Best Songs of the Month

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

Tyler, The Creator has evolved into a complex artist. If you've watched some of the behind-the-scenes moments that give a glimpse into Tyler's creative process, you know he values the details in his music and each song is meticulously layered and arranged. On this "throwaway" song called "OKRA," that musical complexity is traded in for a singular focus on some of the best rapping Tyler has recorded. The beat is minimal, anchored mostly by bass, but Tyler's delivery builds with increasingly impressive agility and intensity and ultimately steals the show.—Jacob Moore

All month long, rumors swirled that a new release from The Weeknd was imminent. The whispers of new music started when Travis Scott tweeted that listening to the Toronto artist's new project felt like hearing him "for the first time," and were confirmed earlier this week when The Weeknd himself shared a screenshot of a conversation between his collaborator La Mar C Taylor and himself. “Should we drop Friday?" he asks. "I’m indifferent to be honest.”

Last night, the six-song project finally arrived. My Dear Melancholy's thundering opener, a confrontational track called "Call Out My Name," sets the tone for the rest of the project and signals a step away from the bright color palettes The Weeknd explored on his last album, Starboy. Over Frank Dukes' dark, stirring production, he grapples with ending a relationship that has grown toxic. The sweltering track is reminiscent of his earlier work, drawing upon the drama and eerie, billowing soundscapes of the mixtapes that first launched him to stardom. "Call Out My Name" showcases The Weeknd's stunning vocal prowess and establishes his exciting new musical direction.—Charlotte Freitag

Two years after his breakthrough Lil Boat mixtape, Lil Yachty finally delivered Lil Boat 2 this month. The project features bass-heavy beats and high-energy raps, but the most compelling Yachty songs are the ones that have him floating melodically over dreamlike production. The Trippie Redd-featuring album closer delivers just that and closes out Lil Boat 2 on a high note.—Jacob Moore

Watch what happened when we spent 24 hours in Miami with Trippie Redd here.

Georgia Flipo aka G Flip​, the Australian drummer/singer/songwriter/producer describes making her debut song "About You" as a casual affair. She told triple j that she woke up, ate a couple of eggs, sat down at her little production station, and started listening to synth sounds. She landed on the one that would end up being the intro to her song, and the rest of the track fell into place that day.

"About You" turned out to be one of the best debuts we've heard in 2018 so far. At its core, it's a full-blown pop song with an impossible-to-forget chorus, but nothing about the song is generic. The drum-centric focus gives it a non-traditional edge, the verses are free and unpredictable, and the four-minute song erupts into an incredible finale.—Jacob Moore

Read our interview with G Flip here.

Welcome back, Anderson .Paak. The first original solo song we've heard from him since 2016, "'Til It's Over" caught us by surprise arriving as the soundtrack for a new Apple short film/advertisement directed by Spike Jonze. Finding Anderson in an experimental frame of mind, the song pairs rich, buttery vocals with electronic glitches and bass that we're not used to hearing from him. It works really well, though—as illustrated by FKA Twigs' dance-like-no-one's-watching moves in the video. You can listen to "'Til It's Over" on Apple Music here or continue for the Apple spot.—Eric Skelton

Vince Staples might've won the month when he responded to criticism of his live show with this GoFundMe. Vince has been touring the States with Tyler, the Creator, and his opening set has come under fire—so the rapper offered to find a nice two-bedroom in Palmdale and retire for $2 million. 

Two days later, Vince's true intentions came to light when he dropped "Get The Fuck Off My Dick." Whether the song inspired the GoFundMe or the GoFundMe inspired the song is irrelevant. All that matters is once Vince got our attention, he followed through and dropped one of his best songs to date.—Graham Corrigan 

Jessie Reyez's breakthrough single "Figures" is, on its own, a visceral and evocative experience. Every note that she sings is drenched with emotion, giving you a sobering taste of her heartbreak. But Daniel Caesar brings something special to "Figures, a Reprise," and though he also covers similar ground, there's sense of calm collectedness in his voice that helps the song reach new heights. The collaboration is a special one, showcasing what Canadian talent has to offer beyond Bieber and Drake, Shania Twain and Céline Dion.

