandoer. These guys are responsible for helping shape Lean's sound, and with tracks like "Can't Trust" they exhibit why they deserve just as much attention.—Joe Price

Music from the elusive MF DOOM is always a welcome occurrence, and now Adult Swim are set to release just that for 15 weeks straight. The Missing Notebook Rhymes series kicked off this week with "Negus," a Sean Price track from an upcoming posthumous collection of his music called Imperious Rex. The two rap kings are perfect partners on this track, all gruff vocals and raw bars.—Alex Gardner