This is, completely unintentionally, the most sensual 10 songs we’ve ever put together. There are plenty of bedroom jams, RnB stunners and sultry pop songs and we’re not sure whether it’s because that’s all that was released this week or because we’ve been selective because we’re in some sort of smutty mood. Either way, we can’t help but feel now we’ve peaked a week too soon. This would have been perfect for V Day.
Young Fathers- Rain Or Shine
Glasgow group Young Fathers would be feeling pretty happy with themselves right now. And that’s absolutely deserved. They won the Mercury Prize for their excellent record Dead and are now wasting no time in getting on with the next one. It’s a sense of immediacy that The Avalanches, D’Angelo and Guns N’ Roses never quite grasped. Rain Or Shine sounds like a carnival ransacked by a gang. Its perky yet distinctively dark with a carnivale synth slaughtered by a thumping back beat. It’s from the album White Men Are Black Men Too which will come into existence in early April.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/youngfathers/rain-or-shine-2[/soundcloud]
Shy Girls- Arrest (Feat. Tei Shi)
And herein commences the love-making section of 10 songs for this week. You may have heard Portland-based singer Shy Girls lay his voice down on tracks by ODESZA and Cyril Hahn in the past few years, but his solo work is equally impressive. Arrest is taken from a mixtape title 4WZ and it’s an after-dark, sweltering mid-tempo. Mid-tempo duets make my heart skip a beat and when Tei Shi joins on the second verse all self-control is lost. You can download the rest of the mixtape here which I highly recommend you do.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/shygirls/arrest-me-ft-tei-shi-1?in=shygirls/sets/4wz-mixtape[/soundcloud
Unknown Mortal Orchestra- Multi-Love
Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruben Nielson was one unhappy man on his last record II. Despite being lonely, however, the record was delicious melodic and quaint. On the title-track from the forthcoming record, Multi-Love, he sounds considerably happier. And what does happiness sounds like? It sounds like less reverb, stomping pop-inspired percussion and sunshine-induced choruses.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/jagjaguwar/unknown-mortal-orchestra-multi-love[/soundcloud]
Madonna- Iconic (Feat. Mike Tyson and Chance The Rapper)
I never thought I’d be writing about Mike Tyson in the same sentence as a new song but here goes. Madonna has released a new song and it features Mike Tyson alongside Chance The Rapper. The good news is Tyson barely even attempts to rap. The bad news is Madonna does. It’s not as bad as it sounds though. She basically does a lot of rambling about sweat and tears and makes a whole lot of boxing innuendo before she gets on with it and bursts into a massive, trap-inspired chorus. It’s worth sticking around for Chance too if you can make it that far.
Say Lou Lou- Nothing But A Heartbeat
After what seems like decades of waiting, Swedish sisters Say Lou Lou are finally releasing their debut album, Lucid Dreaming. With that announcement this week came a new song called Nothing But A Heartbeat which is another sprawling, magnificent pop song that only Swedes could manage. Where their last release, Games For Girls, plodded along with an effortless cool, Nothing But A Heartbeat is more a combustion of emotion. Both work for us.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/sayloulou/nothing-but-a-heartbeat[/soundcloud]
Angel Haze- CANDLXS
We already raved about this Angel Haze song earlier in the week so we won’t take up too much of your time here. Basically CANDLXS is the first song off Haze’s forthcoming release TFBAN. According to Haze herself this is about the fifth best song on the record which has us insanely excited (that was no doubt her intention and possibly a lie but we’ll give her the benefit of the doubt). CANDLXS shits over most of the stuff on her debut album because its unmistakably an Angel Haze song. As she oscillates between singing and rapping you get the feeling no other rapper could manage this.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/angxlhxze/candlxs-prod-troy-noka[/soundcloud]
Migos- One Time
After a slew of mixtapes and random drops, rap collective Migos are finally gearing up their debut album Y.R.N. The Album. One Time is our first proper taste of that album and to be completely blunt if you don’t like hip-hop go to song nine. If you do like hip-hop, you’re going to love this. Basically they run through everything they’ve done just “one time” over a badass beat by Deko. The “one time” hook is enough to keep us interested while the verses are where the magic really comes. These guys are charismatic rappers and in shines through in droves.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/migosatl/migos-one-time-prod-deko[/soundcloud]
Raye- Flowers
Raye is the girlfriend everyone will want after hearing this. Flowers by London newcomer Raye is about how she doesn’t want flowers and doesn’t need to be given them. Over a confident, fierce beat, Raye takes the bull by the horns. “You don’t wanna know how many little guys I met like you”, she sings sending every guy to the corner of the club immediately. Props should and will be given to her flow on the verse which is impeccable.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/arayeofcolours/flowers[/soundcloud]
Obey City- Waterbad (Feat. Anthony Flammia)
I don’t like to ever say the word “jam” unless I’m talking about the condiment but I feel like it’s more than warranted here. NYC producer Obey City felt like the world needed a slow jam so he gave us one that sounds like a prototype of D’Angelo crossed with Maxwell and Frank Ocean. Anthony Flammia takes to the sexy beat with a sensual finesse, using his falsetto to induce weak knees. It’s from his Merlot Sounds EP which is due out 23rd February on LuckyMe.
[soundcloud width="750" height="200"]https://soundcloud.com/obey-city/waterbed[/soundcloud]