Both Jessie Reyez and Daniel Caesar received JUNO Awards this past Sunday for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and R&B Recording of the Year, respectively. Hopefully, "Figures, a Reprise" won't be the only collaboration we get from the Ontario natives; it would hardly seem fair.—Joyce Ng

Watch our Who Is? video profile with Jessie Reyez here.

When Swae Lee and Jxmmi announced that their next album SR3MM would be a three-disc package containing “one side Rae Sremmurd, one side Slim Jxmmi, and one side Swae Lee,” there was a ton of excitement but also curiosity about what solo Swae Lee and Jxmmi tracks would sound like.

Now, a little over a month after the announcement, the duo finally gave us a sample of what's to come from each side of the full-length release. Swae Lee dropped off "Hurt To Look," Jxmmi shared "Brxnks Trucks," and the duo joined forces with Juicy J for "Powerglide." The good news is that "Powerglide" confirms that the energy is still present when the two brothers link up, so Sremm season is still in full effect.—Eric Isom

"I ain't been asleep in like five days," BlocBoy JB raps in "Rover 2.0." It's the kind of life he's living now, a Drake cosign in his rearview and 21 Savage on his guest verses. This latest single won't help the insomnia—it's an update of Blocboy's "Rover," and 21 absolutely floats over the sparse, menacing production. The relentless piano loop sounds straight out of BlocBoy's Memphis, a gritty update of Three 6 Mafia's "Bring Sally Up." It's another indication that BlocBoy JB has the ear and connections to stick around for a long while.—Graham Corrigan

Yung Bans is a safe bet to be one of the stars of 2018. He's young and from the hottest city in hip-hop, has stayed consistent with quality releases, and he knows how to navigate both online and throughout the industry without coming off as disingenuous or forced. It all seems to be paying off—Bans has built a following with his Vol. 1-4 EPs and has received a cosign from superstar and fellow ATLien Future.

Vol. 4 dropped this month and one of the standouts is "Mood Swings." With help from JBan$2turnt and airy production from Goose, Bans switched things up and used a heavier Auto-tune to touch on the drama that has come with his dealings with women.—Eric Isom

​Watch what happened when we took Yung Bans to a psychic above.

Old school funk is in Topaz Jones’ DNA, and his latest single takes those roots and builds a bassy, swaggering come-on out of them for “Pleasure Pain Passion.” The track is a cosmic, groovy love song where Jones shows off nimble flows and an improved singing voice, dancing around the metered percussion like a running back in the end zone. The faux call-and-response hook is a great ‘70s inspired touch, and a chamomile-scented KAMAU crafting a hilarious situation where the man with the object of his affection turns out to be her cousin is pure absurd fun. There are shades of Anderson .Paak to both of their approaches, but each brings their own unique easygoing charm that elevates this funky collaboration.—Grant Rindner

Sango and Smino go together like [insert your favorite combination of foods]. Smino might have worked more extensively with the also excellent Monte Booker, but when he connects with Seattle-based producer Sango, the result is always magic. "Khlorine" comes from Sango's new album, and on the track we get to enjoy the full range of Smino's talents—from rapping to singing—over a sparkling beat. It's perfection.

Sango's album In The Comfort Of is out is out now, and it features JMSN, Jesse Boykins III, Dave B, and more.—Alex Gardner

"Dance Like U" is Okay Kaya's second single off her forthcoming album. Much like "IUD," it's an understated, patient lullaby that reveals a staggering depth upon closer listening. Kaya's story of conflicted self-love floats over organs and stuttering drums—the Porches production is more apparent on this second single, and Kaya leans into it with some falsetto harmonies that makes "Dance Like U" feel like a religious experience.

"What I wanted to explore with these videos is what the psychological condition would look like if it had a physical embodiment," she said of the video. "So having this twin that is all your trauma or all the shit that you have to deal with in your life."—Graham Corrigan

Throughout the month of February, we get a chance to celebrate all of our great black heroes who helped paved the way for us today. For 28, sometimes 29, days out of the year the world's attention is pointed directly at our community and everything we've helped build. However, as soon as March rolls around that sense of pride can die down rapidly.

For his latest single, Buddy delivers an anthem that's sure to keep that momentum of pride going strong. Simply titled "Black," Buddy and A$AP Ferg list off various things that showcase how proud they are to be black—including dreams of copping a black Tesla and dressing like Huey P. Newton. I'm not sure if this classic scene from the 1993 comedy CB4 played any part in inspiring Buddy's new single, but the catchy hook feels like beautiful homage as well as a reminder that we're out here making black history every single day. Say hello to your new empowerment anthem.—Adrienne Black

Watch our Who Is? video profile with Buddy here.

French-born, British-raised rapper Octavian and his Essie Gang crew haven't put a foot wrong since releasing "Party Here" near the end of 2017. From the music to the visuals, everything is on point, and Octavian's fanbase is expanding from the streets of London to the blogs to...Drake. Big name cosign or not, Octavian has the juice right now, and his latest move is a left-turn on "Hands." Abandoning rapping altogether, Octavian layers his voice in effects and sings like a wolf howling at the moon. It's strange and beautiful, the kind of music only a boldly creative artist with the self-confidence would release.—Alex Gardner

Yung Lean and Thaiboy Digital's "Diamonds" proved that these two are a formidable duo, and their heavy new collab, "King Cobra," is just as essential. A little more straightforward than what Leandoer delivered with Stranger last year, "King Cobra" sees both rappers distilling their talents and streamlining the process. It's still easily identifiable as a Thaiboy/Lean collaboration, but this new single has sleek pop sheen rarely found in their previous work.—Joe Price

Lil Gnar has been producing some of the most promising rap out, and with "FeelTheRage" he's got one of his finest moments yet. Accompanied by ghostly Joji vocals and a foreboding verse from Ottawa's Night Lovell, the Killstation-produced beat perfectly sets the tone for Gnar's snarling hook. Gnar has proved once again that he's got a lot more up his sleeve than many initially thought, and "FeelTheRage" is just further proof of what he's capable of.—Joe Price

Watch Lil Gnar talk Lil Skies, skating, and Gnarcotic on Trending Topics here.

Twin Shadow's last album, Eclipse, came out in 2015, but he's back this year with more stirring, soaring pop. Previously released song "Little Woman" was a creeping, minimal track, but "Saturdays" with HAIM, and new song "Brace" are bigger and bolder. Twin Shadow's catalog is filled with these kind of classic sounding songs, and "Brace" is another winner. His new album Caer is out April 27.—Alex Gardner

British production duo Snakehips have made a habit of collaborating with big name vocalists like Anderson .Paak, Tinashe, Tory Lanez, Joey Bada$$ and MØ, and that trend continues on their latest single. "For The F^_^k Of It" is a bouncy, fun track, the crisp production a perfect foil for Jeremih and Aminé's melodic deliveries.

The track comes from Snakehips' Stay Homes Tapes EP, which is out April 5. "The EP is a bunch of tunes that we made after a crazy few years of touring and traveling the world," Snakehips say. "We called it 'Stay Home' as a kinda jokey way to express all the mad stuff you experience and the bizarre characters you meet along the way, and throughout that trying to stay true to yourself."—Alex Gardner

If there's one thing you can expect from Sheck Wes, it's energy. The Harlem rapper brought intensity and raw visuals to match with his previous singles "Live Sheck Wes Die Sheck Wes" and "Mo Bamba," and leading into the release of his debut project MUDBOY he's back with more. Wes returned with "Do That" this week and he charged through the aggressive production with precision. The Cactus Jack signee told Zane Lowe that he wants his debut to be all him and so far, the formula is working.—Eric Isom

​Read our interview with Sheck Wes here.

Atlanta rapper Nessly has already got strong momentum and a reputation for consistency, but his new project Wild Flower should take him to the next level. The project is executive produced by TM88 and Take a Daytrip and features Ski Mask The Slump God, 24hrs, HoodRich Pablo Juan, and Joji. At 13 tracks long it's concise but shows off Nessly's skills as a songwriter and ear for glossy melodies and clean production. We've still got "Back 2 Life" and "WHOHASIT" in heavy rotation, but "Can't Answer" is another early standout.—Jacob Moore

Watch Nessly talk Young Thug, clout-chasing, and his new album on Trending Topics here.

Norwegian singer Sigrid had a huge 2017, with her debut single "Don't Kill My Vibe" blowing up and success after success following that. It quickly became clear that she was no one hit wonder, and Sigrid's new single is another strong addition to her catalog. "Raw" is a bright and bouncy pop song with a big hook and has us excited for whatever the rest of the year has in store.—Alex Gardner

SAINt JHN covers a lot of ground on his full-length debut, Collection One. Among the offerings: jagged, vengeful hits like "Surf Club" and "3 Below," dreamy dance-pop that recalls Blood Orange ("Selfish"), heavy hitter "GOD BLESS THE RATCHETS," and bittersweet R&B like "Reflex" and "I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night." It's a hugely ambitious project, and proof that SAINt JHN's journey to this point that's worth the wait.

But on first listen, my favorite of his many lanes might be the pillowy piano ballad "God Bless the Internet." Sure, he's justifying infidelity with wifi puns, but it all sounds reasonable as a lullaby. The production wouldn't be out of place on a Sufjan Stevens album, but only SAINt JHN could successfully flip that into a campaign for threesomes.—Graham Corrigan

Odie was born in Toronto and raised in the Bay Area by his Nigerian parents, and all three of those distinct places are evident in the soulful, summery sounds of his track “North Face.” Over sugary guitar and spacious percussion Odie waxes poetic about a lost love from his youth, casting himself as the lovable loser with candor and humor that are genuinely refreshing .There are shades of everyone from James Fauntleroy to Daniel Caesar to Kid Cudi in Odie’s delivery, as he switches between a smooth tenor and delicate falsetto, but the final product feels entirely singular. As he told us, “The only responsibility anybody has as an artist is to be true to yourself.”—Grant Rindner

DJ Esco just released his new project Kolorblind and of course Future is all over it. Although he's joined by the likes of Young Thug, Guap Tarantino, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Rich The Kid and more, none were able to match the chemistry that Future and his DJ have. "F*k Faces" is quintessential Future, raw energy, flashy lifestyle, ups and downs with women, and loyalty to his family. It's easily the highlight of the tape and further demonstrates how many hits Future really has in the vault. 

Less than a year after painstakingly detailing the loss he experienced when cancer took his wife Geneviève, Phil Elverum has released another stark meditation on the crushing reality of death. Now Only finds Elverum attempting to return to normalcy, but what's normal when you're touring the world performing songs so personal and stripped-down? 

The album deals with this, as Elverum questions his intentions performing to festival-goers on drugs listening to him sing about losing his wife, but the title track is where he realizes his grief and devastation isn't unique. "But people get cancer and die / People get hit by trucks and die / People just living their lives / Get erased for no reason with the rest of us watching from the side," he sings, springing the song to life.

What is unique, however, is how Elverum evokes feeling. He remains one of the most powerful and poetic songwriters alive, even when stripping beauty away to focus on the austere and gloomy world that lays beneath.—Joe Price

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie dropped a song a day for the entire week and "Blunt" was one of the early favorites of the collection of singles. It's A Boogie doing what he does best, mixing melody and clever punchlines to deliver a song for both women and men to sing along to. After having a huge 2017, the Bronx native is looking to take things to an even higher level this year and follow up his impressive debut The Bigger Artist.—Eric Isom

I really wish that I had the confidence to be as open as Snail Mail's Lindsey Jordan when it came to matters of the heart. There's this sick, sinking sensation that goes through your body when your feelings for someone are so raw and strong that they consume everything around you. That's what this song reminds me of, with soaring guitars drowning out the self-doubt.

"Don't you like me for me?/ Is there any better feeling than coming clean?" Lindsey sings in the chorus. "And I know myself and I'll never love anyone else/ I won't love anyone else/ I'll never love anyone else."

When you're on the brink of adulthood, nobody wants to tell you that moving on is a struggle, accepting change is easier said than done, and growing up never really ends.—Sydney Gore

Read our interview with Snail Mail here.

A Pac Div reunion is something I've dreamed of, hoped for, but never fully believed might actually happen—even though it absolutely should. Fast forward to 2018, a year full of surprises, and it finally happened. Pac Div is really back and their latest single "Stoked" is the appropriate mood.

Last week the trio returned with "First Baptist," their first single in years. But the follow up, "Stoked" is really the one. Like delivers some hard-hitting production that amplifies the energy of each of their verses. Pac Div is gearing up to drop their new album 1st Baptist on April 13 and this preview already feels extremely promising. Welcom back guys! —Adrienne Black

DJ Khaled had been teasing something big for his next track, but this is DJ Khaled, so we never know whether he's hyping up something mediocre or he has indeed secured some more superstars for another track. "Top Off" sees Khaled back together with Jay-Z and Beyoncé (who he had on the track "Shining") and Future (previous collab: "I Got The Keys"). Future delivers another melodic, slurred hook, ​while Beyoncé and Jay-Z get in on the act with current reference-filled verses. DJ Khaled's new album Father of Asahd is on the way, and this is the first single.—Alex Gardner

Spanish quartet Hinds’ sunny sound is a perfectly incongruous fit for “Finally Floating,” a love song about insomnia with sweetness and bright guitar chords that feel like a daydream. There’s no relief for this unrequited love in dreams, and the Nightmare on Elm Street-esque vision of love is brought to life with chunky chords, doubled, occasionally shouted vocals, and authentic emotion. When they sing lines like “‘Cause if I wake up feeling lonely one more time/Oh boy, I’ve tried,” the exasperation seeps out through the track’s shroud of reverb. Hind’s second album, I Don’t Run, is on the way, and the early returns suggest another stellar entry of raw, unfiltered and infectious garage rock.—Grant Rindner

Even when he was first emerging, Smokepurpp's music was more polished and melodic than the bass-driven blowouts of many of his SoundCloud peers. Now he's got producers like Murda Beatz in his corner (not to mention Travis Scott behind him), the sky's the limit for Purpp. On "Do Not Disturb" he gets an assist from Offset and Lil Yachty, with the latter delivering a verse that pretty much explains his approach to rap: "Fuck I look like doing cyphers? I'm getting richer now." Murda Beatz and Smokepurpp's collaborative tape Bless Yo Trap is on the way.—Alex Gardner

With singles like "New Freezer," "Plug Walk," and "Early Morning Trappin" leading the way, Rich The Kid's new album The World is Yours was already shaping up nicely, but he kept some standout moments up his sleeve. Rich has mastered the recipe for an effortless hit that delivers exactly what you want from it, and the Future-assisted "No Question" is another one.—Jacob Moore

Philadelphia is having a great year. The Eagles are Super Bowl champions, Larry Krasner is the best D.A. in America, Will Smith is rapping again, Meek Mill's freedom feels imminent, and the music scene continues to produce stars across the genre spectrum (see: Gus Dapperton, Lil Uzi Vert, Sheer Mag).

More good news for the city: Tunji's back. His Prince of July mixtape dropped in summer 2016, and the Blue Bell-raised artist has been releasing a string of singles in recent months. "DOWN" is the latest, following on the heels of "DIVA." Tunji linked with Dot Da Genius for the production, and it's another irresistibly cool addition to the discography.—Graham Corrigan

I told myself I would stop using the word "banger" like three years ago, but I don't know how else to describe this song. "Kristi YamaGucci" is a goddamn banger. Fuck. I hate singling out one verse over the other, because all three of these guys do their thing, but I'll never get tired of hearing Denzel Curry come in yelling about trenchoats and Go-Go-Gadget over those ridiculous drums from Frankie P. Then, somehow, IDK steps in and keeps the energy up on the final verse. The Mad Man Tour with all three of these guys is going to be chaos.—Eric Skelton

See what happened when Denzel Curry was on Trending Topics here.

Following his breakout single “WuWu,” New York raised, Nigerian born rapper Thutmose invites us into his world on this absolute earworm of a track. Oscillating between syrupy low-end melodies and tumbling flows, Thutmose’s delivery is reminiscent of British MCs like J Hus or Dave, who deploy both in equal measure without switching register. Razor-sharp hi-hats and cascading synths create a slick backdrop for Thutmose’s versatile flows to explore every available alcove (and he even offers a timely 2pac reference). “Ride With Me” is the perfect early entry in your summer playlist, and odds are Thutmose will give us plenty more worthy contenders for inclusion before things really start heating up.—Grant Rindner